FORTUNATELY the weather conditions had improved greatly from those of the previous day when the Skipton Winter League competitors lined up on the bank of the marina stretch of the canal at Barnoldswick on Sunday morning for their annual Christmas Cheer match.

Gone was the gale force south easterly wind, freezing temperatures and heavy rain. In its place was bright, still conditions and a gradually rising temperature.

However, the damage had been done to the fishing and only one fish was landed by the small band of anglers who turned up to fish. The lucky angler was Andrew Leatt and his catch consisted of a 900g bream.

The outlook for the match had not been promising according to one angler who arrived at the marina in midweek for a spot of practising.

A local boatman informed him that the canal had been frequented by a couple of goosanders that may have driven the fish away.

This appeared to be the case with not a single bite in three hours and the only fish to be seen was a dead bream.

Elsewhere on the canal the fishing has been just as bad for a week or two and even the basin length at Skipton has been failing to produce any fish.

Obviously the poor weather has played its part but it usually is not that bad.

Normally at this time of the year the basin can be the source of good perch fishing with fish up to around the 1350g mark.

Reports from Whinnygill are just as bad although very few are fishing it at the moment.

The recent rain has now brought the water level up to the top and the forecast of a return to milder weather may help to improve matters for the open match on December 30. The draw will be held at 9am with fishing from 10am until 2pm.

Fishing on the River Aire has been affected by high water levels recently, including one bank topper followed by another that overflowed into the adjacent fields.

Prospects will depend on the weather which does not appear to be promising with more gales and heavy rain in the forecast.