The North of England Championships saw a field of 90 struggle on a desperately low and clear River Wharfe around Tadcaster.

One of the few anglers to locate any of the elusive chub was winner Pete Illingworth (Leeds) drawn on peg 154 at the bottom of Tadcaster Straight he worked with straight lead and caster for 5 fish and a level 17-0-0.

Tommy Pitts (Aireborough) took second from a peg above the wires at Grimston Park.

Again bomb and caster was the key bringing him a brace of bream scaling 13-6-0.

Two slabs also did the damage for Graham Skirrey (Team Daiwa Armley Angling) whose fish weighed 10-0-0.

Others: Colin Brook (Leeds) 7-10-0; Steve Smith (Airborough) 6-3-0; Stan Jeffries (Team Daiwa Armley Angling) 6-2-0.

Meat seems to be taking from paste as the in bait at Woodlands with most of the leading contenders in Saturdays 68 pegger using the tinned wonder.

Barry Gregory (MAP Elton) used his intimate knowledge of the venue to good effect taking 47-12-0 from Skylark 18. Alternating between meat and worm at five metres he took a string of small carp and tench.

Dave Pimlot (Keenets NW) used pole and meat at Skylark 23 switching between 5 and 12 metres to keep the fish coming for 34-14-0.

Others: John Chapman (Keenetes NW) 34-7-0; Mick Phillips (Penrith) 30-9-0; Lance Roberts (Elton Tackle) 28-12-0; Mick Cawkwell (Gee Tee) 28-6-0

The Wednesday event attracted a good turn out of 53 with Derek Thompson (Ripon) triumphing from peg 12 on Skylark.

His 47-6-0 consisted of carp to 6lb, which he took fishing pellet and meat at both five and 12 metres.

Keith Kotchie (MAP Elton) took second from Skylark Six with 45-5-0 of carp to pellet and paste.

Others: Robert Judson (KL Tackle) 43-12-0; Geoff Hughes (Miracle Baits) 43-6-0; Mick Phillips (Penrith) 41-4-0; Lee Harrison (Browning Scunthorpe) 39-14-0.

A mystery parasite has hit the Poplars Lake at the Oaks Sessay and following a dire 52-pegger on Sunday the venue is to be closed to allow medication to introduced to the water.

John Allerton (Tricast Elton) added another scalp to his growing list of carp venue victories with 28-12-0 from peg 33.

Fishing across to the island at 12 metres he alternated floating bread, pellet and meat for carp to 4lb.

A few pegs away on 36 Dave Wright (Harrogate Angling) used meat and maggots for an all carp net of 25-8-0.

Others: George Webb (Daiwa Cleveland) 21-2-0. Malcolm Sykes (Harrogate Angling) 18-0-0; Colin Owen (The Oaks) 14-12-0; Gary Pawlett (The Oaks) 13-6-0.