Fishing Propects Not Looking Good

Level dropped over night on the River Ribble as did the water temperature It was reading 39-40 degrees F Once again the canoeists were out in force. Thankfully there was no screaming and shouting this time. They were quite well behaved, just moving along quietly. Fishing was quite hard on the river today though a few anglers did catch the odd chub. Standish angler Mick Holgate and Martin Salisbury of Leyland had a good chub apiece. More night frosts forecast later this week. What was forecast as some good fishing conditions has now changed to a tough one.

Conditions for January are not looking good with lots of cold frosty weather forecast What we want are several days of heavy rain.

Water temperature on the Ribble Tuesday 3rd January was 42 degrees F on a rising river Mike Osborne from Cumbria had a good chub of 5-4-0 on legered crust. Today Wednesday 4th January its 39 degrees F at 1300 hrs with overcast skies. Forecast from Thursday and for the next few days is frost at night. No doubt the water temperature will continue to drop. chub dace and grayling I reckon are the quarry. Fly fishing for grayling with weighted nymphs can often prove productive. Grayling shoal up during periods of cold weather so it pays to keep moving on the rivers until you contact the fish. I have found that if you catch one grayling you often catch a few from that area.

Despite the very low water temperature Anthony Morris a chef from Wigan fishing the River Ribble at Clitheroe with legered crust caught a personal best chub estimated at 4-8-0 See picture

Wintry Conditions But Anglers Are Still Catching

Anglers in the North of England haven't been put off by the low water temperatures and icy cold weather despite over night frosts, fish are still being caught from various rivers. Pride of place must go to the chub catch from Lancashire's River Calder. Manchester angler Tony Wright alternating between waggler and swim feeder rig caught 16 chub averaging three pounds. Bait was double caster on a size 14 hook to 2lb bottom with waggler rig and 3 casters on a size 14 hook and 3lb bottom when using swimfeeder. Tony said "Its my best day for a couple of years and the river Calder is one of the most improved rivers in the Northwest". His best fish was estimated was about 4lbs.

On the River Ribble at Balderstone Cheshire angler Paul Andrews fishing pellet over hempseed caught 5 chub best at 4-14-0 and 4 barbel best at 8-4-0. On the opposite bank at Elston on the Wigan water Dennis Johnston fishing liquidised bread in a feeder and fishing luncheon meat had a personal best chub of 5-5-0. Ribble regular Blackburn angler Dave Pickering had a magnificent barbel of 11-4-0 on a boily bait. Dave certainly deserved his fish from a very low gin clear Ribble with a water temperature of 39-40 degrees F with an icy cold wind from the north east.See picture