THE third and final taster day of the year took place last Sunday on the Skipton Angling Association’s Whinnygill Reservoir.

Conditions were quite good with a light southerly wind and hazy sun.

Plenty of fish were caught from all four sides of the reservoir and included quality roach, perch, rudd, carp and brown trout to the delight of the many junior anglers who took part during the six-hour event.

Earlier in the week the final Sunset Series evening match had been fished on the reservoir and apart from the first two weights, other catches were poor to nil.

Russell Heaton and Kenny Wright had battled for the top spot all through the six-match series with Russell just having the edge at the end, winning with 1,630g to Kenny’s second place weight of 1,140g. Simon Chenier was third with 270g while Malcolm Mawson was fourth with 40g.

The winner of the series was Russell with 84 points accumulated through achieving consistent results and Wright was runner-up just two points behind.

Other leading competitors were: 3 Simon Chenier 68, 4 William Raymond-Barker 64, 5 Malcolm Mawson 58, 6 Graeme Waterfall 52.

Only two planned events remain in the Skipton AA calendar. The first will be the fly fishing match at Embsay Reservoir this Sunday –details from Simon on 07794 276638 – and the final memorial match on Whinnygill on September 10.

Continuing unsettled weather has affected fishing on the River Aire where the level is still about 300 mm above normal.

Few anglers are fishing at the moment but those that have wet a line have experienced some decent sport.

Brown trout to over the 1,000g mark have been landed in the Skipton middle reaches mainly on the float fished worm and a good trout of nearly 1,820g fell to the worm on the upper Heslaker Lane stretch. The length below the Carleton Stone Bridge is producing some brown trout and reasonable numbers of chub up to around the 450g mark.

A few grayling and the odd gudgeon has also turned up, all taking the float fished maggot.

Embsay Reservoir has responded to the recent restocking with some good sport with rainbow trout to around 1,360g. Brown trout and perch are also turning up in good numbers to the fly and the worm.