It’s quality not quantity – 15 over 20lbs
Last updated 05:16, Friday, 24 October 2008
THIS really has been a special season on the River Eden but maybe not in terms of overall numbers of salmon.
Some beats are reporting numbers of salmon caught to be slightly up on previous years, some slightly down.
But one thing nobody can argue, with was the average size of those returning salmon. Whilst numbers of grilse may be down the numbers of big fish caught were most certainly up.
Paddy McCrenor’s 42-inch salmon, caught on the Yorkshire Fly Fishers water in April and estimated to weigh between 30 and 34lb, is the biggest of the 15 salmon of 20lb or more that have been reported since the beginning of the season in January.
Paddy, therefore, wins this season’s competition for the capture of the biggest Eden salmon reported to The Cumberland News and will receive a box of 50 superb Irish Shrimp flies expertly tied and very kindly donated by Carlisle fly-tier Keith ‘Haggis’ Hargraves.
Anyone interested in the full range of quality flies tied by Haggis can contact him on 07967145504.
Other salmon caught from the Eden during the final days of the season that missed last week’s paper were, Mick Horner’s brace at Warwick Hall, a 12-pounder in the Nunnery and a six-pounder at the Otter Stone both taken spinning.
On the final day of the season, John Gaynor spun the House Pool to land an 18 pounder.
On the Low House Estate water on Monday Alistair Nellis landed a 10lb salmon in Linky using a Toby. And on Tuesday, Robert Bell landed his first ever salmon and christened his new fly rod when he landed and returned a 15lb hen fish caught on the fly in the Bathing Pool on the Armathwaite beat.
On the Lazonby Estate water Gordon Jefferies landed an 18 pounder in the Boat Pool before fishing Scotch Corner and landing a 9½lb salmon and a 3lb sea trout all taken on a Silver Doctor Fly.
Also on the Lazonby water Nick Eyres landed an 11 pounder at Red Scar then returned to the same pool two days later to take an 8-pounder and a 2½ lb sea trout.
Local rod Steve Dudson landed a fly caught 13-pounder whilst fishing the Mains Estate beat of the river Eden at Kirkoswald.
MORE than 150 seniors and 14 juniors from all over the country fished Saturdays match in this year’s big Tarnside Sea Angling Club Autumn Charity matches that took place on Braystones beach last weekend.
Unfortunately, conditions deteriorated over night and the stormy conditions on Sunday put lots of competitors off and only 33 fished.
The winner of Saturday’s event was B Carter of Barrow who landed the heaviest fish a 4lb 10oz bass and won £742.
In second place was Rob Coulson of Millom with the heaviest bag consisting of 3 school bass for 4lb 13oz, winning £592.
S Richards was third with a 4lb 10oz mixed bag the bulk of which were flounders, while Alan Pickering took fourth place with a 2lb 14oz bag that contained the only codling to be caught all weekend.
Top juniors were sister and brother Elliebob and Ross Blacklock. Elliebob took first place with two flounders for 2lb 1oz, out-fished well known Barrow angler Jed Stevens on the next peg, and won £50. Brother Ross was second with a 6oz flounder.
Top lady was Heather Ray who landed a flounder and a dab.
On Sunday Alan Pickering won landing the heaviest fish a 2lb 8oz bass and won £210.
Steve Ball was second with a bass and a flounder for the heaviest bag of 3lb 8oz and won £135. Saturday’s ladies winner Heather Ray took third place with a 12oz flounder and won £50.
But competitors had to battle wild conditions with a big sea running and lots of drifting weed.
The Carlisle and District Coarse Angling Club would like to thank all those who have offered their support during the recent sale of Crofton Lake.
Their help and assistance with this matter is greatly appreciated by the CADCAC committee and its members.
Members are reminded that there will be an extraordinary AGM taking place in the Conservative Club, Spencer Street at 7.30pm on Monday, November 3 to discuss the purchase of Crofton Lake.
Maryport and District Sea Anglers Club held their annual ‘October Open’ competition on Sunday.
The match was pegged along Maryport promenade and timed to fish the flooding tide. Conditions were quite favourable, but rapidly deteriorated, so bad in fact, some of the competitors withdrew from the competition after a couple of hours.
Because of the conditions catches were disappointing. From the entry of 42 seniors and 12 juniors, just 7 anglers weighed in.
The total catch was one cod, two plaice, two flounders, two dab and a rockling for a combined weight of 6lb-2½oz.
Host club member Neil Wilkinson had the top catch, a plaice and a flounder for 1lb 11oz.
Bill Lindfield of Greasby, had the second heaviest catch, and the heaviest fish of the day with a flounder of 1lb ¼oz.
The only junior to weigh in was Rory Campbell of Maryport, with the only cod of the day weighing 1lb 9oz, Rory had a clean sweep of all the junior prizes.
MATCH DIARY
Broom Fisheries, Annan: Fortnightly series - next match Sunday, Nov 2, draw 10am fish 11-5 arrpox. £15 all in. Tel: 01461 700209
Wynns Pond, Penrith: Sunday, December 14, ALL METHODS. Draw 8am fish 9-3. Conmtact Jeff on 07940 728970
