Frank Lythgoe's Warrington Anglers' Association column

WEZ Lawton took Tommy, his seven-year-old son fishing for the very first time on Sunday to Ackers Pit.

Armed with only a 4m whip and a pint of maggots, the youngster was a natural as he caught a total of 18 roach, four perch, three tench, and a crucian carp.

He was so made up he didn’t want to go home and absolutely loved it.

Another confirmed angler for life.

Last Friday, Garry Finn took his 14-year-old son Kian for a session at Grey Mist, and although there were not many fish caught they still reckoned it was a great day.

Between them there were three missed runs, with Garry landing an eel, but Kian was more than happy with his new PB tench of 7-10-0.

As the only member booked on Appleton Reservoir for the night on Sunday, Ed Nelson had the pick of the swims.

Nocturnal swans swimming constantly through his lines kept him awake, so it was nice to get an actual run at 4am to land a lovely 25lb carp, followed by two further fish of 20 and 21lbs.

Andy Beddeson had a good morning last weekend on Arley, the middle reservoir at Worthington.

He fished on the sandbank, where he caught 25 bream from 2.5lb to 5lb, all fell to ledgered worm tipped with caster.

After blanking on the Weaver on opening day, Andy Humphreys was back on Saturday morning for another go, still no roach but plenty of skimmers, bream, plus a couple of perch and rudd.

I was also tempted on Monday to have another go after a similar opening day blank.

As I was setting up on the same peg, another member turned up and plonked himself down on the next swim.

Both of us caught bream, rudd, some clonking roach plus a couple of perch, and the other angler included a small chub in his catch.

Easy fishing at five metres using the remixed groundbait and maggots left over from the 16th.

The wife says I’m tight, but I had a feeling that the fish wouldn’t mind.

As usual, I was right.

Paul Roberts reports catching loads of roach from the Bridgewater Canal during an evening session last week at Lymm, all caught on maggot.

Michael White targeted the canal's perch, but couldn't get near the big ones with smaller fish on sentry duty.

He said: “They don't need to be massive when they look so good.”

Andy Corr had a cracking day with plenty of crucians and a couple of bream from Woodshaw Reservoir last week.

He fished a head of worm over casters.

Jim Scattergood also enjoyed a crucian session on this picturesque association-owned fishery on the pole, but using his own concoction of a crushed pellet mixed paste.

Mike Pritchard made his first visit to the Mersey since coarse fishing opened again on June 16 and went for the easily accessible peg three.

He caught fish close in on the waggler and also on the tip, he ended up with 30 fish, mainly roach but included four perch, two chub and four dace.

He lost a big fish that nearly snatched the rod off his rest.

Baits were maggot and pinkie.

The Sunday Mersey event took place on the Victoria Park length and saw Bob Campbell the winner with 5-6-0 of small skimmers and roach taken on stick-float and maggot.

Jim Gannon took second place, fishing the tip and groundbait feeder for a weight of 4-13-0.

Eighteen anglers turned out for the first Disabled and Over 60s match on the Bridgewater Canal at Keckwick since angling was allowed once more after the Covid-19 lockdown.

Everyone brought the right money, a £5 note which was sealed in a tub until next week and money from a float used for an enveloped payout.

Alan Brown won with 3-12-0 of small skimmers and roach followed in second place by Bas Chambers, pegged at the opposite end of the match with 3-5-10 of roach plus a bream of around 2lbs.

The result could have been so different as he lost a much bigger bream, but lost fish don’t count.

We are still looking for anyone interested in forming a fishery management volunteer group for the association-owned Wide Hole Fishery at Poynton, we have already had four volunteers so you won’t be alone.

Please either ring me or drop me an email.

WAA headquarters at 52 Parker Street remain closed on Friday evenings until further notice.

Members renewing can simply put their book in an envelope with their payment, a stamped addressed envelope and post through our HQ door where mail is collected and dealt with daily.

If you need any further information please give me a call or email as below.

Please keep those catch reports coming; they are all very much appreciated.

Email frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or give me a ring on 01928 716238.

Results:

Sunday: Mersey Series: 1, Bob Campbell 5-6-0; 2, Jim Gannon 4-13-0; 3, Jimmy Byrne 4-6-0; 4, Ade Green 3-13-0

Monday: Disabled and Over 60s: 1, Alan Brown 3-12-0; 2, Bas Chambers 3-5-10; 3, Ron Durr 3-0-0; 4, Derek Bibby 2-15-0

Fixtures:

Sunday: Mersey Members Match (23 pegs), draw 9am, Mersey Walk, pegs 45 upwards (note £5 pool or £10 all-in, no coins, no change given)

Monday: Disabled and Over 60s, Bridgewater Canal, draw 9.45am, Pickerings Bridge. (note £5 all-in, no coins, no change given)