THE river brown trout season opened last Monday morning on Yorkshire waters amid some good weather, which should have brought the anglers to the riverside in decent numbers.
This was not to be in the Skipton area and only a solitary angler was to be seen in action before lunch.
Things did improve in the afternoon with a few anglers on both the Bradford City and Skipton Angling Association’s length of the river.
The river was in a very good state for fishing and running just above normal level when a week ago it was almost at bank top following that weekend’s flooding.
The worm accounted for most fish with the best approaching the 1kg mark.
No-one was to be seen fly fishing but with the forecast of milder conditions, no doubt some good sport on the fly is only a few days away.
On the Skipton AA’s main trout water at Embsay Reservoir, a few anglers wet a line on opening day and some decent rainbow trout fell to the fly.
One angler landed seven fish and lost two but found the fish hard to find and had to keep moving around.
Six of the fish came from the same place and in the afternoon the fishing went dead.
Earlier observations before the season started suggested the fish could be rising well.
Over the weekend prior to opening day, there was evidence the close season was being flouted and at least two anglers were seen in action on the Heslaker Lane length of the river.
If anglers do not know when the opening day is they may also be ignorant of the fact that the Aire is now almost 100 per cent a catch and return water and that until June 15 only the fly, worm, minnow and spinning may be used.
The Aire Rivers Trust is holding a training day on Friday, April 5, from 10am until 4pm on river fly monitoring.
All equipment needed will be supplied and further particulars may be obtained from Nick Milsom at Nick.Milsom@aireriverstrust.org.uk
To book on the course, visit eventbrite.com/e/riverfly-monitering-training-course-friday-5th-april-tickets-58566490951
Entry is free and the event is open to all interested anglers.
JOHN W PRESTON
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