Angling column: Temperatures drop as we move closer to winter affecting match results

It’s no good, I’ve lived my life under a cloud of pollution, from the days when nothing at all lived in the Don to more recent times when whatever does live in the river does so continuously under a cloud. It’s true there have been massive improvements during that time, industry cleaned its act up, or closed, and the water companies learned how to hide their misdemeanours by persuading the authorities to let them monitor their own performance. And the inevitable happened, water companies took full advantage and did whatever they wanted, increasingly pouring more and more sewage into our rivers. You didn’t have to be a genius to see it happening, nor to realising that simply fining the companies that caused it was not the answer.

Against that background I believe I’m qualified to comment on the resignation of Nicola Shaw the ex Chief Executive of Yorkshire Water...river pollution resulted in anglers forsaking the Fens and at one point destroyed the middle Trent but people like her haven’t learned. If the water companies aren’t going to be privatised then fines should be levied personally on those that run the businesses not the companies themselves. Perhaps when their own bank accounts are empty they will begin to find solutions.

Although the bright clear sunshine is very nice there are signs that winter is on its way as temperatures drop and match results begin to change as a result. Doncaster DAA’s midweek event at Southfield not only suffered with the temperature but also the wind and the attendance. In the final analysis Martin Sloan finished the winner with four skimmers for 5lbs 13ozs with organiser Mick Axon taking second place with just 2lbs 8ozs.

Good attendances at Elsecar but lower weights resulting from the weather. David Kaye was the winner of Thursday’s open with 5lbs 12ozs of predominantly skimmers with one large perch thrown in. Ken Weller’s one bream and two skimmers for 4lbs 6ozs put him in second place and the section winners were Stephen Leathley, 4lbs 3ozs and Rob Rothman 2lbs 15ozs.

Twenty anglers fished Thursday’s open at the venue when Kevin Chalk landed the best weight with 7lbs 14ozs of bream and skimmers. In second place was Jason Law with 4lbs 6ozs and the section winners were Keith Ashmore, and Neil Andrews, both 1lb 11ozs, Les Billups, 4lbs 5ozs, and Stephen Rigby 1lb 12ozs.

Saturday’s Winter League match at Ravenfield was fished on the Gt. Pond where Paul Slack led the way taking a 30lbs 8ozs net of bream and ide for a comfortable victory. In second place was Tony Copnell with 12lbs 12ozs while Dave Hawkridge and Stuart Senior tied for third with 9lbs 13ozs each. The section winners were Richard Brookes with 9lbs 11ozs, Harry Booth with 9lbs 9ozs and Les Varley with 8lbs 4ozs.

The Don was low and clear for Rotherham UAF’s match at Sprotborough last Sunday but regardless it fished well with Paul Sheehan landing a 20lbs 11ozs net of roach with the pole and maggots and hemp. James Cameron fished the bolo for a second placed 15lbs 13ozs ahead of third placed Andy Starkey who weighed 15lbs 11ozs. The section winners were Glyn Brown, 13lbs 8ozs, Kev Vickers, 14lbs 6ozs and Nick Atkins, 14lbs 11ozs.

Ravenfield AC held a sweepstake match on Baker’s Pond at Kilnhurst last Wednesday which Paul Slack won with an 8lbs mixed net from peg 15. Stuart Senior was second with 7lbs 13ozs leaving Richard Brookes in third place with 7lbs 4ozs and Chris Bradley in fourth with 4lbs 11ozs. The section winners were Colin Hughes, 4lbs 7ozs, and Mark Morris with 4lbs 10ozs.

Following on from the recent huge weight of roach from Ulley Reservoir anglers lined the bank last Saturday hoping for more but it didn’t quite happen. Matt Wright came nearest to the target winning with 14lbs of mainly roach. Keith Ashmore followed closely behind in second place with 13lbs 13ozs and the section winners were Wayne Fieldsend, 13lbs 6ozs, Martyn Long, 10lbs 6ozs, Steve Beeby, 10lbs 4ozs and Paul Hardy, 8lbs 3ozs.

Joe Sedgwick was the winner of Wednesday’s match on the Main Lake at Lowfield’s with 71lbs 3ozs. Dave Briggs finished second with 36lbs leaving Brandon Denton in third place with 27lbs 12ozs.

Sunday’s open held on the same lake saw Steve Corbett take the honours with 44lbs 11ozs. Jamie Lovitt was his nearest rival finishing second with 38lbs 12ozs and leaving Brandon Denton in third place with 32lbs 10ozs. The section winners were Eric Addis, 29lbs 8ozs and Liam Levitt 24lbs 11ozs.

The third round of the Walkley Winter League was fished by 43 anglers at Springvale on the Golden 2 and Newcastle Lakes, where the winner on the Golden 2 Lake was Andrew Morley with 190lbs 13ozs. The section winners were his dad Peter who weighed 95lbs 15ozs and Graham Webster with 146lbs 7ozs. The lake winners on the Newcastle Lake were Steve Kirk with 133lbs 10ozs and Matt Dalton with 111lbs 5ozs. The section winners were Matt Batham, 10lbs 13ozs, Warren Loosemore, 95lbs 15ozs, Brett Atkin, 78lbs 15ozs and Chris Bradley, 73lbs 6ozs.

A series of matches at Kiveton Hall Farm last week. Two were held on Thursday one on each of the Island and Long Lakes. Tony Reeves won on the former with 69lbs 6ozs. Faz Munaser was second with 53lbs 5ozs and the section winners were Wayne Heywood with 46lbs 9ozs and Steve Beatson, 36lbs 2ozs.

Ian Gauntley won on the Long Lake with 18lbs 12ozs ahead of John Hardy who who weighed 17lbs 1oz for second. The section winners were Mick Robinson, 15lbs 8ozs and Lee Morris 13lbs 8ozs. A similar picture at the weekend where Gary Lyne won on the Long Lake with 10lbs 4ozs. Mike Smith was second with 8lbs 5ozs and Martin Fretwell third with 3lbs 8ozs.

Gary Smith was the winner on the Island Lake on Sunday with 45lbs 5ozs and Tony Wilson second with 20lbs 11ozs. The section winners were Kev Stancill, 8lbs 9ozs and Brian Devine 12lbs 5ozs.

Lodge Farm’s Sandmartin lake was the venue for last week’s Mel’s Lodger’s match which Vic Rusby won with 63lbs 10ozs. Stuart Oxley was second with 61lbs 8ozs leaving Steve Harris in third place with 55lbs 12ozs. The section winners were Gordon Willett, 49lbs 15ozs and Dave Harris, 52lbs 7ozs.

The 65’ers fished Big Adams Lake at Hayfield where Trev Fisher was the winner with 83lbs 11ozs. Steve Ward was second with 61lbs 10ozs leaving Mark Whittaker’s 59lbs 3ozs in third place and Tom Amos’ 56lbs 14ozs in fourth. The section winners were Vernon Howard, 56lbs 7ozs, Bernard Austin, 50lbs 14ozs, and Keith Palmer, 45lbs 10ozs.

Thursday’s match at Bank End was held on the Match Lake where Dave Swift was the winner with 129lbs 5ozs. Dave Walker was second with 102lbs 3ozs leaving Steve Rylance’s 98lbs 3ozs in third place and Nick Greenwood’s 93lbs 2ozs in fourth. Steve Plant was fifth with 81lbs 3ozs.

Wentworth’s Monday match was won by Lee Cawthorne on peg 10 with 15lbs 6ozs. John Williams at end peg 23 was second with13lbs 14ozs and John Tollerfield third with 10lbs 14ozs. The section winners were Ian douglas with 8lbs 2ozs and Graeme Herbert and Ray Poole who tied with 9lbs 13ozs each.