THE recent spells of rain have helped to enhance the angling on the River Aire where the extra water managed to clear away some of the excessive weed growth and open up a few more areas for fishing.

Recent catches have comprised mainly of brown trout varying in size from a few inches to well over the takeable size limit and have fallen to the fly and worm.

Grayling are also turning up throughout the Skipton AA length all the way down to Snaygill. Decent sized chub are not easy to find but the upper reaches appear to have a good head of small fish again and this augers well for the future.

Members of the Aire Rivers Trust did a good job recently by chopping down the remaining giant hogweed before they could successfully seed from Kildwick to Inghey Bridge.

The roots have also been treated to prevent their regrowth next year by having Roundup poured into the hollow stem on the chopped-down plant.

This is the third year of an effort to rid the river of giant hogweed and there are now far fewer of them in the Skipton area.

A typical plant can shed 80k seeds which can remain buried for up to 15 years before germinating. The plan is to spray growing plants in April/May and then re-visit in July/early August to get plants that evaded the earlier spraying.

Sport on Whinnygill Reservoir has remained buoyant which is probably due to the lower water level which is about two metres (6.5 feet) below the maximum. Perch are forming the bulk of catches although roach are certainly turning up in increasing numbers. A few decent brown trout are also being caught and the catch of the week has been a good-sized mirror carp. Ide and bream are still rather elusive.

Catches at the last Skipton AA evening match were reasonable. Perch were the predominant fish along with a few roach and just one brown trout.

Results: 1 Alan Wade 900g (1:15:12), 2 Simon Chenior 400g (0:14:0), 3 Kenny Wright 390g (0:13:12), 4 Malcolm Mawson 260g (0:9:0), 5 Michael Ickringill 250g (0:8:12), 6 Graeme Waterfall 210g (0:7:8).

There will be the Skipton AA members match at Embsay Reservoir on Sunday with the draw at 8.15am on the car park.