THE Dee salmon season has finished with a flourish although water levels have been high and most fish have gone straight through to the upper reaches.

Fish of 18, 17 and a monster of over 30lbs have been reported from the Worthenbury area. Nick Donald had a fresh run fish of 5lbs 8ozs 0drms and a season catch of five.

Now is the time to get down to some serious grayling fishing as this river is one of the best in the country with specimens of 2lbs not uncommon.

Cicily Mill is producing tench to 5lbs, lots of skimmers to around 12ozs, and the odd cruciens. It is worth a visit over the weekend.

Despite Astle Pool holding a good head of carp they have not really been in a feeding frenzy all season, although members could easily see fish cruising around the island. Paul Prescott broke his duck this week with a small double, a mirror of 11lbs on a boilie.

Keith Green is trying his best to smash catch records as he appears in my column again this week with another report of a good session.

Carp were again the target but the venue changed from Grey Mist to the Bridgewater Canal. On Sunday he topped the ton thanks to his home-made boilie mix with nine mirrors for a total weight of 103lbs.

All were in perfect condition with the best two fish 16-12-0 and 16-7-0. Carp seem to show in numbers at this time of the year and feature in match catches.

Anyone who is really interested should follow the results that are usually identified with the peg number. As carp anglers themselves are usually unwilling to generally release such detail a little homework must surely cut out a lot of wasted visits.

Some good news is that perch are making a comeback with quite a number of fish in the 8-10oz bracket.

The River Dane is in perfect condition for the weekend provided there is no sudden change in weather. Caster is still the best bait for chub up to 4lbs.

Fur & Feather tickets are now on sale at the same price as last year, £15, from HQ, Chris Grehan at Matches or by post to PO Box 71 WA1 1LR. It will be held on December 19. Raffle proceeds will again go to St Roccos Hospice.

HQ Parker Street is open tonight, Friday, for subscriptions, new members or simply call in for a chat and to catch up on the news. I can be contacted with your queries and catch reports on 01928 716238 Fax 713898. Frank Lythgoe

Results: Mersey Basin Series: 1, Paul Donoghue, 6lbs-4ozs-0drms; 2, Lee Clark, 5-4-5; 3, Kev Green, 4-11-8; 4, Paul Healey, 4-2-9. Women's Winter Series: 1, Pam Wyatt, 5-10-0; 2, Lyn Lawton, 4-10-0; 3, Janice Holland, 2-5-5; 4, Sandi Alcock, 1-11-2.

Junior Winter Series: 1, Craig Lowndes, 3-7-12; 2, Andy Webb, 2-5-8; 3, Neil Jones, 1-12-0; 4, Mike Savage, 1-8-13. Minnows: 1, Matt Fryer, 1-10-8; 2, Paul Mather, 1-6-6; 3, Chris O'Hara, 1-0-0; 4, Tom O'Hara, 13-10.

Saturday Open: 1, Lee Addey, 18-10-8; 2, Nick Brown, 13-13-0; 3, Mark Addey, 8-15-0; 4, Paul Tinkley, 7-0-0; 5, Bob Clough, 6-9-0. Disabled & Over 60s: 1, Dennis Bates, 11-2-0; 2, Bob Harding, 3-14-0; 3, Harry Gaskell, 3-5-0; 4, Denis Greenhalgh, 3-1-7.

Coming events, Saturday: Junior/Minnows Series, draw 12pm, Pickerings Br car park (pegs 674-700). Senior Open, draw 11am, Star Inn (pegs 861-1040). Women'S Winter Series, draw 11am, on bank Euclid Ave (pegs 560-588). Local Winter League, draw 9am, Star Inn (pegs 341-410)

Sunday: Mersey Basin Campaign Series, new draw time 10am, Victoria Park (pegs Howley Weir to Kingsway Br).

Monday: Disabled & Over 60s, draw 10.30am Star Inn (pegs 589-625).

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.