26th May 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

26^th May 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

 Members are still reporting good catches around our waters beginning with match stalwarts Steve Brookes and Rod Frazer who fished Appleton Reservoir on Wednesday when Steve had seventy roach up to a 1lb taken on groundbait feeder and pole tactics whilst Rod caught 105 roach all on the feeder. They used maggots with groundbait laced with casters and hemp in the feeder. Bites were savage as soon as the feeder hit the bottom and on the-drop when Rod switched to the pole. The roach were in immaculate condition …. it doesn't get better than that. To cap it all they also recovered a member's lost bib & brace and wellies.

If this isn't a great advert and encouragement for parents to take their children fishing I don't know what is…as last week we welcomed Dawn and Mark Preston back to Warrington Anglers along with their young family, Marley 10 years, Leon 9, Jaxon 6, and Shae 5. Dawn reported that they had a belting start when Leon and herself caught two nice mirrors out of High Legh on Friday and typically as is the case with many anglers started bragging as Mark hadn't had at any carp at that point. He soon put that right with a lovely common out of Grey Mist 15-8-0 on Sunday and then followed it up with a nice mirror of 13-5-0 the next day at Rixton. The boys had six bream between them, although as Dawn said, "a bit slimy for my liking, but as long as they are catching, I am happy. We are loving it even more after being cooped up for so long, we will never take fishing for granted again."

Terry Felton had a very pleasurable six hour session at Rixton Clay Pits this past week where he caught thirteen bream on quiver-tipped sweetcorn, all over 3lb. The fish were in excellent condition with the exception of one specimen. Terry also had a surprise bonus pike about 3 -4 lb, which took his sweetcorn bait as he reeled in.

Anthony Quinn fished a very weedy Cicily Mill Pool on Thursday and as he was landing a carp, he ended up with another in the net. Love is a powerful stimulant!  Our bailiffs are looking to be closing pegs where the fish are actively spawning around our fisheries and in any case a caring angler would never target spawning fish whether the swim was closed or not.

Karl McArdle has just re-joined Warrington Anglers Association after a twenty-five-year absence and decided on Grey Mist on Thursday for his first session. His visit was christened with a grass carp of 26-3-0. Which to my knowledge is the only one in the Mist.

Michael White had his first carp over 20lbs from Rixton Claypits last week soon followed by another stunning looking fish.

By comparison on a much bigger fishery, our Association owned 53 acre Sandiway lake our bailiff Andrew Hewson although targeting carp was more than happy with four tench to 8-12-0 to which he added a cracking specimen bream of 11lbs. I am reliably informed that at least fourteen carp to 33lbs came out over a four- day period.

Last weekend Andrew Spears braved the high winds when others were cancelling their sessions and fished an overnight session on the smaller Sandiway (17.5 acre) lake.  Unfortunately, he blanked but his mate Phil Worby kicked off his first fishing trip since 'lock-down' with a 7lb Bream, followed by a 25lb Mirror and later topped by a 26-2-0 common. Despite water levels being high and a lot of pegs underwater they were both pleased to be back on the bank fishing.

New members Martin Cockcroft and his brother Steve christened their first visit to one of our fisheries at Woodshaw Reservoir in Wigan. They were kept busy with 120fish between them, mainly roach and skimmers, but a handful of decent crucians. They would have liked more but who wouldn't. Having said that they are now working their way around all our fisheries with Rixton next.

Lucas Procec had an unforgettable day on his first visit to Appleton Reservoir when he smashed his personal best no less than three times. It was his first fishing trip since October last year and started catching roach from the off but they were not his intended target. But after two hours things fell into place and he landed a 25lb mirror carp eclipsing his previous PB of 18lb. Three hours later he was sliding his landing net under another mirror carp, this time 26lb. This was followed minutes later by a 16lbs mirror but the best one came at the end of his session with a cracking 27lb leather carp which he battled with for 15 minutes until it finally lay safely in the net. So, four carp and about 3lb of decent roach all in all a fantastic day. 

A few members have sussed that I have a Facebook account and are regularly 'asking to be my friend' …..well to put matters straight I do not use it, well maybe infrequently to answer something brought to my attention within my family, in fact twice so far this year. So, please don't think I am a miserable ignorant so and so when I completely ignore such requests, I am in fact extremely friendly and gregarious but just do not have the time to do Facebook.  

WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street remain closed on Friday evenings until further notice. Members renewing can simply put their book in an envelope with their payment, a stamped addressed envelope, and post through our HQ door where mail is collected and dealt with daily. If you need any further information please give me a call or email as below.

Please keep those catch reports coming they are all very much appreciated. Email frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or give me a ring on 01928 716238.

Frank Lythgoe

19th May 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

19^th May 2020 Warrington Anglers Association Guardian Notes

Since we opened up our waters at 6am last Wednesday morning the catch reports coming from members have been fantastic with plenty of sport from most fisheries. Also, I would like to say that I am proud of our members who have his week shown our sport of angling in the best light during these difficult times.

Dave Griffiths took his son Matty on his first ever coarse fishing trip last Wednesday to Ackers Pit. He was bubbling over with excitement when they arrived to set-up at 6-30am on what was a lovely still morning. As they put down their gear a carp exploded out of the water in front of him and the youngster's excitement went up to another level. Dave set him up with a self-cocking float, a small shot, and sweetcorn presented on a size 14's hook. He missed his first fish but it wasn't long before his float slid under and the rod buckled, it was fish-on. After a heart stopping adrenalin packed ten minutes the carp was safely in the landing net. Matty was now a self-confessed angler, he was hooked. They finished their session in the late afternoon and had seven carp between them with Matty possibly earning a drop in his pocket money as he beat his dad and had the biggest fish to boot.

Committee member Phil Higgins also enjoyed a similar Wednesday session on Ackers and ended up with ten carp all caught in the margins alternating between bread or pepperoni on the hook. They ranged from 4lbs to 13lbs.

Wednesday the 13^th must indeed have been a lucky day across the board as Sam Asson aged 12 years thoroughly enjoyed his session at Woodshaw Reservoir accompanied by his dad Barry. Sam set-up with a waggler 6inches over depth and fished double frozen red maggot in the margin where he caught some nice crucians and loads of roach and rudd.  His dad Sam did catch but had to admit he was put to shame, but nevertheless proud of his son.

Phil Brown fished Appleton Reservoir on Friday morning and ended up with a shed-full of quality roach, a tench, and a single carp around the twenty mark.  All caught on float-fished sweetcorn. Mike Pryer also had cracking roach sport and ended up with about 30lbs plus a decent tench. He fished waggler two rods out alternating between red maggot and corn over a bed of hemp. His mate Steve Draper fished the same method but towards the end of the session fancied a change and cast out a carp rod loaded with a white boilie at the business end. A few minutes later he had a run and thought he was into a carp which to his surprise turned out to be an eel of 3lbs.

Our head bailiff Jay Makin didn't get much sleep on Saturday during his overnighter on Grey Mist when he ended up with thirteen tench up to 7.5lbs. A few carp have been reported and bailiff Trevor Royle landed a cracking mirror on Tuesday morning. The biggest fish I have heard about is a 27lb Moore Quarry mirror although I have no doubt there have been few out of Sandiway Lake. Chris Smith had his first fish of the day from the big lake, an 8-2-0 tench caught using spam and fake corn.

Gary Mason caught over thirty crucians from Woodshaw on the first day of opening on prawns but the following day could only manage two. Jack Hart also bagged up with crucians again on a sea-bait, this time it was mussels.

Anthony Rough enjoyed his first outing since lock-down on The Mount at Buckley with a catch of quality roach and a bonus carp. They all took a fancy to his pearl barley bait. Don't forget this fishery at the moment is restricted to those members on the Welsh side of 'the border' under the current Covid-19 regulations in Wales.

 

If anyone found a bib & brace along with a pair of neoprene wellies at Appleton Reservoir please give me a call as I have found the owner.

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.

Please keep those catch reports coming they are all very much appreciated. Email frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or give me a ring on 01928 716238.

Frank Lythgoe