Another fantastic weight on one of Merseyside’s favourite prolific venues this week saw none other than the fishery owner himself take the top honours. No stranger to success on the match fishing scene across competitions all over the country including Ireland, Downholland’s Andy Molyneux made no mistake on Sunday, tackling up on his very own Mescar Fisheries, Mistral Lake.
Opting for a choice of peg 29 on this popular ‘rover’ match, Molyneux made no mistake, starting his approach on the bomb and pellet before rounding the day off after a good priming, to take quality carp down the edge on maggot. Having taken carp to 10lb, Molyneux weighed in a superb 149.14.0.
Second place went to Kirkby‘s Ian Cowie, using his favoured corn approach, took quality carp for a superb 100.14.0. Wirral’s Steve Boyd (Saints), 77.12.0 on pellet, pushed Vine Bait’s rod Jay Cloney into fourth place.
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It’s a superb venue and going by the different baits offered by match anglers on successfully catching such huge weights in style on all kinds of methods and baits offered, for members on this exclusive fishery there is clearly a huge benefit for all to explore and develop one’s own approach.
Up the East Lancashire Road following the Newton-le-Willows Angling Association, another of the region’s most well-known anglers, Warrington’s Jimmy Byrne, tightened up his trophy cabinet space with a fine win on the Sankey Canal.
Byrne took a lovely net of bream, carp and roach for 25.15.0 and lifted the Edward Jolley Trophy to take home. Fellow Warrington man Mike Dench (Newton T&B) saw his creditable 12.6.0 take the runners-up position.
The St Helens AA members’ only pairs match on Carr Mill Dam on Sunday saw Wigan duo Dave Edgerly and Kevin Clarke take the top weight on the day between them. With Clarke’s individual match winning weight of 21.12.0 leading the way, Edgerly’s 8.4.0 within this superb partnership took the day with an overall match winning weight of 29.0.0.
Wigan’s Jimmy Hines, taking third individual spot, had 13.8.0 together with partner Derek Bennett ((Wirral) 12.12.0 which was good enough to take second position with an overall 26.4.0. Following the club scene with the much-travelled Alliance AC, Partridge Lakes near Warrington took up their positions on Spey and Marsh.
Southport’s Dave Langton took the day’s top points with a catch of F1s for 64.11.0 using maggot and worm. Fazakerley’s John Watson pegged next door to him took 51.12 and Everton’s Gary Green was third best with 47.7.0.
On the canal scene, Blundellsands rod John Easton took the top honours Sunday, winning the Wigan DAA open on their lengths at Piggery Bridge, Burscough. Taking a bonus 1lb skimmer along with a superb net of tiny roach to back it up, Easton’s catch for 6.15.4 won this one.
Back on home waters, this weekend another fantastic line-up of canal men will compete to take home the coveted Frank Holding Memorial Trophy. The draw for this one is at the MCA at Green Lane Maghull at 9am. Everyone is welcome.
