28th April, 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

28th April 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

Picked from my archive reports:-

This week I have gone back to some of my columns written in 2001 where Geoff Gauton was mentioned in my report of 11^th April. He was a past WAA Head Bailiff, Committee member, but sadly past away last year. He was also an active member of the PAC and reckoned that the Bridgewater Canal was without doubt the best specimen pike fishery in the Northwest. He stated that the proof of the pudding was a string of double figure fish over recent weeks. On Tuesday the 10^th his legered oil injected sardine accounted for a cracking brace weighing in at 25-12-0 and 19-0-0 from the Lumb Brook area. Both came from a featureless peg, one caught on the far shelf and the other from the towpath margin.

The same week after a short session Ian Davidson was well satisfied with his catch of 13lbs and 15lbs mirror carp from Grey Mist. As he was leaving his swim a youngster took over his peg and asked Ian to cast out for him. Within minutes an 11lbs mirror took the offered boilie! The best catch of the week went to Jes Steel who caught mirrors of 23-8-0, 21-0-0, and 11-0-0. I wonder how many of these carp are still present?

Members were catching tench at Rixton Claypits and reported that plenty of fish were moving in the margins. It rained all day during Martin Stuart's visit but he was still singing the praises of the fishery after netting a 20lbs mirror taken on a Peach Melba boilie. Woodshaw Reservoir was producing small roach and perch with the occasional crucian starting to show as the weather improved.

Whilst on the small 17.5 lake at Sandiway tench were predominant plus a few bream. I reported that a member fishing this lake had included three specimen rudd in his catch. They were all like peas in a pod at around 2lbs plus apiece and took float-fished corn from one of the few dry swims near the car park. With the flooded conditions members were advised to take a platform and waders! The following week Eddie Cardus legered double pinkie over a bed of groundbait and caster to take some decent tench. The water was still so high that he was fishing from the car park area.

On 25^th April I reported that the specimen catch that week must go to member Tony Fielding. He was fishing on our 53acre lake at Sandiway targeting carp with boilies when he connected with a bite that soon saw a massive bream of 15-2-0 in his landing net. Truly a fish of a lifetime. Prior to this he had already caught slabs of 8lbs and 9-8-0 plus a tench of over 7lbs.

Some of the 'youngsters' mentioned in the below results from the Andrew Davies Memorial Match that was fished at Euclid Avenue on Saturday 21^st April 2001 will have grown some since then. What are you all up to now?

Back to present day and the fact that members who wish to join the Warrington Anglers Facebook Group must register and agree to the group rules and provide their name as it appears on our database and their current membership number to be accepted.

Thanks to those members who reported persons fishing this past week to the police on their 101 number. I live in hopes there were some prosecutions as a result as it is the only way these people will learn. We are logging incident numbers and outcomes so would members please take a note of the number and email it to me.

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

Match Results:

Andrew Davies Memorial Match Series (Bridgewater Canal, Euclid Avenue):

1)      Dale Lowndes    3-7-0

2)      Neil Jones           3-4-0

3)      Paul Savage        2-7-10

4)      Steven Hirst       1-6-10

21st April 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Column

21st April 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

I am continuing to pick from my archive reports:

However, this week I am starting with the current situation where irresponsible idiots think that it is alright for them to fish and that the Government Covid-19 restrictions do not apply to them. On Tuesday two chancers were found fishing on Moore Quarry whilst earlier in the day I reported three to the police for fishing on the Sankey St Helens Canal at Carterhouse. I really hope that the police fully exercise their authority to prosecute these persons in every case.

This same week in 2019 Dave Stansfield managed to slot in a brief two-and-a-half-hour session on Budworth Mere on the Wednesday where he half expected to 'be going through the motions' but at least he would be out in the fresh air. Well, with expectations not too high his catch of eleven decent roach with one he estimated at around the 1.5lbs mark plus a single bream were very welcome. Dave fished a heavy groundbait feeder and double red maggot.

Seven days later Grey Mist proved irresistible to returning member Bill Stanley who christened his new membership after a thirty-year absence from WAA with a PB tench of 5-12-0 and followed this up with a 6-10-0 specimen. A smaller one of 4-8-0 followed but then his PB went again for the third time with a fish of 7-6-0. He was very appreciative of fellow anglers who kindly put him on the right method and caught all his fish on maggot. Bill commented, "All in all a spectacular introduction to WAA."

Also Tom Fahey had a half-decent day on Grey Mist but unfortunately, he had to cut the session short when his bed-chair collapsed and he injured his back. But not before catching a 21-3-0 mirror topped by another of 26-4-0 plus a tench just under 7lb. All caught on Sticky Baits Krill boilies.

This piece is an account by member Steve Cox who in the mid-to-late seventies fished the Bridgewater Canal fairly regularly. He used simple float tactics with maggot or bread as bait. Roach were the main target and a 10oz fish was a good one. During one session he connected with something that was definitely not a roach. In fact, it snapped his 2 lb. bottom with ease so he stepped up to 2.5 lb straight through and managed to hang on the next fish for a minute or two but lost it under a moored boat. Determined not to be beaten the following weekend he was back on the canal in the same swim armed with a spinning rod and 4lb. reel line tied direct a size 10 hook and a basic leger rig. He fished with a big piece of bread on the hook as close as he could to the far bank. It wasn't long before the bottle top he was using as a bite indictor shot up and the strike met solid resistance. The fish shot up and down the canal for a couple of minutes but was soon lying in his landing net. His first ever carp and absolutely chuffed even though it was only about 2lb. in weight. Over the next three- or four-years Steve frequently fished the Bridgewater for carp. The fish got bigger every year and soon his luncheon meat was being taken by fish around 8 or 9lb and most visits resulted in two or three in a session. He longed to catch a double and eventually landed one of exactly 11lb not far from where he had landed his very first carp.

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

Virus-free. www.avg.com

14th April 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

14^th April 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

I am continuing to pick from my archive reports:

Jeff Mowbray kicked off my 27^th April 2010 column when he had caught the 'Cicily Common' once again after first banking this famous fish almost a month ago to the day. Reports are that he also had two other carp of 17 and 20lbs in the same session. Skimmers and tench were still providing the main sport at this popular venue but with the warmer weather more crucians were showing up in catches.

In my 25^th May 2010 column Adam Whelan was more than happy with his catches that past week from two of our fisheries, namely Sandiway Lakes and Rixton Claypits. At Sandiway he had beaten his personal best tench three times with fish of 8-1-0, 8-4-0, and 9-0-0 amongst a catch which included three over 7lbs as well as one over six. Not to be outdone his dad Paul also had a PB of 8-8-0. At Rixton in addition to tench he had two common carp both doubles, the best weighing in at 22-8-0.

Paul Wynne and his brother in law Phil Hancock also got amongst the tench at Grey Mist Mere on Tuesday 25th when after a first light start Phil opened his account with a 6-2-0 fish closely followed by one of 5-2-0. After a change from the float to a maggot feeder Paul lost two large fish at the net before landing his first at 4-12-0 beating his PB by 4ounces. It then just got better as he followed this by six further fish each increasing in size to a specimen of 7-7-0.

On Wednesday 25^th August 2010 one of our bailiffs was very impressed by Chris Moulton who was fishing near him when he witnessed the youngster hook and land his first ever Grey Mist carp. When he went to assist Chris's legs were shaking but he played the fish perfectly and more importantly, handled it with total care. The fish was one of the older fish and weighed 15 ½ lbs. He then went on to catch another fish of 14 lbs again one of the old ones. To cap it all he then came to our bailiff's swim and advised him where he should be casting!!... Brilliant! Chris was awarded a Korda fish care kit to mark the occasion.

We had a really nice report from one of our members Nicholas Cole in my 27^th October 2010 column about the kindness of a fellow member, a chap called Pete, who not only passed on tips about fishing the Ribble but allowed Nicholas who had never caught a salmon himself to have a go at playing and feeling the power of the salmon he hooked which turned out to be a nice fifteen pounder.

Graham Collings fished Rixton Claypits on Sunday 27^th March 2011 and had a super looking mirror of 21-12-0 followed the next day with a 13-8-0 common. So at least the carp here were feeding with quite a few spotted in the margins. Other members reported tench to 6lbs and bream to 5lbs.

Back to present times and member Neil Plunket is lucky in that he is ideally placed to include three of our fisheries in a variety of his daily exercise walks. He reports that the Bridgewater has roach topping everywhere and seen perch chasing small fish plus a couple of pike strikes along the bankside. At Ackers pit lots of fish topping including carp and Statham Pool looks well with carp visible, including a couple of quite large ornamental koi which have materialised. Certainly not our doing!!!

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

7th April 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

7^th April 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

With the current Covid-19 ban on angling I am continuing to dredge my archive reports:

Terry Coulson joined Warrington Anglers in 2008 and on Wednesday 29th August that year sent me the following report: - I thought I would let you know how I have got on since joining. On Monday of this week I fished Rixton clay pits after pike but unfortunately caught nothing, however, I then moved on to Moore Quarry and caught 3 small pike the biggest 4lb. I only use lures as I like stalking tactics, I also had 2 reasonable perch. On Wednesday I decided to fish the river Ribble at Hurst Green, on arriving at the river I met up with two other members who directed me to a pool downstream stating, "If you are after pike, that's where they are supposed to be."  When I reached the spot, I put on my biggest lure on and cast it into the pool, no luck on that cast. However, on my second cast I thought I had hooked the bottom until my reel started screaming and a massive pike started tail walking across the river. What a fight, I ended up landing a beauty of 26lb 4oz beating my previous best of 15lb 4oz.

Ian Broadhurst enjoyed a visit to Wide Hole on Sunday 6^th July 2008 where he fished a small groundbait feeder and single maggot and was catching roach to 8oz from the off. He decided to have his butties and drew in his rod but first put in four hefty balls of groundbait laced with maggots before eating. Fifteen minutes later he cast in again and almost immediately his tip shot round but it obviously wasn't a roach this time and soon a bream about two pounds lay in his landing followed by eleven others.  

Adam Bohen fished Arley on the Worthington Lakes complex on Friday 18^th September 2009 and had a fantastic day with around 40 bream and skimmer bream all between 2 to 4lb plus some perch and small roach. All were caught on feeder with double maggot or chopped worm on the hook. Despite the lake looking like pea soup in the morning due to the algae.

With the Mersey being in flood on Sunday 26^th October 2008 the match was transferred at the last minute to Appleton Reservoir where the anglers fished from the wall. Martin Griffiths was the easy winner with a weight of 25-6-0 of roach taken on the whip at 6 metres to hand loose-feeding maggot. Neil Buist took second place fishing a small groundbait feeder and maggot for 18-5-0. Thirteen anglers fished with an average catch of over 14lbs. Match organiser Bob Campbell reckoned that the lads wouldn't mind if the river was in flood every other week!

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

Virus-free. www.avg.com