THE continued heavy rains of the past week have caused heavy flooding throughout the country and sent water levels soaring, especially the local River Irwell.

Sunday saw a short respite with strong winds drying out the damp conditions.

On the pleasure fishing scene, the Island Lodge was well above normal level on Sunday, but still produced skimmer bream.

The adjacent Cartwright Lodge produced well for Jim Berry.

Parkers also remained in top form. Anglers fishing the more sheltered hen pen pegs on Sunday experienced good catches of skimmer bream and perch.

During the week, Dave Bradley, a regular at the venue, also experienced quality catches of roach and skimmers, both in the shallows and deeper pegs.

The Field Lodge has also produced a 17lb pleasure catch.

On Sunday in the Pilsworth Open, fished on the Carp Lake, D Bailey (Lumb Valley) had top weight of 6-2-0. In second place was R Smith (Shorrocks Brothers) with 3-4-0 and third was Nigel Dean (Unsworth) 1-8-0.

The second round of the Angling Times team championships took place on Sunday with two of the matches in the south abandoned due to flood conditions.

The North West match took place on the coloured Leeds-Liverpool canal at Adlington, fished by 108 anglers.

Top individuals were 1 Jimmy Hines (Saints) 4-14-0, 2 S Wardle (GTI Gold) 2-13-4, 3 E Gardner (Team Eclipse) 2-9-0, 4 John Walker (Little Lever) 2-7-0.

After two rounds Little Lever SA tied for first place with Saints on 8pts, third were GTI Gold with 11pts and fourth Team Eclipse with 12pts.

In the Lancashire, fished on the Lancaster Canal at Preston by 120 anglers, Steve Burgess (BAS 2000) had top weight of 5-7-0. In second place was Alan Hargreaves (Ted Carter Southport) with 5-4-12 and third was C Tudor (Keenets NW) 5-1-0.

BAS 2000 improved their position in the league on the day with top points of 89. Second were Leyland and District with 76pts and third Keenets NW with 71pts.

League positions after two rounds: 1 Keenets NW 237pts, 2 BAS 2000 234pts, 3 Ted Carter Southport tie with Leyland and District on 220pts.

BURY AND DISTRICT

SEA ANGLERS

The November monthly meeting of the club takes place on Monday November 13 at the Waterloo Hotel, Manchester Road at 8pm.

The next club trip is to Dinorwig on Sunday November 19. This is an 8-hour trip and is fully booked.

BURY SOCIETY

SENIOR SECTION

The October monthly meeting took place on Monday. This was the last date for propositions to the club's Annual General Meeting to be held on Monday November 27 at Elton Liberal Club.

Nine propositions being put forward by members present and these will be discussed and voted on at the AGM.

The club have a working party on the Square Lodge at Tottington on Saturday November 11 at 9am.

The job in hand is to dig out the overflow channel from the Square Lodge adjacent to the road which causes problems when there is heavy rain.

The next club match is the November Cup to be fished on the Island Lodge on Sunday November 12. Draw 9am fish 10am to 3pm.

The NFA had recently circulated all clubs regarding a review of national championships to be held at Birstall Social Club, Leicester on Saturday November 11.

This was a follow-up to the 2000 which were promised at the 1999 seminar in Nottingham.

The NFA have invited eight clubs from each of five divisions to send two delegates who had fished the 2000 Championships.

The two delegates need to be registered by contacting NFA HQ. Tel: 01283 734735 giving contact name and number.