SINCE the water level has fallen to near normal on the River Aire, anglers have been returning to try their luck and have encountered some good sport throughout the Skipton length and upstream to Inghey Bridge and beyond.

Darren Benn, an angler who fished the river even in full flood, has confirmed that even in spate, the Aire had produced some good fish from the Bradford No 1 stretch on Heslaker Lane.

Brown trout to over 1kg and grayling to around the 675g mark had readily taken the maggot and turned up roughly in equal numbers.

On the Skipton middle reaches, the worm, maggot and fly have all proved to be successful and attracted some good grayling up to about 500g in weight.

Lower down the river at Snaygill, pike have been turning up quite frequently and the best fish has tipped the scales at 7kg, falling to a multi-coloured jig. Sprats and sardines have either been less successful or have accounted for smaller fish.

On the canal there has been some decent sport even though the odd cold night has temporarily knocked fish off the feed. The Broughton Road length is producing quality roach, bream and perch with a personal best perch of 910g falling to Farrell Millington.

The hospital length on Keighley Road at Skipton is also fishing well on mild days so it augurs well for this Sunday’s Skipton Winter League match providing there is no keen frost on Saturday night. The draw will be held in the car park at 8am.

Sport on Whinnygill Reservoir has been gradually winding down as the colder weather approaches but there is still the chance of getting among the roach, perch and bream on a decent day.

Recent activity at the reservoir has seen the introduction of a good number of ide to augment the 100 x100 mm long fish put in some years ago. These have now grown into fish of over 2kg after initially disappearing for a couple of years.

Weekend prospects will depend on the weather which appears to be unsettled at the moment, varying between cold spells and periods of rain which may affect fishing on either still waters or the river.