Weights are encouraging at Bradshaw Hall

AS WE move out of Spring and, clearly, into summer catches from just about all enclosed waters are improving, and will continue to improve.

Canals are something of an exception at the moment, locally at least.

The roach are not responding and it will probably be a couple of months yet before they are on song. Many more bream and skimmers are showing however, with some decent catches very much on the canals.

The early part of the last week has been warmer, with fish responding. It is forecast to become cooler, but I expect this to have much less effect than a month ago.

You know conditions are right when carp weight at Bradshaw Hall exceed 100lbs. They didn't quite make it last weekend, for matchmen, but the warmer weather ensured it was close.

The Bonanza match on lake four produced 92-12-0 for the winner, who used both pole and feeder, with pellet on the hook, for carp to 5lbs. It was a pretty good match, with 65lbs needed to make the frame. Pleasure anglers during the week have been doing even better.

The doughnut lake at Copthorne, Pilling, has also responded well with many 50lbs-plus nets of carp. Good chub, ide and skimmers are showing on the 'canal'.

Pilsworth, it has been noted, was just about twice as good last weekend as it was the week previously. That was not quite the case for the matchmen, though Sunday's winning weight of 28-2-0 was a significant improvement. No fancy method needed here, with the usual pole/pellet combination doing the trick.

Still few anglers are venturing onto the canal, though prospects are improving. Those who are, have found both bream and skimmers responding to red maggot, caster and pinkie.

You cannot be certain where, exactly, they will show being still tightly shoaled but start with the usual areas.

In Burnley that includes the ATS section and Daneshouse. At least one angler I know has been enjoying himself on the Barden Lane stretch, which he has to himself. Tony Nash is really enjoying his retirement, with the help of some tench to 2lbs from the bend swim.

Tony, I know likes to present his bait nailed to the bottom, be it maggot , worm our sweetcorn. In fact he has little choice being the only angler I have ever known who legers (swingtip) exclusively, whatever the swim. He doesn't use a feeder, though, preferring to loosefeed lightly.

Big feeders were the order of the day for the massive (354 pegs) Guinness classic festival, last week on Northen Ireland's River Erne in Co Fermanagh. You are looking for bream here and, when you have them lined up in front of you there is no room for finesse.

The winner used 5lbs main-line with a single 11 hook taking two small worms and a piece of corn. His final day tally of 141 lbs of bream was the biggest weight of a festival that disappointed many.

Not though Hyndburn's Tony Thorpe who won day two outright, with almost 90 lbs of bream.

Not enough unfortunately, to help him to the frame overall.

Kevin James has been in the money as well, though he only travelled as far as Barnoldswick to do it.

The match was a little different as well, though the target fish on the stick-ups stretch of Leeds-Liverpool canal were the same as on the Erne - bream.

As I suspected they haven't really arrived here in large numbers, and those that have are tightly packed.

That explains the match result, with the winner putting 12-10-8 on the scales and Kevin, in sixth place, just 2-1-12.

Again, the lesson here is one that we all should need. Just a move of one peg may put you on fish.

The Rochdale canal at Smithy Bridge, for the Todmorden Open, was much more even.

Burnley's Andy Shirtliffe opened his account for the season by taking the spoils here with 9-2-0. Loads of fish were caught and the final place was taken with a weight of 4-15-12.

The best canal fishing to be had at the moment, by far,is on the Bridgewater at Sale.

Matches are well attended by anglers from all over the North West, and pleasure anglers are also travelling some distance to enjoy the excellent fishing on offer.

There has been something of an explosion of hybirds, providing bites for everyone.

To get in the frame at the matches, however you need to find some skimmers and maybe a bream or two.

Fortunately there are plenty of these to be had as well.

It couldn't be easier really, either. The top areas, like the motorway wides and the weedbed between Sale station Bridge Inn, are well known. Baits are typical canal fayre, with punch for the smaller samples and caster for the bigger fish.

If you have never tried it on here, or it has been some time, give it a go. Tickets are available on the bank.

It is only a month now before we can get back onto the river. Now is the time, if the river is your fancy, to start walking the bank of your favourite stretch.

You will identify fish holding areas, note any changes in the river's characteristics since you were last there, and formulate an opening day plan of action.

Closer to that date you can, there are no rules against this that I know of, begin to feed up a swim. You know the barbel will be there waiting for you on the 16th!

I can hardly wait, though my early season targets have always been dace and I see no reason to change.

Meanwhile I need to get my head round the use of catmeat for carp. Or do I? Not really unless I want to win a match at Brookside Fisheries. The runner-up in that match was only a pound short, and he used casters!