MEMBERS are missing out on the excellent sport coupled with great scenery if they are not tackling our river fisheries.

This week, for example, Steven Brookes took a day off from struggling in the Mersey Sunday Series to visit our stretch of the Dane at Holmes Chapel.

Using a roving approach, he fished six swims – never taking longer than five minutes to get a bite before moving on after half an hour.

He caught eight chub between 2lbs and 4lbs, a grayling, and a 2lb brownie, all on luncheon meat and a light lead.

On the same day, yours truly made a return trip to the Dee at Worthenbury and in the milder weather was rewarded with a hard-fighting grayling at least every other trot down my swim.

I went for simple stick-float fishing, using around half a pint of bronze maggots. You don’t need gallons of bait at this time of the year.

Last week somebody threw bundles of the leftovers from their illegal crop of cannabis (skunk) into the Bridgewater Canal at Houghs Bridge.

Needless to say the police were informed because this is obviously connected to the bags of the ‘stuff’ that our members removed from Appleton Reservoir before Christmas. If anybody has any ideas of the culprits let me know.

While in the vicinity, I chatted to Stu Roberts who despite trying everything but the kitchen sink had not even had a sniff of a bite. He moved less than a few hundred yards and, fishing bread punch, he had a roach on his first cast. They were mainly small fish but a bite a chuck and definitely better than watching a stationary float.

Thank goodness sport on the River Mersey took an upturn this week when Jimmy Byrne weighed in 20 roach for 2lbs 13ozs 13drs all taken on maggot and ground-bait feeder tactics.

Likewise catches were improved on our Disabled and Over 60s match on the Preston Brook stretch of the Bridgewater Canal on Monday when Bernie Lea led the field with 5-2-12 of roach and skimmers.

WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street are open every Friday between 7pm and 9pm for new memberships, subscriptions, night permit renewals, and any queries. Email catch details to frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or give me a ring on 01928 716238.

Results:

Mersey Sunday Series: 1, Jimmy Byrne 2-13-13; 2, Martin Lenihan 2-10-4; 3, Jim Gannon 2-7-8; 4, Ed Frangleton 1-14-4.

Disabled & Over 60s (Bridgewater Canal): 1, Bernie Lea 5-2-12; 2, Roy Rogers 2-15-4; 3, George Hollis 2-12-4; 4, Graham Belton 2-8-0.

Forthcoming events:

Sunday: Mersey Series, draw 9am at Kingsway Allotments.

Monday: Disabled and Over 60s match on Bridgewater Canal, draw 10am at Preston Brook