ERIC Smith and his grandson Callum revisited Cicely on Sunday and enjoyed good sport with small pike.

Eric had a double around the 12lb mark and another around the 7lb mark whilst 13-year-old Callum had a couple around 8lb. All the fish fell to dead baits fished no more than a couple of rod lengths out.

Ralph Bennett planned a Saturday trip to the Dee but family circumstances forced a change. He managed a few hours in the afternoon in a first time visit to Woodshaw Reservoir.

Ralph fished casters and maggot with me and caught some nice stamp roach in the 4 to 6oz bracket, plus a few rudd and skimmers.

He only had one crucian of about half a pound and pull out of a bigger fish. Ralph reckoned two locals who were catching even more fish, mainly crucians, could have been using pieces of cooked prawns? I know some use a slowly dissolving paste that really gets the crucians feeding.

Chris Latham and a friend managed a trip to the River Dee at Worthenbury. His friend was on the float trotting down with maggots and Chris was on the feeder using the same bait.

They had a great day’s fishing catching several grayling, dace and a bonus chub of 4lb.

Sadly I have not had much time to get out on the Dee this season but this particular stretch is by far my favourite.

Winner of this week’s Mersey match on Saturday saw the tip coming back into play and there is not too many better at the method than Paul Harding.

Paul weighed 12-2-0, which included 2lb skimmers and had over 4.5lbs to spare over second placed Derek Bibby, who had a mixed net of roach, perch and chub for 7-9-0.

Our Sunday Mersey Series weights were down slightly from the previous day but Jimmy Byrnes ignored the tip and the pole methods and opted for the waggler to put together an all roach catch of 5-12-0, followed in second place by Lee Clark who fished on the pole for 4-6-8 of perch and roach.

Bites were hard to come by in this week’s Disabled and Over 60s match but Alan Brown followed on from last week with another win, albeit not without some controversy.

He weighed in 2-11-14 and had only put a few small roach in the net when he struck into yet another tiny silver only to have it snatched by what everyone thought was a pike.

Well Alan played the unseen predator carefully and landed to everyone’s surprise a perch around the 2lbs mark, plus of course the tiny roach.

Now here is the rub, because had it been a pike they do not count in our matches but perch do. Lenny Dutton was runner-up with 2-9-6.

Please keep those catch reports coming in as they are invaluable to this column and fellow members planning fishing trips. Either ring me on 01928 716238 or email frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk. HQ 52, Parker Street is open as usual between 7 & 9pm on Friday, for subscriptions, new memberships/night permits, or any queries.

Results: Mersey Saturday Sweepstake: 1, Paul Harding 12 -2-0; 2, Derek Bibby 7-9-0; 3, Ray Bowden 6-9-0; 4, Martin Lenihan 3-15-0. Mersey Sunday Series: 1, Jimmy Byrnes 5-12-0; 2, Lee Clark 4-6-8; 3, Roy Everson 3-4-0; 4, Martin Lenihan 3-2-0. Disabled & Over 60s: 1, Alan Brown 2-11-14; 2, Lenny Dutton 2-9-6; 3, Geoff Brooks 2-9-0.

Forthcoming events: Saturday: Mersey Saturday Sweepstake, draw 9am on the bank at the Kingsway North Allotments. Mersey Sunday Series, draw 9am through gates Mersey Walk (fish 74 back). Monday: Disabled & Over 60s, draw 10am Star Inn, Statham. Contact John Dagnall at Cheshire Angling 01925 635486.