Angling, with Kingfisher

CARP continue to dominate catches as weights are on the increase at commercial fisheries all over the North West.

And with overnight frosts likely to cease, for a week at least, there is no reason why that trend should not continue. A good thing too, for non-commercial stillwaters and canals, relying on more "traditional" fish, are hardly worth consideration at the moment.

The cold nights may be to blame. That may be partially true but I believe there are more natural things involved, to a greater degree, as silver fish gather for spawning.

There's no reason to worry about it anyway, unless you're in the unfortunate position of being unable to get to a commercial. If the canal is your only option and there are no carp in your section, you should adjust your tactics to suit bream rather than roach.

You need a lot of luck at the moment to net a decent catch from the canal. Skill might optimise any catch you might make, but luck in finding a few fish to catch is the overriding element. That is not the case on the fish-stuffed commercial fisheries, where everybody catches.

The frosts have had an effect, no doubt, but carp have continued to feed despite them albeit less frenzied. Before they started, the Wednesday before last, top weight at Bradshaw Hall was a truly outstanding 130-14-0, with the runners-up spot taken with 101-10-0.

31-10-0 was needed for fourth place in that small match, but by Sunday the 57-12-0 taken by Burnley's Ray O'Sullivan was only good enough for fifth place. So, despite (or because of) the frosts catches have become much more even.

Number 4 Lodge is the one to choose at the moment, though pool 3 is also worth consideration.

Most anglers are, understandably, setting their stall out for carp though both roach and skimmers are still feeding well. It is relatively easy fishing for the carp, with fish to 4lbs falling to corn and maggot fished mid-water. The bigger fish, of 6lbs or so, seem to have a preference for the paste/pellet approach.

The fish are much bigger at Greenhalgh Lodge, up to 14lbs, and certainly need a degree of skill to take on 14 metres of pole. That was the method however, coupled with pellet or paste, used by the winner of the midweek match here to take 97-12-0. Hyndburn's Dave Ashcroft was joint 4th in this match with 29-12-0.

John Rogers travelled a little further to find the fish, and a bit of cash, finishing second at the Copthorne Lakes Premier League match. Much lower weights here, 20lbs a good weight, with fish to 3lbs taking all sorts of baits. Not really worth the effort for the pleasure angler.

The same can be said for Hampton Springs though the winning net of ex-Hyndburn and Blackburn, ex Isaac Walton (Preston) skipper Danny McGuide was very interesting. His 45-8-0 was made up of a mixture of tench, crucians, roach, rudd and chub -- I like that! A "down the edge" approach with worm was Danny's successful method.

It was certainly more mundane on the canals last weekend. There were plenty of drynets everywhere, with the top anglers finding a few small roach and skimmers, plus the odd "bonus."

Only 3-14-14 won the league match at Crooke, on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. The successful anglers' net was made up entirely of smallish roach taken on hemp. The runner-up here had a significant "bonus" in the form of a 2lbs perch taken on worm. Chorley Socials, as a team or individually, could make no impression again, I'm sorry to report.

It was a bit better for us at Todmorden where Darren Foreman, of Burnley but fishing under the GTI Rochdale banner, won the 29 peg. Todmorden AS Open on their Summit length of Rochdale Canal with 20-4-4. Some decent enough weights here (no prizes for guessing what of) with Ian Lathom weighting in 17-4-0, Ray Winterbottom 12-5-4 and Tony Murphy 10-13-8.

Not too bad at Silsden either though Trevor James' regular Yorkshire foray resulted in only second place, in the Keighley AC Open. With 3-11-4 he was beaten by just a couple of ounces, with fellow Lancastrian Dave Wells a further three ounces away in third place.