CONDITIONS appeared to be quite good last Sunday for the second match in this year’s Skipton Angling Association’s Peter Hart Memorial series, which was fished on the bowling club stretch of the canal down Broughton Road.

A light west wind was blowing and the sun kept breaking through to keep the temperature reasonably mild.

Unfortunately, the combination of amateur boat captains and a heavy boat traffic provided some amusing incidents that included a crash, some emergency reversals, running aground and a heated argument.

It was not surprising that with all the commotion, the fishing suffered and catches were on the low side with sport being provided by small roach, perch and ruffe usually caught close in to the side on maggots or pinkies.

A decent shoal of bream seen heading towards the match length obviously turned back in the direction of Skipton when confronted by the boat trouble.

At the end of the three-hour match, Dave Fenn took the top honours with 520g whilst Jason Aldis was runner-up with 480g. Other leading weights were: 3 Andrew Thomas 440g; 4 Malcolm Mawson 310g; 5 Russell Heaton 240g, 6 Mick Cockshott 180g.

Whinnygill Reservoir has continued to fish well in the warm weather and most anglers have enjoyed some decent catches with most of the many species the water now contains.

It does seem to have an off day every time there is a match and the last Sunset Series match was no exception with some poor weights being recorded. The next match will be on Tuesday with the draw at 6pm.

Following the recent freshlet on the River Aire, sport received a welcome boost but it did not last for long and now the river is as low as ever and the weed is staging a comeback on most lengths.

Fly fishermen are enjoying the best of the fishing with decent brownies and smaller grayling of which there are plenty about.

Prospects should remain good with the forecast of mainly dry weather although the river will remain a fly water for the time being.