Angling: Ace dace catch conjured up by stick-float wizard Martin Highe

Mirfield club secretary and well-known stick-float wizard, Martin Highe, turned back the clock on the latest Bradford Calder League event, taking the best dace catch I can remember for over 20 years.

Drawn on the shallow and pacey runs of Calder Bank Road, his peg – known as the hole in the wall – was a “fish a chuck” for most of the matches five-hour duration.

His catch of tiny dace in the two-to-four-ounce bracket were all taken on the stick and maggot and gave him a winning weight of 30-14, more than enough to beat second-placed Tony Earnshaw’s 27-04 of chublets from his peg in the playing fields.

The river seems to get better every year and nearly 20lb was needed to take sixth place on the leader board. Anyone wanting a day-float fishing should give the venue a try.

Anglers expecting a big fish fest had to think again when competing in the summer league event held on the Ouse at Moor Monkton just below the Nidd Mouth. All the leading weights were taken on the stick float and caster or the long whip to hand, and a terrific 18lb of quality roach took top honours for Leeds angler Ricky Gaunt.

Surprisingly, roach made up all the leading weights with double figures needed to make the frame.

It will be interesting to see if the silverfish trend continues.

Just a mile downstream, York & District’s Open on the Poppleton to Redhouse stretch saw venue regular Mick Doyle gain his first win of the season with four bream and a handful of skimmers to weigh 20-02, just beating Mark Thompson of Leeds, who fell just short with 19-10.

Nothing much seems to have changed from last year on the tidal Wharfe around Ulleskelf and Leeds and District’s season opener, the Ham Match, again saw barbel make up all the leading weights.

Match organiser and big fish specialist, Jim Jordan, made no mistake for his first trophy of the year, with seven barbel up to eight pounds for 29-04 from his peg in the rapids.

Selby angler, Dave Robson, was unlucky, having eight barbel but of a lower stamp to come in second with 24-08.

The following week’s Sykes Cup, held on the same venue, gave similar end results though with some larger fish that will be of interest to those specialist anglers out there who are looking for a Wharfe lump.

Winner, Steve Wilson, drawn on the famous Salmon Pool run-off, had just four barbel and a chub for 28lb with his biggest whisker going 9lb.

Nick Smith took second with another barbel catch of 20-14 and, afterwards, the talking point was how many big barbel were lost.

Maybe the ‘fatter string’ of the species anglers could do a bit better.

Results

Armley AC at Sessay Poplars: 1, R Varty 52-12; 2, D Fish 46-04; 3, R Atkinson 34-07; 4, D Atkinson 33-05.

Dragon AC at Wholesea Fisheries Pond 2: 1, Robbie Robins 81-03; 2; Keith Fox 78-08; 3, Dale Evans 64-12; 4, Lee Butterworth 46-01.

Angel Lakes Open Lookout Sunday: 1, John Foster 157-03; 2, John Dryden 143-10; 3, Ethan Bradley 122-05.

Angel Lakes Open Bowes Wednesday: 1, Dave Hudson 262-10; 2, Alan Blyth 197-04; 3, Alan McGuire 160-00.

Viking Saturday Open (Hawk): 1, M Holmes 108-07; 2, A Harrison 107-03; 3, R Scott 73-04; 4, D Whittaker 60-05.

Glasshoughton AC (Viking Fox): 1, M Yates 107-10; 2, L Crosslane 97-01; 3, P Yates 95-03; 4, G Jex 88-14.

Harehills WMC (Viking Deer): 1, R Smith 85-06; 2, J Simms 80-10; 3, R Savage 69-05; 4, F Johnson 60-05.

Merlin AC (Viking Fox): 1, D Coote 117-02; 2, J Scaife 115-02; 3, W Shefton 113-00; 4, P Trenholme 98-02.

Fox & Hounds (Viking Hawk): 1, M Clark 97-00; 2, J Whitehead 78-15; 3, H Sandham 68-15; 4, C Robb 67-06.

Ham Match Tidal Wharfe, Ulleskelf: 1, J Jordan 29-04; 2, D Robson 24-08; 3, A Parr 17-09; 4, D Hare 12-09.

Sykes Cup Tidal Wharfe, Ulleskelf: 1, S Wilson 28-00; 2, N Smith 20-14; 3, K Smith 18-12; 4, P Barron 12-02; 5, K Lancaster 11-04.

Listerhills Rodley Leeds Liverpool Canal: 1, B Mason 6-12; 2, L Passey 3-00; 3, B Lothian 1-09.

Bradford Calder League, Brighouse: 1, M Highe 30-14; 2, T Earnshaw 27-04; 3, M Hope 24-02; 4, S Clegg 21-03; 5, S Foster 19-15; 6, N Hirst 19-10. Team: 1,Barnsley 37pts; 2, Calder 8 34pts.

York & District Ouse, Poppleton: 1, M Doyle 20-02; 2, M Thompson 19-08; 3, M Leslie 14-12; 4, B Collier 14-00; 5, N Speight 13-04.

Merlins AC, The Vail, Forest Lane: 1, Dave Coote 95-08; 2, Wayne Sefton 75-02; 3, Nathan Sefton 64-07.

Merlins AC, Oaklands, Forest Lane: 1, Dave Coote 87-02; 2, Wayne Sefton 48-02; 3, Allan Rumblelow 47-02.

White Horse AC, Kippax Park, Osprey: 1, P Sharpe 62-00; 2, P Robinson 49-04; 3, J Sykes 27-02; 4, H Good/P Smolka 22-00.

Starbeck AC, Poppleton, Horseshoe/Railway: 1, Kev Bell 98-03; 2, J Liversey 83-01; 3, A Gladders 77-09; 4, E Collins 65-14; 5, D Kirby 54-01; 6, S Lupton.

Moor Monkton Pools, Sunday Open, Cyprio/Match: 1, Martin Dodsworth 116-00; 2, Tom Bainbridge 105-04; 3, Dave Wright 104-14; 4, Lee Smith 89-09.

Moor Monkton Pools, Wednesday Rover, All Pools: 1, Dave Pollitt 124-03; 2, Andy Middleton 116-11; 3, Dave Wright 103-10; 4, Stan Jeffreys 73-12.

Moor Monkton Pools, Sunday Open, Front/Match: 1, Ben Fisk 121-12; 2, Paul Cromie 97-12; 3, Andy Middleton 86-13; 4, Garry Watson 76-04.

Moor Monkton Pools, Wednesday Rover, All Pools: 1, Matt Gallagher 111-08; 2, Dave Pollitt 108-09; 3, Lee Smith 95-00; 4, Mick Green 79-08.

Kippax Park Fishery, Tuesday Open, Lapwing: 1, Nigel Carr 71-14; 2, Dave Wright 70-07; 3, Richard Thomas 50-12.

Kippax Park Fishery, Saturday Open, Lapwing: 1, Dave Wright 114-08; 2, Andy Middleton 66-06; 3, Paul Cromie 52-04; 4, Steve Pearson 47-09.

Kippax Park Fishery, Tuesday Open, Lapwing: 1 ,Steve Pearson 102-10; 2, Dave Wright 90-12; 3, Nigel Carr 74-09.

Match Diary

Saturday

Kippax Park: Saturday Open, Lapwing or Osprey, contact 07967000746.

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: 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

York & District: open matches, River Ouse, contact Mick Potter 07890870551.

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: 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.

Thursday

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