Frank Lythgoe's weekly Warrington Anglers Association column...
THE ‘experience fishing’ day, which took place as part of The Thelwall Festival celebrations last Sunday afternoon on the Bridgewater Canal at Pickerings Bridge, was a success.
After weather warnings of rain, our expectations were not too great but it held off and the keen youngsters and their parents started to arrive in numbers at 2pm.
Everyone who fancied a go did, including some mums and dads with the vast majority catching either a roach or perch on maggots, which many had never handled previously.
Not so now as most youngsters overcame any fear and ended up feeding their fishing swim – a few even took some home.
One youngster left a crocodile on my tray (it was a toy) so if you contact me, I have kept it safe and will hopefully get it back to its rightful owner ASAP.
Anthony Rough decided on a Sunday morning centrepin session on the Dee at Worthenbury and, unlike some, had no trouble negotiating the bumpy track in his van although I wouldn’t advise it in any car with low suspension.
Loose-feeding maggots with double on the hook, he had bites throughout the morning although nothing of any size – he caught grayling, small chub, trout and countless dace. Nice session and beautiful venue.
Members are still catching perch and pike on the Bridgewater Canal, more often than not lure fishing like Ged Richards, who managed to land four perch and two mall jack-pike on Saturday morning from the Lymm area.
On Sunday, Paul Harrison reported catching a few perch on a red worm type lure.
Last weekend, Paul Martin fished our River Ribble stretch at Hurst Green for the first time and braved the walk downstream to his chosen peg.
His intended quarry was either barbel or chub, so he cast in his luncheon meat baited hook accompanied by a pva mesh bag full of pellet and meat.
Barely five minutes later, he struck into a fish which took him 15 minutes to land – a hard fighting 15-3-0 pike.
Our Monday disabled and over 60s match was fished this week on the Bridgewater Canal at Grappenhall trees in torrential rain – thankfully those taking part managed to tackle-up before the heavens opened.
Tony Carr, who hasn’t fished our matches for some time, marked his return with an impressive win – a catch of five bream plus roach for a weight of 16-15-0.
He drew to the right of entrance to the canal opposite Euclid Avenue and fished the pole catching initially on bread but swapped to worm and caster.
The runner-up Dave Blears drew the peg next door with 6-12-0 made up of two bream plus roach using both bread and caster. Fourteen anglers fished.
Our Sunday Mersey Series members match was fished on the Mersey Walk stretch of the river and saw Harry Billing draw end peg 56, where, fishing the pole at 11metres with pinkie on the hook, he left the rest of the field trailing with a cracking net of roach, perch, and a few skimmers for a winning weight of 19-8-0.
It gave him a 10lb margin over second-placed Ray Boden, who weighed in 9-5-0 made up of roach and perch from peg 47.
Harry’s win made it a consecutive double, whereas Ray has claimed the runner-up spot for the past three weeks also fishing the pole and maggot.
Reportedly there was only one decent-sized bream caught throughout the match. Twelve anglers fished.
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 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.
Please get in touch as your catch reports, which are always welcome as lots of members rely on your kindly shared information for their angling visits. Email secretary@warrington-anglers.org.uk.
Results:
Mersey Series members match: 1, Harry Billing 19-8-0; 2, Ray Boden 9-5-0; 3, Ged Dolan 6-3-0; 4, Barry Chambers 6-1-0
Disabled and over 60s: 1, Tony Carr 16-15-0; 2, Dave Blears 6-12-0; 3, Al Faulkner 5-12-0; 4, Jimmy Byrne 5-5-0
Fixtures:
Sunday, River Mersey Championship (members only): Draw 8.45am at Victoria Park. £10 all-in.
Monday, disabled and over 60s, Bridgewater Canal, under the M56 bridge at Preston Brook: Draw 9.45am. £5 all-in – exact money only, no change given.
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