LEEDS & DISTRICT ASA

Grayling are being caught from the club's lengths of the Wharfe, when the river has been at a fishable level.

In the match at Kippax Park on Tuesday, November 19, the winner was P Beedal 37lbs 10oz, 2 J Brogdan 32lb 9oz, 3 R Thomas 18lb 14oz.

In Saturday's match, the winner was P Kidd 31lb 14oz, 2 S Pearson 25lb 14oz, 3 A Middleton 18lb 9oz.

In the matches at Moo Monkton pools, Wednesday, November 20, the winner was: D Wright 31lb, 2 S Rankin 29lb 1oz, 3 S Jeffreys 24lb 4oz. The winner of Sunday's match was M Wade 101lb 15oz, 2 L Smith 79lb 7oz, 3 B Fisk 69lb 2oz.

SALTAIRE ANGLING ASSOCIATION

River match result for November 24: 1 Andrew Healey 10lbs 4oz one barbel and one chub; 2 Stuart Parkinson 5lbs 3oz one barbel, section winners: Ian Needs 5lbs one chub and one grayling. James Vickerman 2lbs 2oz, one grayling and one chub.

Conditions were good but river is fishing hard at the moment. Results should have been a bit better as there were a few big fish lost.

Cormorants again were causing problems and a good number flew over head through the day.

There is a match this Sunday, December 1 on the bottom length.

To book on call Carl Chadwick on 07955 727079. Please avoid calling in working hours between 7.30am and 5pm, weekdays as the use of mobile phones are not permitted at work.

Draw will be held at 8.45am at the Sir Norman Ray Pub, Market Square, Shipley, BD18 3QB. Entry fee £15.

The canal on the boats section continues to fish well for skimmers and roach.

Pleasure anglers have been getting double figure nets in a few hours.

Pike are also showing and should be worth targeting now the weather is turning cooler.

The 2020 yearbooks are now at the printers and should be in the shops before Christmas making them a nice present for someone. The prices are the same as previous years with no joining fee.

Adults £22, youths (18 & under) £11, ladies £11 and OAPs £11. Second rod permit £5.

SKIPTON ANGLING ASSOCIATION

THE Skipton Angling Association’s length of the canal at Skipton has certainly been fishing well of late with excellent sport being provided by a multitude of pike and perch plus some roach and even the odd bream.

The fishing bonanza commenced about a couple of weeks ago when pike began to attack fish being brought to the net on normal light tackle.

Tactics changed to dead baiting and spinning for the pike with both methods being equally successful.

Several fish have been caught by the many anglers wetting a line with the best estimated to weigh 7.75kg (17lb).

One particularly interesting catch was achieved by a four-year-old boy who caught a 6.80kg (15lb) pike that took a small perch that he had hooked on ordinary tackle.

Needless to say, he was given adult assistance to get the fish in the landing net while being watched by a large audience.

It appears that at least one pike succumbed to poor handling probably by the use of treble hooks and allowing the fish to swallow the bait.

For the size of the pike in the canal treble hooks are completely unnecessary when dead baiting and a large single hook of say size six or eight is much better and far safer for the fish.

They hook just as well as a treble, are much easier to remove from the fish and if it has been swallowed and needs to be cut off, it will not prevent the fish from feeding like one or more trebles stuck in its throat, will.

Besides the pike, perch have also been plentiful and upwards of 30 fish have been landed in two or three hours on the worm or red maggot.

The best fish weighed about 900g (2 lb) with a good number around the 450g mark (1lb) or smaller.

Roach have also fallen to the maggot or bread punch together with the odd skimmer bream.

For non-members, the Skipton club’s water commences at the road over bridge adjacent to Bizzie Lizzies and extends to the swing bridge at Niffany Farm, a distance of approximately 1.5 miles.

The Springs Canal Branch is also included in the fishing rights. Non-members may fish by either obtaining membership or by purchasing a day ticket from the many outlets.