White-hot Dave bags feather win

ANGLING:
DAVE White claimed top spot in the Monarch AC fur and feather match on the club water.

He weighed in 8lb 10oz of roach and ide thanks to caster at various depths and lengths.

Close up in second place was Craig Bamford, who tipped the scales at 8lb 3oz. He had chub and roach on the long pole and maggot.

Third on the day was Pete Molloy, who had 6lb 5oz of skimmers and roach also on the pole and maggot.

Monarch AC’s annual meeting is at the Duke of York pub, Royton, on Wednesday, January 18 (start 8pm).



PAUL Hill led the way in round three of the Chadderton Mill AC Winter League on the club water.

With the carp not showing, it was left to the venue’s ide to make up the weights.

Hill topped the charts with a level 17lb using maggot on the deck at eight metres from peg eight.

Phil Hulme, the runner-up, is in fine form, and he had 14lb 8oz of ide on maggot on the deck from peg 15. Next-best Jim Evans had two small f1s and ide in his 14lb 4oz catch on chopped worm and caster at full depth.

Newcomer to the match scene, Adie Hicks, followed up two placed efforts in the series with fourth spot. He had a 5lb carp and some ide on maggot for a 11lb 8oz total.



ANGLERS battled against appalling conditions — strong winds and driving rain — in the Todmorden AS Grand Christmas match on Croft and Townhouse. Steve Hamer emerged victorious, with his peg 14 on Croft coming alive to the tune of 29lb 8oz of carp on a maggot feeder.

Chris Lett, in second place from peg six also on Croft, had a 22lb catch of carp also on the maggot feeder. Third-placed Pete Mottram boasted a four-carp net of 15lb 12oz on a straight lead approach for the leading weight on Townhouse.



THERE were several cracking weights in the Todmorden AS open match on the garden centre length of the Rochdale Canal on Queensway. The winner, Paul McMillan, boasted an 8lb 10oz bag of roach in the two to three ounce bracket using caster at around 11 metres.

Steven Crossley, opting for squatt and bread punch, was second with more than 300 roach for a 6lb 10oz total. Dave Wells, the previous week’s winner, weighed in 4lb 7oz 8drams of caster roach for third place.



I WAS chatting to an angler, who was enjoying a fine day’s sport at Hollingworth Lake. With the water dropped for maintenance work, he was able to catch roach almost every put-in on the tip and red maggot.

I remember years ago fishing matches on this massive water and, although I never really set the world alight, it was a good experience. The lake contains some big perch, pike and bream and, when the conditions are right can throw up some brilliant catches. It is worth considering when everywhere else is frozen as it seems to stay clear of ice longer than most waters.



OLDHAM bait dealer Dave Brierley enjoyed success in the Sunday open match on the Boat and Horses section of the Rochdale Canal, Chadderton.

Seven small roach in the first seven put ins on bread and a big roach at the death accounted for his 1lb 5oz net. Paul McMillan was second, with punch at seven metres attracting 14oz 8drams of tiny roach, while Dave Chadwick was next with 10oz 8drams.

It was a case of what might have been for Royton angler Martin Taylor (10oz), who had to settle for fourth spot after losing several fish.




Venue Guide



Denshaw Vale: Memberships are available. For more details, contact John on (0161) 665 1779.

Ogden Reservoir: Day tickets on the bank and at Tight Lines, Shaw.

Huddersfield Narrow Canal: Greenfield and Mossley lengths worth a go for silvers. Bread punch, squatt and pinkie will catch you fish.

Rochdale Canal: Solid with almost all lengths fishing well. An 8lb net of silvers won an open on the Chadderton Morrisons length, while the following day at the Boat and Horses the sport was terrible. Elsewhere the canal is fishing brilliantly, with plenty of small roach and skimmers feeding. Bread punch, caster, squatt and pinkie all scoring well.

Chadderton Mill Lodge: Carp not feeding, but ide good for a few bites. Maggot on the deck at nine metres as good as anything.

Park Lake: Silvers on maggot. 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 07518459714.

Every Saturday: Todmorden AS open matches on the Rochdale Canal. For details, contact Simon on 07896 237224.

Every Sunday: Todmorden AS open matches on the Rochdale Canal. For details, call Frank on 07769 905319.

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

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

primroseequestrian@ntlworld.com.