Luton Angling Club - Weekly News Reports: February 2023

Luton Angling Club Weekly News Report for the Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire & St Neots Cambridgeshire Area - Week Ending 26th February 2023

Again this week we have had no catch reports, We do have the results of the Wednesday Match Groups outing to the Canal at the Globe.

Match Report, Wednesday 22nd February 2023 GUC The Globe

With prior parking permission from the Globe pub, 14 anglers met in the car park on morning that was drizzling rain and colder than of late, the temperature was around 8C with a chilly breeze which strengthened later. As we moved off to our pegs the drizzle abated and finally stopped altogether and it was dry for the rest of the day.

The canal water temperature was slightly warmer than of late at 8C, but still very clear and holding the cold green tinge it’s had of late. We didn’t have a lot of boats to worry us this week, but one of the Wide Beams that did pass went straight down the far bank and messed up a lot of peoples lines. Tony Hickmott drew the short straw, thinking he had a lovely peg, but after an hour or so two fitters arrived to fit solar panels to a boat moored to his right!

Most anglers had a good first hour and caught well, but then as the wind strengthened making life difficult for some, and it appeared to get colder the fish seemed to disappear, and the middle of the match for most was fairly barren.

The wind seemed to drop, and some sun appeared during the last hour and the fish then seemed to return to the feed, anglers starting to catch again.  

However, Bart Bonito and Chris Howard managed to catch steadily all day. Bart was fishing a long pole at 16 Metres, fishing chopped worm and pinkies to take a good mixed bag at 13lb 2oz, including a brace of lovely perch, which were weighed individually at 3lb1oz and 2lb 1oz. Chris Howard fished his favourite bait, bread punch and again took a mixed bag including some nice bream for second place with 11lb 11oz.

Results
1st Bart Bonito 13lb 2oz
2nd Chris Howard 11lb 11oz
3rd Steve Lathwell 4lb 2oz
4th Dennis Hunt 3lb 13oz
5th Barry Roper 3lb 7oz
6th Richard Darbon  3lb 5oz
7th Tony (solar panels) Hickmott 3lb 1oz
8th Sean Lathwell 2lb 12oz
9th Terry Vickers 1lb 15oz
10th Dudley Frankland 1b 7oz
11th Andy Norgate 1lb 3oz
12th Ray Burton 1lb 0oz
13th Colin McBeth 0lb 10oz
DNW: Brian Shaw

Many thanks to and to all those who assisted with both the draw and pegging out, and special thanks are due to Roger Baker who didn’t fish but came to visit us and did the weigh in. 

Next week, we will fish against Wellingborough on Mill Cotton away on TUESDAY.

Thats all for this week, Tight Lines

Dave M
Luton AC

Luton Angling Club Weekly News Report for the Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire & St Neots Cambridgeshire Area - Week Ending 19th February 2023

Here is the news, information and catch reports for the last couple of weeks from Luton Angling Club.

Beckerings Reservoir

Dariusz Blahuta had this 109cm Pike weighing 27lbs while spinning.

Dariusz Blahuta - 27lb Pike, Beckerings

North House Lake

Max Beresford had a 15lb 6oz Common from North House Lake Saturday morning.

Max Beresford 15lb 6oz Common, North House

Eaton Ford River Ouse

Dennis Vivian and Fergal O'Kane fished the Ouse at Eaton Ford today (Sunday 19th Feb). Dennis had a couple of Chub the first being around 2lb and then the second (Pictured here) was 4lb 8oz. Fergal fishing for the predators had one dropped run.

Dennis Vivian, 4lb 8oz Chub, Eaton Ford

Biddenham River Ouse

Ian Fourmy visited Biddenham for the first time for 35+ years on Friday 10th February, the day started off with a frost and on his way up the M1 an errant stone from a van caused his windscreen to crack, so not a great start to the day!

After walking the stretch before sunrise he was very impressed by the way the stretch has clearly been looked after, and said the venue is a credit to the club! After selecting a peg, He settled in for what turned out to be a very difficult day, trot after trot down with a stick float using very light tackle and maggots produced no action whatsoever!

He set up a light quiver rig with a small feeder and tried this on and off only resulting in catching a live freshwater swan mussel! Still the surroundings were keeping him interested with a kingfisher flying past and showing him how to catch fish and the robins that wanted feeding, fighting each other for his attention and perching on his rod and his head! He also heard barking deer, (Muntjac), which also made a brief appearance before scurrying off into the undergrowth and he watched the buzzards and red kites scouring the countryside looking for lunch while avoiding the mobbing crows!

He needed to pack up for 3pm as he had a prior engagement and as all anglers do, one last cast turned into several even though he had not caught a thing, but the thought of the quiver tip pulling round still filled him with optimism.

Reluctantly, he started packing his things away whilst the rod was still out and as he put an item in his bag, he was convinced the tip moved so he watched more intently and in slow motion the tip slowly pulled round, He lifted the rod and struck gently as he was on really light gear and he was attached to something which was pulling back.

After a short 2 minute fight he slipped his landing net under a pristine 2.5lb chub, perseverance certainly paid off today and he finished packing up with a smile on his face even though it had been a difficult and expensive day. He said he certainly won't leave it another 35+ years to return!

Biddenham Sunrise

2lb 8oz Chub, Ian Fourmy, Biddenham

Robin at Biddenham waiting for maggots

Live Swan Mussel from Biddenham

Grand Union Canal

With his week being Half Term and with the Club intending to run a Junior coaching session on Friday if the weather is good, Dennis Hunt one of the club coaches thought he would go and check out Town South for a few hours to see how it was performing prior to the coaching session. The temp was 10C with little wind, and the canal was green and clear (conditions the old Luton anglers called punchy) and still very cold.

Dennis opted to fish a No 3 elastic with a 0.3gram float using a strung shot pattern to a size 20 hook. After plumbing up he fed a small ball of toasted crumb at 5 sections fishing 4mm punched bread. He started fishing at 10 and on the first put in the float sailed away before it settled, yielding a nice roach. 

The session continued in a similar vein, the roach giving way to skimmers and bigger bream as the session went on. At half past twelve having had a great morning, he decided to weigh up (8lb 14oz) and go home, a passer by took a few pictures before he returned the fish to the Canal. Not at all bad on a few pence worth of bait. It was a fantastic morning's fishing, making memories of Biddenham on Wednesday seem like a bad dream!
Dennis Hunt - Grand Union Canal
Dennis Hunt - Grand Union Canal
Coaching Session GUC Town South Friday 17th February
The Luton Coaches had arranged a short session during half term for some of our promising Luton junior anglers on the GUC Town South in Leighton Buzzard today. It was a warm day for February at 12C, with a stiff wind, which made good presentation a challenge. The Canal was cold and clear with a green tinge, so it was not ever going to be an easy session. 

We had three of our junior anglers, James, Cody, and Louis, and one of the dads fishing. For Louis, our least experienced angler, it was his first session using the pole he got for Christmas and float rigs which he had made himself at our Saturday afternoon off bank coaching sessions. 

It was great to see all the boys putting what they had learnt into practice, plumbing up correctly, and selecting the range at which to fish. We had designed the session around practice fishing bread punch feeding liquidised bread, and after an initial feed of liquidised bread Louis had a skimmer first drop, which was the largest fish he had ever caught, so his pole was well and truly christened. 

All caught fish, and we had several firsts, Louis recording his biggest fish and heaviest bag ever, and Cody having a pike nosing around his keepnet, the first time he had ever had this happen. James managed to lose a number 3 section of his pole in the wind, but Mark Brooks fortunately managed to retrieve it from the Canal! We all went home, having had a great session on the bank, Louis weighing in 2lbs and Cody 1lb 8oz. James had returned his fish before we weighed in! It was brilliant to see our young anglers catching on a winter day.

We will go through some of the points we all learnt at our follow on Saturday afternoon sessions.

Do you know of anyone who would like to learn to fish with us? The Club has a full program of ‘Lets Fish’ taster sessions arranged this year for people to have a go, and follow on coaching sessions for those who want to take it further and learn to fish and perhaps represent the Club at the CRT Celebration of young people and fishing held in September every year in Shropshire.

Junior Coaching Session - Grand Union Canal

Junior Coaching Session - Grand Union Canal

Junior Coaching Session - Grand Union Canal

Junior Coaching Session - Grand Union Canal

Match Report, Wednesday 15th February 2023 GUC Three Locks upper, section 4

Nineteen anglers met at Three Locks on Wednesday, This week, they fished 10-30 till 3-30 due to the long walk for some anglers that were pegged the other side of Chelmscote bridge because of the moored boats.

After an overnight frost. The frost soon vanished as the temperature rose, and by the time we had completed the draw, the frost had all but vanished, although the air temperature was still only 4C. The temperature soon rose, and a bright sun appeared with blue sky, and little wind. 

The temperature continued to rise making a pleasant day finishing at around 11C.

The canal was cold, with green tinge and very clear, the water temperature a chilly 6C at midday, with the fish feeling very cold. 

They had very little boat traffic one boat about 30 minutes before the end of the match being the only one of the day.

Under these conditions, it was never going to be an easy day on the cut.

The winner this week was Dave Whillock using pinkie he started brightly with a 3lb bream on the first drop in, followed quickly by two more. At this point, Dave thought he was in for a great day, but after these fish his bites dried up! He weighed in 6lbs 6oz.

Barry Roper and Dennis Hunt were pegged nearest the Three Locks just past the mooring pins, Barry starting brightly taking fish from the off on bread punch, while Dennis went 45 Mins without a bite and then started to catch feeding squatt and fishing pinkie, while also feeding Caster over groundbait across.Soon Barry and Dennis were matching each other roach for roach the larger fish seemingly not wanting to show this week. Barry took second place as Dennis was unable to catch up due to the missing first 45 Mins, Barry ending with 106 fish (Roach and Skimmers)  for 5lb 11oz and Dennis finishing 3rd with 71 fish (roach and perch) for 4lb 4oz.  Keith Ward took 4th with 2lb 3oz.

Weights were low, with several recording DNW this week.

Results
1st Dave Whillock 6lb 6 oz
2nd Barry Roper 5lb 11oz
3rd Dennis Hunt 4lb 4oz
4th Keith Ward 2lb 3oz
5th Brian Shaw 1lb 1oz
6th Richard Darbon 0lb 10oz 8drm
7th Tony Hickmott 0lb 10oz
8th Dudley Frankland 0lb 9oz
9th Steve Lathwell 0lb 8oz
10th Colin McBeth 0lb 3 oz
11th Sean Leatherland 0lb 2oz
12th Roger Baker 0lb 1oz drm
13th (Joint)  Bart Bonito, Chris Howard, Terry Vickers

DNW Les Burton, Ray Burton, Andy Norgate, Malcolm Ogden

Many thanks to all those who assisted with both the draw and pegging out and special thanks are due to the groups friends John and Nuala Grey who came to visit the group and did the weigh in this week.

This week the group will fish the Canal at The Globe, meet in the car park for 8-30 draw fish 10 till 3, £5.00 optional pools, and £1.00 Luton Wednesday peg fee.

Wednesday Match Group - 3 Locks Upper

Wednesday Match Group - 3 Locks Upper

Wednesday Match Group - 3 Locks Upper

Wednesday Match Group - 3 Locks Upper

Grand Union Canal - 3 Locks Upper

Keep your reports coming in,If you would like to send us a catch report from a Luton AC Water you can send reports and pictures via our facebook page and other social media accounts, the club website or via what’s app message to 07940 229071. Don’t forget every picture we receive is automatically entered in to our monthly photo prize which is judged by the committee and you could win £25.00. It’s not always the biggest fish that wins so well worth sending in any of your catch reports.

Tight Lines Until Next Week! Dave M Luton AC www.lutonanglingclub.co.uk www.facebook.com/LutonAC www.instagram.com/lutonanglingclub

Luton Angling Club Weekly News Report for the Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire & St Neots Cambridgeshire Area - Week Ending 5th February 2023

Here is all this weeks news, information and catch reports from Luton Angling Club.

Beckerings Reservoir
Neil Cox had just the one fish this weekend. It was hard going with air pressure through the roof, no fish showing and even the feeder guys were struggling for bites, a strange weekend. This Common went 16lb 12oz another immaculate winter common falling to madbaits as usual.

Neil Cox - Beckerings Common 16lb 12oz

Amer Jawad fished the reservoir on Saturday and reported that it was a difficult days fishing. He still managed a few pulls on the quiver though and had some cracking Roach.

Amer Jawad - Beckerings Catches

North House Lake
Bailiff Brian Turner had a 2am wake up call from one of the 2017 stockies at North House Lake. It peeled the line off the reel. The weight was 19lb 7oz and looking back at the pictures it is number 2 and when it was stocked in October 2017, its weight was 5lb 7oz. He said the fish are definitely waking up at North House with lots of fish showing.

Brian Turner - Stockie 2 at 19lb 7oz North House Lake

South Lagoon - Wyboston
On his first ever session on the South Lagoon Robert Lamb had a decent sized Pike it was his first time on the lake. He didn't have his scales with him but said it easily beat his PB.

Robert Lamb - South Lagoon Pike

Grand Union Canal
Amer Jawad recently filmed the next video for his Youtube Channel "Amers Angle" on the Grove section of the canal and despite a difficult start things went really well. He managed around 25-30lb of fish mainly Perch, with 5 of them over 2lb and 2 weighing 3lb. The video will be released on his YouTube Channel soon.

Amer Jawad - Grand Union Canal

January Photo Prize.
Member Lewis Gurnham won the January monthly photo competition with the picture of his chub. He has very kindly donated his prize of £25 to the coaching team who will put the money towards supporting the junior coaching activities. What a really nice gesture and the coaching team were delighted and will put the funds to good use encouraging youngsters into angling via their Let's fish and other coaching activities.

Lewis Gurnham - January Prize winning Chub

Match Report, Wednesday 1st February 2023 GUC Town North

The Wednesday group, which is now Luton members only, were back on the bank again yesterday for the first outing of the year following their usual January break.

The Wednesday League championship for 2022 was won by Steve Lathwell, well done Steve.

It was great for the group to be back on the bank and among friends again as they met for the draw, and the start of the new Wednesday 2023 League. The venue was the Grand Union Canal at Town North Leighton Buzzard, and the day was bright, with an air temperature of around 8 degrees.

There was a keen gusting wind, which made some of the middle number pegs feel very chilly and made holding a long pole very difficult for some.

Others were more fortunate in having a warmer day, being in the shelter nearer the town or the trees nearer Leighton lock. They had one boat after the first hour and then nothing until midday when they had 4 boats pass including a big wide beam which seemed to be having difficulty navigating the cut and stirred up the bottom! After the recent freeze when the canal was iced over for a significant time the water is still extremely cold, but holding good winter colour.

The winner Wednesday was Richard Darbon who had the benefit of quite a sheltered peg and used his whip at 5mtrs. He started on punch and had 5 skimmers in a row before the roach moved in, although he still managed to tempt the odd skimmer until the punch line died.

Richard then switched to Pinkie and continued to catch roach, perch, and the odd skimmer. Sean Leatherland took second place using pinkie with a decent perch and a couple of decent skimmers backed up by roach.

All who fished enjoyed the day, although Roger Baker who was in one of the more exposed pegs and getting cold retired early to the warmth of his lounge.

Results
1st Richard Darbon 6lb 13oz
2nd Sean Leatherland 6lb 9oz
3rd Steve Lathwell 4lb 13oz
4th Chris Howard 4lb 8oz
5th Dennis Hunt 4lb 5oz
6th Terry Vickers 3lb 15oz
7th Dave Smith 2lb 4oz
8th Keith Ward 1lb 7oz
9th Colin McBeth 1lb 6oz 8drm
10th Les Burton 1lb 6oz
11th Andy Norgate 1lb 5oz
12th Malcolm Ogden 3oz
Dudley Frankland, Roger Baker & Ray Burton DNW

Many thanks to and to all those who assisted with both the draw, pegging out and weigh in this week, without the combined team effort it would be difficult to run these matches.

Next week we will fish the River at Biddenham, meet in the car park for 8-30 draw fish 10 till 3, £5.00 optional pools, and £1.00 Luton Wednesday peg fee.

Wednesday Match - GUC Town North

North House Ad Hoc Mini Work Party
The North House bailiff team assisted by members Paul Sweet and David Thorn removed a fallen tree from North House this morning. The tree was much bigger than it looked. The last of the Barley straw also went in to slow down the algae growth We are very grateful for the efforts of the bailiffs and members that give up some of their time and assist in keeping our venues in tip top condition.

If you would like to send us a catch report from a Luton AC Water you can send reports and pictures via our facebook page and other social media accounts, the club website or via what’s app message to 07940 229071. Don’t forget every picture we receive is automatically entered in to our monthly photo prize which is judged by the committee and you could win £25.00. It’s not always the biggest fish that wins so well worth sending in any of your catch reports.