SIMON Oldfield visited The Mount at Buckley for his first visit of 2023, setting up where the fishery narrows beyond the footbridge at 11.30am.

For the first two hours, not so much as a twitch or bleep to indicate fish in his swim, then as often happens if you persevere, two bites came out of the blue, nearly a double catch with a brace of carp.

He added two further carp before ending his session as the light began to fade.

Simon fed more than usual and fished 12mm pop-ups. He met two new members with whom he shared general fishery and catch information.

Michael Griffiths also caught a brace of carp last week, a common and a mirror from the same venue but at the opposite end to that fished by Simon. Well, there may be no thirty pounders but these guys are catching fish! Worth a visit also for winter roach fishing.

I have no details but was told that this past week an angler fishing Appleton Reservoir was on a roach every cast. I understand that there were some plump specimens. Worth a chuck… any info on sessions appreciated.

Our Members Mersey Series match on Sunday was fished upstream of Mersey Walk.

The river was again full of flood water making it an all groundbait-feeder and maggot event. The weights were lower and the winner Eddie Frangleton drew peg 45, catching 28 roach plus a small skimmer for a total weight of 4lbs 4ozs 0drs.

Match organiser Jimmy Byrne, fishing the tip at 12 to 13 metres, took second place with 30 roach for 3-13-0. Thirteen anglers fished.

Our Disabled & Over 60s match was again fished on the Bridgewater Canal at Walton.

Match veteran Ron Durr was the clear winner, kept busy with a catch of more than 116 small roach from a peg near Walton Bridge. He alternated between bread, pinkie, and maggot for a weight of 5-6-0.

Second place was taken by The Breadman (George Barber) fishing from the adjacent peg with 3-15-0. Fifteen Anglers fished.

Our 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 the door because 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.

Send your catch reports to secretary@warrington-anglers.org.uk

Results: Mersey Series: 1 Eddie Frangleton 4-4-0, 2 Jimmy Byrne 3-13-0, 3 Ian Titchard 3-12-0, 4 Ray Boden 3-1-0. Disabled & Over 60s: 1 Ron Durr 5-6-0, 2 George Barber 3-15-0, 3 Jimmy Byrne 3-9-0, 4 Al Faulkner 2-15-0.