SKIPTON AA

After the controversy of the Environment Agency's tree-felling exercise last year, they are again getting under the skin of anglers, angling clubs and angling associations across the country.

This time it is by increasing the cost of a Habitat Improvement Permit that enables angling clubs to undertake relatively minor bank-side and river-bed work, with the ultimate aim of improving the fishing and the environment in general.

Up to the end of 2016, a permit cost just £50. In 2017, it was increased to £170, plus a compliance charge of £70, and now the proposal is to increase the cost to £1,500 or even more.

The proposed charge does not distinguish between work carried out basically for free by members of an angling club and work carried out on a generally larger scale by the private sector.

If the proposal is implemented then almost all small-scale improvement work undertaken by members of angling clubs will come to an end, with the environment and fishing the poorer for it.

Once again the weather has hampered local fishing, and very few anglers have been in action.

On the odd day that conditions have been favourable, one or two good fish have been recorded from the River Aire, including a 740g grayling and a 1880g chub, landed by Mark Fielding and a friend. Another good catch of bream was taken by Ernie Ramsbotham from the canal with an estimated weight of over 14kg, which included nine fish around 1360g, plus several smaller fish.

Future prospects will depend very much on the weather, although there is a chance of milder but unfortunately wetter conditions which does not augur well for river fishing.

BRADFORD CITY AA

The weather has been fairly awful over the last month or so, with very few anglers on the wet, muddy, slippery and cold river and lake banks. Andy Fieldhouse has been one of the very few anglers reporting on their fishing, with a few chub from sessions on the Swale, taken on breadcrust smeared in cheesepaste.

In this off-season, however, various campaigns are in the news about the problems of plastic waste and pollution. Rubbish is often seen on the rivers, washed down from towns, villages and fields upstream, and marine pollution is a problem too. We would encourage all anglers to take a leaf from the Angling Trust’s Take 5 Campaign – they can make a difference by picking up just five pieces of litter after they fish.

Monthly surveys of Riverfly Invertebrate monitoring have also continued over the winter to look out for early warnings of pollution. Meanwhile, there is continuing concern about the effects of farmers spreading slurry in unsuitable conditions, such as on steep slopes or on waterlogged, frozen or snow-covered fields, with codes of practice recently reinforced and extended to better control such practice.

In the last couple of weeks, we’ve spent a lot of energy to encourage members to object to proposed Environment Agency fee hikes of as much as 500 per cent for permission to do habitat improvement works in and besides rivers. The national Angling, Rivers and Wild Trout Trusts have led this campaign, with many anglers across the country – including those from BCAA – adding their arguments against the proposals. If put in place as proposed, the fee hikes threaten to stop forever the many thousands of habitat and environmental improvement projects being delivered nationwide by anglers and community groups. They will also effectively stop local angling clubs delivering their own plans to improve the rivers their members fish.

More locally, a River Worth Friends group was recently established by local partnership community groups. The River Worth flows through Keighley and is an important tributary of the Aire which flows through Skipton, Bradford and Leeds. Potentially, the Worth provides a great potential nursery for fish populations, though there are many barriers to fish passage and effective spawning. The Friends group has planned a number of recent public events, which have received a fair bit of local publicity. It will be interesting to see how the development plans progress to promote and increase the amenity value of this river for local communities, including anglers.

Next Thursday, we have a working party to plant 450 more trees at the top of the River Aire near the Gargrave to Broughton beat. If you can help, please come along to the village green at Gargrave for 10am. Bring wellies, a spade, warm clothing and a packed lunch – or give Phil Bailey a call on 07811-286652.

Our next match is on Saturday, February 3 at Salmon Hall on the River Swale, conditions permitting. Entries and further details can be made via Rodney Brooksbank by text on 07398-449601.

BRADFORD No 1 AA

The next stages of this winter's re-stocking policy have taken place over the last couple of weeks, following on from the stocking of six large carp into Knotford Lagoon. Kirklees Lagoon has received two carp weighing 22lb 12oz and 20lb 14oz from Fishers Pond Fishery as part of a longer term plan for the water. There have also been stockings into Raskelf Lake, with 1500 ide and 1600 F1 carp introduced to further boost stocks at this popular water.

Raskelf Lake will be closed on Sunday for round two of the winter series, which will draw at the Black Bull in Raskelf at 9am. Widdington Hall will also be closed on Sunday for an outside booking.

Night-permit holders from 2017 have until Wednesday, January 31 to renew their permit before any remaining are sold to the waiting list.

With the cold weather and high river levels recently, there is nothing to report on fish catches but with the weather improving hopefully this will change.There will be a work party at Coppice pond this Sunday – 10am start, with volunteers welcome.

LEEDS ASA

For a few days, grayling were being caught from the River Wharfe but this came to an abrupt end when water levels rose rapidly due to the snow-melt. The Aire & Calder Navigation at Woodlesford has been producing catches of roach, but pike anglers have had a thin time at this usually productive venue. Result of the match at Kippax Park on Saturday, January 13: 1 J Wake 70lb 8oz, 2 J Gee 64lb 14oz, 3 J Humphries 46lb 15oz. Result of last Saturday's match: 1 A Rymer 54lb 8oz, 2 T Hewson 45lb 10oz, 3 S Raper 40lb 8oz. Result of the match at Moor Monkton Pools on Sunday, January 14: 1 G Bonsley 66lb 10oz, 2 A Bolton 47lb 7oz, 3 S Cooper 36lb. Result of Sunday match (fished in poor conditions, with some entrants packing up early): 1 D Wright 27lb 14oz, 2 5lb 6oz. Result of the match on the River Ouse: 1 I Bowman 22lb, 2 R Knox 10lb 8oz, 3 D Miles 7lb 8oz.

LISTERHILLS AA

Bobco Tackle at Leeds have been added to the list of outlets where membership books and day tickets can be obtained. Pilley's Dam produced a few break and the odd pike before the ice formed earlier in the week. A reminder: When ice is breaking, objects should not be taken onto it which cannot be retrieved.

BINGLEY AC

With the cold weather and high river levels recently, nothing to report on fish catches, but with the weather improving hopefully this will change. There will be a work party at Coppice Pond on Sunday (10am), volunteers welcome.