WARRINGTON Anglers’ Association have teamed up to support the Thelwall Festival celebrations this Sunday when we are offering a free ‘experience fishing day’ on the Bridgewater Canal at Pickerings Bridge between 2pm and 4.30pm/5pm.

Access to our car park and the canal is via the dirt track opposite All Saints Drive, Thelwall.

Anthony Rough spent a three-hour session in the rain at The Mount, Buckley, pondering the wisdom of leaving his fishing brolly at home. Fortunately, the fishing was good. He ended up with lots of small perch, plus a few better stamp fish plus three carp.

All were caught on a waggler rig with prawn on the hook, feeding some leftover casters from a recent river session. Thanks, Anthony, for clearing litter left by what I would describe as poachers.

Mike Pritchard was out on the early pegs of the Mersey at Victoria Park on Saturday. Using his homemade floats, he fished one and a half rods out in the shallower water with either caster or maggot on the hook. He ended his almost four-hour session with seven perch and 40 roach up to 8ozs. He reports a good number of bream rolling towards mid-river.

The 'Dynamic Duo' Dave Gardner and Ken Hewitt gave High Legh a bash. Ken, fishing a waggler, had a slow start eventually catching a perch followed by an epic fight with an 8lb carp which he eventually landed. He landed another carp of 6.5lbs.

Dave alternated between a waggler and maggot, changing over to a method feeder to end up with 14 roach plus a 10.5lb mirror carp which was attracted to his homemade groundbait with prawn on the hook.

Our Monday Disabled & Over 60s match was fished on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Billinge. Match organiser Jimmy Byrne drew peg 1 on the Northwich side of the bridge and ended up with a net of ‘dumpy roach’ caught on red maggot then caster, initially down the track and then across at 11metres in the shallower water for a weight of 7lbs 13oz 0drs.

Second placed Ron Durr drew in Billinge Marina and caught some quality fish on pole and maggot at 4metres for a net that sent the scales round to 6-10-0. Eighteen anglers fished.

Our Sunday Mersey Series members match was fished again this week along the Victoria Park stretch of the Mersey. Note there is a change of venue next week to Mersey Walk thanks to all the work carried out by volunteers during the past week or so…great job guys. Harry Billing took first place with a cracking net of roach and perch, fishing the long pole and maggot from peg 27 for a weight of 18-1-0.

Whereas Ray Boden fished the pole at 9metres to take another nice net of roach and perch for 15-7-0 to hang on to second place again. Thirteen anglers fished.

WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street, Warrington WA1 1LT remains closed on Friday evenings but members can simply post to this address or put their membership book or request in an envelope with their payment and a stamped addressed envelope, through our HQ door where mail is collected and dealt with most days. Alternatively, you can post to Warrington Anglers Association PO. Box 71, Warrington WA1 1LR where mail is collected weekly.

Your catch reports are always welcome. Email secretary@warrington-anglers.org.uk

Warrington Anglers' Association match results:

Mersey Series Members Match: 1 Harry Billing 18-1-0; 2 Ray Boden 15-7-0; 3 Bob Campbell 9-10-0; 4 Roy Everson 9-9-0.

Disabled & Over 60s: 1 Jimmy Byrne 7-13-0; 2 Ron Durr 6-10-0; 3 John Ashwin 5-5-2; 4 Alan Brown 5-2-0

Warrington Anglers' Association match fixtures:

Sunday: River Mersey Match (members only), draw Mersey Walk 8.45am, £10 all-in.

Monday: Disabled and Over 60s, Bridgewater Canal, Jack Bench stretch, Grappenhall, draw 9.45am (£5 all-in).