THE change of venue from Silsden to the hospital length on Keighley Road at Skipton last Sunday turned out to be a success with all the competitors catching fish including a few of above average size.

Apart from being a bit on the bright side, weather conditions were good with a light upstream wind keeping a check on the current.

Skipton’s Kenny Wright consolidated his position at the top of the league table with an easy win, his weight of 2,890g boosted by a good perch and two bream.

The remaining weights included the odd decent fish plus numerous small roach and perch.

Brett Young was runner-up with 940g and other leading weights were: 3 Wayne Eason 700g; 4 Jason Aldis 600g; 5 Andrew Thomas 530g and 6 Russell Heaton 440g.

At the halfway stage in this year’s series, the leading anglers are as follows:- 1 Kenny Wright and Andrew Thomas 15 points; 3 Russell Heaton 17; 4 Jason Aldis 22; 5 Andy Wharton 25 and 6 Wayne Eason 31.

One other fish that was caught in large numbers but unfortunately did not count was the signal crayfish which seems to numerous on this stretch of canal.

Two competitors caught nine apiece and other anglers were pestered by them only to see them drop off the hook on their way to the landing net.

Sport locally continues to be affected by the very warm weather which is beginning to reduce water levels be it rivers, canals, reservoirs or ponds.

The River Aire is very low and the weed growth is reducing water available for angling. A few anglers are still fishing but the rest are keeping away.

Embsay and Whinnygill reservoirs are seeing lower levels but the fishing is still reasonable for the trout and coarse fish they contain.

Philip Mawson has broken the Whinnygill mirror carp record with a fine fish weighing 2700g from the south west corner. It took a floating halibut boilie with a size 12 barbless hook to 2.5kg line.

This Sunday’s match is the Peter Hart Memorial for Skipton AA. Members only and will be fished on the Association’s length of the canal at Broughton Road with the draw at 8am.