Diehard anglers brave North wintry weather
Dec 10 2010 The Journal
IT is astonishing that angling activity has not been completely eradicated during the past week.
Although the vast majority of the region’s coarse rods have stayed at home, some diehards have been out.
Some matches still went ahead on Sunday, with lines freezing and iced floats making ledgering the option.
The River Swale has attracted most angling activity with chub and grayling being the targets.
The River Eden is both low and clear but fishing quite well for grayling.
Fish to 1lb 12oz have been caught from the Carlisle Angling Association water around Rickerby Park.
Temperatures of minus eight did not deter the Border Match Anglers of Annan, who visited Cumbria’s Carleton Hill Fishery for a Winter League match.
After spending 90 minutes breaking ice each and with fishing reduced to three and a half hours the match went ahead and was won by Chris Scott with 7lb 6oz of roach, perch and even three carp.
It was a superb result given the conditions, and Scott landed fish consistently to win from Andy Regan, who had 5 lb of roach and skimmers.
Third place went to George Bell with 4lb 4oz, which included a bream of 2lb.
Washington angler Mark Mossman is the angler of the week after winning Northallerton’s Fur and Feather Match.
Fishing the Swale at Scruton, Mossman rounded up ten chub to win with 37 lb 10 oz.
Paul Bosomworth was runner-up with 18lb 14oz ahead of Paul Bendilow with 18lb 10oz, while another Washington raider Kevin Handley completed the frame with a return of 14 lb
The Darlington Brown Trout AA Xmas Cheer match was pegged over both the Swale and Tees, but the going was very tough and single-chub catches decided the event.
Steve Chantry won with the heaviest fish, a 3lb 10oz chub, ahead of Dave Chapman with 3lb 5oz and Bernie Fitzgerald who had a 3lb fish.
Pike fishing remains popular, with young Wansbeck and Cramlington AC Thomas Fraser’s claiming a new personal best with a terrific 18lb 1oz pike taken from Lonsdale Park, beating his dad Scott’s best ever fish by 1lb 1oz.
The latest pike fishing report from Esthwaite shows the predators have been obliging with cracking fish reported.
John Ashirst took a 17lb pike from the boats using a trolled deadbait and Dave Roscoe used static herring deadbait to take another fine double of 15lb.
Venue regular Peter Mountain took a welcome brace of pike, via a 22lb specimen and 12lb fish.
Mark Billington employed the guiding services of Esthwaite Water Trout Fishery to help him tempt a mint looking 22lb fish that fell to a static deadbait.
Esthwaite also offers a silver fish ticket through the winter months – now available for the cost of £7.50. Two rods and the use of maggots are permitted, but any trout caught must be returned.
