The latest news, views and results from Warrington Anglers Association courtesy of Frank Lythgoe...

DESPITE the muddy conditions around Appleton Reservoir members are still regular visitors.

Tom Lythgoe reported catching a lovely dark mirror over the weekend weighing 23lbs which he had also had at 21lbs last year. Wellies are an absolute necessity, better still thigh waders.

Clifford Buckley fished Fosters Pools ‘D’ where, despite freezing temperatures, he managed a small 5lb common to go with some roach and skimmers.

Dennis Millburn has enjoyed a number of productive trips to the Macclesfield Canal of late, mainly catching quality roach plus some cracking perch.

On Thursday he fished near the Queens Head, feeding two swims with chopped worm in one and liquidised bread in the other.

Bites were slow but he managed to end his session with three perch around the 1½lb mark and eight chunky roach.

The Mersey match on Sunday, drawn at Kingsway allotments, was a surprise result when Ant Higham, aka King of the River, obliterated the opposition with a winning 5-10-0 set against Roy Everson’s runner-up result of 1-10-0.

It seems Ant was struggling as were the rest of the field until he saw a decent sized fish swirl in the margin to his right and immediately lobbed his feeder in its vicinity.

He started catapulting maggots into the swim and, bingo, 10 minutes later his tip shot round and it was fish on and a case of game over.

It turned out to be a koi carp which someone had illegally released from their pond.

In the disabled and over 60s match on the Bridgewater Canal at the Walton Road Bridge stretch this week Roy Rogers caught 15 tiny roach for a weight of 0-11-10 to take his first win of 2020.

George Hollis took second place with 0-9-4.

Certainly, a massive fall in weights from the previous week when the lowest weight was 2-18-0, so needless to say they will be drawing back at Hough’s Bridge next week.

Thanks to the members who helped with our annual top-up carp stocking last Friday where thankfully the rain held off until after the event.

Some cracking fish were shared between Grey Mist, Moore Quarry, and Sandiway Lakes with the smallest at 22lbs and largest at 25-8-0.

Don’t forget to keep those reports coming as at this time of the year there is not a lot happening, so good, bad, or indifferent they will help fellow members to plan any trips to the bankside. Email your reports and catch pictures to frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk or give me a ring on 01928 716238.

WAA Headquarters at 52, Parker Street are open on Friday between 7pm and 9pm. New members are welcome to call in and join, current ones can renew their subscription, or night permit.

RESULTS:

Mersey Series: 1, Ant Higham 5-10-0; 2, Roy Everson 1-10-0; 3, Pete Howard 0-13-0; 4, Jim Gannon 0-12-0.

Disabled and Over 60s: 1, Roy Rogers 0-11-10; 2, George Hollis 0-9-4; 3, Jimmy Byrne 0-9-0; 4, Ron Durr 0-7-2.

FIXTURES:

Sunday: Mersey Series, draw 9am, Mersey Walk

Monday: Disabled and over 60s, Bridgewater Canal, draw 10am, Hough’s Bridge