Van Den Eynde Winter League
Lostock Tackle Box got the first hit with a four point lead but they have Leyland and Tri Cast Highfield on their tail and then a group of four teams within striking distance.
Steve Parry (Gaswise Liverpool) got an instant response from the canal’s skimmer bream when he went in with punch bread at his peg close to the main road at Platt Bridge.
Within thirty minutes he had three in the net before the small shoal simply disappeared.
But at least Steve had a platform and he relaxed with longer pole tactics with bloodworm and joker to take enough tiny roach and perch to make 2-13-8 and collect a £ 120 bonus.
Others: Mike Davies (Van Den Eynde Red) 2-10-9; Richard O’Connor (Keenets Blue) 2-2-1; Steve Slater (Tri Cast Highfield) 1-13-10; Ian Blakeley (Saints) 1-13-4; Barry Procter (Leigh) 1-8-8.
Teams: Lostock Tackle 22; Leyland and Tri Cast Highfield 26; Daiwa Wigan, Ted Carter’s Southport, Gaswise Liverpool and Keenets red 31.
Hyndburn & Blackburn Open
It was hard to string a few bites together in the Hyndburn & Blackburn Open on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Rishton.
Temperatures had plummeted overnight and the canal’s hordes of roach simply weren’t on the move.
Winner Carl Blurton (Ted Carter’s Southport) helped himself to a timely £ 150 for a 3-1-0 total off peg 63 at the new houses near Rishton.
There was nothing special about the swim, yet the Blackburn matchman plugged away with punch bread at 13 metres and did well putting together a net of small roach.
Others: Damian Brierley (Hyndburn & Blackburn) 2-11-0; Jack Rogers (Tri Cast Highfield) 2-10-0; Ray Ayers (Mack’s Tackle) 2-7-10; Gordon Taylor (Lostock Tackle) 2-6-4; Mike Davies (Van Den Eynde) 2-6-4.
Winsford Open
Cheshire’s River Weaver was at normal level but running like an express train during the Winsford Open, so all of the pegs had to be placed on the slower sections.
Conditions must suit Ian Shaw (Protak Barlows) for he scored his second successive win when he took 3-13-0 of skimmers from peg 88 on the National length while legering with worm and maggot on a feeder rig.
Others: Matthew Brown (Vale Royal Angling) 3-3-0; Jim Young (Winsford) 2-11-0; Bob Meggs (Daves Middlewich) 2-9-0.
