Hill leaves it late to net prize

ANGLING:

PAUL Hill came back to form in the Chadderton Mill AC open match on his club water, netting an eight-pounder with only minutes to spare to sneak top place.

Second-placed Graham Mitchell of GTI Gilders was relegated to second by Hill's net of 21lb 6oz, made up of ide and three carp with maggot fished on the deck.

Mitchell had been leading with his maggot approach, fished at eight and nine metres, which caught him a couple of small carp, chub, ide, roach, perch and skimmers that took the scales to 21lb.

Phil Hulme went for big fish with corn at eight metres and it paid off. He picked up three carp in the first hour, together weighing 16lb, to beat Ian Cox (Stalybridge angling) into fourth with his 14lb 6oz catch made up of bits, plus one small carp that all fell to maggot fished at nine metres.

Paul McMillan of Trabrucco claimed the honours in the open match fished on the Sowerby Bridge length of the Rochdale Canal — where some anglers had to break ice.

McMillan drew an open area noted for its bream and only needed one to win, with bread punch fished at eight metres enough to tempt a 4lb 10oz 10drams specimen.

Second-placed Dave Chadwick fished bread punch to weigh in 4lb 9oz 11drams of small roach.

Roger Priestley was third, with two big skimmers taken on bread to weigh in 3lb 5oz 4drams.



TEENAGER James Cantello of TRI-CAST Highfield is a rising star, as he showed in the Northern AA open match fished on an iced-over Macclesfield Canal.

Drawn near the turning circle, Cantello used bread punch at 12 metres to catch almost 100 small roach, the biggest of which was around 5oz, to weigh in a superb 5lb 6oz.

That beat his grandfather and team-mate Ken Power, whose 10-metre pole and bread punch netted him 1lb 7oz 8drams of small roach.

Ged Martin was third, with 1lb 3oz 8drams of small roach taken on bread punch, followed by Alan McAtee, with two skimmers weighing a level 1lb.\



VENUE GUIDE

Denshaw Vale: Membership is available. Just before the freeze, some good crucians and the odd big roach were coming out to maggot. Contact John on (0161) 665 1779 for details.

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

Huddersfield Narrow Canal: Day tickets on the bank. Not many fishing this canal, but there are fish to be caught. Uppermill and Greenfield lengths worth a go with bread punch or maggot the best baits.

Rochdale Canal: Good fishing if you draw on them, but can be hard. Despite having to break the ice there are fish being caught and despite weather conditions if you pick the right peg you can have a great days' sport. Bread punch and caster the baits worth fishing.

Bardsley Canal: Chopped worm for perch. Day tickets on the bank.

Chadderton Mill Lodge: Maggot on the deck for plenty of silvers and the odd carp.

Park Lake: Day tickets on the bank.


DIARY DATES


Tomorrow: Todmorden AS are running an open match on Garden Centre lengths of the Rochdale Canal. Draw is 9am at McDonald's on Kingsway, Rochdale, with the match fished 10am to 3pm. To book, contact Simon on 0789 6237224.

Sunday: Todmorden AS members trophy match on Townhouse fishery. For details and booking, phone 01706 374689. Draw is up to 8.30am, with fishing 9.15am to 2.15pm.

Sunday: Open match on the Sowerby lengths of the Rochdale Canal. Draw is at 8.30am with the match fished 10am to 3pm. Tickets are £15 all in. To book, contact Simon on 07896237224.

Sunday, February 26: Todmorden AS open match on Rochdale Canal. To book, ring 07947 476208 or 07769 905319.

Wednesday, February 29: Cairo AC AGM at the Dog and Partridge, Constantine Street, Greenacres. 8pm start, new members welcome.

Every Sunday: Northern AA open matches on the Macclesfield canal. For further details, contact Albert on (0161) 792 2684.

Every fortnight: Chadderton Mill AC winter league on club water. 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 Rochdale Canal. For details, contact Simon on 07896237224.

Every Sunday: Todmorden AS open matches on the Rochdale Canal. For details call Frank on 07769905319.

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