Angling: FISHERIES 2007-08 Season Starts Today

By David Houghton

RIVER DANE: The higher reaches will be best at places like Holmes Chapel, Swetten-ham, Byley and Croxton Lane, where barbel, chub, dace and roach, are expected to provide lots of action.

RIVER DEE: Look for swims with some water flow because that is where the dace will congregate at this time of year – try waters from Bangor-on-Dee downstream to Crewe Hill. Expect good sport with chub and perhaps some small barbel on the middle reaches while bream and roach should show strongly on the lower river.

RIVER RIBBLE: Barbel specimen hunters will be out in force from midnight tonight in search of the rivers monster fish of 121b and more. The best general fishing will come from chub and one of the best day-ticket waters is the park at Clitheroe where legered bread, cheese or bunches of caster should so the trick.

RIVER WEAVER: This will be the busiest fishery of the weekend as anglers head for their favourite spots at Winsford and Hartford. Bream will be the main target on Winsford Flashes and Hulse’s Island, tench on Hartford Meadows and carp at the black boards.

BRIDGEWATER CANAL: Plenty of fish at Runcorn, though most are skimmer and roach on punch bread and caster. Several carp to 121b reported on boilies and meat.

LEEDS-LIVERPOOL CANAL: Early morning sessions have been producing tench and bream, especially at Hall Lane, Maghull Cricket Club, Jackson’s Bridge and Scaris-brick.

SANKEY-ST HELENS CANAL: Newton’s Upper and Lower Pounds are producing good catches of roach, including fish to 11b, good bream, carp, tench and ide.

SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL: Early and late sessions are ideal to beat the boat traffic with Backford and Mollington back in the news for skimmer bream and hybrids.

TRENT & MERSEY CANAL: Skimmer, roach, gudgeon and perch are plentiful and being caught on pole-fished squatts, pinkies and punch bread.

BANNISTER FARM, Southport 01704 821474: The fishery match record was smashed this week with 1411b of carp caught on meat and a 14 metre pole.

BURTON MERE, South Wirral 0151 353 0115: Lively fishing of an evening on Willow and Woodland pools with crucian carp, tench and silver fish. GREEN’S LANE PONDS, Lydi-ate 07808 764374: Lots of bites and action from small carp and they can be caught on a variety of baits. HAYDOCK PARK FARM 01925 229074: The Lagoon is best for roach,perch and rudd, averaging six to 10 ounces. LINGMERE, Moreton 0780 3002412: Sport on the main lake includes carp, tench, barbel, roach and rudd, while the Match Lake tends to be carp and chub.

MEADOW VIEW, Lymm 01925 757985: Lark is producing lots of fish and this week’s match was won with 1021b of carp up to 91b on red maggot.

MESCAR LAKE, Lydiate 07808 764374: The carp are expected to finish spawning this week and then bingo – big catches. In the meantime there have been plenty of good rudd and skimmer bream about.

MISTRAL LAKE, Lydiate 07808 764374: This new lake is now in its third month and doing really well. The stocked fish average around 12 ounces but feed freely and that means plenty of bites for the fishermen!

PARTRIDGE LAKES, Warring-ton 01925 767505: Willow Lake showed great form and there was an all-chub 1331b catch made on pole and caster.

VULCAN RESERVOIR, Newton 01925 221801: Lots of small f1 carp to 2lbs, tench, roach, ide, perch and skimmers, on float and pole- fished maggot. YEW TREE RESERVOIR, Hay-dock 01925 292231: There have been several double-figure carp and plenty of duality silver fish, particularly bream.

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