Frank Lythgoe's Warrington Anglers' Association column 2023

JOHN Manley took his daughter Sophia, aged four, for her very first outing on one of our waters on Saturday, choosing The Mount at Buckley.

They had a very enjoyable session, well at least Sophia did when she beat her dad with two carp to his ‘lost one at the net’.

Her first after only an hour was a common weighing in at 11lbs followed by a cracking mirror of 15lbs 4ozs despite her falling into one of the flooded bankside puddles.

The successful bait was a 10mm Mainline pop-up which, after having the initial choice of either pink or white she went for white, proved to be the winner and John chose pink.

Sophia and her dad John Manley with the common carp she caught at The Mount (Image: Contributed)

Al Faulkner and Carl Brooks were quite happy with their roach session on Appleton Reservoir.

Al started off on the pole and had bites from the first put-in with roach in the 4 to 10ozs range but after an hour it completely switched off. The rest of the day he spent on the tip, picking up odd fish.

Carl had a slow start after which he had bites all day using floating maggots on a helicopter rig set-up, accounting for some fair-sized roach with the best being 1-11-0.

Chris Roberts' first visit to Moore Quarry was spent sussing out the fishery but on his next armed with knowledge gained he was rewarded with a lovely scaled mirror of 23lbs. He will definitely be back soon to try for more.

Chris Roberts with the mirror carp he caught at Moore Quarry (Image: Contributed)

Bill Hewitt managed to slot in a couple of hours fishing on the Bridgewater Canal. Float fishing using coronation maggots (blue and red), he was rewarded with only one fish, a cracking bream - a real old warrior.

Bill Hewitt with the bream he tempted out of the Bridgewater Canal (Image: Contributed)

The same day Gary Chadwick fished the canal at Thelwall Steps from the crack of dawn, choosing the old cow drink peg for his dad's memories of the Bridgy where he bagged-up with three slabs plus 40 perch, all taken down the track on worm.

Phil Dawson enjoyed a nice couple of hours on Statham Pool over the bank holiday weekend reporting that ‘the place is busting with life at the minute.’

Fishing the float and double maggot he caught roach and skimmers, having to steer them past a small pike that was stalking his peg.

He also had a surprise bonus of a small eel that had obviously come a fair journey from the sea as an elver to end up there.

Regular column contributor Mike Pritchard was also there on Saturday when he caught around 30 roach, perch, and a hybrid using waggler and maggot tactics.

Our Monday Disabled and Over 60s match was held at our Woodshaw Reservoir fishery which certainly fished better than the previous bank holiday.

Joe Garry was the winner from peg three with a catch of three crucians plus roach and perch taken on the pole, alternating between maggot and caster for a weight of 9-3-0.

Joe Garry with his winning catch (Image: Contributed)

Jonny Johnson on peg five fished the same method to take second place with a net of 70 roach, a small skimmer, plus one crucian for 7-1-0. Seventeen anglers fished.

Our WAA headquarters at 52, Parker Street, Warrington WA1 1LT remain closed but members can 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.

Get in touch with your catch reports, email secretary@warrington-anglers.org.uk

Results:

Trent & Mersey Open (Saturday), Billinge: 1 Dave Hodson 9-15-8; 2 Martin Kettle 9-14-8; 3 Jimmy Byrne 4-7-0; 4 Wendy Locker 4-4-0.

Disabled & Over 60s (Woodshaw Reservoir): 1 Joe Garry 9-3-0; 2 Jonny Johnson 7-1-0; 3 Al Faulkner 6-10-0; 4 Bob Fitzpatrick 6-5-0.

Fixtures:

Monday: Disabled & Over 60s match, Bridgewater Canal, Stage Lane, draw 9.45am (£5 all-in, exact money only).