BINGLEY ANGLING CLUB

Draw for this Sunday's match in Myrtle Park will be at 8am in the park, if river levels are too high this match will be moved to Sunnydale. Contact Adi on 07783 332705 to book on.

Hopefully after this week's rain river levels will have settled for the last few days of the Trout season before it closes on Monday.

The Aire Rivers Trust have several volunteer days through October. Call Nick Milsom 07378 878857 or aireriverstrust.org for details.

BRADFORD CITY ANGLING ASSOCIATION

Very poor weather this week has seen only short windows when anglers have been able to fish in the dry.

Levels are high on Dales rivers and banks of both rivers and stillwaters slippery.

Please take even more care than usual if you are out this weekend.

Remember too that the UCI Road World Cycling Championships will cause temporary delays on many Yorkshire roads over the coming weekend, if you are planning to travel to a venue up in the Dales or around Leeds.

We have had no formal reports from anglers over the last week, though third-hand news suggests that a few fishermen have been out, including a couple of members who live in the Home Counties.

One of the more local members also visited Buckden on the Wharfe mid-week just as it was fining down after heavy rain - when the river is most productive - and found fish responding to small dry flies.

At Shipton Lake, completion of the otter fence by the contractors has been delayed by the weather, but we still hope to complete work by end of the week.

Restrictions on anglers’ access to the banks will be lifted just as soon as it is safe to do so.

Ropes continue in place to protect Oakworth fishery against fish-eating avian predators, though the rope positions have been adjusted to allow better access for anglers.

There remain plenty of pegs for the occasional angler who visits the ponds during the winter, and restrictions will be removed in the spring.

This is not an ideal situation but we have only made these arrangements in the best interests of the fishery. Any angler found moving the ropes will be dealt with accordingly.

On the Aire above Inghey Bridge we received some bad news this week. Walkers on the canal, using a route in the fields around a closure on the tow path, have left field gates open.

As a result, cattle have accessed river banks behind protective fences each side of the railway bridge.

Their presence has trashed much of the tree-planting and other bank restoration work achieved by club conservation and work parties over the last couple of years.

It has also meant a lot of extra work for the local farmer, who has spent the best part of two days trying to get the loose animals back where they belong.

This illustrates just how important it is for everyone in the countryside to make sure that they leave every gate in the same position as originally found.

If any club member finds animals on protected banks in future, then please please please alert the General Secretary as soon as possible, per the details in your yearbook, so that we can take prompt action.

We had our annual general meeting on Wednesday evening.

A very disappointing turnout, of just 25 members out of the 1,100+ in the club, elected officers and committee for 2020 and agreed changes to rules in the yearbook.

Alan Robinson, the club president, spoke of the club’s achievements during the past year and the challenges to be faced in the future.

The Frank Whiteley Cup, recognising outstanding contributions from a member, was awarded to James Lynch for the second year running.

He continues to be a key stalwart of the club, in 2019 leading work to erect the otter fence at Shipton and to rescue Staveley large lake from the effects of a catastrophic oxygen drop earlier in the year.

BCAA continues to have vacant committee posts, as well as many areas where we need help urgently if the club is to survive and prosper long-term.

If anyone can help, then please contact Jim on 07940 8164431 – he can provide further details, ‘job descriptions’ and other assistance to anyone prepared to take on a role for the benefit of the club and its many members.

BRADFORD & DISTRICT SEA ANGLING CLUB

Our latest trip to Scarborough on September 21 had to be cancelled because of the bad weather.

Our next trip is to Staithes on Saturday, October 5.

Anyone wishing to go please ring Ralph on 07840 275753 to book your place. Spaces are limited, So book early.

Our next meeting is in the New Inn East Bierley on Tuesday, October 15, commencing at 8pm. New members will be made most welcome.

BRADFORD NO 1 AA

Well done to Andy Bradley on being named Calder champion for a second time in Sunday's big-money open match.

Drawn on the Lillands Farm stretch, Bradley caught mainly roach and perch for a winning weight of 24lbs 10oz.

Second place went to Paul Bennett with 19lbs 4oz of trout and grayling from the Gravel Pits stretch, followed by Eric Wright with 18lbs 10oz and Ian Newby with 14lbs 12oz.

Full result: 1 A Bradley (24lbs 10oz), 2 P Bennett (19lbs 4oz), 3 E Wright (18lbs 10oz), 4 I Newby (14lbs 12oz), 5 J Houlders (14lbs 9oz), 6 D Atha (13lbs 7oz), 7 D Armitage (13lbs 4oz).

The final round of this year's Calder League will take place this Sunday, with just 1.5 points separating Calder 8 and Barnsley for the team prize.

Membership for the remainder of the year will be half price from October 1 and is available from the club website, bradfordno1.com

This year's annual general meeting will be held at the Moorlands Club in Cleckheaton on October 9 at 7.30pm.

All members are invited to attend but please remember to bring your yearbook.

Anybody considering volunteering for the committee is urged to do so at this meeting, while there will also be votes on proposed rule changes.

LEEDS & DISTRICT ASA

To clarify a misconception that has recently arisen, day tickets for the Pool fishery on the River Wharfe. These are still available, from the Pool bridge garage and Angling & Country Sports in Otley.

These cover both above the bridge, also below.

In the match at Beal on the River Aire, the winner was I Bowman 17lb 4oz; 2 D Grace 16lb 2oz; 3 D White 14lb 8oz.

In the match at Moor Monkton pools on Wednesday, the winner was S Mazza 93lb 8oz; 2 M Wharton 92lb 14oz; 3 S Willis 71lb 2oz.

In the match held last Sunday, the winner was L Smith 111lb 5oz; 2 T Bainbridge 109lb 5oz; 3 D Wright 98lb 4oz.

Knotford continues to produce good carp up to just over 30lb. The work on highering the otter fence has now been completed.

LISTERHILLS AA

In the Wednesday match, which was held on the canal on the Rodley Nature Reserve length, the winner was E Harrison, who drew peg number one with a catch of all perch weighing 3lb 10oz.

Pike were a problem; second place G Reeday 1lb 5oz. The fishing was restricted by grass cutting with the surface being covered with the cuttings.

In Sunday's open match, held on the same length, the winner was B Mason, who drew the near end peg with a small weight of 2lb. Second went to J Mason, who drew the other end peg no one he was troubled with pike getting one, which do not count. He weighed 1lb four and a half oz; 3 E Harrison 12-and-a-half.

This Sunday's open match is on the Armley length. Draw at 10am, when it is hoped that the deluge which put down the fish in the last match will not occur.

SKIPTON AA

This coming weekend will be the last in the present brown trout season on Yorkshire rivers which closes at midnight on Monday, September 30.

Fishing for brown trout may still be available on enclosed waters where the season is not observed but it is best to check club rules before commencing fishing.

At the time of writing, the local reaches of the River Aire are in a good angling trim, running slightly above normal and quite clear.

This may change by the weekend with a forecast of spells of heavy rain, some of which may be thundery.

Sport on the river has continued to be fairly good with plenty of trout falling to the fly or the bait.

Specimen fish are keeping out of the way as they seem to have done more or less since the season started and a 900g fish or better has been a good fish this year.

Grayling and small chub have been turning up in catches and anyone fishing the maggot has also attracted plenty of minnows.

Speaking of which, has anyone noticed how the size and quantity of minnows in the Aire has been decreasing in the last few years.

At one time the river was famous for the vast shoals of minnows it contained, many of which were over 75mm in length and quite a robust little fish.

Naturally, with so many minnows in the river they could be a nuisance at times and if you was catching them one after the other, it was a clear sign that there was no bigger fish about.

Nowadays there are far fewer minnows around and the average length is probably nearer to 50mm with just a few managing to attain a length of 75mm.

Whether increased predation is the cause of the decline is debatable.

Pollution is unlikely but maybe increased frequency of severe summer flooding may contribute to big losses and far fewer fish living to full maturity.

The pegs for the Skipton AA river match on October 20 are quickly being reserved with just three remaining at the time of writing.

If you wish to fish the match then contact Simon Chenier ASAP to reserve yours.