Fishing methods at Carr Mill Dam have reverted to the straight-bomb tactics of 25 years ago as bream refuse to feed in the heavily coloured water for matchmen in the St Helens AA Open.
So for the moment it’s roach-or-bust and to extract every ounce from their pegs, regulars have gone back to the simple link leger which allows them to fish on the drop with a longer tail and search the swim.
Peter Tittle (Newton-le-Willows) won a close contest when he took 5lb 2oz of tiny roach from peg four in Hollinhey Bay, beating Mal Rigby (St Helens), on peg 33, by two ounces.
Brookside Fishery near Warrington is certainly the pick of the matchmen and within a fortnight of reopening is back on track as one of the region’s top venues for open competitions.
Everyone was in the mood for fun on Christmas Eve and Andy May (Whizzo Dave’s Middlewich) got a bumper bag of presents – small carp, roach and ide – weighing 67lb 10oz, four times better than the nearest challenger!
Andy drew peg 42 on Willow Pool facing the middle island where he rigged up a 14 metre pole kit and working along the autumn coloured reeds managed to find carp to 3lb on maggot.
Because the match was split over two lakes the top cash prize is split proportionately to the number of matchmen on each lake and Andy picked up £ 60.
Mind you, second placed Jason Suggett (Woodehouse Park) was on the Snake Pit, where there were more anglers, and he pocketed £ 80 for his all carp catch of 15lb 8oz.
Dave Houghton, Leisure Angling, Liverpool – 0151 734 2344
E-mail: houghtonde@aol.com
