Angling By Chris Bowman

Last updated 05:23, Friday, 09 May 2008

MATCH-WINNER Alan Edmondson had to cope with all sorts of problems before landing a 9lb 6oz mirror carp to win the latest ‘King of Whins’ League match last week.

After drawing peg 21, Alan lost a large fish then hooked the carp on spicy shrimp and prawn boilies. Whilst playing the fish, his reel fell apart and he had to hand line the 9lb 6oz mirror to the net.

But Jeff Whittle is back on top of the league. Fishing the pole, on peg nine, and alternating between pellet and caster, Jeff landed a tench and several roach for 4lb 8oz, and second place. Mike Clusker had a bream and a roach for 4lb 7oz and third.

Tony Wheir landed the second of the Whins Pond Sunday series with a catch of 13-3.

Fifteen anglers turned out for the match, the early thunder and lightning clearing to give excellent fishing conditions throughout the six-hour event.

Barry McKenzie landed a superb bream of 9-4 to weigh in with a total of 9-14, while organiser Jeff Whittle took third with 9-0.

The next match will be fished on Sunday, June 1, with the draw at 8am and fishing from 9am until 3pm.

Anybody wanting to fish should book their place with Jeff on 07940 728970. The cost of the match is £10 all in.

Mike Noble landed a 6lb sea-liced salmon in Toby’s Hole on the Low House Estate stretch of the River Eden at Armathwaite using a Cascade, then on Sunday using the same tactics in Toby’s Hole he landed a nine-pounder.

Dick Bradshaw landed a 15-pounder on a Rapala in the Tail of Bransty on the Low House Beat and at dusk on Tuesday local rod Roger Graves fished a Toby in Linky on the Armathwaite beat to land a 15-pounder.

On the Yorkshire Fly Fishers water at Wetheral on Saturday Paddy McCreanor landed a 10 pounder in Keepers Cast and John Garnett landed an 18-pounder in the Gravel Bed, not one to rest on his laurels John moved downstream to his own beat at Parkbroom and landed a 15 pounder.

On Monday on YFF’s water, Fishery Manager Mike Grimes landed a 10lb salmon in the Church Pool and Roger Marvin landed a 10-pounder in the Gravel Bed.

Both were taken on the fly. Roger returned on Tuesday to land an eight-pounder on a fly of his own making in Cowldershaws.

Also on Tuesday Hugh Anderson landed a fly caught seven-pounder in Island Foot and Geoff Cowburn landed a brace; a 10 pounder at Spout Beck and a 36 inch fish estimated at 20lb in the Gravel Bed.

Both fish accepting Cone Headed Cascade fly’s. At Warwick Hall on Friday Colin Hudson landed a 9 pounder on a Flying C fished in the Rushes.

On Saturday, Nick Morrell fished the fly in Jackies to land a 10 pounder and Vinnie Astles landed one of 8lb on a Flying C fished in the House Pool.

Silloth is the sea anglers Mecca this weekend, on Saturday there is the opportunity to watch 40 of the country’s top sea anglers in action in the final of the Penn Sea League and on Sunday the North West Sea Angling League’s Open match takes along the Silloth shoreline.

The Penn Sea League final takes place at Skinburness between 9.30am and 1.30pm.

Organised by former England International Sea Angler Alan Yates, and run in conjunction with Sea Angler magazine, those competing for £10,000 worth of tackle prizes have spent the last 12 months accruing points by fishing qualifying matches all over the country.

And the 40 finalists from as far a field as Kent, Cornwall and Scotland are the top point scorers amongst the thousands that have competed across the country.

Jed Stevens of Barrow is one Cumbrian who has earned a place in the final.

The North West Sea Angling League officials assisting on the day have played a big part in bringing the final to the Solway and deserve a pat on the back.

This match will raise the region’s profile and boost the local economy.

Following the match there will be a presentation in the Golf Hotel, many of those competing are stopping over to compete in the NWSAL Open match being fished at Silloth the following day; welcome trade for local Hotels, B&B’s and businesses.

Anglers can register for the NWSAL Open on Sunday from 7.30 to 9.30am in the RAFA Club in Silloth and the match is being fished from 10am to 2pm between the Tommy Legs and Skinburness.

It is fished on a catch, measure and release basis, costs £12 to enter and has a first prize of £500.

There have been reports of good catches of plaice both from boat and shore around Whitehaven, shore anglers reporting individual fish to 2lb.

Geoff Holliday’s party reported a catch of 30 plaice from a boat off Whitehaven. Cod to 4lb have been reported from St Bees and I have heard of bass to 7lb and a catch of two bass and a thornback ray reported.

Last Friday’s Carlisle and District Coarse Angling Club practise match at Crofton was won by Dave White of Carlisle with 14lb of bream, roach and chub.

Neil Rudd, of Thursby, fished six metres of pole to take second place with 8lb 13oz of roach and chub and Carlisle’s Martin Chandler was third with a 1lb carp.

The second practise match for the CADCAC Friday night league takes place at Crofton on today, 6pm draw.

The league starts on Friday May 16.