Frank Lythgoe's Warrington Anglers' Association column

ELEVEN-year-old Dominic Bramham, who has been fishing with his brother Matthew Sherratt since the age of four, christened his new Warrington Anglers' Association licence with a trip to Appleton Reservoir on Saturday.

This was his first time on a large fishery and for starters topped his previous PB carp with a fish of exactly 17lbs taken on a pink boosted pop-up next to the weed in the margin.

Later he did it again with a fish of 18-6-0.

Not to be outdone Matthew just topped it with a carp of 18-12-0. Great day’s fishing and some memorable pics for the future.

Simon Oldfield was more than happy with his roach catch on Tuesday evening from the Res. In three and a half hours fishing a 4-metre whip to hand he ended up with 110 silvers in the net weighing in at 31-14-0. Two pints of caster, one and a half of hemp did the trick with a single caster, the best bait, but a few fish on tares.

And another stunner, this time the big grass carp from Grey Mist caught on Tuesday morning at a new weight 28-8-0 by a mystery angler.

Stuart Peters had an enjoyable night session on the River Ribble where his first cast saw him slide a chub into the net followed by a couple of small barbel and one of 9-6-0. He lost a much larger fish but he will be back with his target one of the big doubles.

And another catch from the Ribble but a totally different approach when on Monday Daniel Stewart fished with a little Fox Rage lure to land a chub and a pike. Our sport offers so many options.

Garry Currell aged, 62, fished the River Mersey on Tuesday for the first time in his life and it turned out was one of the most enjoyable three hours fishing he had for some time. Fishing peg 3 above the weir at Victoria Park he trotted a 3BB waggler, size 18 barbless, and fed bronze maggot with red ones on the hook.

His catch included roach, with the best brace around the 1lb mark, hybrids, skimmers, perch, and the last fish of the session a dace. He commented: “Wish I had listened and believed reports that the fishing was this good on the river some years ago.”

At last I managed a couple of short trips to the Weaver Navigation where although sport wasn’t as ‘hot’ as it can be, I managed an all skimmer catch fishing the pole with double red maggot over balls of groundbait laced with micro-pellets and maggot.

A couple of hours on Monday this week was entirely different, not a single bream, only perch and roach.

Ted Small really enjoyed his first visit to the venue on Tuesday when fishing a waggler in a strong downstream wind made the presentation a bit tricky. He ended up with 14 fish, a mixture of roach, perch, gudgeon, and skimmers, best about 12ozs.

The Briars Cup Open fished on the Mersey this Sunday was a really close match with Bob Campbell making the most of an end peg draw to win with 11-2-0 made up of roach, skimmers, and a few dace. Bob fished bolognese and maggot.

Second place went to Derek Bibby from the adjacent peg who fished pole and maggot for 10-4-0. Twenty-six anglers fished.

The usual 20 anglers turned out again for our Disabled and Over 60s match this week fished on the Trent & Mersey Canal at Billinge. Bas Chambers took first place with 6-2-0 mainly roach, perch, and small skimmers taken on maggot and pinkie.

Match organiser Jimmy Byrne was less than 2ozs behind when he took second place with 6-0-2 with a similar net of fish.

It is vitally important to all members that they object to a residential development at Daresbury.

Outline planning application number 20/00337/OUTEIA has been submitted to Halton Council for residential development at Daresbury.

This includes a proposed closure of Red Brow Lane, Daresbury, which has been used by our members for access by motor vehicle to fish the Bridgewater Canal at Red Brow Underbridge for countless years. I have used it for almost 60.

Members can object or comment online to the closure by emailing dev.control@halton.gov.uk, then click on planning applications. At case number enter planning application number in full, then click on search, next click comment now and fill in the form, click I am not a robot, and send. Please save the confirmation. Protect your fishing, many thanks everyone.

WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street remain closed 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.

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:

Briars Cup Open (Mersey): 1, Bob Campbell 11-2-0; 2, Derek Bibby 10-14-0; 3, Alan Faulkener 10-4-0; 4, Pete Howard 10-2-0. Monday Disabled & Over 60s: 1, Bas Chambers 6-2-0; 2, Jimmy Byrne 6-0-2; 3, Rod Fraser 4-9-8; 4, Roy Hollis 4-7-8.

FIXTURES:

Sunday: Tom James Open Mersey Match (23 pegs), must book. Draw 9am, Victoria Park (£5 pool or £10 all-in, no coins and exact money needed).

Monday: Disabled & Over 60s, Bridgewater Canal, Pickerings Bridge, draw 9.45am. (£5 all-in, no coins, exact money needed).