Good value at Whittle Dene

May 9 2008 The Journal

THE superb weather has seen an increase in the numbers of coarse anglers visiting fisheries, especially at Whittle Dene where an afternoon stress buster ticket at only £4 is representing outstanding value as roach catches continue to be most rewarding.

Last week saw Steve Reynolds take 22lb of roach from the Great Southern, where Alan Robson also took over 20lb of roach using a pole, while Mal Gardner was another angler to report a 20lb catch that included perch as they start to finish spawning and come on to the feed. A day ticket water – Charlton’s Ponds at Billingham which was restocked recently with carp and crucians – has yielded bream and tench both to 8lb this week from the large lake, whilst skimmers to a pound and roach to half a pound are providing sport on the small lake.

Club stillwaters have been fishing well too with Dissington Pond still producing ide and tench catches for BWAC anglers and a nice Brenkley Tench of 2lb 8oz was caught recently by WACAC member Ernest Playford.

Anglers travelling further afield have seen LochMaben’s bream make an appearance, and on Bassenthwaite roach and perch fishing has been good too – although visitors should note only worm can be used at present as neither maggot nor groundbait is allowed until June 16. Martin Chandler won the CADCAC match at Crofton Lake on Sunday with 8lb 8oz of bream. Jeff Johnson was second with a 1lb 8oz carp.

Around 20 competitors fished Tuesday night’s ‘King of Whins’ summer league match at Whins pond near Penrith where Ian Corrie won with only two fish, a large bream and a tench for a winning 10lb 11oz.

Tom Myerscough was second with a single bream of 7lb 11oz while the consistent Phil Ramsden was third with a common carp weighing 6lb 9oz.

Meanwhile, anglers in the North East returned one of their lowest rod licence evasion rates, when the Environment Agency checked 48 waterways last weekend. With new rod licences coming into force from April 1, a team of nine full-time Enforcement Officers carried out the first license blitz of the year, and a total of 865 successful licence checks were carried out. The good news was that only 25 of those anglers were found either not in possession of a current licence or were unable to produce one when requested.

DIARY DATES

SATURDAY: there is an Open on The Angel while Washington and Harraton Angling Club contest their Keith Hutchinson Memorial Match on Acer Lake at Eden Meadows and Leazes Park juniors fish a fun match.

SUNDAY: Big Waters hold a club trip to Scorton’s Green Lane Ponds. Stillwater Opens are scheduled on The Oaks, Woodlands, The Angel, Carp Vale and Raker Lakes. A Spring Series of Open Matches on Whittle Dene kicks off. Call 0191 2687458 or 07817630869 to book. Wansbeck and Cramlington AC have a Work Party arranged on Horton Grange, while their junior and ladies members fish a match on Brenkley and the same club also holds a Pike Match on the QE2. Blyth FAC kick off their Summer Series at The Angel and The Broom Fishery are holding a match in their £1,000 Open Series – call 0141 9545490 to book

TUESDAY: The Tyneside Division of the Pike Anglers Club meet at The Highlander in Blaydon. Another match in the ‘King of Whins’ series takes place on Whins Pond.

WEDNESDAY: Leazes Park AA host a Wednesday Evening League match and Open matches on both Woodlands and The Angel also take place while Lakeside AC have a club meeting at the Lakeside Inn Fellgatgate. Jarrow, and Sunderland FAC hold a midweek match on Silksworth.

THURSDAY: There is another Open on the Oaks at Sessay and Lakeside AC hold a Thursday match on Red Barns. Aycliffe AC host a match in their Friday Evening Series on Aycliffe Pond.