Ken Arnold won the first match of the season on 19th June by winkling out 5 chub for 14 Lbs 2 Ozs on a stick float with maggot on the hook from peg 72, during a bright, sunny day with the river still very low and clear. Second was new member Keith Eccles with 2 barbel from peg 102 for 13 Lbs 14 Ozs; but Keith was broken twice on 15 Lbs main line to 10 Lbs hook lengths! Could it have been another 25 Lbs Grass Carp? Third was yours truly with 12 Lbs 10 Ozs from peg 29, but again I lost a good fish that snagged me in the far bank tree roots, which would have won me the match. For the full result, click on the link below.

LEIGHTON RESULTS 2011-1 Leighton 2007.pdf (43.97 kb)

The Society negotiated a deal with the Cressage Club last year to enable ALL members of LAS to use it. The club is open at 7 p.m. on weekday evenings and from 12 noon at weekends. Beer prices are very low and you can get a bite to eat too. So when you have had a day on the river and would like to wash the dust out of your throat, do drop in. You will be made most welcome.

Our Trophy Replica cabinet is also on display in the club, where you can see who has won the 33 LAS trophies every year going back to 2000.

To find the Cressage Club, turn left out of the Cressage Car Park and in a 1/4 mile turn immediately left at the War Memorial junction. The club is then 100 yards up this road on the right. There is a car park behind the entrance.

The opening day of the season saw the river in the lowest state I've seen it in 15 years. Added to this the weather was bright and sunny and the water was gin clear. Quite the worst conditions for catching fish! However, for those willing to work at fishing a float, there have been some great catches - despite the conditions. Top of those reported to me is the catch made by brothers Mark and Wayne from Manchester, who really take their fishing seriously. They always take the first week of the season as a holiday and get down to the river at first light. Last Monday 20th June Wayne had 155 Lbs of barbel from peg 48 by fishing a balsa float with meat on the hook. His biggest fish would only have been about 8 Lbs and if he had brought more bait could have carried on catching!

But there have been some other good bags taken too. Jayne (from Jayne's Tackle) had 6 barbel to 8 Lbs and bream in a couple of hours from peg 59 on an evening this week. Ken Arnold won the first match of the season on 19th June by winkling out 5 chub for 15 Lbs 10 Ozs on a stick float with meat on the hook from peg 72, during a bright, sunny day with the river still very low and clear. Another new member had a good bag of "silvers" off peg 27 on a stick float and maggot down the middle. Other pleasure catches have mostly seen better and more fish taken in the evening, once the sun is low.

Once we have a good drop of rain, it will really turn the fish on!

Do e-mail me with your catch - especially if you get a picture you can send with it.

Would ALL members please note that our Riparian Land owner and President, Mr Malcolm Corrie, has entered into an Environmental Stewardship Agreement. This agreement includes a 14m margin from the river bank to the crop edge. However, the Society has been granted an extra 2m for vehicular access. It is therefore imperative that VEHICLES ONLY DRIVE OVER THIS SET TRACK AND NOT ON ANY OTHER AREA OF THE MARGIN OR CROP, otherwise we will be in breach of this agreement. See the attached shot of my car on the track we are to use and note the "new" ploughed and tilled soil to the left of it that WE MUST NOT DRIVE OVER.

It's quite straightforward really, if you want to be able to park your car behind your peg on Cressage Meadow to fish, DON'T stray from the vehicle track. 

PLEASE LET ANY MEMBER NOT ON THE INTERNET KNOW ABOUT THIS. I will put up notices on the entrance to the meadow as well.

Bernie