So much to look forward to

ANGLING: THE season opens on Monday - and I have a good feeling about it.

There is a real buzz in the match-angling world, in that natural waters are becoming popular again.

Saying that, I don’t think we will get back the position of 20 years ago.

What commercial fisheries offer is quite amazing. For natural water enthusiasts there is the Canalfest on the Shropshire Union Canal, which features more 200 pegs, as well as Riverfest with more 10 qualifying matches.

There is also the Division Two National on the Wigan AA lengths of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, in which my team, Tri-Cast Rochdale, is taking part.

The rivers are full but should start dropping just in time for the opening day, so expect some superb fishing on the Ribble and other running waters.

THE Townhouse venue was impressive for the Todmorden AS Trophy match. Weights were incredible, with winner Rob McKendry’s pole and pellet-based alliance luring 92lb 4oz of small carp.

That more than doubled the weight of Paul Wilkinson, who used the method feeder for 40lb 4oz of carp.



TODMORDEN AS’s latest Tuesday evening match on Croft Fishery was won by Pete Mottram, who used the pole, meat and pellet combination to tempt 33lb 4oz of carp. Runner-up Steve Buckley opted for the pellet waggler in a 21lb 9oz bag of carp.



BILL Brierley is proving tough to beat in the Medlock Bridge open matches on the Park Lake and made it five wins on the trot there.

Drawn on peg 13, he used worm and maggot over groundbait at 13 metres to catch plenty of skimmers, small tench and f1s for a 25lb 1oz net.

Mark Webb (Saints) was second, with long pole and maggot working well for two big tench, some decent bream and plenty of smaller fish in a 21lb 8oz bag.

Brierley followed up on the Park Lake from peg two, where he caught skimmers, roach, perch and tench.

Worm and maggot over groundbait did the trick for 18lb 2oz. Hall was second with 11lb 12oz of perch, roach and skimmers on chopped worm.



STEVE Baines (Tight Lines) was first in the Twingates AC evening match on the club water, with an 11lb 13oz net of roach, skimmers and ide on maggot over groundbait.

Tony Holden, also of Tight Lines, was second with 9lb 14oz of carp, roach and skimmers.



GEOFF Carr landed the lead honours in the Twingates AC OAPs match on the club water.

He had a 17lb 8oz net, which included a big carp, two smaller samples and some tench.

Rod Illing was second with 14lb 8oz of ide and skimmers.



TYLE Lodge fished well for the latest Socials AC match.

Mick Diskin claimed first place with a fantastic 31lb 7oz of chub, ide and roach on maggot up in the water. Chris Woodrup was second with a 19lb 7oz net of roach, bream and ide.



News or opinions? Contact Jan Verbruggen on 07846 456408 or email janangling@hotmail.co.uk