Indholdsfortegnelse for 29 August 2015 i Angling Times

A DAY-ticket stretch of the Nene has produced the biggest river perch of the season at 4lb 4oz. The huge fish, which is believed to be the largest specimen ever caught from the River Nene in Cambridgeshire, was netted by local expert Paul Smith, who initially set out his stall for barbel on the popular waterway. It wasn’t the only big perch to find his lobworm hookbait either as Paul backed up his new personal best with seven other fish over 2lb, which all came from a Peterborough & District Angling Association stretch of the river. The local angler made the stunning haul when he link-legered his bait just a rodlength out from his own bank. “I set out to go for the barbel, but there were so many canoeists…

WORK will begin next year to eradicate the cause of historic fish kills at one of the nation’s favourite rivers. The construction of London’s new £4.2 billion ‘super sewer’ – the Thames Tideway Tunnel – is urgently needed to tackle discharges of untreated sewage spilling into the river. The work is timely, as tens of thousands of fish have perished in recent decades in periodic pollution incidents. Angling clubs along the Thames are said to be delighted at the news.…

Martin Tracey, Gone Fishin, Milton Keynes www.gone-fishin.co.uk Tel: 01908 313158 “Running a shop is all about relationships and more and more people are coming back to their local shops because they want personal relationships. However, we value social media and email to provide deals, advice and diary dates.” Jordan Dicks, Bristol Angling Centre, Bristol www.bristolangling.com Tel: 0117 9500201 “Local tackle shops still have an edge, but social media is massive these days. Use it or get left behind. It’s not just youngsters who buy into it either as more and more of the older generation are now very active. We run regular competitions and offers, and Instagram is also great for reaching new people. You’d be mad not to modernise the way you run your shop.” Ted Callaghan, Redfins Angling, Derbyshire www.redfinsangling.co.uk Tel:…

A GOOD few years ago I decided to try PVA mesh bags in matches. I was fishing Gold Valley regularly and John Raison had rules in place to try and make the fishing as fair and ‘non-cliquey’ as possible – so before I tried it, I asked his permission. He told me he had no problems with it at all and I went on to win a fair bit of dosh. I’ve really enjoyed seeing others catch more fish too and have never had a secret of my own – although I have, and still do, respect any information that is entrusted to me. So anyone who asked me how I’d fished got an honest reply. I recall speaking to Steve Ringer and telling him about it. Steve told his…

DESPITE tackle shops falling like flies, there is obviously still a huge demand because there are loads of anglers. The big issue is, the shops don’t make enough profit. I started managing a tackle shop in the late 1970s. The choice of tackle was minute – Japanese brands such as Shakespeare and Daiwa were just appearing and Mitchell, ABU, Bruce and Walker and Hardy were the premier manufacturers. If I sold a rod and reel from any of those companies, that paid about a third of my manager’s wages for the week. Nowadays, if a shop doesn’t turn over half a million pounds a year, its chances of survival are slim. The other bugbear is a lack of parking in the high street. This is essential, otherwise customers just go…

IF YOU’VE GOT A CATCH TO REPORT CALL OUR HOTLINE ON 01733 395103 RIVERS & CANALS ROCHDALE CANAL, TODMORDEN, W YORKS BIG fish dominated a recent match on the Summit length. Small carp and bream are being tempted on bomb and meat. Contact:01706 639373, Todmorden AS Prices:£36 a year, Todmorden AS LEEDS & LIVERPOOL CANAL, APPLEY BRIDGE, LANCS Plenty of skimmers showing to caster fished tight across. Contact:Sam’s Tackle & Bait, 01942 322085 Prices: £2 on the bank, Wigan DAA PEAK FOREST CANAL, OPENSHAW, MANCHESTER Roach and perch to pinkie or squatts at the bottom of the shelves, skimmers on breadpunch. Contact:Barrie Hett Tackle, 0161 3689200 Prices:Part of the £20 a year Waterway Wanderers Scheme, see Canal and River Trust Website RIVER AIRE, BEAL, N YORKS Pegs below the pumper…

IT’S an offer that many won’t even have heard of, but it provides pleasure anglers with the chance to fish hundreds of miles of canal all over the country for less than the price of an Environment Agency rod licence. The Canal and River Trust’s Waterway Wanderers Scheme provides individual anglers and clubs with a budget way of gaining access to dozens of stretches of canal not currently controlled by clubs. At just £20 a year it is a real bargain, especially when you consider some of the stretches the scheme has to offer. In all, 300 miles of canal are opened up to anglers in 122 previously unlicensed locations across England and Wales. What’s more, any adult who is a member of the Angling Trust is entitled to £10…

ARE you one of those who concentrates on one water, or do you like some variety in your fishing? I fall into the latter camp. I was brought up in the Fens of Cambridgeshire, fishing waters such as the Forty Foot and Old Nene. Now that I have relocated in the north west, commercial fisheries dominate, but I still like to fish more natural waters whenever I can. This variety in my fishing means that I need to cover every option when it comes to the kit I use, but sadly the same cannot be said of many of the anglers I see on my travels. Just recently, for example, I have noticed several people using the wrong type of waggler on both rivers and lakes. Insert or straight? Pellet…

ON THE bait front, modern anglers are spoilt for choice – everything from old favourites like a lobworm to the latest boilies. If you are to believe the manufacturers, these little spheres of goodness with their magical additives and attractants practically guarantee you bites! All baits have a time and a place, depending on the water conditions and the species being sought, but nothing, I reckon, can beat maggots when it comes to whipping big fish into a feeding frenzy. The downside is that small fish are equally partial to them, and maggots are not much good in highly coloured water either – they are very much a visual bait. Thankfully, neither of these drawbacks applied to the week ahead, so I filled my fridge with the wriggling masses. I…

I’VE picked out the tackle and bait I consider essential for this delicate style of floatfishing. Tackling a flowing river requires a few specialist floats and sometimes longer rods than you would employ on a stillwater. And because these are wild fish in water which is usually clear, fine tackle and careful presentation is needed to fool them! Once you’ve kitted yourself out with some of the following, it’s time to learn how to fish with them, as I’ll reveal over the following pages. STICK FLOATS There are lots of variations on the market but my choice is the Drennan Alloy sticks. I think a stick with an alloy stem sits really well in the water and this pattern has a nice little shoulder too, in sizes from 4 x…

I USE two main types of rig, one for the stick float and one for the waggler. Both of them offer entirely different forms of presentation, so it’s often an advantage to have both set up on separate rods. One of the main differences between the two is how the line sits – with a stick float it’s kept on the surface and behind the float, so it helps to occasionally mend the line behind it with a flick of the rod-tip. With a waggler the line can be submerged, so it’s pointing straight from your rod to the float. This is important if you’re fishing a waggler in a downstream wind. Another difference lies in the casting. With a top and bottom float such as a stick, I employ…

MY waggler rig involves a loaded Drennan crystal waggler. I’m a big fan of these floats, which cast well and have very visible tips. 1 INSERT OR STRAIGHT WAGGLER?  AS a general rule for small fish, I use a thicker straight waggler if I intend to drag a bit of line on the deck. I’ll go for a thinner insert tip if I’m fishing off the bottom or just touching it. Sometimes, however, a straight waggler is better regardless. For instance, while undertaking this challenge I found myself missing bites from quick, daft indications from dace on an insert waggler fished just off the deck. I changed to a straight waggler to cut down on these so that when the thicker top went under, the bite was more positive and…

TERRY Knight is one of angling’s great characters, and this very detailed and well documented book is a celebration of a remarkable fishing career spanning more than six decades. A leading light in the predator world, Terry can boast boating one of the largest pike ever. This book is a great read, with chapters covering famous waters such as Loch Lomond and Blithfield. If you want a personally signed copy, pop along to the PAC convention at the Kettering Conference centre on September 19, where you can meet the man himself. Price: £29.99 direct from www.mes-marine.co.uk…

You’ll enjoy Alan’s Trent Challenge ONE of my first trips out of the office when I was features editor of Angling Times many years ago was with the late Ted Stokes, a Nottingham legend, on the River Trent at Burton Joyce. His waggler fishing masterclass in a horrendous downstream wind was a joy to was. So, as you can imagine, I was fascinated to hear how Alan Scotthorne fared when he spent a day on the same stretch with senior feature writer Ben Fisk. Well I’m delighted to say the Trent is just as good, if not even better, today. Take a look at our centre-page Challenge feature and I’m sure you’ll agree First barbel at 80 DES Taylor’s lovely story about how he helped 80-year-old Bill Hall catch his…

1 THE FIRST TITLE  The 1996 World Championship on Italy’s River Minchio was the setting for the first of three individual golds in a row for Alan. It saw a terrific two-day performance on the Bolognaise method and the long pole. A burst of scardola in the final 30 minutes after re-feeding with 15 balls of groundbait ensured he took the section, and the gold medal. 2 THE KICK-START  Alan’s kick-started his big-match career in the 200-entry 1990 European Supercup on Nottingham’s Holme Pierrepont. On the first day he won with 33kg of bream but a few hours later he was back in Barnsley scraping bloodworm to get the freshest bait for the second day. His dedication earned overall victory. 3 THE FIFTH GOLD  Hungary’s Lake Velence hosted the 2007…

Giving bass a chance THE Angling Trust has kept up pressure to see the introduction of a sustainable minimum landing size for recreational and commercial bass fishing. From today (September 1) the minimum size of bass that can be retained by anyone catching them goes up from 36cm to 42cm. Spread the world by downloading and displaying this Defra poster at www. anglingtrust.net  which describes the new rules and provides a link for more information. Always land and handle bass carefully to give them the best chance to grow to spawning age. And don’t forget, recreational anglers can keep no more than three fish per day. Volunteer bailiffs are coming soon to a waterway near you… FOLLOWING the award of the Environment Agency’s Angling Services contract…

QUESTION 1 The Angling Trust, Fish Legal and which conservation organisation are taking the Government to court over failing to stop pollution in rivers? A Greenpeace B The World Wildlife Fund C Royal Society for the Protection of Birds QUESTION 2 In his column this week, Martin Bowler visited three River Avons in which three English counties? A Hampshire, Northamptonshire, Shropshire B Leicestershire, Dorset, Somerset C Hampshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire QUESTION 3 On which angling club’s stretch of the River Trent did Andrew Waddingham catch six double-figure barbel during a single session? A Nottingham Federation of Anglers B Birmingham Anglers Association C Collingham Angling Association QUESTION 4 Which UK tackle shop is urging other tackle businesses to modernise the way they are run by using platforms like social media? A Wilnecote…

Active AC, Monk Lakes: 1 L Attfield, 111-0-0, paste, carp/barbel; 2 P Conway, 103-4-0; 3 T Etty, 93-8-0. Albert AC, Swanlands: 1 P Dixon, 90-6-0, pellet, carp; 2 M West, 86-12-0; 3 P Blackman, 70-4-0. Angel AC, Messingham Sands: 1 D Teal, 77-5-0, pellet, carp; 2 R Billam, 63-14-0; 3 D Ludlam, 61-5-0. Beccles AC, Haddiscoe Fishery: 1 K Brown, 122-4-0, meat, carp; 2 R Turner, 60-10-0; 3 K Barfield, 59-0-0. Belvoir Old Gits, Waltham Fishery: 1 D Foster, 74-9-0, meat, carp/rudd; 2 I Hendry, 31-0-0; 3 M Pattison, 18-4-0. Birmingham Thursday Club, Bone Hill Mill Fishery: 1 W McCrannor, 63-8-0, pellet, carp; 2 D Crozier, 44-10-0; 3 M Marshall, 36-0-0. Border Match Anglers, Woodland Lakes: 1 W Sawyers, 96-12-0, pellet, carp; 2 A Regan, 81-6-0; 3 K Aitken, 80-12-0.…

Ken Ball Memorial (Weds) Furzton Lake (38 pegs) HELD in memory of the former NFA President and Milton Keynes AA man, rain did add colour to the lake, but the fishing was tough. As expected, the top three weights all came from the far-bank early pegs, and one, the winner – Bert Iles, from Northampton – made a happy return to the lake after a 20-year break when he used to fish for Milton Keynes! Alternating between open end and Method feeder with worm and maggot, Bert led the field home with a 26-14-0 net of bream to 4lb and skimmers. Paul Chapman claimed second, just a few ounces behind with 26-1-0 of bream and skimmers also on the feeder with worm and maggot. Result:1 B Iles, Northampton, 26-14-0; 2…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Coleman’s Cottage Fishery (Thurs) Pathfield Lake (12 pegs) Result: 1 C Nada, Coleman’s Bait & Tackle, 212-0-0; 2 J Trew, Maver Coleman’s Bait & Tackle/Matchpack, 171-0-0; 3 A Dearing, Suffolk, 143-0-0. Coleman’s Cottage Fishery (Tues) Wood Lake (10 pegs) Result: 1 M Brown, Browning Wickford Angling, 211-8-0; 2 K Choppin, Cariers RAPS, 201-8-0; 3 J Church, Maver Coleman’s Bait & Tackle/Matchpack, 192-0-0. Gold Valley Lakes Syndicate Lake (17 pegs) Result: 1 J Light, Gold Valley, 220-0-0; 2 R Beale, Gold Valley, 181-12-0; 3 S Gent, Gold Valley, 154-4-0. Lake John Bottom Lake (16 pegs) Result: 1 P Hyde, Browning Wickford Angling, 150-0-0; 2 R Makins, GOT Baits, 128-0-0; 3 T Stanley, Lake John, 79-0-0. MBK Leisure Juniors Coloured Ponds (14 pegs) 9-12 year old result: 1 J…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Alvechurch Fisheries Horseshoe Lake (18 pegs) Result: 1 W Beach, Alvechurch Fisheries, 60-11-0; 2 M Workman, Alvechurch Fisheries, 57-11-0; 3 G Clarke, Alvechurch Fisheries, 50-1-0. Cross Drove Fishery Hockwold (17 pegs) Result: 1 S Wheeler, Daiwa/Van Den Eynde, 102-0-0; 2 R Bond, Maver Image, 86-8-0; 3 D Pearce Snr, Wisbech, 70-14-0. Cross Drove Fishery (Weds) Hockwold (16 pegs) Result: 1 R Finch, Deben, 72-3-0; 2 T Williams, Bury St Edmund’s, 49-2-0; 3 D Pearce Jnr, Wisbech, 45-10-0. Daiwa Hallcroft Fishery Moat Pool (21 pegs) Result: 1 S Clark, Mansfield, 131-15-0; 2 P Miles, Doncaster, 114-2-0; 3 S Marshall, Leegem Angling, 90-7-0. Daiwa Hallcroft Fishery Vets (Mon) Bridge Pool (16 pegs) Result: 1 J Hobson, Sheffield, 71-12-0; 2 R Holmes, Notts AA, 57-12-0; 3 T Furby, Hallcroft, 51-8-0.…

Angling Trust/Canals & Rivers Trust Stillwater Champs Qualifier Blythe Waters (31 pegs) HOT and still conditions saw many struggle to catch consistently and, as often happens, many did not catch until the last hour! Jason Benning won by some distance with 53-840 of carp from the Bridge Pool. He fished pellet on the long pole and meat in the margins. Peter Goodwin was second from the same lake with 40-840 of carp on Method feeder and pellet in the edge. Result:1 J Benning, 53-840; 2 P Goodwin, Browning/Bucknall’s Bikes, 40-840; 3 C O’Brian, Ridgemere AC, 38-160; 4 B Bush, Lingmere, 34-500.…

Editor-in-Chief Steve Fitzpatrick – 01733 395097 steve.fitzpatrick@bauermedia.co.uk Deputy Editor Kevin Wilmot – 01733 395098 kevin.wilmot@bauermedia.co.uk Deputy Editor James Furness – 01733 395104 james.furness@bauermedia.co.uk Editorial Secretary Mary-Ann Payne – 01733 395105 mary-ann.payne@bauermedia.co.uk Tackle Editor Mark Sawyer – 01733 395107 mark.sawyer@bauermedia.co.uk Features Editor Richard Grange – 01733 395109 richard.grange@bauermedia.co.uk Features Editor Mark Parker – 01733 395140 mark.parker@bauermedia.co.uk Senior Feature Writer Ben Fisk – 01733 395101 ben.fisk@bauermedia.co.uk News Editor Ben Miles – 01733 395102 ben.miles@bauermedia.co.uk Senior Reporter Thom Airs – 01733 395106 thom.airs@bauermedia.co.uk Senior Reporter Tony Grigorjevs – 01733 395100 tony.grigorjevs@bauermedia.co.uk Senior Reporter Mark Peck – 01733 395103 mark.peck@bauermedia.co.uk News Reporter Ian Jones – 01733 395111 ian.jones@bauermedia.co.uk Digital Media Manager Rose Lloyd – 01733 395108 rose.lloyd@bauermedia.co.uk Head of photography Mick Rouse mick.rouse@bauermedia.co.uk Staff photographer Lloyd Rogers lloyd.rogers@bauermedia.co.uk Studio photographer Jacques Portal jacques.portal@bauermedia.co.uk Join…

WHEN well-known predator hunter Gord Burton appears in Angling Times he’s usually holding a huge pike, but this is his prized collection of hand-written letters from the late Richard Walker. Gord read the exclusive story in last week’s paper, which told the incredible tale of an original centrepin reel made by Walker and sold on eBay for just £130. The ‘Piking Pirate’ then contacted us in response to a call for information from Dick’s family. If you can help, visit: www.dickwalker.co.uk, check out the Richard Walker Facebook page or email: ben.miles@bauermedia.co.uk…

A STRETCH of river regarded as the most prolific barbel fishery in the UK has again produced the goods, with two mammoth hauls of specimen fish. The Collingham AA stretch of the Trent at Cromwell, near Newark, has seen anglers flocking to its banks and Andrew Waddingham laid claim to one of the most memorable catches ever taken from the venue with six double-figure fish in a session. The 49-year-old Rotherham rod netted fish of 11lb 7oz, 10lb 10oz, 10lb 2oz, 10lb 6oz and two of 11lb 3oz along with five other specimens to over 9lb during a hectic two-day stint on the waterway. Fishing a peg on the weir, the Stota Baits-backed angler bagged seven barbel on the first night after catapulting a handful of pellets and boilies over…

ANGLERS are being invited to show their support for breast cancer with the launch of a series of charity matches. The first of the Diane Norton Breast Cancer Research Matches will take place on Saturday, September 26 at Owl Barn Fishery in West Yorkshire, and bookings for the event are now being taken. In order to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Reserch, organiser Arthur James Norton is also appealing for tackle companies to donate raffl e prizes. For more information, or if you can help with prizes, please contact Arthur on 07507 864789.…

“It’s a bite a chuck here. ” EVERY angler in the country can recall where they first tasted the excitement of our sport – it’s engraved on their memory. For many, a free or day-ticket stretch of canal or river will have provided that magical moment, with the first fish likely to have been a small perch or a bleak that was fooled on a cheap telescopic rod. Sadly, the venue that started a lifelong obsession is often left in the past, never to be visited again as we move to pastures new. But some anglers make sure that their routes are revisited regularly. Peter Bolt certainly fits into that group. The Orpington Tackle & Bait boss first wetted a line more than four decades ago on his local stretch…

IF YOU’VE GOT A CATCH TO REPORT CALL OUR HOTLINE ON 01733 395103 RIVERS AND CANALS DORSET STOUR, THROOP, DORSET BEATS 2 and 3 are producing barbel to double figures on meat, paste and boilies fished hard on the bottom. Contact:Ringwood Tackle, 01425 475155 Prices: £10, £7 for OAPs DOCK RIVER, HARWICH, ESSEX The odd carp taken from features like overhanging trees. Try cubed meat for these fish to over 10lb. Contact:Harwich AC, 01255 507913 Prices:£5 a day from Homecraft, Harwich AC GRAND UNION CANAL, MILTON KEYNES, BUCKS Carp showing from the cut at New Bradwell, taking pellets or meat fished tight across. Contact:Gone Fishin MK, 01908 313158 Prices:£6 on the bank, Milton Keynes AA, KENNET & AVON CANAL, WHADDON, WILTS Try pole fished pinkies for roach, skimmers, gudgeon and…

GRAND UNION CANAL, NORTH KILWORTH, LEICS The small wharf off Station Road holds specimen perch and odd carp. Travelg light with lures or pellets. There are lots of smaller fish for pole anglers too. ASHTON CANAL, AUDENSHAW, MANCHESTER The roach fishing is phenomenal with bags of fish into double figures containing specimens to over 1lb. Off Lumb Lane is worth a try for tench and carp, too. HUDDERSFIELD NARROW CANAL, HUDDERSFIELD, W YORKS Some of this canal is club controlled but pegs at Whiteley Street Bridge are on the scheme. There are huge stocks of small silverfish with the odd tench and carp thrown in. SHROPSHIRE UNION CANAL, CHESTER, CHESHIRE The L-shaped basin and the section coming off it in the city centre is well known for carp but also…

CHUB are a fantastic quarry in late summer when they will be feeding hard and packing on weight ready for the cold months ahead. This species has a very broad natural diet, from frogs and small fish to tiny invertebrates, and the big mouth and excellent eyesight of these opportunistic feeders means that a meal is rarely turned down. Yet, on many rivers, catches of chub seem to have diminished in recent years. I am sure this is partly because more anglers are fishing for barbel to the exclusion of other species, but I also think that chub have become better at eating bait without actually getting caught. Chub come across pellets introduced by barbel anglers almost every day, yet only rarely do they get caught on them. The reason…

WHEN fishing a peacock waggler on the bottom it’s important to plumb the depth so you know you’re fishing on the bottom, much the same way as you would with a pole rig. Rather than cast a big heavy plummet which could cause tangles I carry some ¼oz plummets. If you don’t have one of these to hand, an SSG shot can be pinched on to the hook and cast to the desired spot. If the float sinks, you’re fishing too shallow, so keep moving your float up a few inches at a time until it pops above the surface. You’ll then know the SSG is on the bottom.…

Catch carp on sloppy pellets GET on sloppy pellets! If you’re fishing on a stillwater then you’ve got to try this simple pole fishing tactic – it’s perfect for catching carp and F1s from shallow water. In this exclusive Angling Times video Steve reveals how you can make the perfect pellets and the best way to feed them to draw fish into your swim and keep them there. He also shows you why heavier rigs are crucial for success and explains how you can set up such a rig. How to fish Steve’s Hybrid feeders  JOIN Steve at Bishops Bowl Fishery as he puts the new Guru Hybrid feeders through their paces. Learn the best way to set up the feeders – including information on mainlines and the best hooks…

1 LEARN THE SKILLS Read this guide – it has all the rigs, baits and tips to help you complete your challenge... 2 CATCH A FISH Pick a suitable fishery near you and then get out there and catch your target fish... 3 CLAIM YOUR PRIZE Take a pic of your catch and email it to us – we’ll send you a special certificate to show your mates! COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE AND GET AN EXCLUSIVE CERTIFICATE EMAIL CHALLENGE@ANGLINGTIMES.CO.UK  WITH YOUR PICTURES “MY CHALLENGE TO YOU IS TO CATCH AT LEAST 6lb OF RIVER SILVERFISH ON FLOAT TACTICS” Alan Scotthorne…

THIS is the simple knot I use to attach my mainline to a hooklength swivel, and also the section of shockleader in the middle of the rig which houses the shot. To attach my hooklength I use a loop-to-loop type connection, putting the hooklength loop over the eye of the swivel and bringing the small hook back through. 1 Thread the line through the eye of the swivel and bring it back on itself. 2 Wrap the tag end of the line back around itself about seven times. 3 A small loop forms next to the swivel – push the tag down through this. 4 Now you’ve created another larger loop - take the tag through this. 5 Wet the knot and pull the tag gently so it tightens down…

RIVER CALDER, MIRFIELD, WEST YORKS A cracking bit of water, with fast stretches and slower, deeper runs. You’ll find plenty of roach, dace and chub on the float, and a few surprises in the form of trout and grayling. It’s controlled mostly by Mirfield AC and two noted parts to try are the Pear Tree section and the section by the Ship Inn. CONTACT: 07799 642013 POSTCODE: WF14 OED RIVER TRENT, BURTON JOYCE, NOTTS There are 39 pegs here on the road stretch which I tackled, all fishable on an Ashfield AC day ticket. The stretch starts just below the Ferryboat Inn, where you’ll also find the famous inflow pipe swim. There are plenty of roach, dace, perch, chub, bream and the odd barbel, with parking behind a lot of…

FISH on commercials are in the mood for food. They’ll pounce on virtually any bait, and even the crudest tactics will catch them. But all too soon, as autumn arrives, everything changes. To succeed in cooler water a polished and more refined style of angling is needed, and you need to think very hard about your fishing to carry on reaping the rewards. Finer lines, smaller hooks and smaller baits are all part of the equation, but to match the finer end tackle you need a suitable rod – and this is where Browning’s latest Commercial King Micro Waggler puts in an appearance. With its abbreviated length, this nine-footer is obviously tailor-made for short-range casting on small commercial pools and snake lakes, rather than wide expanses of water. But don’t…

WHO among us hasn’t stood on the wave-lapped shore of a vast open water, thinking: “I know they’re out there, but how do I get to them?” Yes, bream and skimmers can be difficult fish to target at distance, but few things in angling are more rewarding than watching a quivertip arc round as another bin lid makes off with your hookbait. Big bream, although they don’t tear off like carp or bore down like tench, can still make your rod thump and buck under the force of a mighty head-shake. So you’ll need a casting tool with plenty of grunt, but still soft enough to avoid hook-pulls. This is where the Matrix pairing of a 3.6m Horizon S Class rod and Super Feeder 5500 reel comes in – without…

EXTENDING an overnighter by taking an impromptu day’s holiday gave Lewis Read the second of two 40-pounders. Having already banked The Linear at 42lb, the Gardner Tackle marketing and product manager stayed on at Wellington Country Park to bag Drop Scale at 45lb 10oz. Lewis got to the Berkshire venue late on Sunday, and said: “I was lucky to find some really active feeding fish in front of a rarely fished swim in the Little Lake area.” He swung his hookbait just three rodlengths out. “Almost straight away I had an indication that may have been a big fish getting caught in the super-slack line, then at around midnight I had The Linear at 42lb. “I woke with my alarm clock going off at 6am ready to go to work,…

WILL Bale signed off in style from a successful year on a Norfolk syndicate water with this striking common. The 22-year-old welder used his knowledge of the fish’s previous captures to trick the 40lb 13oz chunk. He said: “This fish’s last couple of captures have all been on the same day or night of a particular moon phase. “With that in mind, I fished an overnighter between work on the night that the same moon phase was due again. “At 1.30am I had the bite and she was in the net.” It was the perfect end to an incredible year for Will, who reflected: “This was my 129th and last fish from the lake over a very hectic 12-month spell of angling.” The fish came from deep water off the…

THE ever-consistent Ted Bryan kept his cool in soaring temperatures to bank four twenties and this 39lb mirror. The South Londoner, who was targeting a Kent stillwater, said: “It was a scorcher and all the fish were on the top so I knew the only chance I would have would be in the really early hours, so I got my traps set and waited for it to cool down.” The first night of Ted’s three-night stay produced a 20lb common at 2am, but everything went quiet until after dark the following day. “The next night I put all three rods at the bottom of the marginal shelf and baited up with 1kg of Nash TG Active boilies, and once again I waited for it to cool down,” he said. “At…

FASCINATING story about the discovery of the long-lost Dick Walker centrepin reel (August 25 issue) – but I have to ask myself, who would pay thousands to own it and put it in a display cabinet? To me, vintage tackle is only worth collecting if you intend to use it. Nothing beats a centrepin for margin fishing for carp. The control you have over the fish is far superior to what you can get with a mechanical clutch. My favourite is a 60-year-old Rapidex, closely followed by a Speedia wide-drum model. You can pick up these reels for about £50 each on eBay all day long, cheaper if they are scruffy examples (it’s the inner workings that matter, not the paint finish). An old reel that remains in use is…

FOLLOW Angling Times on Twitter at @angling_timesand Angling Times Editor Steve Fitzpatrick on @AnglingTimesEdfor all the latest news and competitions. ‘Like’ our Facebook page www.facebook.com/anglingtimes for weekly competitions, news, a first look at new products and much, much more. Fishing on the box Tuesday, September 1, 8pm Robson’s Extreme Fishing Challenge Robson Green visits eastern Canada, takes on local expert Debbie Norton at salmon fishing, then tries to catch a muskie, a relative of the pike. Tuna and smallmouth bass also feature. Tuesday, September 1, 6:30pm The Ultimate Fishing Show Fishing series, following anglers aboard the Ultimate Lady. Thursday, September 3, 8am Matt Hayes’ Greatest Catches – Predators Matt goes predator fishing, and tries to catch an almost perfect catfish – will he succeed in his quest? Thursday, September 3,…

Swanborough Lakes Three Day Festival Lewes (21 pegs) THIS was a real silverfish bonanza, with some big weights of roach and skimmers and a £500 pick-up for Delcac man Geoff Vallance. He scored 21 points over the three days of action, his weight aggregate of 116-0-0 getting him ahead of Brian Nesbitt, who also scored 21 points, but totalled 101-0-0. Day 1 saw Terry Harrison win with 37-10-0 of roach and skimmers on waggler and feeder with maggot from Willow Point. Geoff won Day 2 from the same section with 43-9-0 of roach and skimmers on 6mn pole to hand with maggot. Terry won again on the final day with 46-14-0 of roach and skimmers on waggler and maggot from the Front Bank. Day 1 result: 1 T Harrison, Daiwa…

Tuesday, September 1 Acorn Fishery Tuesday Tenner, Kingston Seymour - Mike 01179 497310 Alders Farm, Affordable Open, Great Brickhill – Trevor 07860 235655 Aston Park Fisheries, Sheffi eld - Alex 07743 845737 Coleman’s Cottage Fishery, Witham – Gerry 01376 516383 Daiwa Hallcroft Fishery, Retford – Nick 01777 710448 Decoy Lakes, Eastrea – Di 01733 202230 Garbolino Lindholme Lakes, Epworth – Neil 01427 872905 Heronbrook Over 55’s – Neil 07879 441288 Janson’s Fishery, Elton - 07976 317864 Kobra, Dynamite Baits Makin’s Fishery, Wolvey – John 07749 284823 Little John Lakes, Ollerton - Steve 07715 096738 Meadow View Fisheries OAP & Disabled, Warrington – Brian 01925 757985 Moorlands Farm, Kidderminster - Mal 07967 107913 Oaks Lakes, Sessay - Chris 07885 553323 Old Hough Fishery, Middlewich – Doug 07976 381996 Partridge Lakes, Culceth…

Anthony Jordan Memorial Maver Larford Lakes, Match & Specimen Lakes (79 pegs) HELD in memory of former fishery worker Anthony, £2,000 was raised for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Critical Care Unit in Birmingham from the post-match raffle. On the fishing front, Max Galazsewski led the way with 119-12-0 of carp to 15lb from peg 33 on the Specimen Lake, where he caught on maggot in the margins. Second went to Chris Gorrell on peg 30 of the Match Lake with 84-11-0 of carp and F1s taken on pellet at 13m and maggot in the margins. Result:1 M Galaszewski, Maver, 119-12-0; 2 C Gorrell, Ted Carter Southport, 84-11-0; 3 F Smith, Larford, 81-4-0; 4 M Higgins, Neptune Angling, 76-0-0; 5 D Bache, Maver/Bag’em Baits, 71-9-0; 6 P Cook, Maver, 70-10-0.…

Middy Lakeview Fishery £4,000 Qualifier (Weds) Canal & Marina Pools (26 pegs) JAMIE Adcock jumped up to first place with 113-10-0 after Scott Robinson was knocked back on one his nets by 5-10-0! Jamie caught on pellet and maggot over groundbait, taking carp, barbel and F1s down the track and across from Canal peg 27. Result:1 J Adcock, Lakeview Select, 113-10-0; 2 S Robinson, Mill Tackle, 117-10-0; 3 M Beckhurst, Lakeview Select, 89-9-0; 4 R Hendrick, Leicester, 79-6-0; 5 S Huggins, Drennan/Dynamite Baits, 79-2-0; 6 D Wright, Lakeview Select, 78-3-0.…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Blundell’s Fishery Rover (Weds) All lakes (15 pegs) Result: 1 J Rodgers, Leigh Tackle & Bait, 159-14-0; 2 L Marsh, Leigh Tackle & Bait, 118-3-0; 3 W Douglas, St Helen’s Angling, 104-3-0. Climax Wold View Fishery Pole Only (Weds) Gold Lake (16 pegs) Result: 1 A Bryant, Wold View, 107-8-0; 2 M Lidgard, Wold View, 89-0-0; 3 I Thomson, Wold View, 80-4-0. Cudmore Fisheries Suez Canal (18 pegs) Result: 1 J Glover Jnr Team Cudmore 45-8-0; 2 B Gilchrist Team Cudmore 35-0-0; G Kirby Team Cudmore 34-3-0; 4 D Pickering, Nathan’s 27-9-0. Highfield Fisheries Oak Lake (18 pegs) Result: 1 N Jenkins, Noah’s Ark, 59-6-0; 2 M Robinson, Gerry’s of Morecambe, 50-12-0; 3 D Brown, Tonge Moor, 46-6-0. Jim Hirst Memorial Series (Weds) Moor Monkton Pools, Front…

A NATIONWIDE effort to boost barbel numbers took another step forward this week with the stocking of over 3,000 fish. Environment Agency Officers carried out the introduction on a popular stretch of the Bristol Avon in Wiltshire as part an ongoing project to improve barbel sport for anglers. The Airsprung Angling Association-controlled stretch of the waterway at Bradford-on-Avon received the fish, which were bred at the EA’s Calverton Fish Farm in Nottinghamshire and paid for with rod licence money.…

DES Taylor made the dreams of an 80-year-old fishing fanatic come true when Bill Hall ended a lifelong quest to catch a barbel. The Suffolk angler was blown away when his son, Martin, bought him a day out with the Angling Times columnist to celebrate his 80th birthday…and it turned out to be a session he will never forget. He finally did battle with the species, which had eluded him for over 70 years, when he hooked his first barbel after just half-an-hour of being with Des, who provided him with an action-packed session that produced 12 barbel to 8lb 5oz. “It’s been my dream to catch a barbel as I’ve had every other coarse fish, game fish and sea fish, but I’ve been all over the country and never…

Fisheries under threat Fifty-one fisheries across Great Britain have been identified by the Angling Trust as under threat from pollution. ALL THESE AREAS ARE AFFECTED BY AGRICULTURAL POLLUTION... 1 Broadland 2 Norfolk Valley Fens 3 Ouse Washes 4 Ouse Washes 5 Portholme 6 River Wensum 7 The Broads 8 River Dee and Bala Lake 9 Hornsea Mere 10 Peak District Dales 11 River Derwent 12 River Mease 13 West Midlands Mosses 14 Leighton Moss 15 Morecambe Bay Pavements 16 River Derwent and Bassenthwaite Lake 17 River Kent 18 Lindisfarne 19 Brown Moss 20 River Clun 21 River Wye 22 Asby Complex 23 River Eden 24 River Tweed 25 Chichester and Langstone Harbours 26 Portsmouth Harbour 27 River Itchen 28 Solent and Southampton Water 29 Solent Maritime 30 Avon Valley 31…

FORWARD-THINKING tackle shop owners are urging others to modernise the way they do business after it was revealed that more than 20 per cent of stores have closed in the past decade. An investigation into the tackle trade discovered that 2,839 tackle shops were operating in 2003 – but that number has dropped drastically, with the latest Angling Trades Association (ATA) figures showing that only around 2,300 are now open for business. But while the popularity of internet shopping is given as one reason for the decline, a growing number of businesses are changing the way they operate in order to halt the mounting pressures put upon traditional, high street tackle shops. Wilnecote Angling Centre in Staffordshire is a recently-opened shop that is bucking the trend thanks to a series…

WE were walking up the River Test, antique tackle dealer Chris Sandford and I, and Chris kindly allowed me to go first. I soon landed a small grayling on my size 16 bug, followed by a larger sample of maybe a pound. We then walked a small carrier less than 10ft wide and Chris had a gorgeous brown trout – buttery belly and gill covers merging to deep pink flanks with dark, espresso-hued spots. In another good holding area I managed a trout every bit as beautiful, and maybe even fatter. After lunch we had two more spotties and I stalked a wild brownie of maybe a pound and a quarter from under the bank. Chris has promised to take me to another of his secret places next spring. I…

THIS WEEK’S 2 FOR 1 WATERS 1Angel of the North, Durham 2Bradshaw Hall Fisheries, Lancs 3 Broom Fisheries, Scotland 4Fields Farm, Cheshire 5 Fleets Dam, S Yorks 6Lindholme Lakes, Doncaster, S Yorks 7 Oham lakes, Lincs 8Barford Lakes, Norfolk 9Celtic Lakes Resort, Lampeter, Wales 10Chequered Lake, Shrops 11Curborough Fishery, Lichfield, Staffs 12Meadowlands Fishery, Warks 13 Packington Somers, Meriden, Warks 14Rookery Waters, Cambs 15Bitterwell Fishery, Bristol 16Broadlands Lake, Hants 17 Bullock Farm, Somerset 18How End Fisheries, Beds 19 Lake John, Waltham Abbey, Essex 20Wylands International AC, E Sussex Turn to find out how these waters are fishing, plus loads more in your area FISHING VOUCHER This week’s venues Angel of the North Fishery • Bradshaw Hall Fisheries • Broom Fisheries • Fields Farm • Fleets Dam • Lindholme Lakes • Oham…

IF YOU’VE GOT A CATCH TO REPORT CALL OUR HOTLINE ON 01733 395103 RIVERS AND CANALS WARWICKSHIRE AVON, MYTON ROAD, WARWICK BAGS of dace and roach to maggot fished on the waggler from most pegs opposite the park. Contact:Bailey’s of Warwick, 01926 491984 Prices:£17 a year, Warwick DAA BIRMINGHAM FAZELEY CANAL, ERDINGTON, W MIDS Pegs opposite the Hire Centre are good for 20lb nets of skimmers to long pole and caster. Contact:K.J Tackle, 0121 7476962 Prices:£6 from BAA or K.J Tackle MIDDLE LEVEL DRAIN, KING’S LYNN, NORFOLK Roach nets to 20lb to seed baits. The pole at 8m is good for hybrids, skimmers and tench. Contact:Shipshape Tackle, 01553 764058 Prices:£5 on the bank, King’s Lynn AA RIVER NENE, PETERBOROUGH, CAMBS Upstream of Orton Lock, roach and bream are taking worm…

NEWT’S PREDATOR POND (15 PEGS) THIS small gem of a water holds plenty of pike and perch, as well as a few carp. Those fishing for the carp have found success using floating crust, and fish to 20lb have been caught this way. Lure fishing is perfect for the pike and perch all-year-round, however, a large lobworm fished on the bomb or float next to the island will score with the bigger perch. Note that livebaits and deadbaits are not allowed. OSPREYS LAKE (40 PEGS) OSPREYS is the newest and largest lake with 40 pegs, and match weights here average 70lb. You can expect similar species to those in Woodpecker’s Lake, although the perch here are monsters, going to well over 5lb. They can often be caught in the winter…

AS THE fishy inhabitants of the UK’s commercial fisheries get bigger by the year, it’s fair to say they are wising up. Sure, you’ll still catch plenty of fish on pole, waggler and feeder gear, but what about trying something different this weekend? Something like PVA? Short for Poly-Vinyl Alcohol, PVA can be used in bag or tape form to introduce small piles of bait close to your hookbait. Once in the water it melts away, leaving no spooking bits of plastic or metal on the lakebed. Strangely, general pleasure anglers and even matchmen have been very slow to embrace its benefits, but one top commercial angler who is only too aware of its potential is England Feeder Team man Phil Ringer. “There is no better or finer presentation than…

1 Soak 4mm and 6mm halibuts for four minutes, drain off and allow to stand. In 30 minutes they will be sticky and ready for use. 2 Attach a 6mm hard pellet tight to the back of the hook via a lasso, as this will see you connecting with more bites. 3 Keep the hooklength around 6ins long. Chub come up to the feeder to intercept the pellets as soon as they are released. 4 Load the feeder. The pellets will begin to be released straight away in a stream of bait that will last around 15 minutes.…

IT’S a really good idea, whenever you’re fishing a waggler, to use a float adaptor. It enables you to quickly and easily change your float if conditions change – the last thing you want is for the wind to go round and you have to spend time setting up from scratch just because you want to fish with a heavier float. A float adaptor enables you to change floats in seconds and be back out fishing and, hopefully, catching. I use two types of float adaptors, the first being a pellet waggler adapter – not just for pellet wagglers, but Baggin’ wagglers, splashing wagglers or any other float that is fully loaded and requires no shot. It fixes to the line via two rubbers and still gives you the ability…

NAME: Alan Scotthorne AGE: 53 FAVOURITE SPECIES: It has to be roach FAVOURITE VENUE: River Trent BIGGEST WEIGHT OF FISH: 278lb of carp, 179lb of roach IN MY CD PLAYER: Coldplay WITH prolific chub, barbel and bream fishing on our rivers, it’s easy to forget the tactics many anglers of a certain age started out with – the float for smaller fish. My challenge to you is to catch at least 6lb of small fish on the float from a river venue. Trotting maggots, you’re likely to catch all sorts – roach, perch, dace, bleak, and skimmers, with an outside chance of a bigger fish such as a chub or barbel. I can’t think of a better time to take on this challenge because most of the rivers that I…

A DRENNAN Alloy Stick is my choice. Use a float which is suited to the depth and conditions – for example, don’t struggle with a 4No4 in a wind when an 8No4 version will offer much better presentation! Float rubbers hold it in place on the line. Use a couple on the stem. 1 SECTION OF SHOCKLEADER  I TIE a 1m piece of heavy 8lb line into the middle of the rig and this houses all my shot. The reason is simple – if you put 20 shot directly on to 2lb reel line you’ll damage it significantly! The thick section of line means the shot don’t move around, and it also makes it easy to undo in the event of a tangle. 2 TAPERED SHOTTING  A NUMBER of strung-out…

SHOTTING rigs on the bank is time-consuming and often awkward, especially stick float rigs, which carry so many strung small shot. It’s much easier to prepare your rigs at home – after all, we think nothing of doing so when pole fishing! What I do is prepare my shockleaders at home with all the shot on for a variety of different stick float and waggler rigs. Tiny swivels are tied to each end and then the section of line is stored on a large rig winder. When you get to the bank it’s just a case of threading the correct float on to the line, tying the line to the shockleader, then attaching the hooklength.…

I HATE to be the bearer of unwelcome news, but it’s a sure sign that cooler weather is on the way when new predator kit starts to appear on these pages. Fastest out of the blocks with some natty toothy-fish gear is the Fox Rage brand, with the first of its many new offerings. For canal drop shot and jig head enthusiasts, Micro Fry and Tiddler Snax paddle tail and split tail soft lures sport a new Firetiger colour scheme, said to be a top fish-catcher. This has also been made available on the classic Fork Tail lures, which are perfect for drop shotting for larger fish and for vertical jigging. To deliver these lures to the fish, Rage has also released budget-priced Torque Braid. This bright yellow reel line…

THIS plump mirror gave Luke Edwards his eighth carp over 40lb from the same lake in the last 10 months. The fish, known as Dixie, came in at a new top weight of 40lb 2oz at RH Fisheries’ Avenue in Shropshire. The Wolverhampton rod said: “I was fishing an overnighter and had a 24lb 10oz mirror in the morning. It ran straight towards me – and it was one of the quickest fights I’ve had. “After that, I decided to stop on for a few extra hours. Following a torrential downpour, the fish started to move so I cast a balanced hookbait about 65 yards out to showing fish and after five minutes it rattled away. “The take was typical of a big fish – slow! “She felt like a…

DES TAYLOR’S DIARY OF A COUNTRYMAN PERCY ANDERSON’S 1974 NATIONAL VICTORY QUIZ OF THIS WEEK’S NEWS AND CROSSWORD FURRY BANKSIDE VISITOR REALLY MADE MY DAY COMMERCIALS are often dismissed as being ‘unnatural’ fisheries, but nevertheless they can still be havens for rare wildlife. My spirits were lifted at Westwood Lakes, near Boston, when a young water vole scurried across my platform support. I threw down a few grains of corn and he soon reappeared, totally unafraid, and sat there munching his free meal, looking up at me with his bright, beady eyes. He was a proper water vole too… dark fur, small rounded ears, not to be confused with a brown rat. He made my day! Arthur Newsome, Skegness IS THIS CRUCIAN POLICY SENSIBLE? I THINK it’s a superb idea…

ANGLERS and canoeists don’t tend to get on very well, and my recent trip to the River Wye confirmed that. However, watching an armada of incompetent youngsters paddling by was tempered by something that happened a little later in the day. I could hear raised voices, then, round the bend above me came one of those two-person canoes occupied by a man and a lady who was quite clearly his wife or partner. How do I know this? Because they were having the mother of all arguments. In the rear seat, Patsy (let’s call her that) clearly didn’t want to be there and had stopped paddling. Robert (he looked like a Robert) wasn’t at all happy about this and was berating her, calling her some unrepeatable names and oblivious to…

LAST week was a really lovely one. Not because of any fish I caught, more about other people – young and old! I also have to mention that huge catch of barbel from the River Severn which was reported in Angling Times last week. Perhaps that will finally shut up some of those people who reckon that rivers are finished! Here’s how my week went… MONDAY My mate Warwick Salzer sent me a great photo. He is a guide on the River Thames in London and catches a lot of zander, and the photo is of his daughter Maisie, who is six years old. It shows her holding her first double-figure zander which she caught with her dad’s help from the river. What a fish for a young girl to…

FRED RADCLIFFE, SHREWSBURY, ASKS: Q Can you recommend a good all-round groundbait mix for a river containing roach, dace, chub and barbel? As there is a touch of colour in the river from recent rains I’m told a groundbait mix is the way to go. A There’s a lot to consider when getting the right mix for a river session, but as a starting point I will always use Bait-Tech’s Pro Natural as a base. It’s the conditions you are faced with that may affect what you add to the mix. Hopefully the river will have a nice steady pace, and a straight groundbait attack will be ideal, but you need to beware of the speed and depth of the river. If it’s flowing fast or particularly deep you may…

THIS Sunday’s Angling Times/Bait-Tech Supercup Final will be absolute classic! That’s according to Barston Lakes boss Nigel Harrhy, as 15 of the best club teams converge on the Solihull water to do battle and be crowned club champions for 2015. Held on the Main and Match Lakes, the fishing has hit top form nicely for the team match, with massive weights of skimmers to be had along with the venue’s famed F1s and big carp. But the successful team will still have to judge the conditions and the methods that work on the day to lift the trophy. Recent years have seen local sides fare well, with DECCA AC and Ridgemere AC winning the last two finals. Although Ridgemere are fishing, they’ll have tough competition from many teams who have…

Great Yarmouth DAA River Yare, Langley - Claxton (52 pegs) WITH a rising tide for half the match, and the Yare holding good colour, weights held up well despite a big tide. One of the country’s top feeder men Will Freeman showed his class fishing long-range feeder tactics, at times having to use 4oz to hold bottom. His knowledge of the venue shone through as he took a fine 50-6-0. Drawn on peg 114 at Sluice Bend, he fished groundbait feeder with a worm and maggot cocktail for skimmers. Runner-up Glenn Carter drew peg 122 at Langley Pump and also caught skimmers on the feeder for 31-8-0. Result:1 W Freeman, Preston Innovations, 50-6-0 2 G Carter, Sudbury, 31-8-0; 3 B Harding, PW Angling, 28-8-0; 4 M Runacres, Deben, 26-14-0; 5…