Try fishing the deeps at Ancaster's Woodland Waters if you want to find the bream

The Match Lake at Woodland Waters has proved tricky for some after the fish finished their late May and early June spawning rituals, with many species staying in the upper layers of this popular venue, writes Journal angling correspondent Dave Coster.

But there are several large shoals of skimmers and bigger bream that can be found out in the deeps, mainly showing at the top end of the eastern bank, or along the pegs on the northern side.

That was where Lincoln angler Steve Guise enjoyed a great day’s sport recently, fishing with a cage groundbait feeder at 35 metres, using red maggot hook baits.

Relying on a sensitive quivertip and 12ft feeder rod, Steve caught lots of skimmers around the one-pound mark, but as the session progressed bigger bream up to 4lb moved in, boosting his catch considerably to well over 40lb.

Other anglers have been doing well with the bigger bream and odd double-figure carp by using method feeders and micro pellets, with banded 6mm pellets or semi-buoyant wafters on the hook.

It is a rosier picture on the Grantham Canal too, with the latest Bottesford and District Angling Association Friday evening sweepstake being won by Michael Corker with a nice 5lb 13oz winning weight in the three-hour competition.

Michael was pegged at the top end of the Twin Bridges stretch, finding a good mix or roach, rudd and small skimmers. Second-placed Dave Foster included a bonus tench in his net, along with small perch. Brian Cross completed the frame with another bonus tench and a few small silver fish.

Another stretch on the canal that is worth a look at the moment is downstream of Casthorpe Bridge, where surface weed is only a problem on the first bend. Lots of rudd, the odd roach and some bonus hybrids have been showing to pole tactics.