BRADFORD CITY AA

COLD weather has arrived with a vengeance and we’ve seen some sharp frosts this week. Although temperatures now seem to be climbing, winds remain cold and are keeping many anglers away from the banks. On the rivers, few grayling are being caught. Pete Bell, fishing at the downstream end of the Gargrave section of the River Aire, had a number of out-of-season trout. These came mainly to nymph, though a short hatch of large, dark olives brought fish to the dry fly.

At Aysgarth, on the Ure, Pete again found the fishing slow, though a session at Roecliffe produced small grayling and trout, as well as a single chub. Brian Connell had some good roach on the club’s stretch of the Swale at Salmon Hall, and some roach from Shipton Lake, where the pike were not feeding. At Staveley Lakes, Carl White and Tom Pawson fished overnight, braving below-freezing temperatures to bring carp and good-sized bream to the net.

Planned work on club fisheries has now come to a halt, though James Lynch – one of the bailiffs at Staveley Lakes – turned out in the early hours one morning to remove a tree which had fallen onto the otter fence.

Our committee continues to discuss plans for 2017, and priorities will likely include increased maintenance and habitat development work on fisheries, and stocking of fish into still-waters early in the New Year.

Membership yearbooks for 2017 are now on sale from the online shop, available from a link on the front page of the BCAA website. Yearbooks will also be available from all agents from early this month. Subscriptions have been held at 2016 levels.

The next BCAA coarse fishing match is at Staveley small lake tomorrow. Anglers can book on or obtain more information from Rodney Brooksbank on 07875-275749.

SKIPTON AA

Skipton Winter League competitors had to endure a last-minute change of venue last Sunday morning to avoid having the 1,000 plus Skipton Santa Fun Run entry running past them on the canal towpath from Skipton town centre to the finish in Aireville Park.

Whether it would have made any difference to the match result will never be known but the new venue on either side of the Sawley Street entrance point managed to produce the worst catches this season with only four competitors weighing in, all with rather small perch.

Result: 1 David Fenn (also securing individual championship) 80g (0:3:0), 2 Andy Wharton 30g (0:1:0), 3 Simon Chenier 20g (0:0:11), 4 Kenny Wright 10g (0:0:6). Pairs event: Results same, except for addition of respective partners Bob Fenn, Andrew Thomas, Graeme Waterfall and Rob Thornton, all of whom were fishless. Leading competitors with one match remaining (Sunday, December 11 at Long Ing, Barnoldswick) - Individuals: 1 David Fenn 122pts (champion), 2 Rob Thornton 97, 3= Jason Aldis, Kenny Wright 88, 5 Danny Bolland 74, 6 Simon Chenier 60. Pairs: 1= David & Bob Fenn, Kenny Wright & Rob Thornton 65; 3 Andy Wharton & Andrew Thomas 46; 4 Simon Chenier & Graeme Waterfall 42; 5 Jason Aldis & Russell Heaton 41; 6 Danny & Terry Bolland 36.

In the Pairs Knockout competition final, the Fenns won by 80g to 10g against Chenier & Waterfall, while in the individual semi-finals, David Fenn beat Jason Aldis 80g-0g, while Bob Fenn lost to Danny Bolland after referring back to aggregate weights two matches previously after both again failed to catch.

Still-water prospects for this weekend could be affected by night-time frosts but the settled spell of dry weather has brought the level of the River Aire down to near normal for the time of year. The canal may be worth trying in the slightly warmer Skipton town centre basin, while the river should be worth fishing for grayling and pike.

SALTAIRE AA

Last Sunday's open match on the Leeds Liverpool Canal at Shipley produced some of the best weights the club has ever had from this stretch. Result: 1 Ian Dawson (Tricast Calder) 22lb 1oz (quality roach and bream, pegged behind Charlie Brown's offices), 2 Nigel Storr (Matrix Halifax) 20lb 2oz, 3 Richard Thorne (Saltaire)12lb 15oz, 4 Mick Payton 5lb 7oz, 5 Martin Hellewell (Matrix Halifax) 4lb 15oz.

For this week's open, please contact Richard (07815-092966) to book on.

There is also an open match on the river on Sunday, using the bottom length and possibly the middle section, depending on numbers. Contact Barrie (07902-493139) to book on. Members are asked that there is no fishing on these lengths before the matches start.

LISTERHILLS AA

Not many anglers have been out over the last week – at this time of year the choice of swim is paramount and you are either on fish or you are not. The match last Sunday was switched to the Aire & Calder Canal, but only two caught fish, and the winner was E Harrison with a handful of small roach and bream which were netted 20 minutes from the end for a total of 2lb 8oz. Runner-up was J Harrison, who is no relation to the winner, with a single minute perch. On the last match at Rodley the fish had moved off the productive pegs. Result: 1 B Mason, 2 P Woods, 3 A Bowater. R Thorne maintained his fine record on the canal with third place in the Saltaire match, weighing 12lb 14oz. A new member reports a few good-sized grayling from the River Aire.

BRADFORD No 1 AA

Raskelf Lake will be closed on Sunday for the opening round of this year's Winter Series, which will draw lakeside at 9am. Thanks go to the Hipwell family for donating the Ronald Hipwell Memorial Trophy, which will be awarded to the series winner in memory of the former club president.

With water temperatures dropping and river levels being high over the last couple of weeks, very few reports have been received. River levels are expected to be around normal this weekend, so the River Swale at Topcliffe will be worth fishing for roach, while Thornton Bridge and the River Nidd at Cowthorpe could produce chub and grayling. Pike anglers at Shelf Dam have been getting results on dead baits.

LEEDS ASA

Result of Saturday match at Kippax Park (Lapwing): 1 A Broomhead with 78lb 12oz, 2 M Bailey 48lb 8oz, 3 A Rymer 45lb 12oz. Result of Wednesday match at Moor Monkton Pools: 1 A Lambert 50lb 8oz, 2 R Wadkin 38lb 7oz, 3 S Pearson 29lb 1oz. Result of Tuesday match at Kippax Park: 1 S Pearson 97lb 2oz, 2 M Turner 69lb, 3 A Rymer 50lb 2oz. Result of Sunday match at Moor Monkton Pools: 1 R Wadkin 37lb 8oz, 2 C Coombs 35lb 8oz, 3 S Pearson 28lb 10oz. The next fixture is Sunday’s Fur and Feather match at Hunters Lodge and Linton, bookings close tonight at 9.00.

BRADFORD SEA AC

The club's 46th annual meeting was well attended, and the president thanked the committee for their hard work over the past 12 months, and the members for supporting the trips. He hoped that backing for them will continue, and a lot of the meeting was taken up with discussions over creating more interest in trips for 2017. Venues being considered are Whitby, Rhyl, South Shields and Hartlepool. The committee were re-elected en bloc, the accounts were passed, and Rob Wadsworth was named clubman of the year.

BINGLEY AC

This year's Christmas Cheer match will be on Sunday, December 11 on the River Aire in Myrtle Park, draw 9am in Ferrands car park. To book-on, contact Tony on 07971-428678. The canal is producing small nets of silver fish from the boats at Crossflatts, and grayling are reported being caught on the river Aire.