29th November 2022 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

29th November 2022 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

James Shimmon had a good day's sport on The Mount at Buckley on Friday, and was more than happy at this time of the year with his catch of six carp. Four were in single figures weight-wise, a 13lb common and a 12lb mirror on his last cast to top the day off. He tempted four fish on Mainline cell boilies and two on DNA baits gear.

Ian Grainger reports a catch of four perch from the Trent & Mersey Canal along the Farm Road stretch. He was drop shotting with tiny lures and four perch isn't a bad catch, but even better when two of them were over a pound topped by one just nudging the 2lb mark.

The Sunday Mersey Series this week drawn at Victoria Park and again saw the river carrying a lot of extra water making it a heavy feeder event, although a few tried the float. Kevin Hall who was back on the river for the first time this year drew peg 31 and made it pay with a winning weight of 6-9-0. He fished the feeder with maggot and caster, but not a touch on worm for a net made up of roach, three skimmers and a perch.  Ian Titchard was close on his heels taking second place with a similar catch for 6-6-0. Fourteen members fished.

Our Disabled & Over 60's fished their Monday match this week on the Bridgewater Canal at Houghs Bridge where the winner John Ashwin fishing the pole and pinkie put together a net of roach and perch to which he added a bonus decent sized stripey for a weight of 4-14-0. Neil Buist aka The Engine was the runner-up with a net of roach and perch taken on bread punch and pinkie for 4-11-0. Eighteen anglers fished.

There has been quite a fair amount of work done by our volunteers around our fisheries over this past couple of weeks, another couple of pegs finished to a high standard at Grey Mist, steps completely overhauled and fencing at Sandiway Lakes, brush clearance at Rixton, and tree removal at Wide Hole. There are also working parties coming up on the Sankey St Helens Canal details will continue to be posted on our volunteers' page. Any member who fancies helping on any of our waters is more than welcome, simply get in touch or join our Warrington Anglers Facebook volunteers' group.

Anybody wanting to hone their predator fishing may be interested in an appearance on Saturday 3^rd December by well-known Gord Burton aka The Piking Pirate and others at newly re-opened Newton Tackle & Baits, Unit 1a, Suez Street, Newton Le Willows WA12 9PJ.

Our 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 at 52, Parker Street, Warrington WA1 1LT 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.

Come on folks, please get in touch as your catch reports are especially welcome at this time of the year as sport slows and not as many of you on the banks. Lots of members rely on your shared information for their angling visits. Email secretary@Warrington-anglers.org.uk

Frank Lythgoe

Results:

Mersey Series:

1)      Kevin Hall     6-9-0

2)      Ian Titchard 6-6-0

3)      Roy Hollis     4-4-0

4)      Neil Buist      3-12-0

Disabled & Over 60's:

1)      John Ashwin   4-14-0

2)      Neil Buist        4-11-0

3)      Jimmy Byrne   4-7-0

4)      Peter Jones     4-2-0

Coming Events:

SUNDAY:

Members Mersey Series draw 8-45am Mersey Walk peg 75 back.

MONDAY:

Disabled & Over 60's Match Bridgewater Canal. Draw 9-45am Houghs Bridge (£5 all-in, exact money only, no change given).

22nd November 2022 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

22nd November 2022 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

On Saturday the Perch Maestro aka Michael White set out for an early morning session on the Bridgewater Canal searching for signs of movement when he spotted roach topping and cast his lure amongst them and as he stated, found a perch. A stunning fish indeed during what turned out to be a brief one-hour visit. The successful method was an FFS floating finesse stick set up on a Texas rig. Thanks Mike, for explaining the set-up to me. It must have been a coincidence as I had only dug my drop-shot rod and gear out on that same day, not saying that I will catch much, but need the exercise!

Stuart Ripon was out targeting the Rixton Claypits pike on Tuesday with only one jack-pike to show for his efforts. But, as he said, "It's nice to be out. Rixton is stunning this time of the year!" And I would add this fishery along with others are being vastly improved by the efforts of the volunteer working parties giving their time up to make angling better for fellow members.

Dave Gardner was out on the Mersey on Monday where despite sport being much harder due to the change in weather as we head towards winter….not long to go. He set-up a float rod and in the first ten minutes landed his only two fish, a brace of perch around the pound mark, caught with the hook loaded with four maggots. With nothing happening despite trying other baits he was back home after three hours to thaw out.

We have all no doubt heard about the current bird flu situation and the doom and gloom being spread that our Christmas turkey may be in short supply. Well anglers should be aware that if you see a dead wild bird please don't touch it. If you find one or more dead birds of prey, or three or more dead gulls or wild waterfowl (swans, geese, and ducks), or five or more of any species you can help and find how to report them at: https://www.gov.uk/guidence/avian-influenza-bird-flu#report-dead-wils-birds.

The Sunday Mersey Series this week drawn at Mersey Walk saw the river carrying a fair bit of extra water and started with unseasonal pleasant weather conditions, however with an hour or so to go the heavens opened, but hey that's fishing. Jimmy Byrne was the winner in a low weight event with a net of roach taken from peg 70 on a groundbait feeder and red maggot. claim his third win from the four so far fished since the problems with the weir stopped our regular series. Ray Boden was demoted back to second place with a catch of roach and perch taken on the same method from peg 59. Eleven members fished.

Our Disabled & Over 60's fished their Monday match this week on the Bridgewater Canal at Walton with Mike Worley the decisive winner with 3-7-0 of roach caught on the pole alternating between punch bread and pinkie. Only 3ounces separated the next three weights with Jeff Stoll taking the runner-up spot again for the second successive week with a net of roach plus perch with 2-6-0. Fourteen anglers fished.

Our 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 at 52, Parker Street, Warrington WA1 1LT 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.

Come on folks, please get in touch as your catch reports are especially welcome at this time of the year as sport slows and not as many of you on the banks. Lots of members rely on your shared information for their angling visits. Email secretary@Warrington-anglers.org.uk

Frank Lythgoe

Results:

Mersey Series:

1)      Jimmy Byrne     6-13-0

2)      Ray Boden         5-3-0

3)      Ken Hall             4-10-0

4)      Frank Lythgoe  4-6-0

Disabled & Over 60's:

1)      Mike Worley     3-7-0

2)      Jeff Stoll             2-6-0

3)      Ron Durr            2-4-0

4)      Alan Faulkner   2-3-0

Coming Events:

SUNDAY:

Members Mersey Series draw 8-45am Victoria Park peg 34 down.

MONDAY:

Disabled & Over 60's Match Bridgewater Canal. Draw 9-45am Houghs Bridge (£5 all-in, exact money only, no change given).

15th November 2022 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

15th November 2022 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

Mike Chris had a cracking evening session on the Ribble on Monday with a catch of four chub to around 6.5lbs. But the icing on the cake was an additional four barbel with the biggest at 13-8-0 all caught using Vortex Bait 8mm crab, krill, and oyster pellets. Mike has regularly fished the river throughout the season where he has caught a fair number of doubles and reckons that the bigger fish tend to come at this time of the year.

Jonny Hughes with his son Daniel reported a great 'dad and lad' pike session at Rixton Claypits on Sunday morning. The pair are normally keen bass anglers and only joined in September having so far caught more pike than their preferred salt water species. Previously having had no luck with lures they found the most successful bait was trout with sardine oil, result this week was two all.

Gary Chadwick had a belting morning session this past weekend catching loads of decent sized perch and roach. The successful method was float-fished worm over pinkies. Boat traffic was light which Gary reckons improves sport making it a top winter venue. He also reported lots of pike striking so worth a visit whatever your fancy.

Dave Gardner who for a change was out on his own on Monday at Statham Pool reported an enjoyable but mixed mornings fishing. Having already caught over half a dozen chunky perch, suddenly his float dipped and whatever he had hooked shot off in a flash and embedded itself in the lilies, result no fish and a straightened hook. Next came a small tench but nothing for the next hour or so until he started catching a few roach, one being claimed by a pike for his breakfast. All fish caught on float-rod and maggots.

The Sunday Mersey Series this week drawn at Victoria Park saw a complete reverse of last week's conditions with the river being a fair bit lower but nevertheless pleasant weather conditions for the time of the year. Ray Boden dropped to second place last week but not for long as Sunday's match saw him back to claim his third win from the four so far fished since the problems with the weir stopped our regular series. Ray caught a cracking net of pole caught roach and perch on maggot from peg 23 for a weight of exactly 19-0-0. Jonathan Green was the runner-up from peg 28 with a similar net of fish which included a couple of skimmers for 16-4-0 taken alternating between a long whip and rod at around 8 metres. It fished really well with a fair number of anglers catching double figure nets. Seventeen members fished.

Our Disabled & Over 60's fished their Monday match this week on the Bridgewater Canal in the Houghs Bridge length. The winner Alan Faulkner put together a decent net of roach on pole and bread punch plus a few perch on pinkie for a weight of 5-10-0. Jeff Stoll made the most of an end peg draw to take second place with over thirty perch plus a few roach caught alternating between maggot and pinkie for 5-5-0. Sixteen anglers fished.

Our 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 at 52, Parker Street, Warrington WA1 1LT 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.

Your catch reports are more than welcome as many members rely on your shared information for their visits to the bankside. Email secretary@Warrington-anglers.org.uk

Frank Lythgoe

Results:

Mersey Series:

1)      Ray Boden          19-0-0

2)      Jonathan Green 16-4-0

3)      Harry Billing        15-1-0

4)      Bas Chambers    14-4-0

Disabled & Over 60's:

1)      Alan Faulkner    5-10-0

2)      Jeff Stoll             5-5-0

3)      Ron Durr            5-1-0

4)      Alan Brown       4-13-0

Coming Events:

SUNDAY:

Members Mersey Series draw 8-45am Mersey Walk peg 75 back.

MONDAY:

Disabled & Over 60's Match Bridgewater Canal. Draw 9-45am Walton Church. (£5 all-in, exact money only, no change given).

8th November 2022 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

8th November 2022 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

Some sad news to start this week's column is that member Keith Hay passed away peacefully last Thursday. Keith was a longstanding member of our management committee and certainly left his mark on many of our fisheries, no job was too big or too small whether it be peg building, netting, or stocking fish; if there was a problem, he would always find a solution. My first meeting with Keith when he came along to help with our annual trout introduction. I watched with amazement as he lashed a rope to the stocking bin full of water and trout and lower it hand over hand into the River Gowy from the A56 Bridge, normally it took two of us to do the job! Our condolences to his wife Ethel and family at this time. The funeral is at 3pm on Tuesday 29^th November at St Helens Crematorium.

Last Thursday morning Phil Hughes was in his words 'just having a look' walking along the Bridgewater Canal searching out some likely spots which may hold decent sized pike as his best on previous visits peaked at 7lbs. He had with him a light bait casting rod with a salmo jerk bait lure at the business end and occasionally tried the odd cast not expecting much action as he moved slowly along the bank. Suddenly he hooked into what was obviously a sizeable fish and after some heart stopping moments landed a cracking looking pike. The fish sent the scales round to 22lbs but after taking off the weigh-net Phil settled on 19-8-0.

Committee member Andy Burrows accompanied by our head bailiff James Makin, Keith Starkey, and Trevor Royle spent the best part of Wednesday working clearing branches and repairing a peg at Grey Mist. Jobs completed Andy and James set-up for a night session already armed with the knowledge that a few carp had been caught that day. It was really windy making casting a bit hit and miss and the night was spent devoid of any action. However, the reward came at least for Andy at 8am on Thursday morning in the shape of a mirror carp weighing in at 18-4-0. Successful method was Sticky Krill 4mm pellets and groundbait in a PVA bag and a 15mm banoffee pop-up on the hook.

Our Sunday Mersey Series this week saw a change in conditions with the river carrying a fair amount of extra water. It was fished at Mersey Walk where Harry Billing who missed last week's match drew peg 58 from where he won two weeks ago. Well guess what, no he didn't draw the same peg but drew next door at number 58 and secured another win with a weight of 16lbs of roach and perch. His successful method was the pole at 9metres and maggot. Ray Boden took second place from peg 74 two weeks ago and uncannily repeated the performance by drawing it again this week. Ray fished the tip with a groundbait feeder and maggot for a weight of 12-6-0 made up of nearly all skimmers to 2lbs. Thirteen members fished.

The Disabled & Over 60's fished their Monday match this week on the Bridgewater Canal at Moore where the winner Paul Aston put together a net of roach and a small skimmer on pole and bread punch for a weight of 3-12-0. Runner-up Alan Faulkner using the same method with an all roach catch for 3-10-0. Seventeen anglers fished.

Our 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 at 52, Parker Street, Warrington WA1 1LT 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.

Your catch reports are more than welcome as many members rely on your shared information for their visits to the bankside. Email secretary@Warrington-anglers.org.uk

Frank Lythgoe

Results:

Mersey Series:

1)      Harry Billing     16-0-0

2)      Ray Boden       12-6-0

3)      Jimmy Byrne     8-1-0

4)      Peter Jones       6-9-0

Disabled & Over 60's:

1)       Paul Ashton      3-12-0

2)      Alan Faulkner    3-8-0

3)      Alan Brown        2-12-0

4)      George Hollis     2-9-0

Coming Events:

SUNDAY:

Members Mersey Series draw 8-45am Victoria Park peg 34 down.

MONDAY:

Disabled & Over 60's Match Bridgewater Canal. Draw 9-45am Houghs Bridge, Walton. (£5 all-in, exact money only, no change given).

1st November 2022 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

1^st November 2022 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

It is some seven months since Cameron Daly aged 9years headed this column but he's back, this keen young angler with a preference for pike fishing was back on the Bridgewater Canal last week. Using the method of drifted baits, he caught two of the predators on the far shelf and another plus a perch from the towpath side. His dad Ste was no doubt as in the past demoted to 'camera kid,' tea-boy, and using his words, 'netting Noddy'. However, Ste did manage a trip on his own to Grey Mist this week targeting the tench from this prolific fishery. It didn't work out as such for he eventually realised that all the liners and line twitches weren't his species of choice so in the last hour a desperate change of approach was needed to save 'a blank'. Rummaging in his gear he put together some 5lbs mainline and 4lbs BS flouro along with a tiny 30g feeder and 16's hook baited with three red maggots. The change thankfully saved the day as he caught fourteen cracking looking roach which are probably rarely targeted in this fishery.

Gary Whitehead managed to fit in a three-hour piking session on the Bridgewater Canal last week, trying a different area on this occasion. Using fresh sardine as bait on size 6 hooks he was quite happy when ending up with three lovely marked specimens, two as he was about to pack up. This winter Gary is mounting a pike campaign on the canal so watch this space.

On Tuesday afternoon I spotted an angler, obviously predator fishing walking along the Bridgewater. I cannot help myself and stopped Mark Clare on his return to both check that he was a member and if he had caught anything. It was positive on both counts, as he reported catching five small pike, best a female of around 8lbs, all taken on a Rapala minnow lure.

Anthony Rough enjoyed a few hours float fishing for perch on The Mount at Buckley on what was a nice sunny afternoon. He caught twenty-five perch presenting large prawns as bait to avoid the smaller fish.

A late report from Appleton Reservoir from Steve Wright who has caught small carp in the past whilst match fishing but this was his first ever targeted carp session when specifically, set-up with the right gear. He was rewarded with a mirror of 18lbs tempted on a 15mm wafter.

Sunday saw the second of our River Mersey Series for some time due to higher following the damage to Howley weir. This week it was fished at Victoria Park where there were again some cracking catches with the winner Ray Boden putting a net of mainly roach plus a few perch on the scales for a weight of 21-10-0. He fished peg 26 using maggot on the pole at 11metres. Nick Burrows who drew peg 31 was the runner-up fishing the same method for 18-15-0. Unusually only four skimmers were caught throughout the match with roach by far the predominant species. Fifteen members fished.

The Disabled & Over 60's fished their Monday match this week on the Bridgewater Canal opposite Daresbury Laboratories and saw 'The Breadman' (George Barber) the winner with an all-roach net for 3-10-0. He drew the first peg past the Bridge opposite the Labs and as you would have expected caught all his fish on bread punch and feeding liquidised Warburtons. Second placed Alan Faulkner drew the short length which by appearance always looks the better choice, but after starting off on bread punch and only a few tiny fish he changed to maggot alternating with worm to take perch and roach for 2-10-0. He reported lots of pike striking which didn't help but good news for our winter pike anglers. Eighteen anglers fished.

Our 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 at 52, Parker Street, Warrington WA1 1LT 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.

Your catch reports are more than welcome as many members rely on your shared information for their visits to the bankside. Email secretary@Warrington-anglers.org.uk

Frank Lythgoe

Results:

Mersey Series:

1)      Ray Boden       21-10-0

2)      Nick Burrows  18-15-0

3)      Bas Chambers 17-2-0

4)      Jimmy Byrne   16-5-0

Disabled & Over 60's:

1)       George Barber 3-10-0

2)      Alan Faulkner    2-10-0

3)      Ron Durr            2-9-0

4)      Paul Ashton       2-8-0

Coming Events:

SUNDAY:

Members Mersey Series draw 8-45am Mersey Walk peg 75 back.

MONDAY:

Disabled & Over 60's Match Bridgewater Canal. Draw 9-45am Tramps Grave, Moore. (£5 all-in, exact money only, no change given).