I WRITE this column when I should be somewhere to celebrate the start of the coarse fishing season on rivers.

After my trip to Ireland last week, it is probably fair penance when on a red letter day near to Holy Island, on Lough Derg, all four of us could not lift our nets of large bream, hybrids and roach.

Nick Roberts, along with his nine-year-old son Sam, settled for a peg on the short bank at Cicely Mill Pool last Saturday.

Using the pole, and fishing just off the edge of the weed, it certainly looked idyllic.

However they could not get a bite on corn, or punched meat, for love nor money.

A switch to red maggot saw fortunes change with a nice run of 8oz roach, plus smaller ones and a perch.

As sport slowed after an hour, and sensing Sam was growing bored, Nick found a bronze maggot in among the reds.

“Watch this,” he said.

His float had only settled for a second when it shot away and, as he watched the fluorescent orange elastic stretch to 20 metres, he realised he was into a decent fish.

The end result was a bewildered 11.5lbs common carp that went absolutely berserk in their small landing net.

Our bailiff on the Dee, Mike Lewis, fished swims at Worthenbury.

Using a maggot feeder, he caught lots of small chub and dace but nothing of any size.

On the Mersey, Martin James, there at first light, had only a few small fish to show for his efforts.

But he witnessed another angler, running a stick float, land a chub.

Martin also reports catching a brace of 1.5lbs perch on lures from the Bridgewater earlier in the week.

With a winning net of 6-13-6, Jimmy Byrne edged John Dagnall into second space during the latest disabled and over 60s match.

The tried-and-tested method of bread punch and pole again proved to be the best method overall.

The first fixture in Woodshaw Junior Series, held on Monday, saw Dane Rawlinson win with 19-13-0 of roach, crucians, and tench taken on pole and pellet.

E-mail catch reports to frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or call me 01928 716238.

Our headquarters at 52 Parker Street are open for two hours every Friday, from 7pm, for subscriptions, new memberships, night permits and queries.

n Results: Disabled and over 60s: 1, Jimmy Byrne 6-13-6; 2, John Dagnall 4-15-8; 3, Alan Brown 4-6-0; 4, Mick Daniels 4-0-10.

Woodshaw Junior Series: 1, Dane Rawlinson 19-13-0; 2, Matt Dawber 8-10-0; 3, Callum Cooper 5-9-0; 4, Scott Roberts 4-8-0.

n Fixtures: Saturday, Mersey Saturday Series: Draw at 9am, on peg 74, through iron gates on Mersey Walk.

Sunday, First Association Contest: Draw at 9am, Victoria Park.

Monday, disabled and over 60s: Bridgewater Canal, draw at 10am on Cockfight length. Woodshaw Junior Series: Draw at 5pm, in car park.