31st January 2023 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

31st January 2023 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

A few more reports this week, mainly pike catches with Jonny Hughes clocking up his first one of the year from Rixton claypits. Dead-baiting he tried mackerel first but no luck, however this thankfully changed when he swapped over to smelt. A few days earlier with most of the Claypits covered in ice Stu Ripon hadn't had a bite for two hours and was just about to call it a day when his bite-alarm sounded resulting in a pike which saved him from what looked like a blank. Another angler who swerved a blank was committee member Stuart Brazier who managed a small jack from Statham Pool.

One of our bailiffs Chris Connell fished Woodshaw Reservoir on Saturday with as he describes, the old-fashioned method, a swing-tip and an old Mitchell Match reel with rod to match. He ended up with nine decent roach all caught on bread. Sunday saw him back on the water again fishing a session from 10am to 4pm for what was looking like a disaster from peg 5 until he decided to move to peg 1 for the last hour and ended up with two skimmers and a roach. Still, enjoyable out in the fresh air. Two other members fishing caught crucians and roach.

Our Members Mersey Series Match on Sunday was fished on the Mersey Walk stretch with river levels back to normal. Thankfully the results were far better than the previous week when 1-4-0 was enough to chalk up a win. Joint winners with equal weights of 8-2-0 were Bob Campbell and Al Faulkner. It was Bobs first match for some time but he had definitely not lost his mojo when he feeder-fished bread-punch almost to the opposite bank for his mainly roach catch along with a few skimmer bream from peg 58. Al drew peg 67 on the bend next to where the old feeder bridge once stood and fished a groundbait feeder with bronze maggot and pinkie for a cracking net of roach. I christened one of my Xmas presents, a new rod and reel and came third from peg 65 with a mixed net of roach and skimmers for 6-2-0. As my old friend Chris Greehan would say, "You're better being lucky than good." Thirteen anglers fished.

Our Disabled & Over 60's was fished on the Bridgewater at Walton, again better results than the previous week. The Breadman (George Barber) was the clear winner from a peg on the Walton Arms side of Walton Bridge. As you would expect he pole-fished the white-stuff throughout ending up with a bonus skimmer to add to his net of roach for a weight of 4-13-0. He stopped Alan Brown pegged near the steps from making it three consecutive wins. Alan also fished bread and was more than happy to take second place with an all roach catch for 3-4-0. 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.

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)      Bob Campbell/Al Faulkner 8-2-0

3)      Frank Lythgoe                      6-2-0

4)      Alan Morris                          5-10-0

Disabled & Over 60's

1)      George Barber   4-13-0

2)      Alan Brown        3-4-0

3)      Jimmy Byrne     2-13-0

4)      Stu Patterson/Roy Rogers 2-1-0

Coming Events:

SUNDAY:

Members Mersey Series Match – draw 8-45am Mersey Walk.

MONDAY:

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

24th January 2023 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

24th January 2023 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

It is that time of the year when there is not a lot happening with most anglers preferring to stay indoors but that didn't deter regular contributors to this column Ken Hewitt and Dave Gardner aka the Dynamic Duo. They were out on the Bridgewater Canal at Lymm on Friday enjoying what Ken described as "pleasant conditions" despite ice forming on the water towards the end of their session. Well…on this occasion neither landed a fish but despite this they were more than happy to simply be out fishing😊

The only actual catch report this past week apart from our two weekly matches came from Les Brookes who on Monday fished the Bridgewater Canal along the Kraft Arm. Using small FFS finesse lures he landed two decent perch, the biggest estimated at 1.5lbs but lost a pike at the net.

Following last week's cancellation due to repairs to Howley Weir our Members Mersey Series Match on Sunday was back on this week with river levels back to normal. The influx of top-up water definitely put the fish off the feed and the joint winners Ian Titchard and Alan Morris fishing on adjacent pegs needed only five small roach apiece for equal weights of 1-4-0. Ant Higham aka The King of the River was the next highest weight with two roach for 10oz. Hopefully next week's change of venue to Mersey Walk will see better results. Fourteen anglers fished.

Our Disabled & Over 60's was fished on the Bridgewater at Walton and still with the canal a chocolate colour and on some pegs a layer of melting ice. was understandably hard going with bites fairly scarce. The winner again making two in a row was Alan Brown who drew near Houghs Bridge where he stuck to his last week's successful method of bread punch to put together a net of tiny roach for a weight of 2-7-7. Roy Rogers was the runner-up from a peg at the opposite end of the match where he also used the 'white stuff' for a weight of 2-6-2 which included a welcome bonus skimmer to add to his catch of small roach. Seventeen Anglers fished.

Many thanks to all the volunteers who turned out to the Rixton Clay Pits working party on Sunday, another very productive session, another peg renovated and tree works carried out.

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)      Ian Titchard /Alan Morris 1-4-0

2)      Ant Higham                        0-10-0

3)      Eddie Frangleton               0-4-0

Disabled & Over 60's

1)      Alan Brown        2-7-7

2)      Roy Rogers         2-6-2

3)      Paul Ashton       1-14-0

4)      Jeff Stoll             1-11-4

Coming Events:

SUNDAY:

Members Mersey Series Match – draw 8-45am Mersey Walk.

MONDAY:

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

 

17th January 2023 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

17th January 2023 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

Last week continuing with his Bridgewater Canal pike campaign Garry Whitehead was scouting potential areas on his way home from work for a planned session the next day. Having spotted a few of the predators chasing roach he rushed home for his tackle for as he called it, "Opportunist fishing at its best." Result a cracking looking pike… venue definitely sorted for the following morning. On his arrival he initially tried lures but float legered sardine proved to be the successful method with three pike to show for his efforts.

Ken Hewitt and Dave Gardner aka the Dynamic Duo have been on their travels again with Ken on his first outing for three months. They chose the Bridgewater Canal at Preston Brook, taking advantage of the protection offered by the M6 motorway bridge in the predicted inclement weather. The canal was highly coloured as is usual after any amount of wet weather so conditions were not ideal. It turned out Ken landed the only fish, a bream 1.5 - 2lbs caught on triple white maggot using a 5mts whip. As he said, "Good to be back on the bank."

Alan Kennet fished Woodshaw for the first time on Monday using pole and maggot/groundbait tactics at 11metres but found it hard going with no sign of fish after an hour. A change of tactics to loose-fed pinkie close in saw him avoid a potential dry-net, eventually catching small roach and ending up with half a dozen fish.

Our Disabled & Over 60's was fished on the Bridgewater at Walton and with the canal a chocolate colour was understandably hard going with bites fairly scarce. The winner Alan Brown stuck to bread punch to put together a net of small roach for a weight of 2-7-0. Match organiser Jimmy Byrne took second place with again a catch of tiny roach plus a little perch also on bread. Seventeen Anglers fished.

Last Friday the Mersey level was dropped for the initial examination of the work required to make the weir future proof. The levels should hopefully be back to normal for Sunday's match. Just a reminder that despite the report that three species of shark have been discovered in the Mersey, including at Howley Weir they don't count in matches😊

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:

Disabled & Over 60's

1)      Alan Brown       2-7-0

2)      Jimmy Byrne     2-0-0

3)      Al Faulkner        1-8-0

4)      George Barber  1-7-0

Coming Events:

SUNDAY:

Members Mersey Series Match – draw 8-45am Victoria Park (levels permitting).

MONDAY:

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

10th January 2023 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

10th January 2023 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

Simon Oldfield visited The Mount at Buckley on Sunday for his first visit of 2023, setting up at 11-30am where the fishery narrows beyond the footbridge. But for the first two hours not so much as a twitch or bleep to indicate fish in his swim, then as often happens if you persevere, two bites came out of the blue, nearly a double catch with a brace of carp. He added two further carp before ending his session as the light began to fade. He fed more than usual and fished 12mm pop-ups. He met two new members with whom he shared general fishery and catch information.

Michael Griffiths also caught a brace of carp last week, a common and a mirror from the same venue but at the opposite end to that fished by Simon. Well, there may be no thirty pounders but these guys are catching fish! Worth a visit also for winter roach fishing.

I have no details but was told that this past week an angler fishing Appleton Reservoir was on a roach every cast, I understand that there were some plump specimens. Worth a chuck… any info on sessions appreciated.

Our Members Mersey Series match on Sunday was fished this week upstream of Mersey Walk. As was expected the river was again full of flood water making it an all groundbait-feeder and maggot event. The weights were lower and the winner Eddie Frangleton drew peg 45 catching twenty-eight roach plus a small skimmer for a total weight of 4-4-0. Match organiser Jimmy Byrne fishing the tip at 12 to 13metres took second place with thirty roach for 3-13-0. Thirteen anglers fished. Please note that at present Peel Ports are supposed to be lowering river levels from Friday to carry out repair works to Howley Weir but possibly the weather may cause a change of plan, however until more is known there will be no match next Sunday.

Our Disabled & Over 60's was again fished on the Bridgewater Canal at Walton and saw match veteran Ron Durr the clear winner kept busy with a catch of over a 116 small roach from a peg near Walton Bridge. He alternated between bread, pinkie, and maggot for a weight of 5-6-0. Second place was taken by The Breadman (George Barber) fishing from the adjacent peg with 3-15-0. Fifteen 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)      Eddie Frangleton 4-4-0

2)      Jimmy Byrne        3-13-0

3)      Ian Titchard         3-12-0

4)      Ray Boden           3-1-0

Disabled & Over 60's

1)      Ron Durr              5-6-0

2)      George Barber  3-15-0

3)      Jimmy Byrne     3-9-0

4)      Al Faulkner       2-15-0

 

 

Coming Events:

SUNDAY:

Members Mersey Series Match – NO MATCH THIS WEEK

MONDAY:

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

 

3rd January 2023 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

3^rd January 2023 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

Josh Bamber fished his last night session of 2022 on Appleton Reservoir where he was rewarded with his PB from this popular fishery. At Midnight his Krill boilie was taken by a cracking mirror carp which weighed in at 25-7-0.

Steve Wright also spent his last session of 2022 on this same fishery with his twin boys and was happy with his catch of a 15lbs mirror. Despite the youngsters failing to catch on which was their first angling outing they still had a great time.

Simon Oldfield chose The Mount at Buckley for his last visit to the bankside for 2022 and had absolutely no indications of fish during the first three hours so he decided to move to the opposite end of the lake for the remaining time. He cast in and thought there was an indication but his second cast was immediately taken which resulted in a nice looking common which taken a liking to his legered pineapple wafter.

At the early part of last week Chris Connell had a slow start at Woodshaw Reservoir where he was fishing with Johnny Johnson. He only had one small roach in the first three hours on the tip. A change to a 3metre whip and bread-punch fished over crumb brought about a complete change of luck with a catch of 36 decent sized roach. They were back a few days later and again had the fishery to themselves but conditions were hard although they still both caught with Chris having eight roach on pinkie.

Our Members Mersey Series match was fished on New Year's Day this week upstream of Mersey Walk. Considering the fact that the river was full of flood water Ian Titchard who drew peg 74 put together a cracking net of fish which included two bonus bream and a few small roach for a weight of 9-10-0 to chalk up the earliest possible win of 2023. Ian fished a groundbait feeder and double maggot. Ant Higham aka The King of the River took second place with 4-11-0 from peg 71 which like the winner included a bonus bream, again caught on the tip. Only eleven anglers turned out, others possibly suffering from the effects of their New Year's Eve celebrations.

Our Disabled & Over 60's was again fished on the Bridgewater Canal at Walton and saw match organiser Jimmy Byrne the winner with a catch of over a 100 small roach plus two perch from a peg opposite the toilets near Walton Bridge. He alternated between bread punch and pinkie for a weight of 5-14-0. Second placed Alan Brown fishing two pegs away wasn't that far behind with a similar net of fish for 5-10-8. Fifteen Anglers fished.

Last week and even on New Year's Day saw volunteers working on our fisheries at Rixton Claypits and Wide Hole. On behalf of our members, you have our grateful thanks.

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)      Ian Titchard       9-10-0

2)      Ant Higham       4-11-0

3)      Jimmy Byrne     2-5-0

4)      Mike Dench      1-10-0

Disabled & Over 60's

1)      Jimmy Byrne     5-14-0

2)      Alan Brown       5-10-8

3)      George Barber 4-10-0

4)      Ron Durr           4-0-0

 

 

Coming Events:

SUNDAY:

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

MONDAY:

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