24th February 2015 Warrington Anglers Guardian Notes

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24th February 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes.

On Wednesday and Thursday we are stocking more fish into Offa's Dyke Fisheries to give the pools a kick start with carp, roach, and skimmers. We took advantage of a cancelled VS fisheries order for eight C6 fish, four commons and four mirrors that are to be shared equally between Sandiway Lakes on Wednesday around mid-morning. If you fancy a look get down there although I cannot give an exact time. You can always ring 01928 716238 as it will be switched through to my mobile for an updated time.

Last week I mentioned the current drop shotting or jigging craze that is all the rage and tempted myself I tried to buy a rod but tackle suppliers have been taken by surprise with the sudden uptake and most rods are on back order. In the meantime I will have to root out one of my 5/6 weight fly rods. One important point is that despite a lot of anglers targeting perch there is a very real chance that you will hook a pike and therefore in the interests of fish conservation you should pack an unhooking mat. You can get a cheap one for not much more than the price of a packet of lures.

I had a walk around Grey Mist Mere on Monday and it looks as though our volunteer team have set their sights on a big clear-up whilst the undergrowth has died back and I'm pleased to say that no new litter was evident. The water was gin clear so I imagine unless it is a night session there is little chance of catching unless you are after pike although I believe a few carp and tench are still coming out to play after dark.

The River Mersey matches this week was another hard slog for the dedicated followers of both Saturday and Sunday Series events. Ade Green won the first match with a bonus one pound skimmer and two roach for 1-8-0 followed in runner-up spot by Norman Gannon with four roach for one pound dead. There was a slight improvement on Sunday when Jimmy Gannon took the win with one bream which it is rumoured he kissed as it hit the scales at exactly 4lbs. Second placed Eddie Frangleton who was by comparison kept much busier had three skimmers and four roach for 2-8-0 after which weights plummeted.

The winner in our Disabled & Over 60's match this week made the most of his end peg draw from peg 334 near Houghs Bridge. Jimmy Byrne put together a skimmer and roach catch for 3-14-4 followed by George Barber weighing in an all roach net for 2-13-2. Pole and bread punch was the order of the day and lots of small fish were caught to make up the catches, hopefully good news for the future.

When you pay your 2015 memberships consider a voluntary stocking fund donation you could be a winner in our prize draw. Don't forget the saying 'you've got to be in it to win it' and although you couldn't retire from a win the odds beat the National Lottery.

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. Ade Green                          1-8-0

2. Norman Gannon               1-0-0

3. Arthur Pumb/Jim Gannon 15-0

   Sunday Mersey Series

1. Jimmy Gannon                  4-0-0

2. Eddie Frangleton               2-8-0

3. Ray Boden                            12-0

   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.

17th February 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

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17th February 2015 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes.

Drop shotting or jigging is really catching on and I am meeting increasing numbers of anglers fishing the method on the Bridgewater Canal which is great to see as the cut is really underused. Perch or pike are the target species and this past week I came across Lee Latham and his five year old son at Preston Brook. Young Jay had already caught a PB pike of just short of 7lbs at 6-14-0 the previous week on a rubber shad and was casting effortlessly and working the soft lure with skill. The youngster was enjoying himself in the company of his dad in the fresh air and not glued to a computer screen.  

Lee ended up with a brace of pike which gave a good account of themselves on his light gear and lost an enormous perch when it was attacked by a pike on the way to the net.

A few carp and tench have started to feed at Grey Mist Mere but nothing to write home about unless of course you are the guy landing the fish. A few members have been asking about weed control on the fishery but unfortunately it is not quite that simple. Its presence is mainly due to the three mild winters we have experienced where hardly any die back has occurred. You only have to look in your own garden to see plants still growing that would normally have been withered and killed off by the cold.

I planned to escape on a river trip on Sunday but circumstances dictated otherwise and prompted a fall back to the Bridgewater Canal in late afternoon. Leaving my maggots in the fridge a couple of rounds of bread were hurriedly liquidised and five minutes later after cupping in two small pots I was into my first roach. It was a fish every put in with skimmers to a 1lb until either my eyesight or the failing light ended the short session.

Bites are still hard to come by on the River Mersey certainly not helped by the hordes of voracious cormorants that descended on the river during the past few weeks. On Saturday Jimmy Byrnes needed only 1-5-0 made up of a 1lb skimmer and two roach taken on a groundbait feeder and maggot to take first place. Alan Morris was in second spot with 1-2-8. Sunday saw Derek Bibby take the win with 3-7-8 helped by a bonus skimmer and a dozen roach on feeder tactics. Following weights then plummeted with Jimmy Gannon the best of the rest with one clonking roach for 12ozs.

Our Disabled & Over 60's match this week fished from the Toast Rack Bridge back towards Walton Gardens saw Lenny Dutton take the win with a cracking net of roach and skimmers for 7-8-0 taken on pole and bread punch tactics. Runner-up was George Barber with the same mix of fish taken using the same method for 6-8-0.  You needed over 3lbs for a section win all of which beat the previous weeks winning weight.

2015 memberships were posted out this week so should be hitting doormats before weekend.

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 Byrne    1-5-0

2. Alan Morris      1-2-8

3. Derek Bibby         5-8

Sunday Mersey Series

1. Derek Bibby     3-7-0

2. Jimmy Gannon   12-0

3. Ray Boden           10-0

Disabled & Over 60's

1. Lenny Dutton            7-8-0

2. George Barber          6-8-0

3. Jimmy Byrne             6-2-0

4. Bud Lea                      3-15-0

   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.