Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

31st March 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

A late report from Steve Lowe before the fishery closures from his visit to Worthington Reservoirs where he set up his tip rod and began fishing the feeder alternating between maggot and sweet corn. The first hour was slow with just a few small roach and perch but he was nevertheless happy in his surroundings where he could admire the scenery and wildfowl, particularly the herons and the great crested grebes that had paired up for the breeding season. Steve decided to change tack and starting fishing steamed bread on a size 12's about 20 yards out where during the next two hours he caught five roach up to 1lb, two hybrids, the largest being about 2 lb and four bream in the 3lb plus range. Calling it a day he packed up his tackle and drinking one last cuppa vowed to return the following week for another session. However, fate intervened so like the rest of our members Steve will have to live off that memory until normality returns.

With the understandable zero reports I decided that I would dredge my archive reports, so this one is from 16^th June 2009 sent in by member Keith Green who enjoyed his session on Moore Quarry when he caught leather carp of 15-5-0 and 17-9-0 and a grass carp of 24-4-0.

Steve Plant sent me a tench catch report from Big Sandiway caught during his early morning session between 5am and 8-30am on Sunday 28^th June 2009. The first fish, a new PB at 9lbs exactly, the second 8-13-0, and the smallest according to Steve 'the best looking' at 8-7-0. All fish were caught on feeder fished red maggot. I still have the pictures of these stunning fish….great memories.

Many thanks to our bailiffs and other member volunteers who live within walking distance to many of our fisheries and are regularly keeping their eye on them to ensure nothing is amiss. Thanks also to members of the public who have reported to me anyone they have seen angling, needless to say their information was passed to the police.

I did make mention last week of the old close season when all fisheries were closed from March 14^th to June the 16^th to coarse fishing so a lot of us have been in this position before and then it wasn't the end of the world, just a time when all gardening and household jobs got done.

WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street remains closed on Friday evenings until further notice. If you need any further information please give me a call or email as below.

Due our fishery closures any of your notable past catches or amusing angling stories are welcome. They will hopefully surprise or entertain fellow members whilst the country is in lock-down. Email frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or give me a ring on 01928 716238.

Frank Lythgoe

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14th March 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

24th March 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

As a result of the current Government Covid-19 Directive backed up by the Angling Trust governing body advice all our fisheries were closed to angling from Monday 23^rd March 2020 until further notice. We had one idiot (other words spring to mind) set-up the next night at Appleton Reservoir, obviously he had no thought for his safety or that of others and does not deserve to belong to any angling club. OUR FISHERIES ARE ALL CLOSED TO ANGLING.

Our governing body may make representations to the government at the three weeks review stage but the situation remains as is until there are any published changes. The bottom line is that it's far more important to stay at home, keep safe, and help beat this virus.

A blast from the past and most of the younger anglers won't remember but it is almost like turning the clock back about 25 years when all fisheries were closed from March 14^th to June the 16^th but with the difference that then was when all the work took place to repair pegs etc whereas now we are confined to barracks.

However, there were a few lucky anglers who timed it right and managed to fit in a fishing visit before we closed all our waters on Monday evening. Roy Hawksey fished at Statham Pool hours before in idyllic weather for the time of the year and reported a catch of a few roach plus a pike. After a break of fifteen years from Warrington Anglers septuagenarian member Richard Lowton decided to have a couple of hours at Ackers Pit on Friday to try and get back into the swing of things. He pole-fished at three metres with single red maggot on a 20's hook to 2.6lb hook length and didn't get a bite for the first hour. He switched to pinkie and started to catch some small roach. Despite the chilly conditions Richard thoroughly enjoyed his first day out as a returning WAA member.

Ray Boden's Sunday Bridgewater Canal match at Boothstown saw more cracking catches with the maestro again taking the winner's purse with 10-5-0 of roach plus half a dozen rudd for good measure. Ray fished the pole at 11metres alternating between caster and bread punch. Neil Davies took second place weighing in 7-14-0 of roach using the same method. Chris Wray had 3-4-0 but lost two good bream.

Our Monday Disabled and Over 60's Match was held on Woodshaw Reservoir where fourteen regulars practicing 'social distancing' turned up on a lovely sunny day but with the usual freezing biting wind that seems to inhabit this fishery. Match organiser Jimmy Byrne capitalised on knowledge gleaned from his recent practise visits with a weight of 4-11-0 made up of two crucians plus about twenty roach taken on red maggot between eight and eleven metres. Stu Gibson was in second place also with a brace of crucians plus fifteen roach for 4-2-12 caught on a small groundbait feeder and maggot. There was a match within a match and a battle royal between brothers Ray and George Hollis where they were catching fish for fish until Ray got the better of his sibling with 3-1-8. Well done Ray😊

WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street remains closed on Friday evenings until further notice. If you need any further information please give me a call or email as below.

Due our fishery closures there will be no current catch reports so any notable past catch or amusing angling stories are welcome as there is not a lot happening. They will hopefully surprise or entertain fellow members whilst the country is in lock-down. Email frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or give me a ring on 01928 716238.

Frank Lythgoe

RESULTS:

Sunday:

Bridgewater Canal, Boothstown.

1)      Ray Boden             10-5-0

2)      Neil Davies              7-14-0

3)      Chris Ray                 3-4-0

Monday:         

Disabled & Over 60's.

1)      Jimmy Byrne        4-11-0

2)      Stu Gibson            4-2-12

3)      Roy Hollis              3-1-8

4)      George Hollis       2-12-10

ALL MATCHES CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE:

 

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17th March 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

17th March 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street are now closed on Friday evenings until further notice. Members can still pay their subscription or night permit either by posting through the office door enclosing their membership book, cheque, and stamped addressed envelope or posting direct to: - Warrington Anglers Association, 52 Parker Street, Warrington WA1 1LT. Similarly, new members can download a form from our website and do the same as we are currently trying to direct all mail to our HQ. New members can of course still join online but night permits are only available as above. If you need any further information please give me a call or email as below.

Also, in the interests of members/volunteer's safety with regard to Covid-19 our AGM scheduled for Thursday 19^th March at Grappenhall British Legion has been postponed until further notice.

The current flooded conditions on some waters is undoubtedly increasing pressure on others. As a result, the committee have decided that anyone fishing night sessions and due to leave the water must do so by 12noon to make it fairer and easier for fellow members to find an available peg.  

There are a number of our fisheries that suffer annually from flooded and muddy banks such as Cicily Mill Pool and Statham Pool but unprecedented in my seventy plus years of fishing it has never included Grey Mist Mere. Now we have had members giving their views of collapsed drains being the cause however quite simply the drains are fine and have been rodded out with the water flowing into the River Mersey as intended when Biffa altered the design from a cast pipe to plastic.  The reality of the situation is the sheer volume of water entering our fishery coupled with sustained high river levels which then obviously close the clapper valve holding back the flow. Dry weather and normal river levels needed😊

Ray Boden's recently organised canal match at Boothstown saw some cracking results with Ray heading the field with a net of roach caught on bread and caster for 13-12-0. Chris Grehan fishing the same method with two swims at 9 and 11metres was in second place with 11-4-0 and reckoned he could have 'done' the  winner if it hadn't been for a disaster when his top pole sections blew into the canal just at the time he was getting 'one a chuck' resulting in over half an hour wasted with its retrieval. That's fishing.

The Monday Disabled and Over 60's Match was back this week on the Bridgewater Canal at Walton which saw seventeen hardy regulars turn up. Although everybody caught the fish were tiny and the winner Bud Lee had just over fifteen fish for 1-1-8 caught on pinkie and bread punch. George Hollis was the runner-up with less than an ounce separating him with 1-0-12. Jimmy Byrne has had a few recent visits to our Woodshaw Reservoir fishery when members have been catching roach, skimmers, and the occasional crucian so that's where its all happening on Monday.

ANY REPORTS at this time of the year are welcome as there is not a lot happening, so good, bad, or indifferent they will help fellow members to plan any trips to the bankside. Email frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or give me a ring on 01928 716238.

Frank Lythgoe

RESULTS:

Sunday:

Bridgewater Canal, Boothstown.

1)      Ray Boden             13-12-0

2)      Chris Grehan         11-4-0

3)      Neil Buist                 8-8-0

4)      Chris Ray                 6-10-0

Monday:         

Disabled & Over 60's.

1)      Bud Lee                 1-1-8

2)      George Hollis       1-0-12

3)      Ray Boden             0-13-8

4)      Mike Worley         0-11-6

COMING EVENTS:

SUNDAY:

Bridgewater Canal Boothstown, draw 9-30am opposite The Moorings Pub M28 1YB. Book on at Warrington Tackle & Guns 01925 823441.

MONDAY:

Disabled & Over 60's draw 10am Woodshaw Reservoir, Wigan.

 

Virus-free. www.avg.com

10th March 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

10th March 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

Looks like the tench fishing at Grey Mist is switching on early as usual with a number of fish reported in the flooded conditions, notably fish of 5-10-0 and 6-2-0 which kicked off Charlie Graylings start to 2020 for these olive coloured beauties. Despite the secrecy I am informed that carp are also on the feed.

Mike McCarthy caught a couple of small carp from the Mount at Buckley where he reckons that there are only about four swims fishable due to flooded conditions. I hear that some members are doing the opposite of a rain dance in the hope that things improve!

There was a hurriedly organised match on the Mersey on Sunday which saw eleven turn out at short notice. Jimmy Byrne was the winner with a hybrid and roach for 2-1-0 caught on ground-bait feeder and maggot. Derek Bibby was second with 1-8-0.   

The Monday Disabled and Over 60's Match moved this week to the Trent & Mersey Canal at Billinge in the hope that catches would improve. Fourteen hopefuls turned out and all caught fish but they were mainly tiny gudgeon and roach. Match organiser Jimmy Byrne was the winner with forty gudgeon and small roach for a weight of 0-14-0, less than a third of the previous week's 3-3-0 from Hough's Bridge. Richie Baker was second with 0-9-10. Never mind, back on the Bridgewater at Walton next week.

ANY REPORTS at this time of the year are welcome as there is not a lot happening, so good, bad, or indifferent they will help fellow members to plan any trips to the bankside. Email frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or give me a ring on 01928 716238.

WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street are open as usual every Friday between 7 & 9pm. New members are welcome to call in and join, current ones can renew their subscription, or night permit. 

Frank Lythgoe

RESULTS:

Sunday:

Mersey Match.

1)      Jimmy Byrne          2-1-0

2)      Derek Bibby           1-8-0

3)      Stu Gibson             1-3-0

Monday:         

Disabled & Over 60's.

1)      Jimmy Byrne        0-14-0

2)      Richie Baker         0-9-10

3)      Ron Durr               0-6-0

4)      Geoff Brooks        0-5-10

COMING EVENTS:

SUNDAY:

Bridgewater Canal Boothstown, draw 9-30am opposite The Moorings Pub M28 1YB. Book on at Warrington Tackle & Guns 01925 823441.

MONDAY:

Disabled & Over 60's draw 10am on bank Bridgewater Canal, Walton.

Virus-free. www.avg.com

3rd March 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

3^rd March 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

Despite the inclement weather conditions our working party volunteers were out again on Tuesday at Grey Mist tidying up pegs and carrying out as much work as they could on this flooded fishery. This is a regular event every Tuesday and all members are welcome, simply turn up. One keen member even travelled from Rochdale to volunteer his services.  One of our volunteers is certainly leaving his mark on Phoenix Park Lake with his new pegs, thanks Lucas. Anyone who fancies helping out please contact me. Likewise, there is a working party on every Thursday at Sandiway Lakes for those who are interested in helping to improve their fishery, if you have some time to give you may even enjoy it.

The Bridgewater Canal is heavily coloured from Preston Brook throughout the Warrington area but the Manchester end is clear as is the norm in winter conditions with the greatly reduced narrow boat traffic. Exactly the reason Les Green decided on Sunday to try his luck near Edge Lane where he pinned his hopes on legered sprat that he had treated with his own mix hoping to connect with a pike or two. A Couple of hours and a move brought nothing and Les had decided to call it a day when suddenly it was game on and he was playing a decent fish. Result a stunning pike of 14-12-0.

Our Monday Disabled and Over 60's Match fished on the Bridgewater Canal at Houghs Bridge was won this week by Bud Lee with an all roach catch for 3-3-0 taken on pole and pinkie. Ray Boden took second place with a weight of 2-15-2.

ANY REPORTS at this time of the year are welcome as there is not a lot happening, so good, bad, or indifferent they will help fellow members to plan any trips to the bankside. Email frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or give me a ring on 01928 716238.

WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street are open as usual every Friday between 7 & 9pm. New members are welcome to call in and join, current ones can renew their subscription, or night permit. 

Frank Lythgoe

RESULTS:

Monday:         

Disabled & Over 60's.

1)      Bud Lee                3-3-0

2)      Ray Boden           2-15-2

3)      Roy Hollis             1-7-6

4)      Stan Charnock     1-7-4

COMING EVENTS:

SUNDAY:

Mersey Series: No match until weather improves.

MONDAY:

Disabled & Over 60's Trent & Mersey Canal, Billinge.