BRADFORD CITY AA

THE weather has turned spring-like this week, with anglers starting to populate the banks now that the close season for coarse fishing on rivers is in place and the trout season has opened. Over the winter, the club has stocked fish into its still-waters, put up a new otter fence at Oakworth and done much conservation work on the River Aire. Combined with the warmer weather bringing fish onto the feed, effects of the club's work are evident and there have been many reports of catches.

At Shipton Lake, the fish have switched on in the last week, with Dean Nimmo, John Dakin, Brian Connell and Billy Clamp all reporting some nice carp and tench. Staveley Lakes have also been popular and Tom Pawson, new member Steven Davy and Dave Greig have all captured fish in good condition after the mild winter.

Successful tactics for carp and bream have been simple sweetcorn and boilie. Good day-time fishing has also resulted in a run on night bookings, so anglers should book early to make sure one of the limited places is available. At Oakworth, the lakes have been restocked after last year's predation and angling activity started to increase there.

On the rivers, early-season anglers are prominent. A small team of committed club members has finished fixing 30 pieces of large woody debris to the river bed. These add diversity to flat, featureless stretches and help create channels and gravel ramps to provide vital spawning and feeding habitat. Jon Grey, our 'resident' Wild Trout Trust conservation officer, has proved how effective they are, with good out-of-season grayling and in-season trout from the water seams produced within hours of the work being finished.

The deadline for membership renewals has passed and all adults will now be charged a joining fee of £15. There is now a padlocked gate at the bottom end of the Gargrave stretch to stop dog walkers and the public wandering into the field. Keys can be obtained via the online shop or from most agents and club bailiffs. A new padlock has also been introduced on other locked fisheries and members will need to obtain a new key by the end of May if they wish to maintain access.

Result of the Telegraph & Argus Trophy at Staveley Lakes: 1 Geoff Brammer 17lb 14oz (peg 14), 2 Steve Fox 6lb 12oz (peg two). The next match is for the JD Illingworth Trophy on Saturday, April 15 at Staveley Lakes. To book a place and for information, call Rodney Brooksbank on 07875-275749.

SKIPTON AA

Conditions were more or less ideal last week for the second weekend of the new brown trout season, with decent water levels on the rivers and reasonably mild and dry weather. The upper reaches of the River Aire above Inghey Bridge were well fished by Bradford City AA members, who ventured upstream towards the limit at Gargrave. The fishing is by fly only at this time of the year and anglers reported good sport, with trout to over 450g. Lower down the river, our members were out in reasonable force and once again sport was more than acceptable. Besides the fly, members may also use the worm and between them they accounted for brownies to near 900g. Anglers should note that on both the Bradford City and Skipton AA fisheries, all trout must be returned to the water alive. The catch-and-return policy is in force initially to see how trout respond now that the stocking of diploid trout (farm fish that are capable of breeding but can lower the gene strain of natural fish) is banned. The river now has to rely solely on restocking by natural fish spawning. Skipton members fishing its premier trout water at Embsay have enjoyed some capital sport due to the recent restocking, with rainbow trout up to 1600g. Very good sport has been reported, including brown trout and over-wintered blue and tiger trout.

BRADFORD No 1 AA

There have been good reports coming in from most of the club's still-waters over the last week, with various species being caught up to a good size. At Gratrix Dam, anglers fishing pole or waggler with maggot have been catching good nets of ide and chub up to around 4lb. Bream are beginning to show on the main lake at Shelf Dam, along with the usual nets of roach, but perhaps the best catch of the week went to Simon Hinchliffe, who caught a perch well over 3lb using a small roach as bait. Carp anglers at Knotford are continuing to see quality fishing, with Allan Allcock's 17lb 7oz linear carp and Richard Hill's 24lb fish among the best caught this week. Members are asked to avoid fishing from the island on Black Heath Lake at the Queen Mary's Ponds complex until the birds have finished nesting.

LEEDS ASA

Knotford Lagoon will be closed to members for five days from Monday to enable contractors to remove weeds. Membership is open all year round, with no entry fee for first-time members. Result of the Tuesday match at Kippax Park: 1 P Carter 106lb 1oz, 2 B Brown 36lb, 3 M Turner 35lb 6oz. Result of the midweek match at Moor Monkton Pools: 1 J Roper 69lb 11oz, 2 A Warren 59lb 15oz, 3 M Gallagher 29lb 11oz.

LISTERHILLS AA

The brown-trout season has now opened and a few sizeable fish have been caught from the River Aire. Result of the members' match at Kippax Park, which proved a disappointment as several of the competitors had fished midweek and caught more: 1 J Harrison 21lb 3oz, 2 E Harrison 12lb 11oz, 3 D Stephenson 6lb 11oz. All other competitors weighed in. The next match is the first of the Saturday Series of canal opens at Rodley on April 15. The final date for nominations for the National Championship is next Tuesday.

BRADFORD SEA AC

The annual sea fishing competition at Whitby has made a slow start. Big fish were hard to come by but things will pick up. It is already starting to happen on the west coast as fish move in with the settled weather. Mackerel have been caught in south Wales, so it should not be long before they get up to Rhyl and surrounds. Our next general meeting is on Tuesday, April 18 at the New Inn, East Bierley (8pm). This will be the last chance for members to renew their membership. If you don't do it, you will have to reapply.

CENTRAL AC

Our first match is at Birkin on Sunday, meet at venue 8am, fishing 9am-3pm. All members must have an up-to-date River Board licence.