Petes Page

 I'm not even sure exactly when it was that I agreed to take on the running of the Junior section "for a couple of  years, but it must be over twenty-five years ago! Since then, along with  my wife Barbara. without whose help I couldnt have managed, I have found myself involved in permit issuing, match organisation. advice giving and policing roles that  this ultimately rewarding if occasionally frustrating position demands. True we had a three year break in the late nineties, figuring that we had done  our share and deserved a rest but I guess we missed it more than we cared to  admit and soon found ourselves back at the helm. Quite frequently, when out and about, we are approached by former junior members saying ˜You probably don’t remember me.sometimes we do but usually I have to admit we  don’t because they are into their thirties and I haven’t seen them since they were in their teens. There are also current junior members who's, dad  was once one of our section. I sometimes feel like Mr Chips!

Anyway enough of the nostalgia, what do we offer to junior anglers? Well our junior pool fishes very well particularly in the summer months and is described in detail in the Club Waters Section of the main site. Fish can be caught on a wide variety of methods. Maggots fished with pole or rod on light tackle can bring very good catches of the smaller species with the odd bonus carp or tench to add excitement (be prepared to give line when if one of these turns upwhen using light tackle). The fish often respond to regular loose feed  by coming up in the water where they may be caught by fishing on the drop or with the float set shallow. These methods tend to produce mixed rudd. Roach and perch catches and sometimes  an odd chub to around three pounds. Feeding caster in the margins for a while before fishing over it can be an excellent strategy for the larger species such as tench and carp which can also be targeted by using baits such as corn, meat,  bread and worm using hooks between sizes 1and 6. I recommend stepping up  your line strength accordingly when looking to catch these bigger fish. Out  and out carp fishing calls for big baits on the bottom or surface fishing with baits such as crust, pet biscuits or floating pellet. Bread and cereal groundbait is barred on all waters except the river and Heesom's pool. Because of the depth of the other waters, these are only available when  accompanied by a senior member on a one to one basis The only exceptions to  this are for parent or grandparents who are senior members who may take as many of their children/grandchildren who are junior members as they  like, and when junior matches are being held on senior waters.

Talking of matches, we run an extensive programme for juniors throughout the summer and early autumn months. The Thursday morning matches run throughout the school summer holidays were an innovation introduced by Ted Atkinson when he took over the junior section while we took our three year break and these have proved to be particularly popular. Although we expect the participants to basically fish for themselves. help with setting up tackle, netting of fish and unhooking are permitted as well as the giving of advice. This gives us the ideal opportunity to help the novice angler to become more proficient and  therefore to enhance his or her enjoyment of the sport. Last year we entered a junior team in the National Junior Angling Association matches and for a  first year attempt, acquitted ourselves quite well. The team won its first competitive match in the North-West leg of the Anglo-Welsh sponsored knockout with two first and four second section placing, resulting in medals  for Ian Morrison, Daniel Steele, Matty Jump and Chris Wright. I have to admit the match was held on our own Heesom’s pool, which enabled us to have a good number of practice sessions. The final was held the following week at Tunnel barn fisheries in Warwickshire where we were brought back down to earth with a  bump by finishing last of the eight finalists, Ian Morrison however  distinguished himself by gaining a section winners medal We struggled  through lack of knowledge of the water and methods but to actually reach the final in our first year was an achievement in itself. Autumn saw us contest the N.J.A.A. Challenge match on the River Weaver when we gained  fourth place outof  the twelve teams contesting it. Two  outstanding performances saw Michael Sandbach become the individual winner  with Matty Jump taking joint second place. Seven Individual medals is not a bad first year performance when you consider the relatively small size of our membership. As current squad members become to old to fish these events, they will have  to he replaced by fresh talent for which we are always on the lookout.