Challenge was Sweet for Lowe.

THE Lord Devonport Disabled Anglers Challenge at Sweethope Loughs celebrated its 10th anniversary this year with yet another good turnout of anglers and supporters.

Simon Lowe was overall winner, taking heaviest fish at 7lb 12oz and the heaviest bag at 15lb 4oz, although Simon kindly passed this trophy on to Lorraine Chapman who had recorded he second heaviest bag.

Simon was also a member of the trophy winning four-man team along with Ron Stobbart, Bill Stobbart and Mel Tazey. The trophy for the best fly bag was won by Keith Bowes with Stephen Stubbs lifting the award for the best wheelchair angler and John Hood recorded the best fly bag from a boat. Angler of the match trophy went to Frankie Brown, not for her fish, but for her support of the event over the past years.

Mixed weather and flooding made fishing difficult at Sweethope last week although as the weather and water levels settled, the fish came back on the feed with some good bags recorded. Brian Davis (Dudley) and H Marshall (Amble) each had fish of 8lb, while Tony Barclay/Frank Tooce (Shotley Bridge) had 14 on Cat's Whiskers and B Vickers/J. Haddison (Chopwell) had 15, the heaviest at 7lb, on Black Pennell. M Gamble is on holiday at Sweethope's caravan site had three fish for 15lb, the best a rainbow of 7lb.

Midges and the distant memories of warm-weather sedge keep the Sharpley Springs/Water angler guessing as the wavering air pressure upset the stability of summer.

Huge trout are still there for the taking though, and members of the hare''s ear family can, as always, be relied on to tempt them. Sugar cube nymphs are working well as are traditional Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear nymphs.

Of course, during a hatch, dun imitations in olive are also working well and the sight of the swallows and martins picking off the drifters is a sure sign to give them a go.

Spoonings at present reveal corixae gorging so a sinking water Boatman representation close to weed beds should produce good sport.

The cool snap has also seen a return to more autumnal patterns such as the Cat's whisker and Bloodworms with Les Smith from Blyth and Thomas Parker from Consett each netting 10-pounders on a floating fry and Cat's Whisker.

Jubilee Lakes fished very well on Thursday and Friday, especially to daddies and large sedges. The sedges were effective either fished static or even better, fished very quickly across the surface.

Saturday and Sunday were more awkward with a lot of fish lost off - very similar to last week's fishing in fact. On Sunday more trout were caught on the buzzer (especially black) and the pink Bloodworm.

Doubles this week went to Tom Sumpton from Cockfield, who landed a 14lb 13oz rainbow on a Dawson''s Olive and Terry Winship from Chesterle-Street who took one of 12lb 11oz on a purple Zonker.

The hard work over the last two weeks repairing the sluices, building new platforms and de-weeding the lakes has paid off at Knitsley Mill with a rod average this week of 4. With the water levels back up to near normal and extensive restocking programme the prospects for the week ahead look good.

M Sewell had the biggest fish of the week at Langley dam with a rainbow of 7lb taken on a CdC pattern. S Cragg had the week's heaviest bag with three for 14lb.

GEORGE MACINTYRE [phone] [e-mail] FLY BOX Jubilee: Buzzers, Bloodworm, Sedges, Daddies, Dawson's Olive, Zonkers. Knitsley: Orange Buzzer, Black Buzzer, Black Fritz, Orange Fritz, Diawl Bach, Hawthorn Fly, Grey Duster.

Langley: Sedges, Bibio, CdC patterns. Sharpley: Hare's Ear Nymph,/Sugar Cube, Olive Shuttlecock, Silver Invicta, Corixae, Cat's Whisker, Bloodworm, Blobs.

Sweethope: Cat's Whisker, Black Pennell, various lures.