Angling Lines

At the club's Shipton Lake, anglers have reported reasonable bags of roach and bream. Tench to 6lb and carp to 20lb have continued to show, with a good number of high doubles also gracing the bank.

Best tactics at the moment are waggler or feeder, with maggot the best bait. At Staveley Lakes, red maggots especially are producing fish, with chub responding well. The most productive method has been to float fish in the middle, with feed catapulted over the top.

Fly anglers on the club's Aire, Wharfe and Ure fisheries have found the bright weather and the water low but the cold winds have been very trying. Although many anglers have reported more out-of-season grayling than trout, Jason Montgomery had a lovely, hard-fighting brown trout of nearly 3lb at Gargrave.

KEIGHLEY AC

With the brown-trout season underway, more fly anglers have been enticed to the River Aire to take advantage of rising temperatures, targeting some of the faster-flowing shallow stretches. Although steep banks and trees make casting awkward, there are several prime sites on the river where you can land the fly on the water and let it run downstream to waiting fish. Coarse fishing also continues. Keighley member Rob Simpson chose a deep pool between rapids to land six trout weighing from 7oz to 5lb while ledgering worm on a 16 hook. Rob returned all fish to the water.

WASHBURN VALLEY FISHERY

Catch details for the week ending April 26 – Day ticket: Fewston 32, Swinsty 3. Total fish caught: Fewston 168, Swinsty 70lb-plus. Average per rod: Fewston 5.25. Fewston: Really good sport this week, blue and rainbow trout now feeding high in the water, taking nymph and buzzers. Swinsty: Mainly perch with a few bream and a couple of nice gudgeon. Thruscross: Brown trout feeding late in the day, rising to take emerging buzzers. Catch details for the month ending April 26 – Day ticket: Fewston 136, Swinsty 13, Thruscross (catch and return) 2. Total fish caught: Fewston 857, Swinsty 165lb-plus, Thruscross 9. Average per rod: Fewston 6.3, Thruscross 4.5. The heaviest fish caught this month was a 7lb 8oz blue trout by P Russell. Fewston: Fly fishing only. Sport improving as temperature rises and fly hatches increase. Swinsty: Almost officially coarse fishing. Thruscross: Only two anglers have braved the winds and rain for proper wild brown-trout fishing.

SKIPTON AA

The club's Taster Day last Sunday on Whinnygill Reservoir attracted a good number of prospective junior anglers, plus one or two adults.

Weather prospects seemed to indicate that fishing would be carried out in strong winds and heavy showers but it was wall-to-wall sunshine, with a light north-west wind. Perch were the most frequently caught fish, with some to around 340g (0:12:0), while the brown trout went to over 450g (1:0:0). Roach proved difficult to attract. The reservoir was about 1.5m (five feet) below maximum level due to a suspected leak, and this seemed to benefit both angler and fish equally.

BRADFORD No 1 AA

Despite an overnight frost, Bob Newby broke the match record for Raskelf in last weekend's members’ match, catching an impressive 71lb 10oz of F1s on pole and meat. F1s were also the main species for Eric Wright, who caught 56lb for second place, while Sam Ambler caught 39lb 13oz for third place and Ian Graham 36lb 8oz for fourth. Nine out the 40 anglers caught in excess of 30lb. The next members' match is on the Aire & Calder Canal at Beaver Bridge on Sunday, May 17.

BRADFORD PALS AC

Result of last Sunday's match at Birkwood Farm on the Main Lake: 1 Bernie Hook 45lb 4oz, 2 Dave Steane 42lb 6oz, 3 Gary Thornton 28lb 14oz, 4 Andy Clough 28lb 10oz. Our next match is on Sunday, May 17 at Lindholme Lakes on Bonsai Lake. Please remember that meat is now banned here. This is also the second round of the club knockout. Everyone is booked-on for this match, so if you can’t make it you must notify the match secretary by Sunday, May 10 or you will be charged.

LISTERHILLS AA

For Sunday's match at Pilley's, the gate will be open at 8.30am, with the draw at 8.45am. Places will be available for pleasure anglers after the draw. The next Saturday open match on the canal is on May 9. P Sidall and A Peat, fishing on the canal, had a mixed catch which included small pike and a tench.

CLAYTON AC

Sunday's match is on Horseshoe at Raker Lakes, draw 8.45am, fishing 10am-4pm. Keep-nets are provided by the fishery but own landing nets must be dipped before fishing. Floating baits can be fished in this match, providing a float is attached. Boilies and nuts are banned. Any member wishing to bring a guest must notify Jason before match day.

BINGLEY AC

Would all members wishing to book fishing at East Riddlesden Hall or Eldwick Compensation Reservoir please note that the number you need to call is now 07585-584516. Result of Sunday's match at Settler Dam: 1 A Greenwood 7lb 10oz, 2 O Hudspeth 6lb 6oz, 3 J Storey 3lb 8oz.

CENTRAL AC

Result of our match at Burkin on Sunday, April 26: 1 P Main 26lb 8oz, 2 J Preston 26lb 4oz, 3 R Creek 24lb 12oz, 4 A Waterhouse 18lb 14oz. Our next match is at Pool Bridge Farm on Sunday, May 10. Meet at venue 8am, fishing 8.30am-3pm.

GRATTAN AC

Result from Partridge Lakes: 1 K Dickson 102lb, 2 J Redmond 65lb, 3 G Brown 60lb. First match Saturday, May 9, at Blundells, draw 8.45am, fishing 10am-4pm.