Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 3692 i Angling Times

THIS past weekend I experienced two very different ends of the angling spectrum – and thoroughly enjoyed them both! I’d taken the day off work on Friday and, with my other obligations out of the way, I thought I’d head to a local gravel pit and make the most of being able to get set up before it got dark. Well, that was the plan anyway. On arrival I found the water level had risen quite substantially, which meant I had to do a bit of readjusting to get back to the silty channel which I’d previously baited up. I eventually got everything clipped up to the spot again and got the last rod out just after dark. I then spent the next few hours sat in the bivvy listening…

A QUICK heads-up to members of clubs, syndicates and fisheries that the next round of fishery grant funding has opened. It’s worth passing this on to your committee or management team in case they don’t know about it. In total there’s £100k of government money to be divvied out to angling organisations for projects to help stop the spread of invasive non-native species and to increase biosecurity at angling venues. The clubs will have to match what they get, but this can come in the form of cash, labour, or voluntary time. The latter two can take the form of helping with bankside clearances, and all work needs to be completed before the end of March next year. The aim is to help prevent the spread of invasive species such…

MEMORABLE PERCH FROM WEEDY SWIM Chris Lowe – 4lb 10oz perch JUST eight weeks after having life-saving surgery, Chris Lowe kicked off his autumn perch campaign with this superb stripey of 4lb 10oz. The Shimano-sponsored angler was lure fishing on the River Thames, targeting an area with dense weed cover, and was thrilled to land the specimen. At 48cm, he knows the fish would have weighed even more in a few months’ time, but he certainly wasn’t complaining about that. PREBAITING PAYS OFF Toby Kitchen – 3lb 3oz rudd A FEW days spent trickling corn into a Fenland drain paid off for young Toby Kitchen when he banked this stunning 3lb 3oz rudd. His thinking behind prebaiting was to gain the fish’s confidence, and he certainly did that, as the…

MOST fish are curious, and when there’s activity in the swim, they can’t help but investigate what’s going on. But as temperatures start to drop off, feeding some baits can leave too much sat on the bottom, which can eventually prove off-putting. Pellets are packed with fishmeal, with quite a high food content, and introducing them regularly can have a negative impact. Maggots and casters, on the other hand, have a low food content, allowing you to feed plenty without fear of filling the fish up. To put it simply, they’re the baits you need on your side tray in the coming weeks when carp, F1s and silvers are on the agenda. GIVE IT A GO 1 LITTLE-AND-OFTEN RULES Introducing 15-20 maggots or casters every 30 seconds by hand or…

JOIN TOP MATCH anglers Lee Kerry and Rob Wootton each week as they unveil the tactics and techniques that really make a difference LIKE any match angler, I pride myself on making the most of any peg that I’ve drawn, but there are times when you look back in hindsight and wish that you’d done things a bit differently. I’d been looking forward to the Barston Masters final for a while, as it’s a venue I absolutely love to fish, and I’ve also felt really in tune with it this year. To cut a long story short, though, the final didn’t go to plan, and I ended up with 68lb from peg 60, with 94lb winning the section. That may seem a sizeable gap, but Barston Lakes is home to…

I struggle to pole fish effectively when it’s windy – any advice?Stuart Hindes, Chorley TURNING to the feeder seems the obvious choice in this situation, and if it’s blowing a gale then you may have no other options. But there will be plenty of times when the presentation offered by a pole will lead to more bites, even when there’s a breeze. You’ll need to adapt your usual process a little, but many of the adjustments are simple and will make you far more comfortable and effective. USE A BUMP BAR If you are fishing for skimmers, the bait needs to be nailed to the deck. If it bounces around, they’ll ignore it and you’ll go biteless. A bump bar will help greatly in these conditions. There are two ways…

WHERE TO FISH IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BACK END of the year is often the time that fisheries start to make changes, and bosses at Llyn Derwen have wasted no time in giving this stunning Welsh complex a boost. House Pool is the venue’s popular specimen carp lake, and it was recently netted to give staff an idea of what swam beneath the surface. Plenty of big carp to 20lb were found, along with some very impressive roach, ide and perch to add a touch of variety. New fish are also on order – mirrors and commons up to 25lb are set to be introduced in the coming weeks and months. GIANT SILVERS Although the carp are the number one focus for many visitors, House Pool also contains some huge…

THERE are times as an angler when you wonder how on earth the various things we do all fall under the singular heading of “fishing”. Beyond the hook and line, there’s little common ground between tackling a small stream and a deep-sea wreck! My recent angling has been a tale of two brothers dragging each other to vastly different worlds. First, older sibling Ben persuaded me to tackle a crazily clear chalk stream. In retaliation, I roped him into a deep-sea fishing trip out of Looe. Talk about a contrast! We’d gone from two feet of water to two hundred, and while the sea was quite lumpy, that only seemed to spur on the fish. Armed with a boat rod instead of a trout wand, Ben was in for a…

“NOTHING VENTURED, NOTHING GAINED!” Anto Roberts – 12lb 8oz barbel “THE RIVER WYE looked perfect, but it was still raining, so I had to decide whether to get wet or wait until the next day, when it would be dry. At 65 years old, it can be hard going, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, so off to the bank I went! “I fished two rods and, while casting the second one, the first, which I’d positioned by a marginal bush, registered a take – but I unfortunately lost what felt like a good fish. “I recast, and before long the other rod burst into life, resulting in a decent fish. The rod in the margin was soon away again, and this time I Ianded a colossal barbel. “I don’t usually…

MAVER FESTIVAL White Acres (120 pegs) ONE OF Britain’s hottest commercial match fishing prospects showed why he is so highly rated when he won the five-day Maver Festival at White Acres Fishery. This event marks the start of the autumnal festival season at the Cornish complex, and Matrix-backed Brad Lucas was in top form as he bagged five section wins in as many days to take the glory. It marked only his second entry into a tournament at the venue, after he also won the Free Spirit-sponsored festival in May. Brad picks up the story to reveal how he topped a field that included plenty of star names including Andy Power and Craig Edmunds. DAY ONE – PEG 23, PYTHON LAKE “It’s a good area of the lake, and I…

STEVE RINGER World Feeder champ and a constantly successful matchman DAI GRIBBLE Two-time Drennan Cup champion and ace all-rounder JAMIE HUGHES Match This champ and triple Fish O’Mania winner ALAN STAGG 2015 Drennan Cup winner and marketing boss at Gardner Tackle PAUL GARNER Angling Times columnist, all-rounder and bait expert DES SHIPP England ace and multiple Parkdean Masters champion DARREN COX Team England Feeder squad member hailing from Yorkshire FLOAT RIG FOR PERCH The perch in my local carp commercial have grown huge – what’s the best way to try to catch them? Jon Horton, Cheltenham A Now that the nights are drawing in, it’s a brilliant time to start fishing for perch, especially on commercial fisheries, where they can often be found around pegs with lots of overhanging cover.…

Honest advice to help you to catch more fish on every trip, without breaking the bank CHANGING weather patterns now mean that no two days are the same, and catches won’t be dominated by carp in the margins or up in the water. Instead, a whole host of species can be targeted, making for some thought-provoking fishing. This week let’s look at some of the bait and tactical options that you have for the coming weeks. GO SOFT WITH PELLETS The summer days of hard banded pellets being my go-to bait are now past, and a more subtle approach is the way to go. Because of their softer texture, expanders come into their own as the fish demand a more succulent bait. Feeding 4mm and 6mm baits with a 6mm…

THE TIME to catch river roach has arrived, and you’re bound to get bites galore from this iconic species if you head to the River Don at Sprotbrough The slight drop in temperatures may have had a negative impact on some species, but it does the opposite to redfins, prompting them to really get their heads down. Head to the stretch in this tiny village to the west of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and you’ll find an abundance of them that are more than willing to feed. Deep, slow-moving and reasonably wide, the Don poses a challenge to anglers, but one that can be overcome if you use float or feeder tactics appropriately. Parking is available close to the Boat Inn pub, while a concrete path that leads upstream makes it…

OUR MAN ON THE BANK THERE’S a great saying that I love – ‘the tug is the drug’ – and, although I do enjoy all aspects of my angling, I have to admit the thing that really turns me on is when I feel a fish hit the bait. Salmon, trout, pike, zander, perch… it matters not, they have all treated me to that electric moment. Recently I’ve put in a few sessions for that beast of a fish known as the ballan wrasse, and I have to say that this sea-going warrior is right up there with the best when it comes to hitting a lure and putting a bend in the rod. I fished quite a lot for wrasse years ago on the Welsh coast, but always with…

Charlie Blackburn 7lb 6oz mirror carp, Ratherheath, Windermere William Bateman 7lb mirror carp, White Acres, Cornwall Finlay Kennedy 2lb tench, Tibshelf Ponds, Derbyshire, maggot Emrys Weal 4lb common carp, Pen Y Clawdd, Wales, maggot Miley Ball 1lb 14oz roach, local lake, Surrey, maggots Ethan Wragg 6lb common carp, Shearwater Lake, Wiltshire, pop-up boilie Alfie Thomas Brown trout, River Alyn, Wrexham, maggot Jackson Phillips Zander, local river, Chatteris, Cambs, lure Rosalee Siverns 11lb mirror carp, Jam Factory, Worcester, luncheon meat Sonny Symes Common carp, local lake, Kent, luncheon meat Sam Beddows Angelica Zawada Sharp 10lb pike, Hickling Staithe, Norfolk, livebait Daniel White 23lb 14oz common carp, local lake, boilie Archie Graham 5lb barbel, Old Hough Fishery, Cheshire, pellet Keira Shortland 4lb glass carp, Lakeside Sporting, Leics, bread SEND IN YOUR PICTURES…

TOOMER TAKES OUT THE MASTERS THE Barston Masters final turned out to be a tight-knit affair, but it was Richard Toomer who just about edged the verdict. Drawn on peg 24 at Birmingham’s Barston Lakes, he rotated several feeder lines to find plenty of the venue’s big carp to take top spot and the £2,000 cheque with 121lb 2oz. Every bite mattered for the champion, as second-placed Stefan Pal had 116lb 8oz from peg 18, while Chris Hill secured third from peg 122 with a 105lb 8oz net. SILVERS SHOW AT MAKINS THERE were plenty of bites for entrants to the latest Angling Trust Silverfish qualifier staged at Makins Fishery, as the top four shared over 100lb of fish between them. Topping the leaderboard on the day, and grabbing his…

PRESTON INNOVATIONS SUPERA X 15FT FLOAT ROD WHAT THEY SAY: Joining the existing 11ft pellet waggler, 12ft carp waggler and 13ft waggler is this superb 15ft float addition to the premium Supera X range. A dedicated flowing-water float rod for use with traditional running line methods, it features a forgiving action, perfect for all sizes of fish and the prevention of hook pulls. WHAT WE SAY: An ideal stick float or waggler rod, its superb lightweight construction makes it easy to fish with, and perfect for all silverfish with mainlines between 3lb and 6lb. Price: £319.99, www.prestoninnovations.com FEEDERLAND POWER SINKING LINE WHAT THEY SAY: An extremely strong next generation sinking line, suitable for a multitude of styles, especially feeder fishing. The wear-resistant, low friction surface cuts through surface tension, making…

SILVERFISH SEASON IS HERE I’VE HAD a rare week away from the bank, as I’ve been sunning it abroad with my wife and daughter. It’s been such a busy summer, and it was nice to recharge the batteries and have some family time. But my fishing head is now back on, and it is going to be all change for me in the coming weeks. My focus during summer is to be as sharp as possible on my carp and F1 fishing, as these are the species that are dominant in big tournaments such as Fish O’Mania, Maver Match This and Golden Reel. With those events finished for the year, I now switch my attention to silverfish. The growth of commercial silverfish matches has been impressive. You used to be…

• Local know-how for bumper nets• Your tried & tested top waters• Expert venue tactics GREAT RIVERS FOR ROACH RIVER AIRE, MIRFIELD, WEST YORKSHIRE Mirfield Angling Club controls some great fishing on the Aire, and the Calder, where good roach sport can be had over the next few months. Contact: Aire Tackle, 07926 923081 RIVER BAIN, HORNCASTLE, NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE On this small, free-to-fish river, you’ll find good numbers of quality fish. Keep your tactics simple – bread punch is always a worthwhile choice. Contact: Derek’s Angling, 01507 311895 RIVER TRENT, NOTTINGHAM, NOTTS Head to the concrete steps outside the Nottingham Forest ground. Try stick float and waggler, feeding plenty of hemp. Contact: Matchman Supplies, 0115 9140210 GREAT OUSE, BROMHAM, BEDFORDSHIRE Stick float with hemp and caster works well here. Small…

FIRST BARBEL IS A DOUBLE! I’VE RECENTLY subscribed to your digital copy of Angling Times after buying my first-ever AT 55 years ago! In your September 17 issue you had an article on 86-year-old Tony Cushing, sent in by his son. I loved reading it, and therefore wanted to let you know about my dad, Don Young. He introduced my brother Andrew and me to fishing over 56 years ago, and we have been keen anglers ever since. In all that time we were always supported by my mum and dad in our angling interest. Sadly my mum, Sheila, died earlier this year, but we all fondly remember her love and encouragement. At 87-years-young , my brother and I decided we’d treat my dad to trying to catch a fish…