Silver fish no match for golden Peter

PUT Peter Cuniffe on a decent peg and you may as well hand over the winner’s purse before the floats hit the water.

Although he wins his fair share on commercials, he really shows his class at venues teeming with silver fish.

This was the case in the latest Medlock Bridge AC open match on the Park Lake.

Drawn on peg 18, Cuniffe bagged a fantastic net of fish.

Using his favourite hemp and caster, he caught a mixed bag of skimmers, big tench, loads of decent chub and a few big roach for a match-winning 18lb 6oz.

Steve Hall, in second place, operated the chopped worm and caster approach for good-sized chub, before a switch to pellet tempted skimmers and two big tench for 15lb 8oz.

Fred Prudham was third in this quality line-up with a 12lb 1oz catch.

He hit top gear in the last three hours when skimmers switched on to his maggots at 12 metres.

PAUL Mason claimed top spot in the Lees and Hey AS match on Copthorne Lakes, where the fish were in a feeding mood.

Using maggot over groundbait at 10 and 12 metres, he attracted a 9lb carp in a 27lb total.

Runner-up Stuart Taylor also used maggot to attract 23lb 2oz of carp, chub and ide.

Steve Blackburn, in fourth, weighed in 19lb 12oz on pellet, but his effort was soured as he smashed the seventh section of his new pole.

o OLDHAM Central AC’s their fur and feather match on Hampton Springs’ Oasis Lake went to Dave Timmens, who bagged 18lb 5oz of carp and barbell on the method feeder.

Paul Nield, in second place, used worm over pellet in the deeper water for a 14lb 14oz net of carp and silvers.

THE Todmorden AS match meeting, to discuss next year’s calendar of events, is on Wednesday, November 2, at the Todmorden Social Club (8pm).

Meanwhile, Todmorden’s annual meeting is seven days later (November 9) at the same venue, with a 7.30pm start.

Proposals must be seconded and received by the club secretary in writing no later than the club’s committee meeting scheduled for Sunday.

Suggestions already submitted include an increase in subscriptions and limiting the weight of fish in a keepnet to 50lb for five hours.

All members will be required to attach a photograph to next year’s membership cards.

Todmorden AS are staging a trophy match at Croft on Sunday. To book and for details, ring (01706) 374689 or 07543 883714.

The society’s next open match is seven days later. For more details, call the aforementioned telephone number.

SUNDAY’S Pennine Winter League match is being fished on the sewage works to library length of the Rochdale Canal.

These lengths are closed to all other anglers on this day.

Venue Guide

Denshaw Vale: Memberships are available. For details, contact John on (0161) 665 1779. Plenty of silvers feeding to most baits.

Ogden Reservoir: Bream to the feeder while roach falling to maggot on pole or waggler. Day tickets available on the bank or at Tight Lines in Shaw.

Huddersfield Narrow Canal: Greenfield for small fish to bread punch. Odd better fish to caster.

Rochdale Canal: Lots of small fish feeding to bread punch, squatt or maggot.

Chadderton Mill Lodge: Great fishing as usual with plenty of silvers to maggot.

Park Lake: Caster, maggot and pellet for lots of chub, skimmers, roach and big tench. Day tickets on the bank.

Diary Dates

Monarch AC winter series members-only matches on the club water. For further details, contact Dean on (0161) 213 0539 or 07518 459714.

Every Saturday: Medlock Bridge AC open matches on the Park Lake. Draw 9am at King’s Road entrance. Fishing 10am to 3pm. For further details, contact Darren on 07753 414838.

Every Sunday: Pilsworth Fishery open matches. Draw 10am in car park.

To report any news or views on the local or national angling scene, contact Jan Verbruggen on 07846 456408.