REGULAR contributor Neil Plunkett thought the gap in the recent frosts on Monday may hopefully give him a chance of some decent sport at our Mount fishery at Buckley.

Well, sometimes a hunch is as good a reason for making a decision as any other and as it turned out, it was right on the money.

He fished a deeper section and had a great morning with 12 carp. Three edged into double figures, plus a nice bream and two large roach both well over a pound, one nearly 2lbs. All were caught on legered meat or corn.

Neil had the place to himself and his comment of “great fishery” is like a thank you to our volunteers for all the hard work that has made the water what it is today.

More pike reports last Thursday – Phil Brown had two takes on the Bridgewater and lost one tail-walking pike and landed the other.

On Sunday, Joe Evans – on his first ever predator fishing canal visit – ended up with four pike, with the best estimated around 12lbs. He caught two on smelt and two on lures.

Stuart Peters visited our stretch of the Ribble at Hurst Green for the first time on Saturday and after a bit of wasted effort in finding the swims compounded by him leaving his groundbait at the opposite end of the stretch, he eventually set up undeterred.

An hour later, he was into his first Ribble barbel – possibly a double – only to lose it at his feet.

Eventually, he was into another smaller but cracking looking fish at 4.5lbs. After a quiet spell, a move of swim brought a flurry of dace and at the death, another barbel of 6lbs.

As he said, in present conditions it is something of a trek but he reckons in the words of Arnie, ‘I will be back.’

The lone angler on Ackers Pit on Saturday was more than happy with his catch, hardly able to believe that there were no other anglers on the fishery.

He fished a small waggler against the reeds and started off with a handful of small 2-3oz roach on pinkie but a change to caster brought the better stamp roach on the feed.

He ended up with over 10lbs of roach to 12ozs.

Our Sunday Mersey match series was held this week at Victoria Park, where match organiser Ray Boden put 5lbs 8ozs 0drs on the weigh scale to take a comfortable win.

He fished bolognese style loose-feeding red maggot for an all roach catch with the exception of a small skimmer.

Neil Buist – aka ‘The Engine’ – took the runner-up spot with 3-15-0 of roach taken on groundbait feeder and maggot.

Our disabled and over 60’ match on the Trent & Mersey at Canal Billinge on Monday saw match organiser Jimmy Byrne victorious.

Jimmy had a net of roach and gudgeon caught mainly on pole and pinkie with a few on maggot and caster for 5-1-0 stopping the previous day’s Mersey match winner Ray Boden from making it a double.

Ray wasn’t too far behind with a weight of 4-8-12.

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 give me a call on 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 Series: 1, Ray Boden 5-8-0; 2, Neil Buist 3-15-0; 3, Ed Frangleton 3-10-0; 4, Jim Gannon 3-9-0

Monday, disabled and over 60s: 1, Jimmy Byrne 5-1-0; 2, Ray Boden 4-8-12; 3, George Barber 4-3-0; 4, Rod Frazer 3-9-10

Fixtures:

Sunday, Mersey Series: Draw 9am, Kingsway Allotments

Monday, disabled and over 60s: Draw 10am, Woodshaw Reservoir, Wigan