Angling lines

BRADFORD CITY AA

With the low water levels, cool temperatures and northerly/easterly breezes recently, fish have been active in only brief intervals. However, rain at the end of the week, together with warmer, calmer and drier conditions, all promise more angler-friendly weather over the weekend.

On the rivers, the large dark olive hatches have now tailed off but the fish have welcomed the appearance of hawthorn flies over the past few days, with typically splashy rises.

Angler news has generally been sparse. A few tench have been reported from our Shipton Lake and Tony Stockdale had a good 22lb 7oz carp, on feeder rod and 8lb line. Oakworth Lake has given up bags of small fish, though the top pond is still very quiet this early in the season. On the fly side, fishing has been slow on the Aire – probably due to cool conditions and low water levels - though our new fishery at Funkirk, more sheltered than further upstream, has produced better results. Club anglers fishing Laneshaw Reservoir, under our highly-discounted day-ticket arrangement with Colne Waters AC, report good catches of stocked rainbows, with small beetles proving surprisingly effective.

The club has an Open Day on June 2. This is on the River Aire just upstream of Inghey Bridge, where the A59 crosses the river. All anglers are welcome to come along, whether members of the club or not.

Events include demonstrations from well-known anglers on various fishing techniques, including trotting; a casting clinic to learn how to cast a fly or to iron out a casting problem; a Riverfly tent with opportunity to study aquatic species providing food for fish; a showcase of the fishing BCAA offers; opportunity to walk and fish the river; and a BBQ ‘sausage in a bun’ and hot drinks at no extra cost. We will be asking for donations of £5 for entry, all proceeds to support the work of the Wild Trout Trust.

Elsewhere, we have fenced off two new sections of the River Aire: upstream of Inghey and on our new section at Funkirk. These will protect growth of riparian vegetation which provides food and shelter for aquatic life. On one section, we are grateful to volunteers from local environmental consulting firm, JBA Consulting, for their help in planting trees in a new hedgerow behind the fence.

We have also planted up a small copse at the top of the Gargrave section. On the Ribble, a small working party spent a full day last weekend to replace the five stiles originally built when we acquired the fishery in 2004.

Finally, please note that the annual campaign to spray and eradicate dangerous Giant Hogweed on the River Aire will continue in 2019. If any angler sees plants, then please report them to Jim Munden on 07940-814431, and he will pass the info on to the spraying team.

BRADFORD NO 1 AA

Please note that Raskelf Lake will be closed from June 17-21 to allow the new entrance and gate to be completed safely. Our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause. A lock will be in place on this gate from January 2020, using the same key as those already in place at Knotford and Kirklees Lagoon. Details on how to get a key are on page 23 of the yearbook.

Anybody interested in entering a team of eight into this year's Calder League should get in contact with Simon on 01274 571175. The series begins on June 30 and consists of six matches.

BRADFORD & DISTRICT SEA AC

Five members fished Anglesey aboard "Bad Boyz". It was a great trip with plenty of fish being caught - codling, whiting, dogfish, spurdog, smoothhound, mackerel and four tope. The biggest one was 27lb.

The skipper impressed and lent tackle out to those that needed it, netted the fish and of course made plenty of tea and coffee and pies!

It was a great trip and another one is planned with him. Call 07711987833 to book a place or come to our next meeting on Tuesday, May 21(8pm in the New Inn, East Bierley).

Eight members are also currently on a week's fishing at Clare Island with Daragh McGee and his boat 'White Water 11'.

LISTERHILLS AA

It is with regret that the club has to report the death of one of our older members, Frank Walker, after a long illness. He was a well-known figure on the Leeds-end of the canal.

The date of the next open match on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal is Sunday, May 19.

To book on contact: 07532 115556.

LEEDS & DISTRICT ASA

The result of the match at Kippax Park on Saturday, May 1: 1 B Rymer, 76lb; 2 M Rockingham, 57lb, 13oz; 3 D Cockrill, 55lb, 14oz.

M Rockingham also won the Tuesday match with 68lb.

Results from the Sunday match at Moor Monkton pools were: 1 T Bainbridge, 86lb, 1oz; 2 G Watson, 85lb, 14oz; 3 S Mazza, 68lb 14oz.

Results from the Wednesday match were: 1 T Bainbridge, 153lb, 14oz; 2 D Wright 129lb, 9oz; D Pollitt, 120lb, 6oz.

The heaviest carp reported this season from Knotford weighed 31lb, 4oz and was caught by K Heptonstall. This was the best of the three day session which produced five carp.

Members must sign their membership books on receiving them. They are also reminded that it is strictly members only at Knotford.

SKIPTON AC

With the weather not playing ball at the moment due to unseasonal low temperatures, anglers are once again deserting the bank side on most of the local waters until there is an improvement.

Whinnygill Reservoir to the east of Skipton is still attracting a few anglers and some decent sized fish are being caught in reasonable numbers. Recent catches have included roach and ide to about 450g and bream to about the 600g mark. Other species are conspicuous by their absence and it will be some time before tench are being brought to the net.

Reports from Embsay Reservoir seem to suggest that the sport could be better with the rainbow stock fish providing most of the sport. Tigers are scarce and brownies are difficult to locate as they have been from the start of the season.

On the River Aire the water is back down to near summer level and the anglers that have been fishing have had to contend with a cold northerly wind for some time which has not been helpful at all. Brown trout are being caught on the fly and worm but not in any quantity or size.

Perhaps the best fishing recently has been on the canal where the bream are congregating for spawning. One angler recently had four big fish on the maggot that were estimated to weigh about 7.3kg. The swim certainly held more fish and the next day produced a fish approaching the 2.3kg mark.

Skipton Summer League competitors will be hoping to get among similar sized bream when they fish the second match in this year’s series of eight matches this Sunday. The Bay Horse length of the canal on Keighley, Skipton, will be the venue and the draw will be held at 7am with four hours of fishing. This match will be the last when new registrations are accepted.

With a forecast of a continuation of the cool weather but with wetter conditions, it looks like the main beneficiary will be the river providing there is not too much rain. A bonus for all waters would be at least a rise to normal seasonal temperatures at some time in the near future.

BINGLEY AC

There is a work party at Coppice pond this Sunday, start 10ish, all volunteers are welcome.

Grayling are being caught on small dry flies and trout to worm in Myrtle Park.

CENTRAL AC

Our next match is at Redwood Lakes on Sunday, meet at venue 8am, fishing 9am to 3pm. Keep-nets are provided, landing nets must be dipped.