17th February 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes.
Drop shotting or jigging is really catching on and I am meeting increasing numbers of anglers fishing the method on the Bridgewater Canal which is great to see as the cut is really underused. Perch or pike are the target species and this past week I came across Lee Latham and his five year old son at Preston Brook. Young Jay had already caught a PB pike of just short of 7lbs at 6-14-0 the previous week on a rubber shad and was casting effortlessly and working the soft lure with skill. The youngster was enjoying himself in the company of his dad in the fresh air and not glued to a computer screen.
Lee ended up with a brace of pike which gave a good account of themselves on his light gear and lost an enormous perch when it was attacked by a pike on the way to the net.
A few carp and tench have started to feed at Grey Mist Mere but nothing to write home about unless of course you are the guy landing the fish. A few members have been asking about weed control on the fishery but unfortunately it is not quite that simple. Its presence is mainly due to the three mild winters we have experienced where hardly any die back has occurred. You only have to look in your own garden to see plants still growing that would normally have been withered and killed off by the cold.
I planned to escape on a river trip on Sunday but circumstances dictated otherwise and prompted a fall back to the Bridgewater Canal in late afternoon. Leaving my maggots in the fridge a couple of rounds of bread were hurriedly liquidised and five minutes later after cupping in two small pots I was into my first roach. It was a fish every put in with skimmers to a 1lb until either my eyesight or the failing light ended the short session.
Bites are still hard to come by on the River Mersey certainly not helped by the hordes of voracious cormorants that descended on the river during the past few weeks. On Saturday Jimmy Byrnes needed only 1-5-0 made up of a 1lb skimmer and two roach taken on a groundbait feeder and maggot to take first place. Alan Morris was in second spot with 1-2-8. Sunday saw Derek Bibby take the win with 3-7-8 helped by a bonus skimmer and a dozen roach on feeder tactics. Following weights then plummeted with Jimmy Gannon the best of the rest with one clonking roach for 12ozs.
Our Disabled & Over 60's match this week fished from the Toast Rack Bridge back towards Walton Gardens saw Lenny Dutton take the win with a cracking net of roach and skimmers for 7-8-0 taken on pole and bread punch tactics. Runner-up was George Barber with the same mix of fish taken using the same method for 6-8-0. You needed over 3lbs for a section win all of which beat the previous weeks winning weight.
2015 memberships were posted out this week so should be hitting doormats before weekend.
Please email me your catch reports to frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or you can ring me on 01928 716238. Our headquarters at 52, Parker Street are open every Friday between 7 & 9pm for subscriptions, new memberships/night permits, and any queries.
Frank Lythgoe
RESULTS:
Saturday Mersey Sweepstake
Jimmy Byrne 1-5-0
Alan Morris 1-2-8
Derek Bibby 5-8
Sunday Mersey Series
Derek Bibby 3-7-0
Jimmy Gannon 12-0
Ray Boden 10-0
Disabled & Over 60's
Lenny Dutton 7-8-0
George Barber 6-8-0
Jimmy Byrne 6-2-0
Bud Lea 3-15-0
COMING EVENTS:
SATURDAY
Mersey Saturday Sweepstake draw 9am through iron gates at Mersey Walk
SUNDAY
Mersey Sunday Series draw 9am through iron gates at Mersey Walk
MONDAY
Disabled & Over 60's Draw 10am at Walton Church. Contact John Dagnall 01925 630765.
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