Hideous winds and a tackle rescue operation as Sunday becomes a farce ...

I had the chance to go to back to an old hunting ground of mine in Maghull on the Leeds and Liverpool canal on Sunday, writes Tim Worsnop.

But with an horrendous forecast for gale force winds coming in from the West I made what I thought was a bright decision and gave backword.

As it turned out two of my Matrix Halifax squad mates, Dave Chadwick and Simon Walton, went to this pairs event and drew money in fourth place.

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My decision-making sadly then went awry when I decided to have an early look at the Huddersfield Broad canal with the three anglers I fished the teams of four event last year.

It’s fair to say I got some worrying looks when I called at the tackle shop. They clearly thought we were all mad!

And that probably was a fair assumption as we sat there largely biteless, watching the wind get stronger and stronger until it blew Richard Thorne’s gear straight into the canal!

Pete Riley had managed to snaffle a 4oz perch by this stage and as we helped Richard rescue his gear, Martin Hellewell hooked and landed a 2lbs pike.

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It wasn’t enough to hold our interest - especially with the pub calling where a pint of Wainwrights rescued what had been a waste of a day!

My old mate Steve Allinson (TriCast Calder) had a fine net of fish to win the latest AJ Jewson open at Sunrise Lakes, Spofforth (see picture). The highlight of the catch was a 2lbs plus perch which together with roach, perch and skimmers made up his 14lbs 6oz catch.

Runner-up was his squad mate Warren McLeavy with 10lbs 14oz.

They really have been through it on the Thornhill AC matches this year with the spur leading into Dewsbury centre from the main Calder and Hebble Navigation heavily populated at times with cormorants.And on Saturday the weather also came into play, leaving Keith Marshall (TriCast Calder) to take home the winner’s purse with three tiny perch for 2oz!

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If Keith was starved of fish on Saturday he was spoilt rotten come Tuesday when the series of opens also run by Halifax tackle shop AJ Jewson moved to Sykehouse fishery near Doncaster.

Keith had a brilliant day as the skimmer bream went on a feeding frenzy. And when the match had finished he had amassed 33lbs 8oz. His squad mate Tony Marsh had a lovely day too without ever troubling the winner, catching bream and hybrids to 2lbs for 24lbs.

And finally congratulations to Tom Barlow, who announced this week that he’s been invited to join the best team in the country, Drennan Barnsley. Tom learned his trade with Todmorden-based Maver NW, but for the last season has fished with Browning Ossett.