Contrary canal confounds title holders and leaves me scratching my head!

Week two of the Wigan Winter league and another lesson learned - just how contrary the Leeds and Liverpool canal can be once you get over the hills! writes Tim Worsnop.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Nov 2018, 14:20 BST
Updated 15th Nov 2018, 15:24 BST

Having won the first week at a canter, Maver North West (originally Todmorden AS) came unstuck finishing in a disappointing sixth position just two points ahead of my Matrix Halifax side. Once again TriCast Rochdale were among the leaders this week finishing runners-up to Wigan Match Group to move to the top of the leader board.

Myfrustration may well have been the same one suffered by the Maver lads - sections that become very peggy and water clarity that means pike are starting influence catch rates.

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There was a pike in front of me. There had to be because I could only catch a couple of fish then had to change line or make an alteration to the rig. Nothing flowed and it was no surprise I only beat three in the 10 peg section and ended up with 1lbs 12oz.

I did catch a fish on caster and I was kicking myself I didn’t go on the line earlier because the fish closedtheir mouths for the last hour and a half.

Strangely while Maver NW were bombing by their standards, their men filled three of the top four places. Steve Birchall won it with 20lbs 14oz of bream, Tom Brownbill - this week fishing the in the spares team was third with 15lbs 9oz and the ever consistent Daz Shaw was fourth with 11lbs 9oz.

This Sunday we head ever nearer to home and a place called Adlington. My information is that it’s much harder. Bring it on!

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Tim Peters (TriCast Calder) continued a good spell of form by winning Sunday’s AJ Jewson Silvers series at Sunrise Lakes, Spofforth with a bonny looking 24lbs 8oz of roach and skimmers. Last week’s winner and proprietor of AJ Jewson, the Halifax tackle shop Graham Hudson was a couple of pounds behind him.

Midweek saw a number of matches. Keith Marshall (TriCast Calder) won the Sunnybank Baits silvers open at Sykehouse with this 36lbs 5oz net of roach, skimmers and perch (see picture).Back on the Mirfield canal Wednesday, the Cobbles, particularly the nearer you got to the road bridge, was in good form. Tom Barlow now fishing for Browning Ossett made it a good few days adding a win with 10lbs 11oz to a superb victory on the Stainforth canal at Thorne on Sunday in the hottest of company. Runner-up was Gary Watson (Matrix Halifax) 8lbs 10oz, third Lee Simpson (TriCast Calder) 8lbs and fourth, last week’s winner Pete Riley (Matrix Halifax) with 7lbs 2oz

Over at Thornhill on Saturday Mick Sharpe won a tight battle with John Needham by 4lbs 1oz to 3lbs 14oz.

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