Local canal anglers do their bit for charity

Now in its 19th year, the Ian Smith memorial match was held on what was his favourite venue, the towpaths of the Leeds and Liverpool canal between Kirkstall and Rodley.
Record breakers Phil Deitch and Adam Richards with part of the huge carp haul from the amazing Oaks at Sessay.Record breakers Phil Deitch and Adam Richards with part of the huge carp haul from the amazing Oaks at Sessay.
Record breakers Phil Deitch and Adam Richards with part of the huge carp haul from the amazing Oaks at Sessay.

The not-so-glamorous surroundings and drastic weed cutting by the Canal and River Trust couldn’t put a dampener on what has now become the area’s most anticipated contest.

Some brilliant off the cuff touches were worth the tough day’s fishing with match winner Steve Ashworth returning all of his match winnings to the pot and canal regular Barry Lothian collecting over £100 from his workmates.

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A total of £337.91 was raised for the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research.

Conditions kept the catches down but it was good to see our local narrow canal provide some fish for a great cause, top methods on the day were bread punch fished down the track with 3-05 of roach taking top spot.

Some of our area’s best older anglers cut their teeth on the towpaths between Leeds City Centre and Kirkstall, newcomers to the sport could do worse than following in their footsteps and best of all it’s free.

From an urban canal with a 3lb winner to another universe known as The Oaks at Sessay.

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Just a few years ago a 100lb match weight was a target that most anglers had not achieved and wasn’t a possibility for most, we then reached 200lb and the unthinkable three ton mark was passed very occasionally on the most perfect of days.

Sessay has turned the match angling world upside down with a recent contest seeing the first six anglers take an astonishing 3,000lb of carp to the scales and over 400lbs only good enough to win a section prize.

Browning-backed star Adam Richards broke the lake record with a mind blowing 583-05, ironically beating the previous best that had been set just minutes earlier by Phil Deitch’s 537-0 on the same match. Ash, Beech and Sycamore are the lakes providing these amazing catches with Andy Dargue winning the latest with 416-0 and Andy Barker doing a big weight double, topped with a 394-0 catch.

Opinions are divided if these haul size catches are good for our sport or the health of the fish, with some comments putting the skills down saying it is no more than “hook a duck”.

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Though not my cup of tea, I would say to them, the lakes are matches only with no pleasure fishing so no-one can practice, they are open to everyone, so if it;s that easy pay your £20 and have ago, I think you would change your mind seeing things in action. Make no mistake the guys that are winning are red hot.

The river scene has been 
sedate in comparison but Bradford No1s Calder Championship held around Brighouse still managed some good mixed bags, with Andy Bradley taking the trophy for a second time with 24-10 of roach and perch from his peg at Lillands Farm.

Barbel took a back seat for the first time this year with Geoff Bass taking Leeds & District’s Norman Marsh Memorial with an all chub catch of 13-05 from the Wharf’s tidal reaches at Ulleskelf.

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Results

The Oaks at Sessay, Ash, Beech & Sycamore: 1, Adam Richards 583-05; 2, Phil Deitch 537-13; 3, Tony Watson 491-15; 4, Mark Wakefield 415-01; 5, Les Sylvester 407-04; 6, Bert Poole 402-01.

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The Oaks at Sessay, Ash, Beech & Sycamore: 1, A Dargue 416-10; 2, C Hall 319-18; 3, M Buale 313-11; 4, B Poole 305-08; 5 T Watson 287-08.

The Oaks at Sessay, Ash, Beech & Sycamore: 1, A Barker 394-10; 2, A Dargue 362-05; 3, T Watson 346-15; 4, C Hall 311-01; 5, T Robertson 307-01.

Leeds DASA, Norman Marsh Memorial, Ulleskelf: 1, G Bass 13-05; 2, B Lee 13-02; 3, G Brown 10-15; 4, A Limbert 6-15.

Bradford No 1, Calder Championships: 1, A Bradley 24-10; 2, P Bennett 19-04; 3, E Wright 18-10; 4, I Newby 14-12; 5, J Holders 14-09.

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Poppleton Lakes, Morley Nelson, Railway: 1, G Ashworth 116-12; 2, K Butler 92-10; 3, R Padgett 85-11.

Poppleton Lakes, Leeds Postal, Horseshoe: 1, C Wheatley 78-15; 2, A Cusworth 75-10; 3, S O’Callaghan 56-07.

Poppleton Lakes, Wetherby AC, Railway: 1, K Bell 127-04; 2, R Whitehead 124-10; 3, B Gascoigne.

Poppleton Lakes, Starbeck, Horseshoe: 1, K Bell 159-00; 2, C Evans 101-00; 3, I Gladdas 100-14.

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Merlins AC, Rakers, Highbank: 1, Dave Coote 301-05; 2, Nathan Sefton 248-04; 3, Wayne Sefton 185-00.

West Yorkshire Wagglers, Thirsk, Curlew: 1, Robert Stark 93-02; 2, Graham Hargreaves 63-10; 3, James Slater 55-03.

White Horse AC, Sunrise Lakes, Spofforth: 1, P Robinson 23-00; 2, I Day 22-10; 3, B Beaumont (visitor) 22-08; 4, M Gregson (visitor) 22-04.

Moor Monkton Pools, Sunday Open, Match & Front: 1, Lee Smith 111-05; 2, Tom Bainbridge 109-05; 3, Dave Wright 98-04; 4, Ben Fisk 94-06.

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Moor Monkton Pools, Wednesday Rover, All Pools: 1, Adrian Bolton 104-04; 2, Steve Bolton 94-05; 3, Dave Wright 92-15; 4, Garry Womersley 70-07.

Kippax Park, Leeds & District Veterans, Osprey: 1, R Frier 39-12; 2, P Robinson 29-05; 3, S Jeffreys 26-13; 4, G Wilmore 26-07.

Kippax Park Fishery, Open Match, Lapwing: 1, D Wright 134-02; 2, L Bramham 108-09; 3, S Holmes 106-04; 4, N Carr 98-07.

Armley AC at Forest Lane Don: 1, A Faithwaite 120-1; 2, P Howard 69-8; 3, J Hope 69-3.

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Viking Saturday Open (Hawk): 1, A Blythe 104-14; 2, N Rymer 85-15; 3, S Pearson 80-5; 4, A Middleton 69-5.

Chapel Street AC (Viking Hawk): 1, B Earnshaw 110-3; 2, C Clarkson 107-14; 3, M Wayne 89-9; 4, C Cowthorne 81-11.

Spring Close Old Boys (Viking Hawk): 1 D Watson 149-4; 2, R Richardson 144-9; 3, V Rooks 96-6; 4, F Buick 66-10.

Poole AC (Viking Deer): 1, M Steel 72-11; 2, C Hargreaves 68-11; 3, W Winson 66-4; 4, S Moss 56-4.

Match Diary

Saturday

Kippax Park: Saturday Open, Lapwing or Osprey 07967000746.

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Poppleton Lakes: 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: Saturday Open, Deer Pond, 24 pegs, £18, contact 01405 785206.

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

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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.

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

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

York & District: Opens, contact Mick Potter 07890870551.

Monday

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

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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 Oscars 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 evening, draw car park 5pm, pools £11, contact Roger 01904 737279.

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