BRADFORD NO1 AA

WE'RE pleased to welcome Yorkshire Angling Ltd on Camwal Road, Harrogate as a new tackle shop agent for 2019. They are now stocking yearbooks, so if you are in the area call in, have a look around and get your membership for the new year.

Membership for 2019 is now available from all tackle shop agents or online (www.bradfordno1.com). As always, new members are more than welcome, so check out our website for what we have to offer.

The River Ouse at Widdington will be closed on Sunday for an outside booking.

With the freezing conditions followed by rising rivers over the weekend, very few reports have been received.

There have been some great catches of silver fish from Raskelf, with roach, skimmers and ide falling to waggler or pole with maggot.

BRADFORD & DISTRICT SEA ANGLING CLUB

When the boats can get out at Whitby, fishing is good, offshore and in shore, with cod being the main fish to catch.

The meeting on December 18 went well and a few things were sorted out. We have now broken up for Christmas, so it just remains for me to wish all our members, all anglers everywhere and all skippers a happy Christmas and a great New Year.

SALTAIRE AA

There is a match on both the canal and the river this Sunday. The canal match will be on the boats length and to book on please call Richard East on 07815 092966.

The river match will be held on the bottom and middle length, give Carl Chadwick a call to book on 07955 727079.

There will also be a Boxing Day match on the canal. Please call Richard East to book onto this.

We ask that all pleasure anglers do not fish any of the lengths before the matches on the day.

KEIGHLEY ANGLING CLUB

Grayling fishing has improved over the past week. These lovely fish are holding several positions along the River Aire as they wait for the swollen waters to flush fresh food downstream.

They can be found shoaling in swift moving waters from Kildwick to Stockbridge.

The quicksilver colour of grayling makes them hard to spot, even in the shallows, and they are likely to see you before you find them. Those looking to catch are advised to move stealthily along the bank.

One angler was seen testing his trotting skills by paying out line from a centre-pin to allow his bait to run freely with the flow.

Trotting can cover over 50 metres with a single cast and is an ideal way to find grayling and other camouflaged species.

Winter also marks the season to target brooding pike which lurk in our waters. They inhabit the canal as well as Roberts Pond and Whitfield Reservoir at Steeton.

But the River Aire, which is a renowned home to some of the most fin-perfect pike in the UK, is an exciting challenge to new and experienced anglers alike.

Some notable takes have been recorded on the canal. Roach are shoaling and are susceptible to bread punch and mixed maggot - which are also the preferred choice of perch.

Keighley club’s day tickets and membership books are now available. The cost of fishing its waters is unchanged from last year so anyone looking for a last minute Christmas gift should contact club secretary Dennis Freeman on 07980 338225.

BINGLEY ANGLING CLUB

After the cold weather and heavy rain last week, there was little Christmas cheer in last Sundays match.

The match was moved from a flooded River Aire to the canal at Crossflatts and very little was caught. Results were: 1. C.Dine; 2. A.Healy; 3. A.Newman.

There has been a delay at the printers with the 2019 books and they may not be available until the New Year. Members can fish club waters with 2018 books until the new ones are available.

The club would like to wish all members a Merry Christmas and hopes to see them on the banks next year.

SKIPTON ANGLING ASSOCIATION

The weather conditions had improved greatly from those of the previous day when the Skipton Winter League competitors lined up on the bank of the marina stretch of the canal at Barnoldswick last Sunday morning for their annual Christmas Cheer match.

Gone were the freezing temperatures, heavy rain and gale force south easterly wind. In its place were bright, still conditions and a gradually rising temperature.

However, the damage had been done to the fishing and only one fish was landed by the small band of anglers who turned up to fish. The lucky angler was Andrew Leatt, whose catch consisted of a 900g bream.

The outlook for the match had not been promising, according to one angler who arrived at the marina in midweek for a spot of practising.

A boatman informed him that the canal had been frequented by a couple of goosanders that may have driven the fish away. This appeared to be the case, with not a single bite in three hours and the only fish to be seen was a dead bream.

Elsewhere on the canal, the fishing has been just as bad for a week or two and even the basin length at Skipton has been failing to produce any fish.

Obviously the poor weather has played its part but it is usually not that bad. Normally at this time of the year, the basin can be the source of good perch fishing, with fish up to around the 1350g mark.

Reports from Whinnygill are just as bad, although few are fishing it at the moment.

The rain has now brought the water level up to the top and the forecast of a return to milder weather may help to improve matters for the open match on December 30. The draw will be held at 9.00am, with fishing from 10.00am until 2.00pm.

Fishing on the River Aire has been affected by high water levels, including one bank topper, followed by another that overflowed into the adjacent fields.

Prospects will depend on the weather, which does not appear to be promising, with more gales and heavy rain in the forecast.

LISTERHILLS ANGLING ASSOCIATION

The result of the last canal match at Apperley Bridge was: 1. E. Harrison 1lb 14.5oz; 2. N. Smith 1lb 9.75oz; 3. G. Simpson 1lb 4oz. Catches comprised of small roach plus a perch of exactly 1lb, caught by the second-placed angler.

Applications for Leeds Amalgamation membership are now being taken. Applicants are requested to enclose a S.A.E.

Once again, not many anglers have been on the banks over the last week. Not many catch reports have filtered through, but all catch reports are welcome.

LEEDS & DISTRICT A.S.A

Membership books are now available. The membership office is only open from 7pm until 9pm on Mondays and Fridays, holidays excepted.

Work is planned during the Christmas period on the fence at Knotford, weather permitting. Reports of damage to the fence are now being dealt with by the police.

River levels are fluctuating constantly and the society's stillwaters and the Aire & Calder navigation have been receiving a fair amount of attention.

However, it is essential that anglers are prepared by way of adequate clothing and footwear at this time of year.