Andy displays touch of class

ANGLING: TACKLE dealer Gerry Lees has obviously passed on his talent to son Andy, who showed some class by winning a small, but competitive match on Leigh water Fir Tree Flash.

The anglers had to break the ice before fishing, which makes the weights even more incredible.

Andy (Gilders) fished the long pole at 12 metres and rang the bait changes between pinkie, maggot and caster to tempt a good carp and plenty of silvers for 17lb 6oz.

Big-weight specialist Richard Lofthouse (Drake Floats) is one of the most positive anglers you will see on the bank and he took second with a carp and silvers falling for double pinkie fished at 11 and 12 metres for 15lb 8oz.

Dave Birchall (Gilders) was third with his maggot at 11 metres netting him a small carp, a two-pound perch and two-pound tench for a 10lb 10oz finish.


THE third round of the TRI-CAST Rochdale teams-of-four winter league was fished on my favourite venue - the Hebden Bridge lengths of the Rochdale Canal - and was won by Dave Wells (TRI-CAST Rochdale Blue).

His favoured bread punch method brought a 4lb 13oz net of small roach from his peg on the Supermarket basin.

Paul Lahey (TRI-CAST Rochdale Red) was second with a similar catch to the winner of 4lb 8oz, while John Meredith (Trabucco Halifax) was third with 3lb 12oz of small roach.

Team wise, it was TRI-CAST Rochdale Blue who took the honours with 25 points, followed by Fox Match Red with 24.

Fox Match Red now lead the league with 81 points - well in front of TRI-CAST Rochdale Blue’s 72, although there are still a few rounds to go.


EX-OLDHAM rod and one-time England prospect Mark Lucas showed he has still got it with a win in the Blundells Fishery Wednesday open match fished on East Lodge, finishing the day with 33lb 2oz of mainly carp.


BAIT dealer Billy Brierley (Garbolino Elton) has been spending some time competing in the Partridge Lakes open matches and added to his excellent record there with a first place in Saturday’s match fished on Covey Lake.

Despite being iced over, the water still fished well with plenty of double-figure weights headed by Billy’s 32lb 3oz of small carp which fell to pellet fished at just five metres.

Dave Holland (TRI-CAST Highfield ) was second with almost identical tactics netting him 20lb 2oz of small carp.

FIRST it was cormorants, now it’s otters. What next you may ask.
By all accounts, the otter problem is so bad that the Angling Trust has contacted the Government insisting that regulations are introduced so the otters can be managed.

Problems were highlighted last month when several fish farmers complained that otters were decimating their fish stocks and they were nearly put out of business.

Fishery owners can apply for a licence to trap and remove otters, but only where they are causing a problem. 

* TODMORDEN AS’s open match on Croft Fishery was poorly attended, not surprising really as the ice had to be broken before the few hardy souls could fish.

Winner was Simon Newsham with a few small skimmers taken on the pole and weighing just 1lb 13oz. John Mellor was second with 14oz, followed by Chris Oliver’s 7oz.


DIGGLE AC membership is now due for renewal and anglers can save themselves some money if they pay before March 31.
Prices before then are: Seniors £30, OAPs £20, Juniors £15. After March 31 - Seniors £50, OAPs £20, Juniors £20. For a second rod, the price is £15.

Membership is available at local tackle shops Tight Lines, Shaw, and Gilders of Hollinwood.


Venue Guide

Huddersfield Narrow Canal – Most pegs frozen and bites sure to be hard to come by. Day tickets on the bank.

Rochdale Canal – Mostly frozen with usual pegs for reasonable sport. Bread punch and pinkie as good as anything.

Chadderton Mill lodge – Frozen, but still giving good sport. Fish more shoaled up than normal, but all pegs capable of a few fish.

Hollingworth Lake – Only pike anglers fishing this water. Deadbaits and spinning the methods used.

Ogden Reservoir – Pike and big perch on this water with dead baits or spinning. Day tickets from Tight Lines.


ANYONE with any news or views on the local or national angling scene can email me at foldgr@ntlworld.com or contact me on 07846 456408.


DIARY DATES

Thursday. February 25 – Centurian AC presentation night at Springbank Bowling Club (8pm). All subs to be paid on the night.

Sunday, February 28 – Todmorden AS open match on Townhouse. Draw up to 8.30am and fishing 10am to 3pm. To book, contact John Mellor on 01706 374689.

Every Saturday – Open matches on Meermoor Fisheries.

Every Sunday – Albert Morris open matches on canals throughout the North-West. For information, contact Albert on 0161 792 2684. £11 all-in on the day.

Every other Sunday – Monarch AC members’ matches on the club water. For further details, contact Craig on 07916 923890.

Sundays - Chadderton Mill AC winter league matches on Chadderton Mill lodge. For further details, contact Lee on 07522 156978.