by Chris Bowman

Last updated at 16:45, Friday, 20 July 2012

The 16 anglers that fished the Carlisle and District Coarse Angling Club Crofton Summer League match on Sunday, not only enjoyed some decent weather conditions but they also enjoyed some fantastic fishing, with more than 200lb of skimmer bream being landed on the day.

John Brooks won the match from peg 3, fishing the feeder, and landed 35lb 12oz of skimmers.

Alternating between feeder and waggler tactics on peg 11 was second-placed Pete Armstrong who also broke the 30lb barrier by putting 30lb 10oz of skimmers on the scales.

In third place was Tony Harrison who stuck to float tactics. Fishing the waggler on peg 5 Tony put together a 27lb 10oz bag of skimmer bream.

With back up weights ranging from 22lb down it proved to be a cracking match for all.

This really is a memorable salmon season. There have been two more salmon of 20lb or more captured from the River Eden this week, taking the total reported so far this season to 19.

Mike Noble caught the first at 20lb at Low House on Sunday, and Mick Burr caught the second at 23lb on Monday at Warwick Hall.

Mike, current leader in this season’s biggest fly caught Eden salmon competition with his splendid 32 pounder, caught at Low House in April has been at it again!

The “Armathwaite fish magnet” as he is becoming known, landed and returned a lovely 18 pounder caught on a tube fly in Tobys Hole on the Low House beat on Friday.

Mike popped over to the Borderlines tent to say hello at the West Cumbrian Game Fair at Armathwaite Hall on Saturday and told me about Friday’s fish.

So when Low House Keeper Philip Taylor rang me on Monday evening, I thought I would surprise him by telling him that I already knew about the capture. But for the second time this season Philip surprised me.

Mike had returned to the river on Sunday and, fishing Island Foot with a tube fly at dusk, he landed and returned a 20 pounder, his second over that weight this season.

Another angler enjoying sport at Low House this week was Tom Christie. After turning 16 on Friday, Tom celebrated in style by landing his first ever salmon and then quickly followed it up with another!

Tom, who was fishing the river with his grandfather, Low House regular John McClay, has fished the Eden for salmon before and had the misfortune to loose one last season.

But everything came together on Monday when he landed a brace. His first at 10lb was caught on a Flying C fished in the Tail of Bransty. His second at 9½lb fell to the same tactics in Tobys Hole.

On Tuesday on the Carr Nook beat of the Low House water Robert Dowes landed an 11 pounder on a Flying C in the Willows.

At Warwick Hall on Friday John Hindle fished a Flying C in the House Pool and caught an 11 pounder. Adam Spencer was also fishing the House Pool on Friday and using the same tactics landed a 13½ pounder.

Warwick Hall keeper Charlie Alderson bagged a brace on Saturday.

Charlie landed a 4½lb grilse in the House Pool on the fly before moving downstream and catching a 12 pounder in the Nunnery on a Flying C.

On Monday Digby Hodgson fishing the Rushes caught an 8 pounder and Mick Burr fishing the fly in Duffers landed the biggest salmon of the week at 23lb.

On Tuesday Geoff Baines caught a 10 pounder on the fly in the House Pool. Should Mike Noble’s 32lb salmon remain the biggest caught after the close of the season in October he could win a box of Haggis’s “old time” traditional salmon flies.

On Saturday July 28 the Carlisle Anglers Association Junior Anglers Day takes place in Rickerby Park, Carlisle.

Aimed at young people up to 16 years of age, parents are more than welcome to come along.

The day starts at 10am and ends at 4pm and entry is free and open to all, although because of demand it is best to register with Chris Bowman prior to the event.

He can be contacted at email: christopher.bowman@talktalk.net or telephone 01228 674519.

On August 11-12, local clubs including Carlisle and Penrith Angling Associations together with Borderlines, local fisheries and angling related crafts will be running casting and fly tying competitions and other have ago activities at the Lowther Game and Country Fair.

There will be an adult fly casting clinic and AAPGAI members will be on hand to either get you started in fly casting or improve your skills.

There will also be a junior casting clinic, there will be many demonstrations of fly casting and fishing techniques on the main pool, and fly tying throughout both days.

Eden Rivers Trust and River Eden and District Fisheries Association will also be on hand to show the important work that is going on in the Eden catchment and discuss the roles the play. John Norris of Penrith has donated the outfits for the new distance target competitions for both single and double handed rods.

Tim Gustard drew peg eight at Whins Pond on Tuesday evening and caught three bream for 13lb 1oz using method feeder and a chocolate boilie for his first win of the season.

Shaun Wood on peg 15 landed a common carp weighing 10lb 12oz, it was enough to give him second place.

On peg 10, Paul Price switched from whip to feeder and found two small bream and a selection of roach for third place with 9lb 6oz.

Steve Howes caught two tench and finished fourth with 7lb 7oz. Dave Pilling caught roach and perch on the whip for fifth with 6lb 5oz.

And Gary Edwards stuck to the feeder and and was sixth with 5lb 12oz.

Saturday sees the fourth of the float-only, five-match series for Carlisle and District Coarse Angling Club members at Crofton Lake.

Tony Harrison leads the table but, with four results to count from five matches, it’s wide open. The event is sponsored by Geoff Wilson Tackle, the Carlisle dealer putting up tackle vouchers for the first three in the final table.

The draw is at 8.45 with fishing from 10-4.

Anyone needing info can contact Tony on 07775 028866.

First published at 15:40, Friday, 20 July 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk