Angling: Fewston is the place to be for top trout hauls

Trout returns are averaging over five per angler with just 23 anglers banking 119 fish.

Methods remain the same with a slow retrieve in deeper water working best, though the occasional rise can be witnessed as new fly life hatches; ‘drys’ are still hard work.

It’s normal when large amounts of stock rainbows arrive to have a sprinkling of blues mixed in; it was one of these that claimed the best fish of the week for Tim Pryke, who tempted the 4lb blue on a small black buzzer.

Thruscross looks to be close to waking up as rising brownies can be seen taking under the tree line. Swinsty remains hard with fish still dormant in the cold water, though a roach catch of 22lb fell to the usual groundbait and maggot feeder from the car park bank.

Lower down the Washburn valley the newly acquired Lindley Wood has started well for those visiting for the first time, with bites from most pegs.

The management team from nearby Farnley fish farm, well-known match anglers Dave Pollitt and Paul Clark, finished work early to catch a few hours before dark and both caught over 100 roach. Each had the best fish of the session – a rogue 3lb chub – while all the fish fell to 7m whips, 2g rigs and maggot with a ball a chuck.

Unusually big chub are often caught on southern gravel pits with the heaviest recorded going over 9lb. Rumours of a seven pounder from Lindley are getting louder and, if true, could spark a rush for membership from the specimen boys.

And, as I said last week, the potential is a total unknown.

Meanwood’s Tony Hewson – still hurting from the river closed season – swapped his long rods and stick floats for his beat up old 16m pole and made it three wins out of three at the nearby Kippax Park commercial complex.

The recently stocked Lapwing lake gave him his first 100lb catch of the new season. Fishing meat long, he caught carp steadily from peg 9 with his best fish being one of the originals at 8lb.

Tuesday’s midweek competition gave him another win from the same lake, though pegged on the opposite bank’s peg 21. He used the same tactics to weigh in with over 64lb.

A change of lake was supposed to put a stop to his run, but a catch of 50lb from nearby Osprey was more than double that of second-place Mark Rockingham. Hewson said after that he should have retired from work earlier as winning matches is much easier!

F1s are a fish that you either love or hate. Over a thousand of the little barbless individuals were released into the same KP fishery Osprey lake this week.

Normally a pole-dominated venue, the best catches recently have fallen to the traditional rod, reel and waggler approach with a 49lb weight of F1s to 10oz taking second place at the weekend.

Leeds & District president Stan Jeffreys just managed to beat the method and weight, fishing soft pellet down the margins to record 49-4 to sneak the win.

Results

Chapel Street AC, Woodhouse: 1, M Wayne 34-8; 2, C Tye 31-8; 3, I Roberts 19-0.

JT Rodgers Summer League, Forest Lane: 1, S Biggins 63-07; 2, I Jordan 34-09; 3, M Pearson 34-05.

Bobco BSR, Moor Monkton: 1, S Rodgers 67-08; 2, D Wright 57-06; 3, B Rodgers 38-12; 4, A Broomhead 28-04.

White Horse AC, Pudsey Angling, Redwood Park: 1, S Good 24-10; 2, P Doyle 15-03; 3, T Wainwright 13-03; 4, G Raper 11-01.

Moor Monkton Pools: 1, M Gallagher 64-06; 2, S Armitage 62-09; 3, P Gallagher 48-12

JT Rodgers Spring League, Moor Monkton: 1, J Mathers 60-07; 2, D Pollitt 53-03; 3, E Balderson 48-11; 4, O Hewitt 44-13.

Kippax Park: 1, T Hewson 66-05; 2, N Rymer 55-10; 3, A Broomhead 51-14.

Oaks at Sessay: 1, A Richards 188-13; 2, J Newton 129-10; 3, R Bennett 109-15; 4, L Hawksworth 104-01.

Oaks at Sessay, Cedar: 1, R Minikin 65-07; 2, P Whale 55-08; 3, M Calvert 55-07; 4, J Newton 54-08.

Woodlands Lakes, Thirsk: 1, L Hawksworth 87-12; 2, G Poole 80-15; 3, E Collins 80-10; 4, M Buttle 74-03.

None-Go-By Farm, Silver Fish Only: 1, I Dawson, Tri-Cast 7-12; 2, P Dwyer, Matrix 5-08; 3, D Briggs, Tackle-2-U 4-00.

Moorfields Farm, Match Lake: 1, L Wherritt 133-04; 2, M Lumbly 73-02; 3, P Taylor/M Mellor 72-14.

Toms Pond: 1, J Mills, Formation Plastics 42-03; 2, P Wilson, Tri-Cast Calder 38-04; 3, P Dwyer, Matrix Halifax 34-06.

Viking Saturday Open (Hawk Pond): 1, R Summerscales 49-08; 2, G Watson 40-10; 3, D Sawyer 30-10; 4, D Cockrill 28-09.

Glasshoughton AC (Viking Hawk): 1, C Mitchell 68-05; 2, M Yates 61-10; 3, S Jones 57-01; 4, S Brown 35-02.

Rodley Barge AC (Viking Deer): 1, C Sharp 39-04; 2, E Holmes 34-00; 3, S Dodsworth 31-02; 4, T Hodgson 30-10.

Armley A C at Forest Lane (Oaklands): 1, M Cooper 21-14; 2, J Cooper 17-02; 3, G Cooper 15-04; 4, S Johnson 14-12.

Rodley Barge, Moorfields Big Lake: 1, R Parker 73-10; 2, M Rockingham 67-05; 3, T Hodgson 66-06; 4, E Holmes 60-08.

Rodley Barge, Viking Deer: 1, C Sharp39-04; 2, E Holmes 34-00; 3, S Dodsworth 31-02; 4, T Hodgson 30-10.

Angel Lakes Open Lookout: 1, D Fox 67-15; 2, B Hall 56-14; 3, C Pine 54-16.

Angel Lakes Open Bowes: 1, J Dryden 74-00; 2, R Emery 17-08; 3, J Foster 17-03.

Colton Sports, Forest Lane: 1, I Asquith 71-06; 2, M Thorpe 49-12; 3, G Sewell 41-14; 4, B Taylor 27-04.

Match Diary

Saturday

Lex’s Legacy ‘Pride of the Isle’, Lindholme Lakes Big Bash: June 1, contact 01427 875555/01427 872905.

Kippax Park: 27 pegs, tickets £20, contact 07967000746.

Feeder Master Qualifier, River Aire, Beal: contact Angling Trust 0115 906 1301.

Poppleton Saturday Open: pools, £15,. draw cafe 10am, contact Roger 01904737279.

Birkwood Farm Fisheries: Emily’s or Oscar’s, draw 8.30am, contact 01924 892251.

Woodlands: 72 pegs, tickets £18, contact 01845 520110.

Oaks at Sessay: 50 pegs, tickets £17, contact 01845 501321.

Langwith Lakes: 60 pegs, tickets £16, contact 01904 431874.

Moorfields Farm: 54 pegs, tickets £16, contact 07710817150.

Fleets Dam: 50 pegs, tickets £15, contact 01226 292579.

Birkwood Farm: 60 pegs, tickets £16, contact 01132 80609.

Viking Saturday Open: Hawk Pond, 30 pegs, £16, contact 01405 860764.

Tollerton Ponds: Open Match all ages, (Kingfisher 20 pegs, Coot 18 pegs, Heron 32pegs), contact 01347 838115.

Sunday

Woodlands: 72 pegs, tickets £18, contact 01845 520110.

Oaks at Sessay: 50 pegs, tickets £17, contact 01845 501321.

Langwith Lakes: 60 pegs, tickets £16, contact 01904 431874.

Oak Tree Leisure: 50 pegs, tickets £15, contact 01347 810686.

Leeds DASA: Moor Monkton Pools, contact 07967000746.

Poppleton Sunday Open: 50 pegs draw 11am cafe, contact 07425 146677.

Monday

Woodlands over-50s: 30 pegs, tickets £15, contact 01845 520110.

Langwith Lakes over-60s: 30 pegs, tickets £10, contact 01904 431874.

Tollerton Ponds over-50s: tickets £16, contact 01347 838115.

Tuesday

Kippax Park over-50s: draw 10am, tickets £10, contact 07967000746.

Wednesday

Leeds & District: Moor Monkton Pools, draw 10am, contact 07967000746.

Birkwood Farm Fisheries: Emily’s or Oscar’s, draw 8.30am, contact 01924 892251.

Woodlands: 72 pegs, tickets £18, contact 01845 520110.

Fleets Dam: 50 pegs, tickets £15, contact 01226 292579.

Tollerton Ponds: open match, all ages, contact 01347 838115.