Frank Lythgoe's Warrington Anglers' Association column 2022

IT is some seven months since Cameron Daly, aged 9, headed this column but he’s back.

This keen young angler with a preference for pike fishing was back on the Bridgewater Canal last week. Using the method of drifted baits, he caught two of the predators on the far shelf and another plus a perch from the towpath side.

Cameron Daley with one of his pike catches (Image: Contributed)

Cameron Daley with another of his pike catches from his session on the Bridgewater Canal (Image: Contributed)

As in the past, his dad Ste was no doubt demoted to camera kid, tea-boy, and using his words, ‘netting Noddy.’

However, Ste did manage a trip on his own to Grey Mist this week, targeting the tench from this prolific fishery.

It didn’t work out as such for he eventually realised that all the liners and line twitches weren’t his species of choice so in the last hour, a desperate change of approach was needed to save a ‘blank.’

Rummaging in his gear, he put together some 5lbs mainline and 4lbs BS flouro along with a tiny 30g feeder and 16’s hook baited with three red maggots.

The change thankfully saved the day as he caught 14 cracking looking roach which are probably rarely targeted in this fishery.

Garry Whitehead managed to fit in a three-hour piking session on the Bridgewater Canal last week, trying a different area on this occasion.

Using fresh sardine as bait on size 6 hooks, he was quite happy when ending up with three lovely, marked specimens, two as he was about to pack up.

Garry Whitehead with one of his pike catches (Image: Contributed)

This winter, Garry is mounting a pike campaign on the canal so watch this space.

On Tuesday afternoon, I spotted an angler obviously predator fishing walking along the Bridgewater.

I cannot help myself and stopped Mark Clare on his return to both check that he was a member and if he had caught anything.

It was positive on both counts as he reported catching five small pike – best a female of around 8lbs – all taken on a Rapala minnow lure.

Anthony Rough enjoyed a few hours’ float fishing for perch on The Mount at Buckley on what was a nice sunny afternoon.

He caught 25 perch, presenting large prawns as bait to avoid the smaller fish.

A late report from Appleton Reservoir from Steve Wright, who has caught small carp in the past whilst match fishing but this was his first ever targeted carp session when specifically set-up with the right gear.

He was rewarded with a mirror of 18lbs tempted on a 15mm wafter.

Steve Wright with his carp catch (Image: Contributed)

Sunday saw the second of our River Mersey Series for some time due to higher water following the damage to Howley Weir.

This week it was fished at Victoria Park where there were again some cracking catches, with the winner Ray Boden putting a net of mainly roach plus a few perch on the scales for a weight of 21-10-0. He fished peg 26 using maggot on the pole at 11 metres.

Nick Burrows, who drew peg 31, was the runner-up fishing the same method for 18-15-0.

Unusually, only four skimmers were caught throughout the match with roach by far the predominant species. Fifteen members fished.

The disabled and over 60s fished their Monday match this week on the Bridgewater Canal opposite Daresbury Laboratories and saw ‘The Breadman’ (George Barber) the winner with an all-roach net for 3-10-0.

He drew the first peg past the bridge opposite the Labs and as you would have expected caught all his fish on bread punch and feeding liquidised Warburtons.

Second placed Alan Faulkner drew the short length which by appearance always looks the better choice, but after starting off on bread punch and only a few tiny fish he changed to maggot alternating with worm to take perch and roach for 2-10-0.

He reported lots of pike striking which didn’t help but good news for our winter pike anglers. Eighteen anglers fished.

Our 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 more than welcome as many members rely on your shared information for their visits to the bankside. Email secretary@warrington-anglers.org.uk

Results:

Mersey Series: 1, Ray Boden 21-10-0; 2, Nick Burrows 18-15-0; 3, Bas Chambers 17-2-0; 4, Jimmy Byrne 16-5-0

Disabled and over 60s: 1, George Barber 3-10-0; 2, Alan Faulkner 2-10-0; 3, Ron Durr 2-9-0; 4, Paul Ashton 2-8-0

Fixtures:

Sunday, Members Mersey Series: Draw 8.45am at Mersey Walk, peg 75 back

Monday, disabled and over 60s, Bridgewater Canal: Draw 9.45am at Tramps Grave, Moore. £5 all-in, exact money only, no change given.