Frank Lythgoe's Warrington Anglers Association column...

MIKE Chris had a cracking evening session on the Ribble on Monday with a catch of four chub to around 6.5lbs.

The icing on the cake was four barbel with the biggest at 13-8-0, all caught using Vortex bait 8mm crab, krill and oyster pellets.

Mike has regularly fished the river throughout the season where he has caught a fair number of doubles and reckons that the bigger fish tend to come at this time of the year.

Jonny Hughes with his son Daniel reported a great ‘dad and lad’ pike session at Rixton Claypits on Sunday morning.

The pair are normally keen bass anglers and only joined in September having so far caught more pike than their preferred salt water species.

Their most successful bait was trout with sardine oil, result this week was two all.

Check out their catches in the pictures below

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Gary Chadwick had a belting morning session this past weekend catching loads of decent sized perch and roach. The successful method was float-fished worm over pinkies.

Boat traffic was light which Gary reckons improves sport making it a top winter venue. He also reported lots of pike striking so worth a visit whatever your fancy.

Dave Gardner, who for a change was out on his own on Monday at Statham Pool, reported an enjoyable but mixed morning’s fishing.

Having already caught over half a dozen chunky perch, suddenly his float dipped and whatever he had hooked shot off in a flash and embedded itself in the lilies, result no fish and a straightened hook.

Next came a small tench but nothing for the next hour or so until he started catching a few roach, one being claimed by a pike for his breakfast. All fish caught on float-rod and maggots.

The Sunday Mersey Series was drawn at Victoria Park saw a complete reverse of last week’s conditions, with the river being a fair bit lower but nevertheless pleasant weather conditions for the time of the year.

Ray Boden dropped to second place last week but not for long as Sunday’s match saw him back to claim his third win from the four so far fished since the problems with the weir stopped our regular series.

Ray caught a cracking net of pole caught roach and perch on maggot from peg 23 for a weight of exactly 19-0-0.

Jonathan Green was the runner-up from peg 28 with a similar net of fish which included a couple of skimmers for 16-4-0 taken alternating between a long whip and rod at around eight metres.

It fished really well with a fair number of anglers catching double figure nets. Seventeen members fished.

Our Disabled & Over 60s fished their Monday match this week on the Bridgewater Canal in the Houghs Bridge length.

Winner Alan Faulkner put together a decent net of roach on pole and bread punch plus a few perch on pinkie for a weight of 5-10-0.

Jeff Stoll made the most of an end peg draw to take second place with over 30 perch plus a few roach caught alternating between maggot and pinkie for 5-5-0. Sixteen anglers fished.

Members can post their membership book or request in an envelope with their payment and a SAE, to 52 Parker Street, Warrington WA1 1LT.

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 19-0-0, 2) Jonathan Green 16-4-0, 3) Harry Billing 15-1-0, 4) Bas Chambers 14-4-0

Disabled & Over 60s: 1) Alan Faulkner 5-10-0, 2) Jeff Stoll 5-5-0, 3) Ron Durr 5-1-0, 4) Alan Brown 4-13-0

Fixtures:

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

Monday, Disabled & Over 60s, Bridgewater Canal: Draw 9.45am at Walton Church. £5 exact money only, no change given