SKIPTON AA

Since the water level has fallen to near normal on the River Aire, anglers have been returning to try their luck and have encountered some good sport throughout the Skipton length and upstream to Inghey Bridge and beyond.

Darren Benn, who apparently liked to fish the river even when it was in full flood, has confirmed that, even in spate, the Aire had produced some good fish from the Bradford No 1 stretch on Heslaker Lane. Brown trout to over 1kg and grayling to around the 675g mark had readily taken the maggot and turned up roughly in equal numbers.

On the Skipton middle reaches, the worm, maggot and fly have all proved successful and attracted some good grayling up to about 500g. Lower down the river at Snaygill, pike have been turning up quite frequently and the best fish has tipped the scales at 7kg, falling to a multi-coloured jig. Sprats and sardines have either been less successful or have accounted for smaller fish.

There has been some decent sport on the canal, even though the odd cold night has temporarily knocked fish off the feed. The Broughton Road length is producing quality roach, bream and perch, with a personal-best perch of 910g falling to Farrell Millington.

The hospital length on Keighley Road at Skipton is also fishing well on mild days, so it augers well for the Skipton Winter League match on Sunday (draw at car park 8am), providing there is no keen overnight frost.

Sport on Whinnygill Reservoir has been gradually winding down as the colder weather approaches but there is still the chance of getting among the roach, perch and bream on a decent day. Recent activity at the venue has seen the introduction of a good number of ide to augment the 100mm x100mm fish put in some years ago. These have now grown into fish of over 2kg after initially disappearing for a couple of years.

Weekend prospects will depend on the weather, which appears to be unsettled at the moment, varying between cold spells and periods of rain, which may affect fishing on either still waters or the river.

BRADFORD CITY AA

The weather has been both bright and a bit cooler this week and anglers are still pitting their wits against the fish. Some good pike have been reported from the Aire but generally, reports on catches have been few and far between. Phil Bailey and Freddie Bainbridge found the Aire clear and running quite low, with few grayling showing, although they had returned a good number to the water. Anglers at Oakworth ponds have had some good nets of silvers, while Carl Moralee had a good session there last weekend with chub and carp to the net. It is our annual grayling competition on Sunday, for the Arthur Scaife Trophy, on the River Ure at Aysgarth. To enter, contact our fly secretary Phil Bailey on 07811-286652. Our next coarse fishing match is the Cinderella Trophy at Staveley Lakes tomorrow. To book a place, or for further information, call Rodney Brooksbank on 07875-275749.

BRADFORD No 1 AA

The River Nidd at Cowthorpe will be closed for the Charity Open match on Sunday (draw 9am). Tickets are still available for this match for £15 from Simon on 01274-571175. There are plenty of grayling and small chub being caught from most pegs on this stretch recently, as well as bigger chub and a few barbel. Membership for 2018 is expected to be on sale from the middle of next month, with a couple of new tackle-shop agents replacing those shops that have closed this year.

HEWENDEN AC

The November Pike match is on Sunday, so the water is closed for pleasure fishing until after the match at abut 3.45pm. The Christmas Cheer coarse match has been rescheduled for Sunday, December 3 and is now at Hewenden Reservoir. Any member wanting to fish it must have fished at least three coarse matches from January 2017.

CLAYTON AC

The draw for tomorrow's Christmas Cheer match at Farview is 9am (fishing 10am-3pm, own nets required, presentation in Fleece at 7pm). Hopefully the weather will be kind and we are also hoping to see a good turnout in the evening. Any member who wishes to donate a prize should bring it along to the match.

BINGLEY AC

The annual meeting takes place at Ryshworth Social Club in Crossflatts on Tuesday (8pm), followed by pie and peas. There are no reports of fishing on the rivers but the canal continues to fish well, with a 17lb pike being caught between the Three and Five Rise locks.