THE Bridgewater Canal is still producing pike catches for members, with Tom Chambers reporting catching four on a Sunday session in the Lymm/Statham area. He was lure fishing and his best fish was around seven or 8lbs.

I mentioned last week that the area between Hough’s Bridge and Walton Bridge was full of silver fish where they shoal during winter closely followed there by pike and perch, who treat the area as a sort of ‘pop-up restaurant.’

An angler caught three fish there on Saturday, the best 9lbs on smelt.

Our Mersey Series on Sunday at Mersey Walk, as predicted, saw bites hard to find.

However, local match ace Jimmy Byrne, fishing on a groundbait feeder and maggot, managed to tempt two 8oz skimmers plus small roach for a winning weight of 2lbs 14ozs 0drs.

Ed Frangleton and Roy Everson – both fishing the same method – tied for second place with 1-6-0.

Members have been fishing our WAA-controlled Boothstown area of the Bridgewater Canal for some time now with excellent results. Catches of quality roach, skimmers, and tench (the latter during the milder weather) have been reported.

Ray Boden fished it this week and had around 10lbs of roach, which took a bit of time to come onto the bait but then it was a bite every put in.

With this in mind, Ray has organised a match for members there for this coming Saturday – details below in the fixtures.

Our Monday disabled and over 60s Christmas Match took place on the Bridgewater Canal this week at Hough’s Bridge and saw some surprising catches for this time of the year.

Match organiser Jimmy Byrne repeated his Mersey success of the previous day with another decisive win. He fished pole at 11metres alternating between bread and pinkie for a mainly roach catch plus a few perch for 9-0-0.

Several pegs away on the opposite side of Walton Gardens Bridge, Alan Brown put together a net of roach for a weight of 7-4-2 caught using bread, pinkie, with the better stamp fish taking caster.

Eighteen fished for a total weight of 77lbs and thanks to Graham Belton, everyone received prizes except Graham who couldn’t fish.

If anyone is looking to either join Warrington Anglers Association now or purchase one as a Christmas present for someone, the best time is now for the 2020 membership.

You can either call to our office at 52 Parker Street on a Friday evening between 7pm and 8.30pm or join online. If you let us know, we will post those intended as Christmas presents to the purchaser.

This is the time of year when there are not many anglers on the banks so I would really welcome any catch reports – good, bad, or indifferent – as these 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.

Results:

Sunday, Mersey Match Series: 1, Jimmy Byrne 2-14-0; 2=, E Frangleton/R Everson 1-6-0, 4, Ade Green 1-4-0

Monday, disabled and over 60s: 1, Jimmy Byrne 9-0-0; 2, Alan Brown 7-4-2; 3, Bas Chambers 6-3-4; 4, George Hollis 5-12-0

Fixtures:

Saturday, Bridgewater Canal Match (members only): Draw 9.30am on bank at Boothstown opposite the Moorings Pub (postcode M28 1YB). Call Ray Boden for further information on 07790 317714

Sunday, Mersey Match Series: Draw 9am at Victoria Park

Monday, disabled and over 60s: Draw 10am at Bridgewater Canal, Walton Arms