Frank Lythgoe's Warrington Anglers' Association column 2023

AFTER a 4am start, Garry Whitehead had a cracking four-hour session on the Weaver Navigation at the weekend, catching bream, roach, chub, and perch on red maggot over groundbait and pellet.

He also managed to follow this up with a brief one-hour session for his son Thomas, four, on Monday when the keen youngster caught his biggest perch to date plus some chunky roach using maggot and just two sections of pole.

I’m sure there will be even bigger specimens before long.

Four-year-old Thomas Whitehead with his best perch yet (Image: Contributed)

Andy Corr and his fishing mate Andy Donegan were also on the Weaver Navigation on Sunday, both enjoying another great session on our waters.

Short pole, a couple of balls of dark groundbait and maggots over the top seems to work for most members who visit this easy access fishery.

The float seems to be king there as I have never yet heard of anyone ‘bagging-up’ on other methods such as the feeder…but as there are also resident carp, I would love to be proven wrong.

Some better news of the current situation following the recent devastating River Mersey fish kill is that a few members are making ‘test-visits’ and reporting catches of bream and roach.

Regular column contributor Mike Pritchard fished it for two hours on Saturday when he had eight bites, landing three roach and a perch.

He then went to Ackers Pit where he caught 13 roach, three perch, and an eel around the 4lb mark which took a fancy to his red maggots.

Thousands of tiny fry are to be seen everywhere on the Bridgewater Canal and thankfully the River Mersey.

Our Monday Disabled and Over 60s match this week was fished on the Bridgewater Canal at Stage Lane.

The winner, Alan Brown, drew peg two in the wood where fishing pole and caster he caught a bonus bream around the 4lb mark, a couple of skimmers, and the rest roach for a weight of 7lbs 7ozs 0drs.

Alan Faulkner was the runner-up, catching a nice net of small roach on pinkie from peg 16 at the opposite end of the match. Sixteen anglers fished.

Our WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street, Warrington WA1 1LT remains closed on Friday evenings but members can simply post to this address or put their membership book or request in an envelope with their payment and a stamped addressed envelope, through our HQ door where mail is collected and dealt with most days. Alternatively, you can post to Warrington Anglers Association PO. Box 71, Warrington WA1 1LR where mail is collected weekly.

Get in touch with your catch reports as lots of members rely on your kindly shared information for their angling visits. Email secretary@warrington-anglers.org.uk

Results: Disabled and Over 60s (Bridgewater Canal, Stage Lane): 1 Alan Brown 7-7-0; 2 Al Faulkner 4-2-0; 3 Rod Fraser 2-12-0; 4 Jimmy Byrne 2-9-0

Fixtures: Monday: Disabled and Over 60s match, Bridgewater Canal, Agden Bridge: Draw 9.45am (£5 all-in, exact money only, no change given).