​ANGLING: Elsecar Reservoir's cormorant-free transformation sparks angling renaissance and exciting competitions

One well-known Rawmarsh angler, who won’t be named, fished eight matches without a bite and he possibly wasn’t alone.

Experts were called to seek a solution.

Suggestions were made but there was little doubt cormorants were taking their toll.

What a difference today.

The cormorants have gone and so have the problems, and anglers have returned in numbers. 

The venue is fishing its head off with some bumper weights and, perhaps most promisingly, pole anglers are now taking the edge off the feeder men.

Howard Cutts is one angler who has benefitted recently, having won the Brian Slack Two Day Memorial event, a points-based competition, and then last Thursday’s open match.

Pegs on the Parkside bank provided the winning weights on both days in the former with Dean Cox winning on day one with 32lbs 10ozs followed closely by Brian Searle’s 32lbs 10ozs.

Andy Shaw was third with 29lbs 3ozs and Paul Yates fourth with 24lbs 6ozs.

Day two saw Paul Lancaster win with a staggering 89lbs 2ozs.

Alan Hitchens was second with 55lbs 3ozs leaving Ben Holmes and Steve Foster in third and fourth places with 21lbs 3ozs and 20lbs respectively.

Overall, four anglers – Howard Cutts, Bradley smith, David Hiley and Luke Armitage – all tied with two points, Howard had the edge however with a total weight of 32lbs 6ozs to Bradley’s 32lbs 4ozs, David’s 23lbs 14ozs and Luke’s 17lbs 3ozs.

Howard’s second success came last Thursday when he won the open with a 22lbs 5ozs pole net from peg 30. 

Twenty-four anglers fished the Super Series Final at the venue last Sunday which Stephen Taylor won fishing the pole at peg 39 to find 16lbs 6ozs and take the £700 first prize.

Geoff Askey was second with 14lbs 10ozs, winning £550, Tony Bricoe third with 14lbs 10ozs for £425, Andy Shaw fourth with 13lbs 3ozs for £350, Trevor Parkin fifth with 10lbs for £250 and Paul Lancaster sixth with 9lbs for £200.