Angling: Fracking in Derwent is a concern for anglers

From advice on habitat, preservation, netting and cropping, right through to Calverton’s fish rearing and stocking policies, the end product has always been to help in the improvement of fisheries.

News of the go-ahead for Hydraulic Fracturing (fracking) in Ryedale’s Kirby Misperton has me trying to make sense of the approval, as the Environment Agency’s main objectives are to protect the environment and preserve our rivers to the highest quality.

Looking through shale gas complaints from as far away as China, America and Australia, some make scary reading with Queensland’s Condamine river seeping methane due to fault lines bursting into flames at the flick of a lighter just adding to the problems for all fish, lobsters and wildlife. With each Horizontal Well using up to 10 million gallons of fresh water leaving substantial amounts of contaminated waste water and impacts on our waterways that can only be ‘guesstimated’, I wonder how our little Derwent catchment area will cope and which part of the Environment Agency’s recommendations explain how angling and the countryside will benefit.

Let’s just hope it wasn’t the same committee that decided releasing otters was a good idea!

Meanwhile, with the continuing emergence of nymphs, good buzzer anglers are reaping the rewards at the consistently good Fewston reservoir.

This sparse little fly has been responsible for the capture of the season’s best rainbow to the rod of Mr B Lingwood. The fish weighed in at a thumping 7lb and topped a string of other good trout reported, including blues.

A weighty 343 trout were posted on returns, giving a cracking average of nine per angler.

Browns are continuing to feed on the surface at Thruscross to shucks and midge, with individual anglers managing up to six fish. Coarse anglers on the lower Swinsty venue are averaging 18lb a session with fish of all species now getting their heads down.

Best method hasn’t changed much from the proven cold weather tactics and groundbait feeder with maggot, caster and chop worm still outshine others.

But, as the weather warms, waggler maggot and a ball a chuck will soon take over. Weights are changing daily on the Aire & Calder from Heck through to Rawcliffe Bridge.

As the fish make their minds up on whether to spawn or not, winning match catches have ranged from as little as 6lb to near 40lb.

Cleckheaton’s Dave Armitage, as usual, seems to have got the balance right, winning the latest Bradford No1 event at Rawcliffe with just 5.10 to add to his other wins and places through May with catches to over 30lb.

It’s not all about matches though. With some fantastic pleasure catches reported every week, the canal should be top of the list for anyone wanting proper fishing through the rivers’ closed season.

For those who prefer the narrow cuts, Listerhills will be running matches through the summer on the Leeds and Liverpool around Kirkstall (see match diary for details).

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Results

Mirfield Open, Aire & Calder, Great HeckL: 1, K Hobson 12-04; 2, N Thewliss 11-06; 3, G Brown 7-14; 4, J Smiles 7-02; 5, T Guthrie 7-00; 6, M Wood 6-06.

Bradford No1, Aire & Calder, Rawcliffe: 1, D Armitage 5-10; 2, P Vickerman 5-04; 3, P Wilson 3-04; 4, J Vickerman 3-02.

Listerhills AA, Leeds /Liverpool Canal, Rodley: 1, D Moffitt 2-15; 2, R Thornton 2-11; 3, E Harrison 1-12.

Listerhills AA, Kippax Osprey: 1, E Harrison 31-04; 2, D Stephenson 10-02; 3, D Jackson 6-00.

Birkwood Farm, Wednesday: 1, M Jukes 67-05; 2, A Rymer 57-06; 3, F Ran 55-06.

Birkwood Farm, Saturday: 1, M Jukes 36-09; 2, A Rymer 22-05; 3, M Bailey 21-00.

South Leeds Cons, Birkwood: 1, M Jackson 39-12; 2, G Williamson 28-11; 3, K Shelley 27-08; 4, B Stanley 17-04; 5, D Falkingham 12-10.

XGates AC, Altofts, Aire & Calder: 1, M Johnson 11-13; 2, S Kaye 1-09; 3, A Stainton 0-09.

Park Piscatorials, Rising Sun: 1, D Gunby 31-15; 2, P Green 26-06; 3, T Spooner 21-15.

Fox & Hounds, Tyram Hall: 1, J McMillan 34-10; 2, J Whitehead 34-04; 3, A Faithwaite 17-11; Juvenile; H Sandham 16-02.

BobCo BSR, Moor Monkton: 1, Dave Wright 106-12; 2, Adrian Broomhead 95-08; 3, Mark Pryke/Steve Mazza 72-10.

Poppleton Lakes, Railway/Horseshoe Evening: 1, G Fennell 88-14; 2, G Peake 79-12; 3, J Duckworth 72-12; 4, T Bainbridge 71-04; 5, D Pollitt 69-06.

Poppleton Lakes, Molson Toors, Railway: 1, P Carter 122-14; 2, A Broomhead 111-01; 3, M Walker 63-03.

Wilton AC, Poppleton Horseshoe: 1, J Milligan 84-02; 2, S Donnely 64-03; 3, M Bell 56-02.

Kippax Park, Lapwing: 1, Dave Pollitt 119-08; 2, Andy Hampson 68-04; 3, Stan Jeffreys 60-00.

Kippax Park, Osprey: 1, Bob Rymer 75-00; 2, Neil Rymer 61-00; 3, Jason Humphries 57-08; 4, Phil Robinson 47-04.

Moor Monkton, Wednesday Front Pool: 1, Dave Pollitt 112-06; 2, John Mills 87-01; 3, Paul Gallagher 78-06.

Colton Sports AC, Forest Lane, Furlong: 1, G Sewell 73-06; 2, K Gale 44-08; 3, C Remmer 39-14; 4, I Asquith 38-02. Brafferton: 1, A Senior 15-12; 2, S Packard 14-10; 3, I Asquith 10-15; 4, J Ryder 8-10. Viking Hawk: 1, K Gale 47-02; 2, K Foster 44-02; 3, B Taylor 36-10; 4, J McKenzie 34-06. Swanlands: 1, K Gale 146-08; 2, S Packard 82-12; 3, I Asquith 78-10; 4, A Senior 77-01.

Armley AC at Tollerton Kingfisher: 1, J Cooper 68-00; 2, M Cooper 41-08; 3, C Greenwood 38-06; 4, N Parington 36-09.

Rodley Barge, Poppleton, House Lakes: 1, P Sawyer 42-12; 2, S Wilson 29-13; 3, R Ward 15-07; 4, I Hardisty 15-01. Cedars, Sessay: 1, S Dodsworth 51-09; 2, D North 41-08; 3, I Hardisty 39-02; 4, P Dennis 33-12.

Viking Saturday Open (Deer Pond): 1, S Barraclough 123-07; 2, M Moore 67-03; 3, G Henderson 58-09; 4, R Scott 54-01.

Elsecar Colliery AC (Viking Hawk): 1, L Armitage 49-09; 2, D Wood 47-05; 3, P Hargreaves 30-15.

Roadline AC (Viking Hawk): 1, M Brotherton Jr 55-01; 2, I Swarbrick 35-08; 3, D Daws 35-01.

Bramley Cardigan AC (Viking Hawk): 1, D Smith 48-00; 2, R Dockery 34-00; 3, M Peat 21-00.

Rothwell AS (Viking Deer): 1, M Burnell 31-08; 2, F Britton 31-02; 3, C Wardman 24-06.

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 32 pegs), contact 01347 838115.

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.

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 £10.00, 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.