Swim Tackle Facebook Competition
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Bag’em matchbaits & Middy backed Marc Rodger Wins UK Champs!
Marc from Grimsby won £5,650. The result comes after a tense final round at Barston Lakes on Wed.19th Sept 2012, where more than 20 of the country’s top anglers still had a chance of taking the title.
Marc said: “I still cant believe that I have actually won this competition. It really is a dream come true. Before I went to bed last night, I put the trophy on my dresser, so I knew that when I woke up it would be the first thing I would see. Even this morning, it still hadn’t quite sunk in though – I had to nip myself just to make sure that I wasn’t dreaming!”
Results:
1 Marc Rodger (Middy/Bag'em matchbaits) 8pts- 199.082 Kg
2 Simon Fry (Garbolino/Bag'em) 8pts- 166.990 Kg
3 Grant Albutt (Garbolino/ Bait Tech) 10pts- 152.624 Kg
4 Luke Sears (Daiwa/Marukyu) 11pts- 147.257 Kg
5 Lee Kerry (Preston Innovations/Sonubaits) 11pts- 136.376Kg
6 Pemb Wrighting (Bag'em matchbaits /Maver) 11pts- 117.193 Kg
7 Rob Wootton (Shimano/Dynamite) 12pts- 200.068 Kg
8 Joe Carass (Match Fishing) 12pts- 158.262 Kg
9 Mark Pollard (Shimano/Dynamite) 13pts- 195.364 Kg
10 Andy Kinder (Maver/Marukyu) 13pts-149.477Kg
How The UK Champs Was Won
The first round of the competition was held at Garbolino Lindholme Lakes near Epworth, a venue where Marc has a fair bit of experience. After drawing peg four on Laurels Pool, he decided to base his attack around fishing pellets up in the water. His 170lb net of F1s and carp proved enough to not only gain him maximum section points, but also a match win and a cool £1,000.
After this, the competition shifted to Viaduct Fishery in Somerset, a four hour drive from his Grimsby home. A good draw of peg 119 on Cambell Pool saw Marc very confident. He caught over 20 carp on straight lead tactics for a second consecutive section win and 2nd on the match overall adding a further £500 in prize money to his purse. More importantly, a second consecutive section win saw him stay at the top of the leader board.
The third round at Stourport’s Maver Larford Lakes proved to be his only hiccup. After drawing peg 29 on Specimen Lake, Marc caught 30lb of skimmers on method feeder, and three big carp short to finish with just short of 60lb, leaving him 5th in section.
Fortunately, most of the other top names had a similarly tough result, and he managed to cling on to top spot going into the final round.
Mark explained; “There were actually three of us tied on seven points, with a further four people on eight points, and four people on nine points, so I knew it was going to be a tight finish. I managed to put a method in practice that proved the key to victory on the day.
It revolved around feeding tiny nuggets of Bag'ems XP groundbait on the pole line, and fishing a 4mm Bag'em easy xpander pellet over the top. After a few early fish on the feeder I switched to this and managed to bag quality skimmers that accounted for the bulk of my weight.
I weighed in with 20kg, which was enough to win the section. When I realised I had won overall, I was overcome with emotion, it is by far my proudest angling moment, and a memory I will treasure for ever.” .
I must admit though, being consistently high up in events is one thing and winning them is another- and it feels so nice to finally go all the way.”
Near Miss For Fry
For runner up, Simon Fry, this years UK Championship was a case of what might have been. After going into the final round leading on points along with eventual winner Marc Rodger, and Tommy Hiller, the Garbolino/Bag'em backed ace felt a section win would give him a great chance of clinching the title.
He explained: “In the back of my mind, I knew that even a section win might not be enough given Marc’s weight advantage, and was hopeful that someone would beat him and allow me to sneak a point or two in front.
I felt I fished well from a poor area on the day, and was delighted to win my section from where I was. When I heard that Marc had won his, I knew that I hadn’t done enough though. My only consolation was I didn’t feel I could have done anymore, and Marc is a very worthy and deserving winner. He was obviously very nervous going into the last round, and he held it together well, and performed on the day, so a massive well done to him.”
Fears for Lough Ern
The future of angling at one of Ireland’s most famous venues could be under threat after permission was given to begin a controversial industrial operation that has previously caused countless environmental problems.
For years fishermen have flocked from all over the UK to take advantage of the fantastic sport on offer at Lough Ern, but that could soon become a thing of the past after a company gained permission to drill for gas using a contentious approach known as ‘fracking’.
Petrochemical firm Tamboran Resources has been given the green light to use the procedure, which involves drilling deep into the lakebed to extract gas, but environmentalists are calling for the operation to be halted due to fears it could pollute the area and lead to large-scale fish deaths.
A number of the world’s best anglers visit the lough regularly, among them top matchmen Bob Nudd, Alan Scotthorne and Mark Pollard. The last-named has just competed in the World Pairs Angling Champs at the venue, and he believes every measure possible needs to be taken to protect the angling at Lough Erne: “It would be devastating to the whole area if any pollution did occur, as the lough is connected to the whole Erne system which is a huge area of water.
“Any pollution would be terrible to not only the anglers who come here for the fantastic fishing but anyone who comes to Ireland as a whole” he said.
Fracking operations around the globe have led to numerous environmental complications in the past, particularly in the US. Local residents and farmers around Lough Erne are understandably worried about the possible side effects of the drilling. No Fracking Ireland, an environmental group against the plans, believes the rcological impacts could far outweigh the financial benefits.
John Cronogue, representing the group said: “It would be an environmental disaster if things go wrong like they have in other parts of the world. If you are an angler that fishes the lough, this might just be your worst nightmare” he added.
However, while many are worried about the effects of the plans, others believe it will bring prosperity to a region currently struggling with the economic crisis. Describing the project as ‘an energy and economic game changer for Northern Ireland’, Richard Moorman, Chief Executive of Tamboran said: “Our initial analysis suggests very substantial shale gas reserves in the southwest Fermanagh area. The energy and economic benefits of abstracting this gas would be tremendous for Northern Ireland” he added.
Quick bite produces new pb
Within 15 minutes of casting out at a Chichester club water Lewis Errington hooked into this personal best 36lb 10oz mirror.
Casting to an overhanging tree just a few feet from the bank, the West Sussex-based rod also landed a 30lb 8oz linear during the trip.
Both fish were taken on snowman presentations consisting of Carp Company Fruity Nekta bottom baits and Fruit and Cream pop-ups on rigs tied with products from the Korda stable.
Year's biggest river perch landed
A devastatingly effective tactic known as dropshotting has accounted for the biggest river perch of the year that tipped the scales at 4lb 12oz.
Paul Elt admitted that the weed-choked swim on a tributary of the River Ouse would have been unfishable had it not been for the method that involves the manipulation of a small rubber lure attached directly to the mainline above a lead.
The Cambridgeshire-based angler got his session off to a flying start, landing a trio of perch to 3lb in quick succession before a pike moved in and forced all of the fish out of his chosen swim.
He then moved downstream and dropped his rig in to a tiny hole in the middle of a weedbed, and after a handful of flicks of his rod tip his 10cm Fox Split Tail lure, that was tied to a 6lb leader and a braided mainline, was hit by the impressive specimen which broke his previous personal best for the species by 7oz.
“I wouldn’t have caught this fish on any other method and I honestly believe it’s the most exciting thing to come in to the sport since the hair-rig,” Paul told Angling Times.
“Because the lure sits directly above the lead I could drop it straight in to the hole in the weed without any fear of it getting snagged.
“I had only been in the swim for a couple of minutes when the perch absolutely nailed the bait and I must admit that my knees went to jelly when it broke the surface because it looked like a bream in a perch suit.”
Also getting in on the big river perch action was Southern Fisheries boss Jason Lewis, landing a 4lb 2oz specimen from the famous Royalty Fishery on the Hampshire Avon.
It set a new personal best for him after it took a floatfished bleak livebait that was presented in a swim known as the Piles.
He said: “I was actually fly fishing when I spotted the fish in the water looking at my hookbait. I quickly swapped my tackle over and hooked into it almost straight away. I’m glad I made the change as I believe that this is the largest perch recorded from the venue so far this season.”
Chilham Mill's biggest mirror out at 42lb 10oz
Raking and resting his swim proved to be the key to success for Keiron Hearn when he landed this 42lb 10oz mirror from the Chilham Mill syndicate in Kent.
The Warlingham-based angler cast two rods to a gravel bar at 90 yards range and then set about clearing a spot of heavy weed down his left hand margin. This was then baited with a mixture of 15mm and 18mm SMA Baits Fruit and Nut boilies but he decided not to fish over the spot for the first night.
“That night I watched several carp showing over the spot but as tempting as it was I refrained from casting on top of them and let them build their confidence,” Keiron said.
The next morning he eventually positioned a rig on the spot along with another handful of boilies. After landing two small pike from the area during the day he altered his rig so that his Milky Toffee pop-up was only sat an inch off the lakebed as opposed to three.
“Just before I was about to turn in for the night I had a take out of the blue and from the sheer power of the fight I knew it was one of the lake’s big girls. When I lifted the net out of the water I recognised it as Chilly’s Fish – the most sought after carp in the venue. I had dreamed of catching this fish for years and never thought I’d land it during only my second season on the water,” he added.
Heavy baiting produces 36lb 8oz mirror
Fishing an area of the lake which he hadn’t targeted before paid off for Darren Belton when he landed five fish to 36lb 8oz from a southern stillwater.
All of his carp were taken from clear spots in the weed which he baited heavily with Mainline Baits Cell boilies.
After landing one fish during the first night he lengthened his hooklinks by a couple of inches and using a critically-balanced snowman hookbaits caught fish of 36lb 8oz, 29lb 8oz, 29lb 4oz and 23lb the next night.
3lb 1oz River Thames roach
The River Thames has produced one of the biggest roach of 2012 in the shape of this huge 3lb 1oz specimen.
It had been Matt Davies’ ambition to catch a redfin over the 2lb mark from his local stretch of the waterway around Oxford since he first picked up a rod at the age of two, and he set about making his dream a reality by baiting one of his favourite swims with a bed of hemp and mixed particles with the help of a bait dropper.
The tactic proved to be a big hit with the resident roach population and his simple groundbait feeder rig, that featured a banded pellet on a size 18 hook, was soon fooling fish up to 1lb 8oz.
But the 29-year-old had to wait until towards the end of his session for the all-important bite which saw him smash his previous personal best for the species by 1lb 7oz and come within 4oz of breaking the current river record.
“I don’t need to tell anyone how rare a 3lb roach is, so as soon as I realised what I was attached to it was hard not to rush things and try to get it in the net as quickly as possible,” Matt told Angling Times.
“There’s no doubt that this fish will be close to the record in a few months time. This is a great sign for the river and on my last short session I caught six roach and not one of them was less than 1lb,” he added.
The Thames is just one of a string UK running water venues, including the rivers Trent and Avon, in which roach are making a comeback.
Drennan International’s assistant director, Gary Barclay, has fished the Thames all of his life and says that the roach sport in 2012 is as good as it has ever been.
“Both specimen and competition anglers have been spoilt on the river so far this season as the extra flow and colour in the water has seen the roach fishing surpass all expectations,” he said.
“I caught 19lb of roach in a match the other day and the number of weights taken over the 20lb barrier has been phenomenal. There are so many big fish coming through that there’s never been a better time to be on the river.”
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Predator season off to a flier
The traditional predator fishing season has finally begun, with a number of reservoirs opening their doors to pike, zander and perch fishing fans over the past couple of weeks.
Among those getting in on the early action was Gordon Howes, who overcame far-from-ideal bright and sunny conditions on Grafham Water to bank a number of fine fish, including pike to just under 20lb.
Using a range of lures and jigs, the well-known predator fishing guide also boated a string of decent zander from the 1,500-acre Anglian Water owned venue.
Freelined breadflake fools 34lb mirror
Marc Eden proved that you don’t need an all singing and dancing rig or the latest wonder bait to catch big carp when he landed this personal best 34lb mirror on a freelined piece of slow sinking bread flake from a low-stock Nottinghamshire gravel pit.
The day prior to his session, the 38-year-old welder had found several carp cruising around on the surface, but when he arrived just after first light the following day his quarry were much harder to find.
“I spent ages walking around but couldn’t see anything until the sun started to really warm the water a bit and a few carp started moving in to a shallow area of the lake,” said Marc. “I could see several fish moving in and out of a bay and it was clear that they were taking the same route every time. As soon as I saw a couple of decent carp coming along the margin towards me I flicked my hookbait out towards them. It fell a few feet short of where I intended, but as I watched the big mirror turned towards it and sucked the bread flake in.”
Marc beat his prize with a 15lb Daiwa Sensor mainline tied directly to a size 4 ESP Big T hook.
“During the summer I hardly ever use boilies for carp and much prefer to try and catch them off the top or stalk them close in. By this time of year many venues have been hammered with floating baits and as a result the carp can become wary of them and hard to catch. In these situations I’ve found a slow sinking piece of bread flake to be much more effective because there’s a good chance they won’t have seen a bait like this,” he added.
Middy & Angling Times Facebook Competition
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. THE LUCKY WINNER WAS: DARREN TOWNSEND FROM OXFORDSHIRE
This week we have teamed up with Middy to giveaway a complete set of Middy Carp Grey pole floats worth £30, a Middy fleece hat worth £6.99 plus a three month subscription to Angling Times worth over £20. Already a subscriber to AT? Don’t worry you can offer the subscription to a friend or family member if you are lucky enough to win.
For your chance of getting your hands on one of these fantastic prizes simply email the answer to the following question to fbcompetition@anglingtimes.co.uk – What year was Middy founded? 1968, 1978 or 1988?
For the answer, check out Middy’s website, www.middytackle.com
To enter you must ‘LIKE’ both the Angling Times and Middy Match Range Facebook pages.
These can be found on the following links:
Angling Times Facebook page - www.facebook.com/anglingtimes
Middy Match Range Facebook page - www.facebook.com/MiddyMatchRange
One winner will be chosen and announced on Monday October 1. Last entry is on Sunday September 30.
Good luck!
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. You are providing your information to Angling Times and not to Facebook.
Concerns for future of England team
Despite returning from last weekend’s World Championships without a medal, Drennan Team England have been the most successful international team of the past decade with five world titles to their name - but many are concerned for the future.
The current squad is packed with experience, depth and talent to secure more golds in the coming years but there are concerns about what’s coming through on the international front, not regarding ability but related more to the lack of exposure to the skills needed and ways of international match angling.
New World Champion Sean Ashby is one of those who wonders what the future will hold, having seen first-hand the chasm in difference between the UK scene and that held abroad, something he fears will see the England team in a couple of decades time short on anglers familiar with what’s needed to win medals at international level.
“There will come a time when the current side retires and the next generation comes through,” Sean said. “We’re lucky that we have several good anglers currently on the circuit who are comfortable in fishing to international rules and can make the step up but what happens after that? Steve Sanders has spoken about how at under-18 level anglers have never fished with pole and bait limits in the UK. I can’t see where that experience is going to come from if that continues.”
The likes of Tommy Pickering when he managed the England Ladies team have said much the same thing and Steve, who leads the Sensas Under-18 side on world duty, is of the same opinion. Despite his team still winning medals, he’s always looking ahead to the next generation coming through.
“The system is not there in the UK to allow them to come through with the experience needed,” said Steve. “When we go to the World Champs the lads are up against anglers that only fish matches to international rules so for us to win a medal is unbelievable when effectively, the whole of the team is fishing an international rules match for the first time. The desire and ability is there but the opportunities aren’t. A start would be to have the Angling Trust Junior Nationals fished to these rules or at least float only so we can expose them to what’s needed in those anglers that do come through to England honours at an early age.”
For the full interview with new World Champion Sean Ashby, see the issue of Angling Times on sale September 25.
Preston Innovations UK Champs
Marc Rodger is the 2012 UK Champion after a faultless display at Barston Lakes, tying with Simon Fry on eight points but getting the verdict overall on total weight.
Middy and Bag Em Baits backed Mark recorded his third section win of the competition, which he has lead throughout, after racking up 20.260kg of mainly skimmer bream from peg 121 on the road bank. The Grimsby angler pocketed £4,000 plus a further £1,650 in match winnings from the four rounds.
“All the failures, all the travelling and all the effort I’ve incurred in the past all fell into place at once. It was like a dream and I’ll be on cloud nine for weeks.
Sometimes you get a feeling it’s just your time and this time it was mine. I’d like to thank my sponsors for their support and also my family for putting up with the time away I’ve spent pursuing this title,” he said.
Matchman lands specimen barbel
You don’t always need to use beefy gear to land big barbel – just ask Johnny Maddison, who this week landed three fish together weighing over 30lb….while targeting dace!
The impressive haul, which ranks as one of the best catches of specimen barbel ever recorded in a fishing match, was taken from the Over Dinsdale stretch of the River Tees, where the Darlington-based rod banked the trio of fish on maggot hookbaits.
It took Johnny 45 minutes to slip his net under the first barbel, which was also the biggest at 11lb 10oz, due to the fact that he was unable to apply much pressure with his stick float set-up comprising just a 0.12mm hooklength and size 18 hook.
“I knew straight away when I hooked the fish that it was big because it took 40yds of line on its first run. It rolled in the middle of the river, and then the line got caught round its dorsal fin, which made it very difficult to land as there was increased pressure on the hook and I was trying to net almost 12lb of fish against the flow.” said Johnny.
“By the time I netted it the hook was almost straight, but after swapping it for a new one I continued to use the same set-up, aiming to catch dace, but ended up catching two further barbel of 10lb 7oz and 8lb.”
Johnny saw off 23 rivals to take first place in the CIU Teams of Four event, adding more than 10lb of dace to his barbel total. He finished comfortably ahead of runner-up Jon Banbridge, who put 23lb of dace, grayling and roach to the scales.
“The stretch is not known for big barbel. Most match anglers fish for the dace, aiming for a total weight of 20lb to 25lb. This is probably the biggest barbel catch this stretch has ever produced!” Johnny added.
42lb 7oz common caught from light weed
Setting up on the end of the wind proved to be the key to success for Jack Matthews who landed three carp from the Bayeswater syndicate in Essex, the highlight being this 42lb 7oz common.
After accurately casting to areas of light weed the trio of fish all came in a manic 30 minute period just before first light.
“I’ve caught 21 fish from the venue this season and this is the first common I’ve had. I literally couldn’t have asked for a better fish,” he said.
Jack used Nash Scopex Squid pop-ups on hinged rigs incorporating long braid boom sections to present the bait effectively over the weed.
MAP Facebook Competition
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. THE LUCKY WINNERS WERE: ADRIAN HOWARD FROM NORFOLK GERRY HILL FROM WALSALL GEOFF LOWE FROM EDINBURGH BRYAN PUGH FROM NOTTINGHAM MALCOLM HILL FROM WORCESTER MARK HALL FROM BERKSHIRE
KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR MORE GREAT COMPETITIONS COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
Today has seen the launch of the hugely anticipated MAP TKS pole range and this weekend to celebrate we have teamed up with MAP to giveaway six spools of MAP's brilliant Twin Core Hollow Elastic in size 14-18 to six winners worth £9.99 a spool.
For your chance of getting your hands on this fantastic prizes simply email the answer to the following question to fbcompetition@anglingtimes.co.uk – how many poles are there in the range?
For the answer watch the video at the bottom of the page.
To enter you must ‘LIKE’ both the Angling Times and MAP Fishing Facebook pages.
These can be found on the following links:
Angling Times Facebook page - www.facebook.com/anglingtimes
MAP Fishing Facebook page - www.facebook.com/MAPfishing
Six winners will be chosen and announced on Monday September 24. Last entry is on Sunday September 23.
Good luck!
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. You are providing your information to Angling Times and not to Facebook.
41lb 9oz mirror on solid PVA bag approach
This 41lb 9oz mirror was the biggest of two fish caught by Cliff Kemp during a 24 hour session on Elphicks Fisheries West End Lake.
The Kent-based Fox consultant also landed a 29lb mirror from the three-acre venue and both fish were taken on 14mm Hartford Boilies fished inside a solid PVA bag filled with boilie crumb on a size 8 Fox Arma Point SSBP barbless hook and Reflex supple braid hooklinks.
Long range tactics produce 14lb 10oz bream
Long range feeder tactics produced a brace of mid-double figure bream for Steve Sutton, the best of which weighed 14lb 10oz.
Having earmarked a tough north west reservoir, the Wigan-based angler peppered an area around a marker float 120 yards out with a staggering 150 balls of groundbait, which consisted of a mix of 50 per cent Van Den Eynde Gold Pro Bream and 50 per cent brown crumb. This was laced with dead maggots, hemp and corn, and was catapulted to a clear gravel patch in around 16ft of water by the 33-year-old.
“All of my six bream came in darkness, and this also included a fish of 13lb,” he said. “I fished two rods on semi-fixed bolt rigs, with one baited with three worms and the other a maggot clip packed with red maggots.”
He tied his winning rigs with 6lb hooklinks and size 14 Drennan Super Specialist barbel hooks.
Roving session produces 12lb 9oz barbel
A stunning 12lb 9oz barbel was the highlight of Rob Thompson’s roving session on the River Derwent.
The self-employed gardener tempted the specimen from a far bank snag, and it was the biggest of five fish in an eight hour session targeting various stretches of the Derbyshire waterway.
It fell to a Dynamite Baits Spicy Tuna boilie fished in conjunction with small PVA mesh bag of pellet, with a 10lb hooklink and a size 6 hook.
“I’d had several fish ranging from 6lb - 9lb when at 7pm my rod was off again and I suddenly found myself with a real battle on my hands,” said the 38-year-old from Shepshed, Leicestershire. “It took all of the pressure I dared apply to keep the fish away from the tree and once it came out and back to mid-river the fight was a very steady plodding affair. I could tell during the fight that I was attached to something a bit more substantial and was delighted to land my first Derwent double,” said Rob, a memember of the Soar Valley Specialist Group.
