Angling: Big chub and perch are back on the agenda

Years ago chub were needed to win most big winter competitions on the Ouse and Ure with some huge fish by Yorkshire standards being caught with Jim Jordan, Barry Paton and Brian Clay all having fish of over seven pounds recorded.

The largest verified chub, though caught pleasure fishing from Sandersons was a beast of 7-14 caught by Dennis Lemmon and reported as a record in another ex-YEP angling correspondents specimen list compiled by the late Alan Howe in 1992.

Recent years have seen a distinct lack of the Ouse’s proper chub to an extent where most match anglers around Aldwark, Hunters and Linton were only targeting them as a last resort, and pleasure anglers almost disregarded these upper and lower reaches as a viable chub fishery.

The past few weeks have shown how angling can change in an instant with a number of single big chub weighing well over six pounds being taken to the scales by match anglers, and veteran big bait expert Bill Collier winning a winter league with two fish for over 10 pounds from the old chub flier at Thorpe Underwood: (incidentally the same peg that Yarm’s Ronnie Wilkinson match caught a 7-10 chub about 20 years ago).

All recent signs are the same as decades ago with a number of big sixes making an appearance before a seven pounder potentially steals the headlines, if you need a huge Yorkshire chub now’s the time to get on the bank.

Another of the river’s great veterans Noel Speight showed he had lost none of his winning instinct last week when drawn on the bungalows section at Hunters Lodge. He made no mistake in taking top spot with three proper bream and 20 perch for 27-04.

For those not familiar with the bungalows section it’s one hell of a long walk, through gates and over stiles with a muddy cow trodden path that sucks your boots off.

Noel is 84-years -old and makes it look easy, he’s what legends are made of.

Just a day later anglers competing in the Leeds Winter League arrived at the same venue to find it slowly rising but in good condition after overnight rain.

The winner’s catch and weight I am sure will be another one for the record books.

Harrogate angler and Barnsley Black team member Ian Bowman has over the years become an angler to beat on any venue in the UK, giving him a draw on the famous bungalow pegs was always going to be a difficult combination to better.

Changing to a feeder fished short after his starting pole method was wiped out by the rising river, he left the others in his wake putting 33 perch and a solitary bream on the scales for a brilliant 51-11.

With over 10 of his perch going past the magical 2lb mark, what a place to start for a pleasure angler aiming to beat his perch PB.

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Results

Anglers World Holidays, Saturday Series, Ouse at Linton: 1, Ricky Bonas 178-08; 2, Pete Baron 0-12; 3, John Lastokowski 0-10; 4, Simon Heaton 0-08; 5, John Smiles 0-06; 6, Paul Bennett 0-05.

Leeds Winter League, Hunters/Thorpe Underwood: 1, W Collier 10-06; 2, A Grandage 6-13; 3, S Haigh 5-06; 4, I Bates 4-14; 5, S Heaton 4-07.

Anglers World Saturday Series, Linton on Ouse: 1, N Speight 27-04; 2, P Baron 14-10; 3, P Austin 10-00; 4, I Bowman 9-15; 5, A Benstead 7-04.

Leeds Winter League, Hunters/Linton: 1, I Bowman 51-11; 2, D Pilgrim 11-10; 3, D Armitage 9-13; 4, T Peel 6-08; 5, D Miles 6-01.

Bradford No1, Raskelf: 1, G Brammer 28-00; 2, N Michael 13-08; 3, P Vickerman 11-02; 4, A Jaques 6-12.

Oaks @ Sessay, Silver Fish only: 1, T Stevenson/R Minikin 27-02; 3, C Hall 18-04; 4, K Heptonstall 17-15; 5, P Whale/B Fisk 17-05.

Oaks @ Sessay, Silver Fish only: 1, D Briggs 55-09; 2, B Fisk 28-08; 3, K Heptonstall 28-02; 4, R Minikin 25-09; 5, A Barker 25-04.

Moor Monkton Pools, Winter League, Round 12: 1, Graham Boardley 50-13; 2, Tom Bainbridge 44-07; 3, Ollie Hewitt 42-00; 4, Andy Middleton 39-12.

Moor Monkton Pools, Wednesday Rover, All Pools: 1, Roy Worsnop 21-08; 2, Mick Green 12-00; 3, Chris Watson 6-03; 4, Andy Gallant 3-05.

Moor Monkton Pools, Winter League Round 13: 1, Gary Miller 45-03; 2, Craig Burton 42-10; 3, Mick Hare 24-14; 4, Roy Worsnop 21-07.

Kippax Park Fishery, Tuesday Open, Lapwing: 1, Steve Pearson 58-09; 2, John Gee 35-12; 3, Bob Rymer 34-13; 4, John Brogden 22-12.

Kippax Park, Saturday Open, Lapwing/Osprey: 1, Dave Wright 19-14; 2, Luca Willshaw 15-00; 3, Bob Rymer 13-02; 4, Adrian Broomhead 12-06.

Kippax Park Fishery, Tuesday Open, Osprey/Lapwing: 1, Dave Wright 27-14; 2, Steve Holmes 12-13; 3, Andy Gallant 11-01.

Match Diary

Saturday

Kippax Park: Saturday Open, Lapwing or Osprey 07967000746.

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

Birkwood Farm Fisheries: Emily’s or Oscars draw 8.30, 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, Hawk Pond: 30 Pegs, tickets £16, contact 01405 860764.

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

Kippax Park: Winter series, Osprey Lake only contact Stan 0796700046.

Sunday

Leeds & Liverpool: Kirkstall contact Roger Movley 01132 772215.

Listerhills: Leeds & Liverpool Canal contact Eddie Harrison 07518721051.

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.

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 Oscars draw 8.30, 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.

Thursday

Poppleton Lakes: Thursday evening, draw car park 5pm, pools £11 contact Roger 01904 737279.