Storm Darragh can't keep anglers away from Carr Mill Dam

Given the conditions expected during the aftermath of Storm Darragh on Sunday, many venues across our local region still saw a surprisingly good turnout as many anglers still made the journey out even with the threat of the strong winds still evident as we left our homes.

Myself included, 41 anglers turned out at Carr Mill Dam at St Helens on Sunday to participate in St Helens Angling Association’s annual Christmas match.

A very popular event that also sees a great deal of festive spirit flowing in the way of prizes on the celebratory stakes, this match is one that has always been well attended, bringing home a great deal of camaraderie across the membership.

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Unfortunately, even though the weather forecast for the rest of the day was spot on given the storm finally blowing over, the field for this match saw the fishing incredibly tough as the fish simply did not want to join in the festivities, which in all resulted in some very poor weights taken.

Where there’s a will, though, there’s very often a winner and in this one, local St Helens man Mike Topping pegged on the wall at 157 take the honours. Topping took bream and skimmers for just 6.6.0 for a very worthwhile win.

Pegged on the opposite bank on the Carr Mill roadside, fellow St Helens man Steve Halliwell took a quality bream and skimmers for a second-placed5.14.0.

Liverpool’s Brian Cain on the Sunnies 85 took third place, and Wigans Boyden took the final place in the frame taking a hard earned fourth with 3.14.0 on the roadsides 116.

Back over to Downholland near Lydiate joining the commercial venue at Mescar Fisheries, complex owner Andy Molyneux made no mistake on taking the top honours on the open on Mistral Lake. Molyneux, always a figure in his day on the open match circuit and once a member of Liverpool AS Match Group, these days, opting to relax if he ever gets the chance, he simply jumps on his own matches and proves like in this one, that he still has what it takes to be a winner amongst a top field.

On this one, which again proved a difficult day for many given the recent poor weather, Molyneux took carp to 12lb using a simple maggot approach at just 8m for a creditable 63.14.0 win.

Liverpool Dockers member Dave Ball opted for a tactic of offering corn to tempt carp for a second placed 18.12.0. Vine Bait’s Jay Cloney took 17.4.0 for third.

On the club scene, following the Alliance & Leicester AC who were also out celebrating their annual club Christmas match, Liverpool’s Mike Crumbleholme made no mistake opting for a winter favourite of dobbing of bread. Crumbleholme took carp for 51.10.0.

In second place, Kirkby’s Glyn Jones took a creditable 35.8.0 for second place and rounding off the frame, 17.3.0 saw clear favourite for this years club championship, Colin Pellow from Lydiate, take the third-placed club points before everyone went on to celebrate the annual club Christmas dinner at the local pub.

Liverpool & District AA are holding a Christmas match on Sunday, December 22. To book on contact Mike Dickson via the association’s social media platforms. Draw is at 8.30am at the MCA, Maghull.

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