New Preston's DVD to be launched
The Absolute Match Fishing television Series, hosted by Tommy Pickering, is now available on DVD.
Following its huge popularity since its broadcasting on Sky Sports, the double DVD disc set is available for £9.99 and includes 30 minutes of previously unseen footage.
Tommy fishes all over the country, with guest appearances from anglers such as Des Shipp at Barston Lakes, Lee Edwards on the Wye, Andy Findlay paste fishing at the Glebe and Lee Kerry on the Stainforth and Keadby canal.
There is also footage of Steve Sanders pellet waggler fishing and Emma Pickering fishing the pole and pellet.
It is available from mid-December, find out more at www.prestoninnovations.com.
McManus on the big bream.....again!!
Former bream record holder Lee McManus has continued his run of hot autumn form at Swithland reservoir with this stunning 16lb 4oz bream, one of four doubles taken in a night.
A single grain of artificial sweetcorn was the successful bait for the 37-year-old, who first hit the headlines way back in July 1999 after catching a British best bream of 16lb 10oz from the picturesque and vast Leicestershire venue.
Lee’s latest heavyweight was taken alongside fish of 11lb 2oz, 12lb 4oz and 13lb, with the first bite coming at 11.30pm, and the last at 8am, just as he was packing away to go to work.
For the full story, plus tips and tactics, see tomorrow’s Angling Times.
Bristol Avon hits top roach and bream form
The first two rounds of the South West Winter League on the Bristol Avon proved memorable with the individual winners of each sharing over 100lb of silvers between them.
Maver Bathampton star Graham Hunt took inspiration from match anglers of the past and used a crowqill Avon float and caster to tempt a roach every drop in for a winning bag of 18lb 12oz in the first heat of the competition.
Just a week later, his teammate Darren Gilman found the bream in feeding mode and was able to use the long pole with worm to land specimens to 5lb and eventually placed an impressive 89lb 1oz on the scales.
Big bream water makes stunning revival
A venue that was once considered to be the best bream water in the land is making a major comeback following a long lull in form.
The large Midlands waterway used to draw anglers from far and wide but they eventually swapped natural fishing for commercial complexes.
But it is now making a revival, with double fish coming out regularly and locals claim it takes less than 15 slabs to reach the 100lb mark!
Dynamite Baits ace Rob Fryer has fished the venue for decades and believes there has never been a better time to visit the water.
“The bream used to average around 4lb but they’ve doubled in weight now and a 10lb plus fish is never out of the question. You’ve got to do a little bit of homework but if you land on the fish you are with a great chance of taking the catch of a lifetime,” explained Rob.
For more details on the venue and the tactics required to conquer it, pick up a copy of next week’s Angling Times, on the shelves from Tuesday November 1.
British record bream dead
The British record bream has been found dead.
The huge specimen was caught in May this year at a weight of 20lb 2oz from an Oxfordshire gravel pit by Simon Lavin, and it was the same angler who found the fish dead in the margins of the venue.
It is believed that the bream died of old age.
An even bigger bream of 22lb 9oz was caught by Mark McKenna in September 2009 from Ferry Lagoon in Cambridgeshire, but he never put in an official record claim as he was fishing for carp at the time.
Trust ramps up anti-poaching measures
The Angling Trust has this week launched a seven-point plan to tackle the ever-growing problem of poaching from English waters.
The sport’s governing body is set to ramp up a number of initiatives, ranging from the establishment of a new ‘Poacher Watch’ website for reporting fish theft - in a similar way to its Cormorant Watch site - through to a pilot scheme that will allow voluntary bailiffing by angling club members alongside Environment Agency officers.
The plan also includes furthering the recently-launched Building Bridges programme, under which the Trust has appointed two members of staff to work with member clubs and fisheries to address illegal fishing in parts of the South West and the East of England, as well as collaborating with the National Wildlife Crime Unit, a special police task force, to raise awareness of the offence of poaching within regional police forces.
For the full story, plus reaction, see today’s Angling Times.
Big bream brace ends run of blanks
Ian Henderson ended a run of blanks when he netted a brace of bream weighing 15lb 12oz and 14lb 6oz from a 20-acre southern stillwater.
The 56-year-old Essex-based rod caught both fish using triple red maggot hookbaits on running maggot feeder rigs tied with 8lb fluorocarbon hooklinks and size 12 hooks.
These were fished over a bed of bloodworm pellets and crushed hemp groundbait at 30yds range in 12ft of water.
Stagg's big gravel pit bream run continues
Last year’s Drennan Cup runner-up Alan Stagg has continued to plunder the big bream shoals at a 96-acre southern pit he has been fishing, landing a string of fine double-figure specimens over the past few weeks.
One a two-night trip last week he landed four fish, with the best brace weighing 10lb 9oz and 10lb 14oz, after targeting a gravel bar at 40yds range using balanced sweetcorn hookbaits fished over groundbait, particles and pellets.
The Basingstoke-based rod has since been back to the undisclosed pit for another quick overnighter, during which he landed another quartet of big fish to a best of 12lb 6oz, beating them all with the help of 10lb Hydro Tuff mainline and size 8 Talon Tip hooks.
For full details of his session, see next week’s Angling Times, on sale Tuesday 27 September.
Big bream win canal match
A brace of big bream helped Roy Everson smash the Trent and Mersey Canal match record during the latest event on the waterway.
The Warrington AA ace decided to use groundbait feeder tactics with casters hookbaits and managed to land a number of small slabs early in the session before specimens of 8lb 3oz and 7lb 3oz made an appearance. At the weigh in the dial on the scaled swung round to 26lb 8oz to give him a comfortable victory and a place in the history books.
Fishery boss says 'It's all venue owners' duty to check rod licences"
‘Every fishery boss in the country should check rod licences before they are allowed to set foot on their lakes.’
These are the words of a commercial boss who insists that visitors fish within the law and will even buy a permit on behalf of any angler that turns up at his water without the necessary paperwork.
David Howarth owns Green Haven Fishery and Caravan Park in Boston, Lincolnshire, and is one of only a few UK fishery owners that make it their responsibility to check licences after becoming disillusioned with the Environment Agency, whose bailiffs have visited the site just once in the last 15 months.
Many venue bosses believe that it is ‘not their job’ to perform licence checks, fearing the confrontation with those anglers that choose to avoid spending the £27 for a yearly permit.
But David insists that since he began he has experienced none of the problems forseen by fellow fishery owners and believes that if others follow his example it will only produce positive results.
“If I have to buy a licence to fish at my own lake then there’s no way that I’m going to let anyone else that comes here fish without one,” he said.
Doubles all the way for Alan!
Alan Stagg has continued to plunder the bream shoals from a 96-acre pit he has been targeting, adding fish to 10lb 5oz on his latest session.
The Basingstoke-based rod took five bream over two-nights of fishing, all of which came from a gravel bar at 40yds range and fell to balanced sweetcorn hookbaits.
During his stay Alan, who works for Gardner Tackle, introduced 5kg of Sonubaits F1 groundbait, mixed with 2mm pellets, 4mm Elliptical pellets and sweetcorn.
His tackle consisted of 10lb Hydro Tuff mainline, a 2oz inline lead, a 15lb Trickster hooklength and a size 8 Talon Tip hook.
See tomorrow’s Angling Times for more!
Big bream haul taken on sweetcorn hookbaits
Experienced all-rounder Adrian Eves used a heavy baiting approach to compile a sensational near-200lb bag of big bream last week.
Targeting a stillwater in the Colne Valley, the Surrey-based rod got through around 20kg of bait on his way to catching 18 fish between 8lb and 11lb 8oz, as well as a number of smaller samples.
All his fish fell to real and fake corn imitations, or 10mm boilies on the hair.
For the full lowdown on Adrian’s memorable session, including a host of tips, tactics and pictures – see tomorrow’s Angling Times.
Tench and bream match a huge success at Bury Hill Fisheries
The latest silverfish only event at Bury Hill Fisheries ended with the top six sharing over 300lb between them.
With carp not counted, it was the bream and tench the competitors went in search of and it was Adam Lee who managed to create the perfect approach to fool a winning 61lb 1oz haul.
After drawing peg on the Old Lake at the Surrey complex, the Banstead-based rod decided to use groundbait feeder and corn tactics to attract slabs to 6lb plus a bonus 2lb crucian.
Runner up Robert Taylor recorded 57lb 4oz, with Guildford AC rod Bradley Gibbons finishing off the frame with 53lb 6oz.
Free fishing show this weekend - not to be missed!
Anglers are urged not to miss the free entry Big Fish charity fishing show taking place this coming Saturday, 3 September, featuring a host of stars, a carp match and a kids ‘fishing camp’.
Great Linford Lakes in Milton Keynes is the venue and the day includes casting, rig making and bait demonstrations from top carpers such as Colin Davidson, Derek ‘The Don’ Ritchie and Jerry Hammond, plus keen angler and Eastenders star Scott Maslen.
The kids fishing camp is being hosted by Nash Tackle, and the show also features a 24 hour carp match, cookery and falconry displays, laser clay shooting and archery, plus bouncy castles, a hog roast and an all-day restaurant and bar.
For more information see www.thebigfish.tv or call 07414 255519.
Cover star bags 13 double figure bream in a session!
Nick Speed, cover star of Angling Times last week, has returned to Clumber Park Lake with even more impressive results.
This time the Sheffield ace banked bream to a new personal best of 12lb 6oz, but incredibly every one of his 13 fish was into double figures.
Identical inline Method Feeder tactics scored for Nick, with a groundbait mix of Dynamite Baits Swim Stim Green and Marine Halibut in equal quantities, and a piece of popped up fake sweetcorn on the hook.
He fished 6lb mainline, an 0.20mm (8lb) hooklength and a size 16 hook.
Matchman gets amongst huge bream to double figures
This week’s Angling Times lifts the lid on one of the UK’s best day ticket waters for bream. Matchman Nick Speed demonstrates how simple feeder tactics and an unusual hookbait score for big slabs with a truly memorable session, capped by a double figure fish.
To find out more on this stunning venue, don’t miss tomorrow’s Angling Times (Tuesday August 23) and catch the exclusive video here at gofishing.co.uk.
Tidal Trent bream go on feeding spree
The Tidal Trent bream shoals went on a feeding frenzy during the latest event on the popular venue and eventual winner Paul Golding needed an impressive 81lb 4oz to take victory.
The Worksop-based rod drew on peg 1 on the noted North Clifton stretch and was able to tempt slabs to 6lb and decent skimmers from the off on his groundbait feeder with worm tactics.
Further down the stretch Barnsley’s Steve Whitfield was also bagging up on similar tactic and he eventually secured second place with 64lb 1oz.
Several local charities also benefitted from the event – which was held in memory of well-liked fishermen Paul and Jim Andrews – with over £400 being raised.
Stagg on the big bream
Drennan Cup runner-up Alan Stagg got among the big bream during a two-day session last weekend, topped by this 13lb 2oz cracker.
The Gardner Tackle employee targeted a 96-acre stillwater with balanced corn hookbaits to take five big slabs, with his next best going 11lb 1oz.
All his fish were caught from a gravel hump at 40yds range over a large bed of Sonubaits F1 Groundbait mixed with S Pellets, Elliptical pellets and sweetcorn.
He beat all his fish using 10lb Hydro Tuff mainline, a 2oz in line lead and a size 8 Talon Tip hook.
Full details and more pictures in next week’s Angling Times, on sale Tuesday 23rd August.
Big mixed bags from the Midlands
London-based anglers Andrew Rowe, son Harry Rowe and friend John Dent enjoyed a very productive coarse fishing holiday in County Longford, in the Midlands region of Ireland, taking big nets of bream, hybrids, roach and tench on simple feeder and float tactics.
The first-time visitors to the Emerald Isle were fishing under the guidance of experienced local guide and guest house owner Kevin Lyons.
Loughs in the Longford and Strokestown areas have been fishing very well this summer for all manner of species. For more info about services provided, email Kevin at info@melviewlodge.com
Biggest weight of the year at Rolfs Lake
Bagging mecca Rolfs Lake hit top gear during the latest competition when Jon Walker landed 383lb and the venue's biggest match weight of the year.
With plenty of space to attack from peg 8 at the Oxfordshire complex, the float maker decided to rotate between four lines and use meat over pellet and was rewarded with carp to 15lb at regular intervals.
Jon also came within seconds of landing a foul hooked 20lb pike which eventually shed the hook just as it was about to slip over the waiting landing net.
