Lodge laurels for happy Hill

PAUL HILL claimed top honours in the first of the Chadderton Mill AC winter series of matches on Chadderton Mill Lodge.

Conditions were pretty awful, with two poles snapped and several umbrellas blown into the water.

But the Gilders rod, drawn on peg one and using maggot and pellet at 11 metres, defied the conditions to weigh in 33lb of carp in the three-to-four-pound bracket.

Ian Cox, in second place, was situated on favoured peg six, where he had 28lb of carp.

o THE Pennine Winter League practice match attracted 58 anglers, but they found the Rochdale Canal hard going as a cold night kept the fish near to the bottom.

George Colbran opted for the caster to net 9lb 3oz of bream and roach. John Leeds was next-best with a similar catch, but he used bread punch as well as caster for 7lb 6oz.

Tony Marsh, in third place, had a 6lb 5oz bag made up of roach on bread punch.

Tim Bolland, in fourth, boasted a bream and roach net from the library length.

After the practice, came the main event, and Paul Lehay (TRI-CAST Rochdale) took first place.

He had some big perch and small silver on worm, bread and pole for a level 5lb.

Steve Crossley (Fox Match) was the runner-up. He had roach and skimmers tempted by bread punch at various lengths for 4lb 14oz.

Tim Worsnop (Halifax) organised some cracking matches on the Huddersfield Broad Canal, and he showed he can fish a bit too, claiming third place with 4lb 12oz of roach on bread punch.

TODMORDEN AS’s final club championship match takes place at Croft on Sunday, November 15. To book, telephone (01706) 840146 or (01706) 07872 604516.

The club’s grand Christmas match is on December 13, with the presentation immediately afterwards.

There will be prizes galore and plenty of food on offer as well.

The draw will at Todmorden Social Club up to 9am, with fishing from 10am to 1pm. Seniors will fish the Rochdale Canal and juniors Grove Lodge.

The club’s annual meeting is on Wednesday at Todmorden Social Club situated next to the Lidl supermarket (start 7.30pm).

Proposals include: an increase in subscriptions; floating baits to be banned in matches; matches to be no more than five hours long, otherwise there will be an intermediate weigh-in; outlawing bank walking in matches; no hooks larger than a size 14.

Venue Guide

Huddersfield Narrow Canal: Roaches lock near Mossley for plenty of silver fish on bread punch.

Rochdale Canal: Bread punch and caster for silver fish. The odd tench and bream are coming out.

Chadderton Mill Lodge: Put anything on the hook and you will bag up as carp and ide are feeding freely on all pegs.

Park Lake: The odd fish are falling to maggot and bread.

Ogden Reservoir: Pike are feeding all over the water.