SADLY, I have to report the death of long-standing member Stan Deakin following a long illness.

I have known Stan for well over half a century and he was one of the nicest men I have met, always cheerful and up for a laugh. Our condolences to his wife and family.

His funeral takes place at Walton Crematorium at 11.40am on Tuesday, October 1, and afterwards at the Waterside Suite Marquee on Centre Park.

Regular working party member Rod Walker ventured away from his regular haunt, The Mount, on Wednesday to try his luck on the Weaver Navigation.

Fishing recommended pole and maggot tactics with liberal amounts of groundbait, he was soon into his first roach followed by more cracking specimens plus perch and the odd skimmer.

He loved it and a return visit is definitely on the cards in the near future.

Please note that on Saturday, Runcorn Rowing Club are holding their annual time trial races – one in the morning and the same in the afternoon with 50 to 75 boats in each race plus safety craft.

Mike Pritchard reported that he had his best result on the River Mersey for ages after fishing a short session on Saturday.

He started off with ‘wag and mag’ on peg but after only three small roach, he changed over to caster on the same line for a better stamp of fish, mainly in the 3-6oz range but some in the 8-12oz bracket plus a bream of around 1.5lbs.

Happy? Yes, definitely with his 40-fish catch.

Ralph Bennett fished at Rixton Claypits on Thursday afternoon and put out a feeder whilst he was setting up his float tackle.

In the first 90 minutes he had landed five bream between 3-4lbs on banded pellet or corn followed by a six pounder, then nothing.

The bites died completely on his feeder line so it was roach and perch on the waggler to end his session and a very enjoyable afternoons’ fishing.

The Mersey Championship match fished on Sunday at Victoria Park was a close-run affair with only one fish deciding the winner as Derek Bibby and Jimmy Byrne went almost fish for fish, with both using groundbait feeder and maggot tactics.

Skimmer bream up to 10ozs were what the pair were catching and at the weigh-in, Derek just edged out Jimmy into second place with a weight of 17lbs 12ozs 0drs against Jimmy’s 17-8-0.

Our disabled and over 60s match on Monday held on the Bridgewater Canal at Delph Lane and saw no bonus bream to swell weights this week.

It was won by Rod Fraser with a weight of 3-11-10 of small roach and perch taken on either bread punch, maggot or pinkie.

Mike Worley took second place with 3-0-8. There is a change of venue next week to the Trent & Mersey Canal.

Thanks to members who take the trouble to send in catch reports which help fellow members to know how waters are fishing and plan their outings.

Email frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or call 01928 716238.

WAA headquarters at 52 Parker Street are open as usual every Friday between 7pm and 9pm.

New members are welcome to call in and join, current ones can renew their subscription or night permit.

Results:

Sunday, Mersey Match Series: 1, Derek Bibby 17-12-0; 2, Jimmy Byrne 17-8-0; 3, Chris Wray 11-1-0; 4, Ant Higham 8-13-0

Monday, disabled and over 60s, Bridgewater Canal: 1, Rod Fraser 3-11-10; 2, Mike Worley 3-0-8; 3, Geoff Brooks 3-0-0; 4, Jimmy Byrne 2-12-0

Fixtures:

Sunday, Mersey Series: Draw 9am at Mersey Walk

Monday, disabled and over 60s: Draw 10am at Trent & Mersey Canal, Billinge