MANY thanks to the four members who removed 123 barrows of weed at Grey Mist Mere on Saturday.

The new weed rakes we purchased were just right for the job, light enough to throw and held enough weed that could be handled.

The volunteers will be holding another working party on August 23. If you fancy helping to improve your fishery, just turn up on the morning.

A word of warning to those who find it a bind to take their rubbish home, we just don’t want you in our club. No excuses, if caught it is an automatic ban.

Tench are feeding well on this popular venue and Jonathan Mead reports catching a mirror of 24-12-0 on Wednesday. Phil Hancock visited Woodshaw Reservoir for the first time and was suitably impressed with both the fishing and the immaculate, litter-free condition of this pocket sized fishery.

It was, he said, a credit to the team of volunteers who look after the Wigan fisheries on behalf of the members.

Phil caught skimmers, roach, bream, and crucians steadily throughout his session. A return trip is most definitely on the cards.

New member Andy Williams last visited the Mount as a youngster more than 20 years ago, making it his first port of call after joining.

Andy’s short session last Sunday saw him end up with 11 carp to 12lbs. All were caught on homemade ‘fishy’ boilies.

This venue is an excellent general fishery and regularly produces specimen roach, tench, bream and perch if you set your stall out for them.

Stuart Peters rang me to ask directions to the opposite side of Budworth Mere that we now share with our friends at Northwich AA.

I warned him of the long walk and heart-attack hill on the return journey but he went and was more than happy with the results.

In a four-hour session he caught six bream to 5lbs plus, hybrids to 3lbs, numerous roach including one of 1.25lbs. All taken on groundbait feeder alternating between double red maggot, worm tipped with maggot and sweetcorn cocktails.

Adrian Green reported raw sewage flowing into the River Mersey during the downpour this week.

Surprisingly he received a call back from North West Water to say that it was within acceptable standards. Is it too much trouble to install suitable filters in this day and age when pollution of any sort is unacceptable?

It looks like we have a case of botulism at High Legh Fisheries where a member reported on Tuesday that ducks and geese were dead in the water.

It appears this is rife in the Cheshire area. The birds will be removed and buried to prevent further spread.

Match organiser Ray Bowden won the Saturday Mersey Series with 8-15-0 of roach and perch taken on pole tactics.

Jimmy Byrne was second with a 6-15-0 net of bream, roach and perch. Karl Guy notched up his first Mersey win of the season in the Shield Contest on Sunday with a decent bream, plus silvers taken on the waggler for 8-0-0.

Co-match organiser Paul Harding was runner-up with 7-11-0 of roach and skimmers taken on the feeder, while the other half of the partnership Ant Higham was back in the money in third spot.

Our Disabled and Over 60s match was fished on the Mersey and saw Jimmy Byrne maintain his winning streak with a 10-7-2 catch of skimmers and roach. Runner-up was George Barber with 5-5-0.

Keep catch reports coming on 01928 716238 or frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk. HQ 52, Parker Street open 7pm to 9pm Friday.

Results: Mersey Saturday Sweepstake: 1, Ray Bowden 8-15-0; 2, Jimmy Byrne 6-15-2; 3, Paul Harding 5-4-0; 4, Jim Gannon 3-0-0. Challenge Shield (Sunday): 1, Jimmy Byrne 14-6-0; 2, Paul Harding 7-11-0; 3, Ant Higham 6-5-0; 4, Martin Lenihan 5-6-0. Disabled and Over 60s: 1, Jimmy Byrne 10-7-2; 2, George Barber 5-5-0; 3, Graham Belton 4-2-0; 4, Jim Gannon 4-0-0. Junior Summer Series: 1, Jack Bibby 5-2-0; 2, Jake Braid 4-14-0; 3, David Smith 4-12-0; 4, Charlie Forster 2-6-0.

Forthcoming events, Saturday: Mersey Sweep, draw 9am on the bank at the Kingsway North Allotments, contact Ray on 07790317714. Sunday: 2nd Association Contest - Rod Only (Mersey), draw 9am Mersey Walk (fish 74 back). Monday: Disabled and Over 60s, draw 10am Star Inn. Contact John Dagnall 01925 635486. Inters/Juniors Summer Series, draw 6pm Dunham Fisheries. Contact Helen Dagnall 01925 635486. Tuesday: Minnows Summer Series, Bridgewater Canal, draw 6pm opposite Euclid Avenue. Contact Helen Dagnall.