BRADFORD CITY AA

IT HAS been quite a good week weather-wise, though temperatures have still not encouraged many anglers onto the banks. Simon Chapman made a couple of forays onto the Aire at Carleton however, landing a 9lb pike on a perch-like shad.

Jonny Grey reported a very large out-of-season brown trout from the Gargrave section, while Peter Bell returned a specimen-sized grayling on a red-tagged, gold-ribbed hare’s ear from the Carleton stretch. Andrew Fieldhouse had a fishless roving day on the lower Swale, but caught three chub to 4lb 10oz on a non-BCAA water on the Nidd.

Winter club fishery development work continues apace. Roach, bream, ide, tench and crucian carp went into our still-waters at Staveley and the newly otter-fenced Oakworth during the week. Further fencing, to protect and improve marginal riparian habitat, was completed on the club’s Gargrave stretch of the Aire. A working party at the same location had a very successful day on Monday, securing large logs into the bed of the river to deflect flows and introduce character into previously flat, featureless stretches.

This work will help create channels and improve spawning habitat for fish. Another working party is planned for Wednesday, February 22 to undertake similar work towards the top of the Gargrave length. If any member can help, then please contact our new fly secretary Phil Bailey on 07811-286652. Finally, the club are progressing plans with other local partners on the Wharfe and the Ure to improve river habitat.

We are also preparing for their annual open day on the river at Gargrave on Saturday, May 6. The event will have stalls from various River Aire agencies, angling clubs and conservation organisations, together with displays, coaching and river walks hosted by angling and fishery experts. Members should put this date in their diary so as not to miss what promises to be a very successful and innovative event.

The club held an open match on the River Swale at Salmon Hall last weekend, following the opening of extra swims in the previous week’s working party. Fishing was unaffected by the prolonged heavy rain the previous day. Result: 1 C Cavell 5lb 1oz (chub and roach), 2 P Adams 4lb 6oz. Our next match will be the Trentman Trophy on Saturday, February 18 at Shipton Lake. To book a place, or for information updates, please call Rodney Brooksbank on 07875-275749.

SKIPTON AA

The great river-side tree slaughter has passed Skipton on its way upstream, with little change to see apart from alienating anglers against the Environment Agency's flood prevention policy.

Apart from a few branches left here and there on the river banking, most of the trees have been untouched, especially if there was any difficulty in reaching a particular low branch projecting out over water.

For the anglers, there is the prospect of mitigation work to the river banking with the aim of ultimately improving the fishing by fencing off the water's edge. This prevents cattle disturbing the banking sufficiently to bare the earth, which washes into the river during flood-water conditions. An excess of silt is a barrier to successful spawning and therefore fewer fry. Besides more fish, the fenced-off barrier provides improved habitat for a wide range of animals, insects and birds.

Prospects for this weekend's sport will depend very much on the weather, which does not seem to be all that great at the time of writing, with a return to easterly winds and even snow showers forecast. The River Aire is at a decent level for angling, and both the grayling and the pike are not averse to feeding when it's cold. Perhaps the basin at Skipton may be worth trying for a couple of hours to see if the specimen perch have returned as a prelude to spawning in a couple of months' time.

BRADFORD No 1 AA

Annual night permits for Knotford and Kirklees sold out in record time this year, with 20 unrenewed permits going on general sale on Wednesday of last week and selling out within five hours. Demand for these permits far outstripped the limits put in place to ensure that permit holders are guaranteed pegs and that pegs are available for day anglers. Any members who missed out on a permit but still wish to night fish at Knotford can buy a permit for a weekend of your choice from the club website. Club membership is still available covering all of our 70-plus waters for just £48 per year for seniors.

There will be an open match on the River Nidd at Cowthorpe on Sunday, with tickets available from Simon on 01274-571175. The match will draw on the roadside at 9am.

Following last year's successful event, the club will hold two 24-hour carp matches at Knotford in 2017. The matches will take place on the weekends of May 13-14 and September 23-24, with places limited and available on the club's Facebook page.

There has been a slight alteration to the club's match calendar for 2017-18. The open match on Sunday, November 12 will now be held on the River Nidd at Cowthorpe, and the open match on Sunday, January 14 will be held on the River Swale at Topcliffe and Catton.

Raskelf is fishing very well for F1 carp on pole or feeder, with catches from pegs on all parts of the lake. There is due to be a significant stocking at Knotford this Thursday to complete the club's stockings for this winter.

LEEDS ASA

There was a little extra water in the River Ouse for last Sunday's match, with weights comprising mostly of bleak and other small fish. Result of Saturday match at Kippax Park: 1 J Wake 53lb 4oz, 2 M Rockingham 45lb 13oz, 3 A Rymer 39lb 7oz. Result of Sunday match at Moor Monkton Pools: 1 D Wright 41lb 13oz, 2 O Hewitt 34lb 4oz, 3 S Mazza 32lb 11oz. Later on in the year, the match pool at Cyprio Lake is to be restocked with carp in the 2lb range. The River Nidd at Hammerton is to be stocked with chub and barbel – part of a joint project with the Environment Agency.

BRADFORD SEA AC

Our next general meeting will be on Tuesday, February 21 at the New Inn, East Bierley (8pm). Fishing is picking up now on the east coast. At Whitby, anglers are still catching cod inshore using up-tide techniques, while in the Mersey good-size cod and whiting are still being caught on the big tides. Will winners of last year's trophies please return them at the next meeting.