Improving sport on the Bridgewater Canal
2:42pm Thursday 1st May 2008
SPORT on the Bridgewater Canal has certainly improved this week for members of Warrington Anglers' Association.
Roach and bream featured in most catches, while Elwyn Jones reported a catch of 11 bream from Broadheath that were all covered with spawning nodules.
They were all around the 3lb mark and fell for pole-fished flake presented over a bed of liquidised bread.
Michael Pritchard stuck to his favourite traditional method, using a home-made canal straw float and waggler rod.
Fishing on the far shelf at Grappenhall, he had a net of more than 5lbs of roach and perch on pinkie plus three bream to 4lbs taken on caster.
Halfway through his session he spotted the tell-tale movement of his keepnet which could only have been a marauding pike looking for an easy meal.
He reached for his landing net and had a poke around to frighten it away but on pulling it out was confronted by a very lively pike of about 6lbs. It was a case of who was the most surprised - the fish or Mike!
At Sandiway Lakes, sport is really slow on the small lake where the fish seem to be tightly shoaled ready for spawning.
A few fish have been reported from the large lake, including bream to 13lbs 9ozs 0drms and tench to 6-9-0, while the biggest carp was a Symonds fish of 26-6-0.
Lots of small roach and perch have come out of Hamptons Pool to maggot or pinkie but remember to book on before you visit this pocket-sized fishery.
The water lilies are shooting up and will very shortly make fishing difficult. We intend to thin them out later in the year.
Bernard Anderson managed to sneak some time off from Baileys Tackle on Thursday for a quick session on Grey Mist Mere.
He was rewarded with a common of 22lbs and a linear of 24lbs taken on Scopex squid-liver boilies.
Reports of some good tench catches from both the Mist and Rixton Claypits, the latter producing a fish of 8-8-0.
We are currently revamping our website and are looking for pictures of our fisheries and, of course, recent catches. If you can help out contact me on the number below or drop me an email.
Let me have your catch reports on 01928 716238, fax 01928 713898 or e-mail frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk.
HQ Parker Street will be open as usual tomorrow, Friday, between 7pm and 9.30pm for subscriptions and new memberships.
Results: John Leigh Trophy: 1, Jake Fowles 1-8-8; 2, Ben Pike 1-1-12; 3, Joshua Burgoyne 0-6-11.
Disabled and Over 60s: 1, Barry Owen 6-6-0; 2, Alf Seddon 4-5-0; 3, Roger Peet 3-13-0; 4, Denis Bates 3-5-0.
Forthcoming events: Saturday: Sid James Open, Bridgewater Canal at Preston Brook. Book in with Chris Grehan on 635373, draw at 9am under the Motorway Bridge.
Sunday: Bridgewater Canal Series (Manchester). For details and booking, contact Albert Morris on 0161 7922684.
Monday: Disabled and Over 60s, draw 10.30am at Star Inn.
May 8: Junior Summer Series opening match, draw 6pm on bank opposite Euclid Avenue, Grappenhall.