DUE to the fact that someone stole the majority of my fishing tackle last month, I sent Santa a long list of replacement gear.

Although it will take a good few years to make up the loss, a start has been made.

Motivated by this, and the high number of tackle thefts reported to the police, a thought crossed my mind that maybe it would be a help if we had a number of dedicated volunteers to run an online ‘stolen tackle site’ because currently there is no way of checking if you buy from online sites or other outlets.

It goes without saying that those who knowingly buy stolen tackle are in my book the lowest of the low.

As usual there were members fishing on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and due to the unseasonal mild weather they caught a few fish.

Bailiff Joe Garry and his mate Stu Smith fished Woodshaw Reservoir where Joe landed three carp and Stu had an all-roach catch.

Martin Lenihan repeated his Sunday Series success of the previous week to make it two in a row and win our Boxing Day Special Mersey Match with a weight of 3lbs 7ozs 12drs taken on ground-bait feeder and maggot.

It was good to see Jim Gannon back fishing following a spell in hospital – it takes a lot to keep a good man down!

Using his favoured ground-bait feeder tactics, and I suspect at some point bread on the hook, he weighed an all-roach catch of 3-6-8 to take second spot.

Following previous weeks’ mega-catches on the Trent & Mersey Canal, our Disabled and over 60s match weights there on Tuesday were absolutely decimated.

In fact, I think they were the lowest I’ve reported from this fishery during the 30 years or so I’ve been writing this column.

Nevertheless Paul Bibby made his first visit to the series count.

However he needed only one fish – a perch of 9ozs – for the win.

Alan Brown and George Hollis were joint second with just over 6ozs.

Tight lines to everyone for the new year.

Our association’s headquarters on Parker Street are open every Friday, between 7pm and 8.30pm, for memberships, subscriptions, night-permit renewals and any queries.

Email catch details to frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk, or give me a call on 01928 716238.

Results:

Boxing Day Special Mersey Series: 1, Martin Lenihan 3-7-12; 2, Jim Gannon 3-6-8; 3, Jimmy Byrne 2-3-8; 4, Alan Morris 2-1-0.

Disabled and Over 60s (Bridgewater Canal): 1, Paul Bibby 0-9-0; 2=, George Hollis and Alan Brown 0-12-12; 4, Jimmy Byrnes 0-5-2; 4, Geoff Brooks 2-14-4.

Fixtures:

Sunday, Mersey Series: Draw 10am at Kingsway Allotments.

Monday, Disabled and over 60s (Trent & Mersey Canal): Draw 10am at School Road.

Follow Frank’s column weekly in Warrington Guardian and at warringtonguardian.co.uk