Weather

The severe weather conditions that we have seen for the past week or so have meant that the majority of fishing within the Lincoln area has been badly affected.

The majority of matches have been cancelled or postponed due to canals and lakes being completely frozen over.

Victims of the arctic conditions were the Priory Lake Open, the Co-op Saturday Series on the West Common stretch of the Fossdyke Canal on Saturday and round three of the Rilmac League that was due to take place on Sunday at Woodcocks and the Odder stretches also on the Fossdyke Canal.

Ruskington Open Match

One match that did beat the big freeze at the weekend was the Ruskington Open Match that was held on Moon Lake on Sunday.

Due to the aerators being left on throughout the week the lake was not frozen from bank to bank which allowed the dozen anglers who turned up to fish a match.

How things change in just one week. Last weekend, Dean Smith fished for six hours but failed to weigh in at the end of the match. This week the Lincoln Whisby AS angler once again showed his class by winning the match.

Smith was fortunate enough to draw one of the fancied "Lawn Pegs" 29 and opted to fish the pole at 16 metres where he alternated his hook bait between pellet and maggot.

He caught skimmers and silver fish on and off throughout the day and eventually took 14lb 10oz to the scales to record a comfortable victory.

Runner up on this occasion was Ian Snowden (Trentmen) from peg 16.

Snowden fished maggot on the bomb three quarters across the lake. He also caught skimmers and silver fish and finished the day with a weight of 5lb 12oz.

Third best weight on the day went to match organiser Barry Gadsby from peg 12.

The Ruskington rod fished red maggot on the pole at 14 and a half metres where he caught a few silver fish and some skimmers that sent the scales to 5lb 8oz.

Dean Senkiw on peg 27 finished in fourth place. Senkiw (Matchman Supplies) fished red maggot on the pole for 4lb 5oz.

Next week's match is again due to take place on Moon Lake and anyone wanting to fish should contact Barry Gadsby on (01400) 273384.

Tidal Trent Open Match

There were 13 hardy souls who braved the sub zero temperatures to fish an Open Match on the tidal Trent at Laughterton last Saturday.

They must have wished that they had stayed in their warm beds as nobody caught a single fish.

Hykeham angler Keith Barton missed a bite and Mark Bond (Lincoln Whisby AS) wound in to find no bait on his hook.

Apart from that, nobody else even had an indication or a bite.

At the end of the match it was decided to have a draw for the prize money.

Alan Henry (Dynamite Baits) was fortunate to have his name drawn from the hat.

Alan said: "Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good." Needless to say, the planned match for the Sunday was cancelled.

Bygone Bites – looking back at Frank Butler's reports

Seven years ago this week…

The Kings Arms Open was fished on the minus pegs either side of Kirkstead Bridge and the match was won by Dave Ashmore OF Grimsby HAC.

Dave was drawn on minus eight on the parapet upstream of Kirkstead Bridge and baiting with chopped worm, caught mainly perch with only three roach.

He won with 11lb 1oz with no fish in his net bigger than 5oz. Les Smith (Lincoln) drew at peg minus three, where he fished the waggler down the middle of the river to take a mixed catch of roach and perch for 9lb 6oz for second place.

I drew on minus nine upstream of the bridge and took third place with 8lb 6oz thanks to a couple of splendid perch. The first took a caster on my roach rig and was my biggest ever perch at 3lb.

This was followed by a 2lb specimen that fell to lobby tail. Jim Naylor (Chapel Hill) drew 451 peg where he fished the waggler to take 8lb 3oz for fourth place. His catch was mainly skimmers.

The Riverside Tackle Open was fished on Moon Lake and Nathan Watson (Louth) drew peg ten.

He fished the straight lead and corn, but was always playing catch up with Dean Smith who looked the likely winner until Nathan's last cast.

He hooked into a big carp which he landed in the extra time allowed when a fish is hooked before the final whistle.

The carp tipped the scales at 16lb 12oz and certainly tipped the balance in Nathan's favour as he won the match with 34lb. Smith (Harrisons) had to settle for second spot with 18lb 12oz which he caught on the straight lead and corn at peg 27.

Dave Daniels (Riverside Tackle) was third on peg 23 when he took three carp on corn and two on meat using the straight lead for 15lb 8oz. Nobby Verschoor (Holly Farm) was fourth on peg 12 fishing the pole and pellet for 10lb 9oz.

The Kings Arms midweek match at Kirkstead which was fished on the minus pegs saw Mark Froggatt (Skegness) on minus six; take about 180 fish on the pole and maggot to win with 17lb.

Ted Burks (Whisby Angling Supplies) was runner up on minus five with 12lb 12oz on the waggler and stick while Dave Edwards (Holly Farm) fished the nine metre whip on minus eight peg to finish third with 12lb.

Twelve years ago this week…

On Friday a party of anglers caught the lower Witham in perfect condition after being in flood.

They fished a sweepstake near Kirkstead Bridge on the minus pegs although the river was still running.

It was an excellent day for Dave Daniels of Riverside Tackle.

Daniels baited with maggots to take roach and skimmers regularly throughout the day and recorded a narrow victory with his weight of 20lb 13oz.

Dave Edwards of Holly Farm used the pole to push the winner all the way but he had to settle for second place with his catch of 20lb 1oz.

John Mills, also of Holly Farm used the stick float to take third place with a weight of 18lb 5oz.

The Fossdyke behind the Carholme Golf Course has been fishing well and yielding catches of roach and skimmers to double figures.

Bernie Mawer of Lincoln had some nice roach on the pole for a catch of 8lb from this area.

A sweepstake on the same stretch of the Foss saw Bill Whitworth of the Lincoln Match Group use the "Lollipop" float to "lick" the opposition.

This float makes the bait a lot steadier when the water is running off and Bill had some nice roach in his 3lb 13oz catch. Steve Gilbert took second place with 3lb 11oz and John Hackney of Lincoln was third with 2lb 14oz.