Frank Lythgoe’s Warrington Anglers’ Association column

COLIN Wood has enjoyed some good bream catches these past few weeks from Worthington Reservoirs.

But on Friday, fishing on Arley (number 2), the bream didn’t show and although he had a few skimmers he couldn’t avoid the perch. Surprisingly all were caught on sweetcorn.

Dave Gardner and his mate Ken Hewitt were at Woodshaw Reservoir where they enjoyed a four-hour session.

Ken struck into the perch catching 19 to 14ozs on pole and maggot, while Dave’s first bite using waggler and double maggot brought him a 2lb crucian.

This was followed by 23 perch in the 6 to 8ozs range, plus half a dozen roach, with the best being over 1lb.

The anonymous volunteer who has worked throughout the close season improving pegs and access at the Weaver Navigation managed an early morning pole session on the venue.

Fishing the usual balled-in groundbait and maggot tactics he ended his session with 30 bream and lost a ‘monster’ perch at the net after a 20-minute fight. As I reported last week the dredging operation on the far side of the swing bridge seems to have had no effect.

Neil Plunkett fished at Grey Mist, where, following a weed rake session, he was soon into a perch fest – at least 40 of them, best around 1lb.

He added a solitary roach plus a tench around the 2lb mark. He caught on both waggler or groundbait feeder and maggot.

The track to our Worthenbury stretch of the Dee may be rough but for those having the patience to navigate it the rewards are great.

Committee members Jay Makin, Andy Burrows, and I met there on Thursday when we cleared vegetation and built a stile to eliminate the rickety gate climb.

We had each brought a small amount of tackle and bait. In just over an hour of fishing, we all caught – Jay and myself a few dace and small chub, but Andy on his very first river session landed a decent chub after a few casts on his trotted bread flake.

On our arrival there was already a member fishing, Stuart Roberts, who ended his session with a cracking net of chub to between 4 to 5lbs, plus a few grayling and dace.

He fished the stick-float and maggot and added a few fish on caster.

Anthony Rough was at the venue on Sunday when fishing waggler and double maggot and keeping mobile he caught a couple of decent chub, a few grayling, a trout, plus loads of chublets. The river was alive with fish!

Our Sid Jones Open Mersey Match on Sunday fished on the Victoria Park stretch of the river saw Ray Boden the winner with a roach and perch net taken on pole and maggot which gave him a 5lb margin over second placed Ade Green.

Ray’s catch weighed in at 15-2-0 and Ade’s 9-15-0 made up of a bonus bream taken on groundbait feeder and maggot plus roach and perch on the pole. Twenty-four fished.

Our Disabled and Over 60s Monday match was fished this week at Preston Brook and saw local rod George ‘The Breadman’ Barber the winner with 3-9-0 of roach taken on pole. Ron Durr was the runner-up with 3-3-0 taken on the same tactics. Seventeen fished.

There is a working party organised at Sandiway on Saturday starting at 9am. If you fancy helping, turn up.

WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street remain closed on Friday evenings but members can simply post to this address or put their 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.

Catch reports and pictures from members are always welcome. Email frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or call me on 01928 716238

Results:

Disabled & Over 60s

1) George Barber 3-9-0

2) Ron Durr 3-3-0

3) George Hollis 3-0-0

4) Alan Brown 2-1-0

Sid Jones Open Mersey Match

1) Ray Boden 15-2-0

2) Ade Green 9-15-0

3) Chris Wray 9-7-0

4) Jeff Shaw/J Byrne 8-10-0

Coming Events:

SUNDAY:

Mersey Match Series: Draw 8-45am Mersey Walk. £5 and £5 optional pool Exact money only, no change given. Covid-19 rules apply.

MONDAY:

Disabled & Over 60’s Bridgewater Canal, Pickering Bridge. Draw 9-45am. £5 all-in, exact money only, no change given. Covid-19 rules apply.