31st March 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

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31st March 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes.

It was really great to meet so many of our members on our stand at the Northern Angling Show this past weekend and of course to welcome those new ones who joined at the show. It was a cracking show and we had a good number of complimentary comments about our stand which was down to our volunteer display team. There was plenty of banter and the usual mickey taking to accompany the countless cups of coffee which seemed to keep our guys on their feet. One of the team, no names mentioned, went for a walk around the show and came back with what must have been the heaviest bivvy imaginable. One thing in its favour was that it would have stood up to the gales we experienced earlier this week. Anyway hopefully see you all there next year.

Tony Cope fished on Big Sandiway last week but the carp failed to get their heads down, however he avoided a blank as he ended up with nine tench with the best at 8lbs. All were caught at 100yards. Despite the secret squirrel attitude I am reliably informed that carp are being caught from both lakes borne out by our members numerous repeat visits as I am certain that they are not merely camping.

What a difference a day makes as Neil Plunkett will testify when after seeing the pressure dropping and no hard frost he thought he would have another try at High Legh Fisheries following his last couple of blanks.  The result was that he caught ten carp by lunch time all taken on corn or pepperami using a small method feeder. There are no monsters in this pocket sized fishery and all fish were between about 3 and 5lbs but in great condition. No need for bite alarms with 90 Degree wrap round bites on the tip and a very happy angler.

When I wrote in last week's column in relation to our Monday Disabled & Over 60's match 'A change of venue next week to the Trent & Mersey at Whatcroft could prove interesting' I could argue that I was right, but honestly the end result was not what I had in mind when Jimmy Byrne made it his third win in succession with only 12-12 (yes, 12oz 12drams) of tiny gudgeon. Runner-up was Bud Lea with 12-9 and not a roach caught in the whole match. Needless to say they are back on the Bridgewater for Easter Monday's match as several sayings sprung to mind, better the devil you know or the grass is always greener etc.

A reminder that members must have paid their membership fees before fishing or visiting our fisheries. No pay, no play.

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 on Good Friday between 7 & 9pm for subscriptions, new memberships/night permits, and any queries.  

Frank Lythgoe  

RESULTS:

Disabled & Over 60's

1. Jimmy Byrne                12-12

2. Bud Lea                           12-9

3. Lenny Dutton                   8-7

4. Geoff Brooks                    7-13

   COMING EVENTS:

   EASTER MONDAY

   Disabled & Over 60's Bridgewater Canal Draw 10am on bank Keckwick Hill Bridge. Contact John Dagnall 01925 630765.

24th March 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Column

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24th March 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes.

It seems that our recent stocking at our Offa's Dyke Fisheries have had the desired effect when on Sunday member Phil Smith made the trip from Congleton to have a rewarding session catching good numbers of silvers plus eight carp up to 8lbs. The following day Malcolm Wynne fished the middle pool with waggler tactics feeding micro-pellet with corn or maggot on the hook. He ended his session with seven chub all between 2 to 3lbs, a mirror, a nice crucian, and a few small roach. Mal commented, "It's a cracking little place and the more we fish there the better it will get." The complex which consists of three pools with the two either side of the car park well stocked is definitely worth a visit.

George Moore managed to end the river season on a high with a cracking pike of 23-8-0 caught on float fished sprat. He almost doubled the size of his previous week's catch of 12-8-0. Don't forget the coarse fish season on rivers is now closed and anglers caught ignoring the law will face heavy fines. Both our bailiffs and those of the Environment Agency will be carrying out regular patrols.

Our Monday Disabled & Over 60's match was fished on the Bridgewater Canal at Walton near the A56 Toast Rack Bridge. On form Jimmy Byrne made it his second win in as many weeks with exactly 6lbs of roach and skimmers on pole and bead punch. Second placed George Barber on the same method weighed in 4-11-14. This popular series boasts some good banter and friendly exchanges which means an enjoyable day even if the fishing isn't always up to scratch. A change of venue next week to the Trent & Mersey at Whatcroft could prove interesting.

Last Friday we held our AGM as usual at Grappenhall Ex-Servicemen's Club where I informed our members of the resignation of our Chairman Chris Grehan due to his continued ill health. He has remained in post with some encouragement from me until he could no longer continue however Chris is still involved in our Association affairs. He took over as Chairman in January 1994 so he has given the best part of 21 years' service to Warrington Anglers Association which I am certain is more than appreciated by members. Your new Chairman is Dave Robinson who has been an active member the committee since April 1994 and was our Head Bailiff for a number of years.

A reminder that members must have paid their membership fees before fishing or visiting our fisheries. No pay, no play.

Don't forget to visit our stand at the Northern angling Show to be held this weekend, see you there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26r_-v5TCNI

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:

Disabled & Over 60's

1. Jimmy Byrne                  6-0-0

2. George Barber              4-11-14

3. Lenny Dutton                4-9-0

4. Pete Critchley                4-5-6

   COMING EVENTS:

   MONDAY

   Disabled & Over 60's Trent & Mersey Canal Draw 10am on bank Whatcroft. Contact John Dagnall 01925 630765.

    

17th March 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

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17th March 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes.

Eric Smith set himself a target this year of catching some big roach but to no avail as the specimens had so far eluded him.  A trip to Little Sandiway on Sunday to try and snare some of the big silvers that reside there fared no better as he didn't see a sign of a roach all day. However the trip was not a complete failure as other species took a liking to his spodded mixture of liquidized bread, hemp, and dead maggots. Eric's first three casts produced mirror carp of 17-4-0, 12-0-0, and 17-6-0, but after thinking he was going to empty the place he didn't get a touch for the next six hours. The idea of going home to a hot meal was soon forgotten when he started to get liners, the end result was three bream all around the 7lbs mark in the next hour. All the fish were landed on a maggot feeder rig using two dead red maggots as hookbait. Eric commented, "The most impressive thing about the day was the condition of the fish, the bream looked good but the carp were stunning."

With only a couple of days to go before the Close Season Ralph Bennett decided on a trip to the River Vyrnwy at Llansantffraid and although he hadn't fished on the venue for several years it turned out to be the right choice. Alternating single or double maggot on an 18's hook fished under a red topped 5BB waggler just tripping bottom in his 5ft deep swim he soon had the dace competing for his bait.  Ralph ended his visit on a high because on top of the 30 to 40 dace and grayling he caught he also landed a specimen PB chub of 5-12-0 which is a cracking fish from any river.  Needless to say he had the river to himself which whilst great for anglers such as Ralph it is sad that other members don't realise what they are missing.

Neil Plunkett squeezed in a visit on Wednesday to his favourite fishery, The Mount at Buckley only to suffer his first ever blank there made worse by aggressive Canada geese attacking him on his peg and to add insult to injury his swim was plagued by suicidal moorhens attacking his bait and rig in formation dives. The following day Neil went to Grey Mist for a quick session where as luck would have it the tench were feeding and he landed half a dozen of the olive green red eyed beauties. All were over 5lbs, were in great shape, and fought like crazy. All were caught on maggot feeder tactics, double red maggot plus an artificial on the hook.

I had a walk around the Mist on Saturday before meeting up with our working party volunteers who were hard at it clearing swims, undergrowth, and litter. I bumped into an old mate of mine Vinny Edwards who was really bagging up on tench, hooking into several as I watched with envy. He even found the time to put right novice angler Sid Ryant who as a result was absolutely made up when he then started catching a few fish. Vinny ended up with around twenty plump tench all taken on feeder and maggot. Surely Grey Mist must rate amongst the best tench fisheries in the country.

Our Saturday Mersey Sweepstake was the last one until the 16^th June as our rivers were closed for coarse angling on the 14^th March for a period of 60 days. The river was way below form due to cold overnight rain and winner Lee Clarke was the only angler to break the 1lb barrier with 1-1-0  made up of a skimmer and a couple of small roach. He was followed by Jim Gannon who weighed 14ozs. Fish caught on maggot and groundbait feeder. Many thanks to match organiser Ray Boden for keeping the series going throughout the season.

 Our Monday Disabled & Over 60's match returned to Preston Brook following the previous week's good results. Pegged from the old Neptune Moorings Club (now apartments) towards the tunnel it again turned out to be the right choice. Match winner Jimmy Byrne clocked up a winning weight of 8-5-0 made up of roach and skimmers taken on the pole and punch bread. Graham Belton drawn next to the winner was the runner-up with 7-14-0. The average weight was over 3.5lbs despite two DNW's.

On Monday our netting team were out again and stocked a mix of roach, hybrids, rudd, and skimmers into Offa's Dyke Fisheries. Now tell me you can't get a bite there!

Don't forget to visit our stand at the Northern angling Show to be held on the 28^th & 29^th March, see you there https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26r_-v5TCNI

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

1. Lee Clark                          1-1-0

2. Jim Gannon                       14-0

3. Ade Green                         11-04

4. Paul Harding                       7-0

   Disabled & Over 60's

1. Jimmy Byrne                  8-5-0

2. Graham Belton              7-14-8

3. Bud Lea                           7-0-0

4. George Hollis                 5-14-10

   COMING EVENTS:

   MONDAY

   Disabled & Over 60's Bridgewater Canal Draw 10am St Peters Church near Walton Arms. Contact John Dagnall 01925 630765.

10th March 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

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10th March 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes.

Saturdays Mersey Sweepstake was won by Jimmy Byrnes with 3-12-8 of roach taken on groundbait feeder and maggot. Match organiser Ray Boden was the runner-up using the same method with a similar catch for 2-3-0. Ray was in the money again the following day winning the Mersey Sunday Series although with the lower weight of 1-6-8. It was good to see second placed Paul Harding in the frame again after an absence, albeit with a meagre 10oz. Lee Clark had an adrenalin rush when he hooked into a decent fish that turned out to be a pike of 12lbs but unfortunately they do not count in matches. Don't forget this coming Saturdays match is the last one for ninety days as the river is closed to coarse fishing the following day until the 16^th June.

A change of venue for our Monday Disabled & Over 60's match which was paper pegged between the A56 Bridge at Preston Brook towards the tunnel turned out the best results of the winter. Winner Dennis Bates must go on record as having the best ever canal end peg draw being a good hundred yards away from the next angler due to overhead power lines. He made the most of it putting 7-12-0 of roach on the scales caught on pole and bread punch. Pete Critchley who was that next angler also took advantage of the distance between them and wasn't too far behind with a roach and skimmer net of 7-9-8. The lowest weight in the match was 3lbs plus and the average just over 5.25lbs. Needless to say there is a return to the venue this coming week.

Neil Plunkett has been busy these past couple of weeks fitting in several lure fishing sessions for pike on the Bridgewater and Trent & Mersey Canals that brought some measure of success with half a dozen fish. He also managed to clock up his first ever blank during a bream fishing session at Rixton Claypits following this with a trip to Moore Quarry where changing back to lure fishing he clocked up his first ever fish from the venue with a small pike of 7lbs.

Just a reminder to all anglers that under no circumstances are they allowed non-members as visitors to our fisheries to which there is no public access. Similarly anglers night fishing and 'entertaining' on our waters stand to lose their licence, if you want to party instead of fish then go elsewhere and camp, but not on our property.

Don't forget to visit our stand at the Northern angling Show to be held on the 28^th & 29^th March, see you there https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26r_-v5TCNI

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

1. Jimmy Byrnes                  3-12-8

2. Ray Boden                        2-3-0

3. Alan Morris                      1-6-0

4. Pete Jones                        1-1-0

   Sunday Mersey Series

1. Ray Boden                            1-6-8

2. Paul Harding                          10-0

3. Derek Bibby/Roy Everson      4-0

   Disabled & Over 60's

1. Dennis Bates             7-12-0

2. Pete Critchley           7-9-8

3. Alan Brown               6-5-0

4. Bud Lea                      6-0-12

   COMING EVENTS:

   SATURDAY

   Mersey Saturday Sweepstake draw 9am through iron gates at Mersey Walk

   MONDAY

   Disabled & Over 60's Draw 10am on bank at Preston Brook (pegged A56 Br to tunnel). Contact John Dagnall 01925 630765.

3rd March 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

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3rd March 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes.

Stuart Peters cancelled his trip to the Dee on Sunday due to the high water levels and decided to switch to the River Dane for the first time in a decade. It turned out to be a fair choice as he spent an enjoyable morning roving using bread and cheese paste. He fished three pegs towards the upstream limit and the same number at the bottom of the stretch. He finished his session with four chub more or less peas in a pod ranging from 3 to 3.25lbs and a cracking grayling of 1-10-0.

I had a run to a flooded Cicily Mill Pool on Sunday and had a chat to two hardy anglers who although enjoying the pleasant surroundings were doing zilch. However Noel Pennington had already stuck it out dead baiting for pike and decided on a switch to target less toothy quarry. He introduced a PVA bag of corn and pellet and bingo just as we were discussing the merits of the fishery he was into a fish. A bream of a couple of pounds was soon in his net which I believe will cost his mate (a fair weather angler who stayed at home) a pint as he reckoned Noel wouldn't catch.

Some decent pike have been reported from our stretches on the Mersey where Bernard Anderson from Warrington Tackle & Guns enjoyed some good sport catching nine fish over two days. All fish fell to dead bait with a pic showing the biggest a cracking specimen weighing in at 19-2-0.

Last week our stocking at Offa's Dyke Fisheries went well which saw 40 mixed mirrors and commons averaging 8lbs plus 40 of a similar mix around the 3lbs mark. On the same day at Sandiway Lakes the 4 commons and 4 mirrors averaging 18-4-0 with the biggest a common at 20-4-0 were equally shared between the two. A member fishing at the time who was helping chose the larger fish for the 53acre water. Our netting the following day saw Offa's Dyke benefit by over 800 –   almost 1000lbs   of roach and rudd plus over 100lbs of skimmers and hybrids.

Jimmy Gannon needed only 1-8-0 made up of four roach caught on groundbait feeder to win our Saturday River Mersey match. Sport wasn't exactly hectic and second placed Alan Morris picked up money in runner-up spot with only a meagre 8ozs. Next day's match saw a slight slightly improvement and saw Derek Bibby boost the money he picked up the previous day, winning with 2-13-0 made up of a bonus skimmer and roach for 2-13-0. He was followed by match organiser Ray Boden on 1-14-0. We can only hope sport improves as the close season will be on us in less than a fortnight.

 If you thought the Mersey was bad the Bridgewater canal was dire and saw Bud Lea win with only 1-4-9. Alan Brown on the next peg cruelly missed the winning by an ounce with 1-3-8.

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

1. Jimmy Gannon                  1-8-0

2. Alan Morris                           8-0

3. Derek Bibby                          4-0

   Sunday Mersey Series

1. Derek Bibby                  2-13-0

2. Ray Boden                     1-14-0

3. Jimmy Gannon             1-6-0

   Disabled & Over 60's

1. Jimmy Byrne             3-14-4

2. George Barber          2-13-2

3. Lenny Dutton            2-8-12

4. Stu Pattinson            2-1-0

   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.