with KINGFISHER

PIKE were an unwelcome distraction for many of the 84 competitors in last weekend's Octoplus Blackburn Teams of Four League match.

Not great for them, but pleasure anglers take note, the top individual on the day, Octoplus Blackburn Red angler Russell Sands, suffered as much, if not more than anyone else.

That's not surprising since his peg, five from the swing-bridge at Church, close by Express Gifts, had plenty of small roach in residence. They were his immediate target, with bread-punch, but were also the reason why the pike had gathered in numbers.

His bread swim was at five metres but he had, as everyone does, fed a swim across with caster.

He wouldn't have needed to use this if the pike had not kept breaking up his feeding shoal close in, but he was not disappointed when he had to drop in there.

Though the fish on caster were slightly bigger, to about three ounces, the time taken to get out to 12 metres and get a fish back ensured his return to the bread as soon as he dared.

There he would get a few more until the pike returned, when he returned to the far swim.

Having to alternate in this way certainly kept him busy, but his winning weight of 5-4-8 was much less than it would have been had he been able to concentrate on the short line.

Nevertheless they were worth a cool £100, exactly the same as were he to have weighed in double that!

It is always pleasant to report the success of a local angler and Russell, from Clayton-le-Moors, is certainly that. Burnley's Ian Lathom was the only other local to figure in the frame, fourth with 4-1-9.

Sands' team-mates were unable to help him add to the team prize money and it was Springview Gold who ran out winners, their top angler Chris Rimmer being just in the money - in sixth place with 3-15-8.

League leaders Tri-Cast Rochdale Blue extended their overall lead by taking the runner's-up spot. Their lead, 15 points from Tri-Cast Rochdale Black already looks like a winning one, despite there still being a long way to go.