THE recent exceptionally mild weather and relatively dry conditions have been kind to anglers and the sport in general by providing some good fishing on all the local waters.

Those wetting a line on the River Aire have enjoyed some really good sport with the grayling with catches of over ten fish being common. The dry fly has produced the best bags with the worm and maggot not too far behind. The size of fish generally been small, averaging about 170g (0:6:0) with the best fish to around the 450g (1:0:0) mark.

Besides the grayling, brown trout have been active and have readily taken baits and lures intended for the lady of the stream. Reports also suggest that a few small chub have been turning up together with gudgeon from below the Carleton Stone Bridge.

No one seems to be fishing for pike at the moment probably due to the sunken leaves and heavy weed growth in the deeper stretches. The number of pike have substantially reduced in recent years and are almost absent from the top end of the Skipton length. The deep water at Snaygill does still contain pike to over 4500g (10:0:0) and should be worth trying once the weed and leaves disappear.

Anglers fishing Whinnygill Reservoir have experienced enormous catches of out of season brown trout with up to 40 fish being landed in an afternoon. Most are on the small side but the occasional fish has approached the 1360g (3:0:0) mark. A few perch have also turned up and are shortly to be joined by a 1000 roach and a 100 bream in a restocking exercise.

Embsay is continuing to fish well due to the good weather and some excellent rainbow trout have been caught on the worm and fly. Brown trout are also feeding well although they are now out of season at this water.

Competitors in the Skipton Winter League match this Sunday will be hoping that the weather continues to play its part when they fish the penultimate match on the hospital length of the canal at Skipton.

This length usually fishes well and a sheltered peg is an advantage at this time of the year, especially if the weather turns cold. There is a full programme of competitions at stake this Sunday so everything is depending on some good sport throughout the match length.