One of the region’s favourite seasonal angling competitions took place on Good Friday, as Liverpool DAA hosted their own Easter festivities.
Booking on, entrants simply had to bring along an Easter egg to enable Mike Dickson (L&DAA) to give me the opportunity and pleasure to pass the eggs on to families who couldn’t afford to buy them for their children.
The Leeds Liverpool Canal was the venue and with 40 anglers from all over the region attending, the length used was the picturesque Eager Lane at Downholland, coming back to towards Lydiate to Jacksons Bridge.
With the weather dry and surprisingly bright, everyone including myself, fancied the conditions right for a pleasant day’s fishing to be fair, but conscious that the canal is also there for everyone to use, a steady flotilla of boats, walkers, runners and cyclists made it difficult throughout.
READ MORE: Angling: John Easton takes top honours on the Leeds Liverpool Canal
Taking advantage of a good draw however was Huyton’s Paul Holding. Holding made no mistake as he put together a creditable net of small roach and skimmers together for 4.13.0 from his end peg on the cottages at Jackson’s.
That was only good enough for second place on the day. Having just a couple of pound of roach and perch in the net with just five minutes to go, Lancashire’s Toni Corolla took what looked like a good late skimmer.
Then, with just two minutes to go, he hooked into a better fish to successfully net it just before the ‘all out’ was called.
That fish, a 2lb Crucian carp which alone surprised everyone, staggered Corolla even more so as it decided the outcome of the final result. Corolla weighed in a winning 5.10.0.
Wigan’s Tommy Fairhurst, with his 4.12.0 only just topped by Holding, took third. Leigh’s Anthony Lloyd took fourth with 4.8.0.
Still over at Downholland, Mescar Fisheries owner Andy Molyneux made no mistake with a superb win on his complex’s match venue Mistral on Sunday.
Taking carp to 12lb from down the margins either side of him, it made up a fantastic catch for 144.4.0 by alternating between pellet and worm. Jay Cloney (Vine Baits) took second with 88.8.0.
Up the East Lancashire Road at Carr Mill Dam, Moreton’s Derek Bennett took the top honours on the Joe Lee Memorial run by St Helens AA.
Over two days on a tough dam, Bennett weighed in a total 10.8.0 to again make his mark as one of the very best about.
Over at Newton nearby, Eddie Marcroft showed he’s still there at the top as he took the honours in the association’s weekly over-60s open.
Marcroft (Newton Tackle & Bait) weighed in skimmers and roach for 13.7.0 from Beech Pool on White Door Dam.
