Frank Lythgoe's Warrington Anglers' Association column

NEIL Plunkett ended a short holiday break at Hay-on-Wye with a productive five-hour session on our river stretch, catching six roach, six chub, and six barbel (sign of the devil or what!).

All were caught on the feeder, fishing the river as it fined down after heavy rain and using pellet or corn as hook baits.

Neil said: “Fantastic sport and a kingfisher zooming up and down in front of me as I fished. Bliss!”

Anthony Rough had a short but enjoyably successful afternoon session on the River Alyn at Rossett where, trotting with maggots, he landed a dozen or so grayling.

Tim Poulter also reported brilliant sport on the same venue using the same method. He caught over 30 grayling with the best approaching the 2lb mark along with dace, trout (one looked like a sea-trout around 2lbs), and a single chub.

Dave Tomkinson, aka The Tench Whisperer, was back at Grey Mist and within 10 minutes had landed a cracking male of 8-9-0.

He ended his session with 14 tench down to around 3lbs but the first fish of the day was still the heaviest specimen. He fed sweetcorn and hemp along with almost a kilo of 10mm boilies.

The last time Andy Corr fished on the Trent & Mersey Canal was more than 20 years ago in a winter league.

No such pressure last weekend when he set up for his first ever pleasure session at Barnton Basin fishing on the pole at 11metres with bread punch.

The end result was around 100 fish, the better stamp roach and skimmers moving on to his bait during the last hour. He tried worm before he packed up for the day and caught skimmers and quality perch fished over his punch line. All in all, loads of bites on a picturesque canal.

Paul Dewhurst had a trip out to the Macclesfield Canal at Astbury this week, an hour’s drive, but ‘well worth it.’ Fishing across he caught quality roach and hybrids on chopped worm and numerous ruffe and perch when using the same method down the track (middle). Three of the perch were around the 1lb mark topped by the last fish of the day at 1-8-0.

Anyone looking for some pike action as the temperatures drop try the Bridgewater Canal where Steve Simpson, fishing a replica pike lure, landed three – best around 12lbs from Broadheath. Jacks are showing at Rixton.

The Disabled and Over 60s fished their Monday match on the Bridgewater Canal at Hill Top Road.

The canal was losing its colour, possibly due to the reduction in boat traffic and some anglers struggled for bites. Not so Stu Patterson who was pegged near the bus stop and reportedly fished pinkie throughout for a decisive win with his weight of 10-3-0.

Stu was catching roach but enjoyed a really busy spell during which he hooked five bream and landed four.

Second-placed Mike Worley also had a bonus bream which along with four roach gave him a weight of 3-11-0. Seventeen anglers fished.

The previous week, the Disabled & Over 60s Monday match was on the Bridgewater Canal at Walton.

The winner, Alan Faulkner, put together a net of roach and perch up to 6ozs on bread with pinkie and maggot for a weight of 6-8-0. Both Al and second placed George Barber (The Breadman) were pegged either side of Walton Bridge, with George on the Moore side.

George fished the pole two thirds across using bread and worm for a similar catch plus a hybrid for 5-12-0 and nearly doubling his winning weight of the previous week. It was also a better turn-out with 16 anglers on the bank.

While Garry Whitehead was enjoying a family morning on the Bridgewater Canal, as a bonus he managed to also neatly slot in a few hours pike fishing.

Presenting a smelt on float tackle he was rewarded with a really well marked pike of 9lbs, being joined in the photo by his son Thomas, aged three, who is just taking his first steps as an angler and enjoys reeling in his dad’s pike lures.

Garry Whitehead, his son Thomas and a beautiful pike (Image: UGC)

Believe me it won’t be too long before the competing starts...“Have you not caught anything yet dad?”

Gary Chadwick, who I reported in a previous column enjoying a cracking session at Astbury on the Macclesfield Canal, changed his venue to the Trent & Mersey Canal at Little Leigh.

He chose to fish the ‘stick-ups’ using his favoured method of worm down the track. The result, despite blustery windy conditions, was a very productive morning session with 40 perch up to 1lb and a dozen quality roach.

Some members are missing out as our canal fisheries are all worth a try and can produce some surprising results.

Dave Gardner and Ken Hewitt aka The Dynamic Duo were out on the Bridgewater Canal. No fantastic catches – Dave seven roach and perch and Ken with a brace of each – but nevertheless as Ken commented: “A lovely day for maggot drowning.”

A few members seem to be having difficulty opening some of our high security locks on a number of our fisheries, only for when we visit and check we find that they open perfectly well and just need a little patience as brute force does not work.

After complaints, Andy Burrows and I went to Sandiway and we opened every lock without difficulty. We replaced two which although they opened were stiff and someone had mistakenly oiled their workings. Please do not do this as it creates more problems than it solves.

The volunteers who turned out for the recet working party at Sandiway Lakes built a cracking peg and approach path which saw the Secrets swim on the small lake reopened after being closed three years ago due to higher water levels. Well done everyone. Whilst there I heard rumours of some nice carp being caught.

A set of car keys were lost by a member at Moore Quarry – any angler finding them please let me know asap.

Members who have not yet paid their 2022 subscription and intending to retain their membership should not leave it too late. Don’t forget you can renew at any of our tackle shop outlets or online from our website homepage.

Headquarters at 52, Parker Street, WA1 1LT, remains closed 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 at 52, Parker Street, Warrington WA1 1LT 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 welcome as many members rely on your shared information for their visits to the bankside. Email secretary@Warrington-anglers.org.uk

Results: Disabled & Over 60s: 1 Stu Patterson 10-3-0; 2 Mike Worley 5-12-0; 3 Peter Jones 2-11-0; 4 Alan Faulkner 4-10-0.

Fixtures: Monday: Disabled & Over 60s match, Bridgewater Canal, draw 9.45am at Tramp’s Grave, Moore (£5 all-in, exact money only).