MONDAY marks the opening of the coarse fish season on our river fisheries and judging by the large number of enquiries from Warrington Anglers' Association members there are going to be lots of anglers on the banks.

With the recent warm weather mixed with some rain, conditions look perfect for super sport. Please let me know how you go on for future articles.

Sport is still excellent at Woodshaw Reservoir where members are catching tench to 3lbs and lots of cruciens between 12ozs and 1lb which seem to have now finished spawning.

John Weedon had a session there on Sunday and described it as 'blacker than black' with roach to 4ozs, skimmers and hybrids, plus a few tench and cruciens for a phenomenal catch of around 300 fish. Caster was the successful bait.

Moore Quarry is producing lots of perch around the 1lb mark to maggot or caster. Keith Green had a magnificent mirror carp which weighed 25lbs 5ozs 0drms which he caught on crust after he spotted the fish under overhanging bushes.

Grey Mist Mere has been slow this week as, more than likely, fish are getting ready to spawn. Although lots of fish are moving on the surface they are not eating. Best catch reported this week was by Anthony Outlaw when after an uneventful night he had five fish to 12lbs and lost two in a feeding frenzy which lasted 90 minutes on Sunday morning.

While I applaud members who keep all their rubbish together in one bag unfortunately some are forgetting to take it home from the Mist with them, so risking losing their membership.

The Bridgewater Canal seems slow in matches but pleasure anglers are experiencing some cracking sport.

Mick Shaw fished maggot and caster at Dunham for an estimated mixed catch of roach and skimmers of 20lbs. John Beswick had 11 bream to 5lbs from Lymm on waggler fished sweetcorn. The former warm water wide at Astley is gin clear but full of roach in the 6 to 8ozs bracket which are being caught on caster and hemp. Carp to 10lbs and tench to 5lbs on corn are on the cards from this forgotten backwater.

Well done to local tackle dealer Helen Dagnall who became the women's national champion at Woodlands View on Saturday.

Warrington's team finished in bronze medal position with 42.740kgms. Warrington had won this event for the past three years and team manager Pete Cummings is more than pleased that we retained a medal position.

Contact me with your catch reports on 01928 716238, fax 713898 or e-mail frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk. HQ Parker Street will open as usual on Friday between 7pm and 9.30pm for new members and subscriptions.

Frank Lythgoe

Results: Disabled and Over 60s: 1, Dennis Bates 3-11-0; 2, Bill Powell 3-9-8; 3, Bill Pickles 3-4-4; 4, Eddie Cook 3-3-8. Women's Series (three hours): 1, Helen Dagnall 5-2-0; 2, Bev Smith 4-14-0; 3, Lynda Lythgoe 2-8-6; 4, Janice Holland 2-3-0.

Coming events: Saturday: Tom James Open, Div Four Practice, draw 9am, Grappenhall Ex-Servicmen's Club, book in with Chris Grehan on 635373. Sunday: Div 4 National Practice Open, draw 9am, Grappenhall Ex-Servicemens Club, again book in with Chris on 635373. Monday: Disabled and Over 60s, draw 10.15am, Grappenhall Sports Club (pegs 208-256). Tuesday: Women's Match Series, draw 5.30pm on bank, Beech Road (pegs 384-415); Senior Sweepstake, draw 5.30pm. Thursday: Minnows, draw 6pm on bank opposite Euclid Avenue; Juniors, draw 6pm on bank opposite Denbury Ave (pegs 470-500).