Gripped within what seems to be a never-ending cold spell these past few weeks, a time that has seen many waters throughout the region covered in thick ice, fishing has, as many will agree, been extremely difficult on some venues recently.
On reflection, it seems such a long long time ago that my precious ice breaker was a crucial part of my own ‘winter kit’. A time,when, as a keen canal match angler, I’d pride myself in creating a perfectly shaped cut-out within the thick ice before me to fish.
Like many, always doing my finest to give myself the best chance on a difficult circuit, everyone present would carefully create channels across the canal, taking great care not to ‘shift’ the main stay, which if broken, would move across our dedicated area preventing access.
Breakers, as crucial as they were then, are to this day an item that still holds its place as a piece of kit that within any winter anglers bag. But for me, an 80gm feeder will probably see me out from now on now.
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After studying the results over Christmas, I sat reminiscing on the dedication us match anglers actually have when competing on the tough winter circuits.
Looking back on Liverpool & District AA’s festive ‘big one’, even as the thaw had cleared for this popular event held on the Maghull- Lydiate lengths of canal, the recent cold temperatures played havoc on many sections of the noted match length.
Wigan’s Dave Edgerly took the honours in this one as he collected a cool £300 for his catch of of 5.10.0.
Pegged on the noted Drum section opposite the flats going out from the Running Horses, Edgerly took a mixed bag, with an eel and perch of a pound apiece, backing those up with perch to worm and roach on caster. That weight put Leigh’s Anthony Lloyd in second place, he picked up £180 with his creditable 4.2.0.
Taking a trip up the East Lancashire Road, Carr Mill Dam has been a natural venue that has also seen weights affected by the harsh weather conditions of late.
St Helens rod Steve Mitchel took the honours, of the noted ‘black-box’ on the dam wall last Monday. Feeder has unusually been predominant recently as the clarity has kept fish at bay, with skimmers sparingly staying well away from the pole lines.
Mitchel won with just 6.4.0 from peg 147. Manchester’s Mark Harris took 4.4.0 from 138 which closely edged out Northwich rod Andy Insley’s 4.2.0.
The first match of the year on Monday saw another grueling day on the field, which was the last of the festive season competitions.
Harris was again in the frame as his hard-earned skimmers of just 3.12.0 took second place, from where he was pegged on the sunnies.
That was topped by Skelmersdale rod Steve Ward, who won this one from peg 71 on the steep drop where he took 4.12.0.
Manchester rod John O’Driscoll took a bream and two skimmers for just 3.5.0 to round the frame off from peg 160.
