Roving approach scores for 24lb 8oz pike
A ROVING session on the picturesque River Test in Hampshire produced this fine 24lb 8oz pike for Dom Garnett.
After enjoying no success using deabaits for the first half of his trip, the Devon-based all-rounder’s fortunes changed for the better soon after he switched to using large lures.
Dom, who added a much smaller fish later on, said: “The fish took right before my eyes little more than a rod length out from the bank. She took a 6in-long yellow Kopyto Relax shad. My only other pike was a fish that would hardly have made a snack for her!”
To read Dom’s excellent blog or to book a day’s guided fishing with him, log on to www.dgfishing.co.uk
Maggot and corn cocktail tempt Avenue forty
A HEAVY frost failed to deter this forty from feeding on a mixture of maggots and corn in Paul Viner’s swim at the Avenue.
The mirror, known as the Cream Fish, pulled the scales round to 40lb 7oz and provided its captor with a new UK personal best.
Paul was fishing a two-night session in tough conditions at Rob Hales’ lake in Shropshire.
“It was just above freezing, with an easterly wind, when I arrived and I hadn’t seen any fish,” said the 40-year-old Sutton Coldfield rod.
“But somebody told me on the phone the day before that they had seen fish rolling in that area.”
The tip-off proved invaluable and Paul baited at bar at 80 yards with six or seven Spombs brimmed with maggots, corn and pellets.
His rig featured a critically balanced maggot-and-corn cocktail on a size 6 Nash Fang hook tied to a Korda Hybrid Soft hooklinkl.
“I got the bite at about 8.10am, 24 hours in to a 48-hour session,” said Paul, “It was a fairly slow take but steady and I knew straight away it was a big lump once I’d lifted into it.”
He added: “It’s my first season on the Avenue and so far I’ve probably had about 15 fish, including some of the thirties, but this is my best so far.”
Last cast throws up 26lb 4oz mirror
With his target venue flooded for the majority of the winter Dan Gilbert was relieved to finally slip the net under this 26lb 4oz mirror.
Braving freezing conditions, the Wiltshire-based Sticky backed rod fished a 14 hour overnight session and was staring a blank in the face but a take at last knockings changed his fortunes.
The fish fell to a White Chocolate pop-up fished over a light scattering of 16mm Vor-Tex boilies.
He said: “I was literally packing my gear away when one of my rods signalled a slow take. The fish put up a decent scrap but after 10 minutes I had it beat.”
Big bream catch taken at Shiplate Farm
Carp don’t always have to be the primary target if you want to frame in a commercial fishery match as Paul Chapman proved when he banked this 50lb 4oz net of bream during the latest contest at Shiplate Farm.
The venue regular drew peg 5 on the Main Lake at the Somerset complex and used pole and maggot at 13m to take slabs to 5lb and land second place in the contest.
Eventual winner Johnny Page feeder fished corn from peg 11 and put together 58lb of carp come the final whistle.
For more details on the venue visit www.shiplatefarmfishery.co.uk
Derbyshire Derwent produces memorable 6lb 6oz chub
A visit to a renowned hotspot on the Derbyshire Derwent ended with Patrick Oliver banking 6lb 6oz chub.
The professional angling guide spent four days prebaiting an area he had had taken a number of big specimens from last winter before rigging up a simple running feeder rig to try and tempt a few bites on a bitterly cold evening.
Shortly after starting his Lodge Specialist Baits shrimp dumbbell wrapped in paste was taken and after a quick yet tense battle, his personal best was equalled.
To book a tuition session with Patrick call 07763 611556.
PB equalling perch taken on a glugged prawn
AFTER a tough couple of weeks with only four small perch to show for his efforts, Andy Loble matched his personal-best for the species with this 3lb 6oz specimen.
Fishing at Alderwood Ponds in East Sussex, the 32-year-old targeted the margins with a large prawn hookbait soaked in CC Moore’s Shrimp Extract and Krill Amino.
“I have been fishing here for quite some time now and getting used to the feeding patterns of the perch. I fed chopped worm, dead and live red maggots and chopped prawn which created a cloud in the water and attracted the fish in,” explained the For Life Experiences angling coach.
“I’m still holding out for a 4lb fish and I won’t give in until I catch one,” he added.
Andy used 6lb Ultima Steel mainline to a 4.4lb hooklink and a size 6 Drennan Specimen Barbel hook.
Quick take results in lake's biggest common
STUART Cobb has been enjoying an impressive run of form on his Cambridgeshire syndicate, landing the lakes biggest common and a stunning dark coloured mirror in back to back sessions.
The Peterborough-based Taska consultant found a few fish close to a set of snags and cast as close to the feature as possible.
“The temperature had dropped to minus one, but amazingly I had a take within 30 minutes of putting my bait out,” said the 29-year-old. “After a brief scrap I landed a 36lb 4oz common – the biggest in the lake.”
The fish was taken on a Denham Bait Innovations pop-up on a Chod rig running on a length of Taska iCore.
He then returned the venue for a short eight hour day session and headed to the shallow end of the lake which the fish had been visiting when the sun was out.
“I put my right-hand-rod as tight to a Norfolk reed bed as safely as I could because the fish had definitely been using it as cover over the winter months. After a couple of casts I was happy with where the rig had landed and sat back and tried to enjoy the little bit of winter sunshine. A couple of hours had passed when I started to see a couple of subtle signs of fish moving in and out of the reed bed, and at 3 o'clock in the afternoon my rod pulled round and I was into my second carp in as many weeks.
“After a spirited fight a lovely dark mirror rolled into the net - a real gem of a fish, especially in the depths of winter. At 21lb it wasn’t the biggest carp I've ever caught but certainly the darkest.”
British Carp & Angling show rescheduled date is now bigger than previous show!
MORE STANDS THAN EVER BEFORE!
Just when you thought the British Carp and Angling Show couldn’t get any better, organisers can now confirm that the rescheduled date of 16th-17th March is actually bigger than the previous January event would have been, with more and more companies wanting a slice of East Anglia’s largest fishing event of the year, every day.
As well as all of the original big names attending (Nash, Korda, CC Moore, Fishing Republic, Angling Trust) new companies have joined the ever-expanding exhibitor list including, Sax Angling, Kent Tackle with Diem Apparel, Munch Baits, Gardner Tackle, PowaWalker, Hutchy’s Baits and Danson Angling.
Set in the Norfolk Showground’s grand indoor exhibition hall; discover a mind-blowing 50,000 sq ft filled with fishing tackle, bait, equipment, apparel, accessories, demonstrations and freebies. The show offers everything, from product demos & new launches including Nash’s Deliverance Ball Maker (see image) and Carp Alley’s Navigator Boats, to angling celebrities John Wilson and Bob Nudd carrying out great talks and intimate Q&A seminars PLUS all your favourite fishing experts and consultants will be on hand offering great tips and advice, as well as sharing tales from the riverbank.
Fishing legend John Wilson will host a BRAND NEW for 2013 Rigging Clinic where youngsters can come and learn how to properly tie a rig, Bob Nudd will do a presentation on Bass Fishing in the Pro-theatre with local blogger Jamie Bale discussing the best places to fish in Norfolk & Suffolk. Rob Maylin, Pete Springate and Jerry Hammond will all be signing copies of their books and chatting with guests, whilst Keith Williams will demonstrate bait recipes in the Mainline Bait Kitchen with Leigh Hemsley in the Mad Baits Clinic, plus much, much more. PLUS brand new TV channel for East Anglia’s Archant Media ‘Mustard TV’ have confirmed they will be coming along and filming over the duration of the weekend!
The show is not only a great opportunity to acquire new skills at the Casting tuition area or in the Pro-Theatre listing to talks and demos from the best there is, but with so many trade stands it is also a great chance to stock up on reduced rate essentials – especially with the new date hailing as the last fishing show of the season, there will be more deals and offers than ever before!
The British Carp & Angling Show
Norfolk Showground, Norwich, Norfolk NR5 0TT
Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th March 2013
Open: Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am-4pm
Online Tickets: Adults £8.00, Children £3.00
Gate Tickets: Adults £10.00, Children £5.00
Web: www.britishcarpshow.co.uk Tel: 01702 549623
30lb linear caught within seconds of casting out
TEENAGER Alfie Fossett hadn’t even had time to put his rod in its rest before one of the jewels of an Essex park lake tore off with his bait.
The ‘Double Linear’, which tipped the scales round to exactly 30lb, was one of four fish to fall to the 16-year-old’s rods during a weekend session at Priory Park Lake in Southend.
Arriving after dark on Friday, the apprentice carpenter fished tight to an island about 35 yards out and took the biggie on Sunday afternoon.
He told Angling Times: “I scattered about 50 Nash Monster Squid baits around two holes in the bushes on the island and put rods on both spots, which are quite close together.
“On Sunday I cast out the rod and was sinking the line when I felt it pull tight and saw a big bow wave coming off the island.
“I knew straight away it was a decent fish and it put up a really good fight. It came over to my left and I saw it roll and I said to my mate ‘it’s the Double Linear’.”
Alfie, from Southend, also took ghosties of 12lb and 13lb plus another carp of about 6lb during the session.
He used a Monster Squid bottom bait popped up with cork on a D-rig with a 3.5oz flat-pear lead in a clip.
He said: “It was a great result considering only two other fish came out all weekend and it’s such a good-looking fish.”
Maggots show their winter pulling power
TWO bites in quick succession at The Monument in Shropshire produced fish of 35lb 6oz and 28lb 6oz for Luke Edwards.
The Wolverhampton-based Fox International-backed rod located a firm area at 45yds just behind a bar and cast out 10 spodfuls of maggots and hemp soaked in Mainline Baits Pineapple Juice.
With a cold northerly wind blowing across the lake, the first 24 hours passed without event and the following morning he topped up the spot with another 10 spods.
He said: “At 2pm I had a twitchy take and after a spirited fight I was looking down at a stunning 35lb 6oz mirror. Before I had time to recast my other rod tore off resulting in the 28lb 6oz mirror.”
Both fish were taken on mag-aligner rigs tied with size 10 Fox Kuro S3 hooks and 10lb Illusion hooklinks.
Adam Tilford strikes barbel gold on the River Trent
ADAM Tilford landed this double-figure barbel from a wintry River Trent last week.
The fish weighed in at 10lb 11oz and was taken in 12ft of water from a spot close to the far margin.
The 28-year-old Nottingham rod told Angling Times: “I had it during an overnight session and got the bite at about 5.30am.
“I was fishing about 30 yards out in 12ft of water as the river was on its way up.
“It was a screaming take and I knew it was a decent fish. You actually catch more doubles than singles down there.”
Adam used a 30Plus Radar Barbel rod in conjunction with a 5oz swimfeeder packed with Hinders Barbel Bomb groundbait. The hookbait was a Hinders Blitz pellet.
Rob Thompson's impressive predator captures continue
ROB Thompson is enjoying a rich vein of form with predatory fish this winter - which continued with this 27lb 10oz pike from Chew reservoir.
He also added a 26lb 4oz fish to his tally, having already banked perch to 4lb 3oz and zander to 12lb 14oz since November 2012. Shepshed, Leicestershire-based Rob fished legered sardines at about 30 yards in 15ft of water to bank the brace in a two hour feeding spell on the famous Bristol Stillwater.
“I was supposed to be on the boats but it was too rough so I fished from the bank instead,” he said.
“Both fish were personal bests and the biggest of the pair put up a really good fight and threw itself out of the water on a couple of occasions,” added Rob, who used 16lb mainline and a 28lb wire trace with size 6 trebles.
Angler hits jackpot with £1m lottery win
KEEN coarse and sea fisherman Ron Warne is set to fulfil his angling dreams after scooping a cool £1m on the lottery last week.
Among the things the Kent-based man has planned in the short term are to kit himself out with a new set of specimen tackle and a new long pole, to go fishing for carp and catfish on Spain’s River Ebro and to take a tour of the some of the UK’s most famous big fish waters.
Ron, who scooped the life-changing sum of money on the EuroMillions game, told Angling Times how he learnt about his win after returning home from a bait-digging session on his local beach and checking his numbers on the TV. The cash means he can now stop doing night shifts in the paper distribution industry and spend more time with his family, as well as doing more fishing.
“I’ve wanted to try pole fishing for ages along with my son but I’ve not been able to afford a pole, not even a cheap one! A few years ago I set myself the target of catching a 20lb carp and a 10lb cod. The closest I’ve come so far is a 16lb carp and a 9lb cod so now I hope I’ll beat both those this year. I’ll also be booking a fortnight in Spain this year hoping for a 40-50lb carp or a big catfish, and I’d like to go to The Monument Fishery where Matt Hayes and Mick Brown made a Record Breaking Fish programme. In addition, I’d like to find a lake full of really big rudd somewhere - that’s my favourite species!” he said.
Ron revealed how the win came after a customary early-morning bait gathering trip.
“I’d just been out in the freezing cold and I was actually contemplating getting some money together to buy some new Skeetex boots because my feet were freezing. Then I got in and couldn’t believe what I was seeing on my screen, ‘I’ve won a million pounds’ I shouted! There’s one thing this won’t change however - I’ll still be digging my own lugworm though because you can’t beat fresh bait!” he added.
Things you could buy with £1m
- 250 Daiwa Air poles
- 8,163 Delkim TXi Plus bite alarms
- 20,837 John Wilson Avon Quiver rods
- 83,500 1kg bags of Mainline Cell boilies
- 90,909 days’ fishing at Gold Valley Lakes
- 555,555 copies of the Angling Times
"Destocking is the way to improve sport"
A FISHERY that took the unusual step of removing thousands of fish in a bid to boost match weights has this week revealed how the radical decision instantly transformed the venue’s fortunes.
Bay Malton AC’s Border Fisheries has become a popular choice with anglers in recent years, with many choosing to target the Match Lake at the Cheshire complex.
But a sudden and unexplained drop in form led to members calling on the owners to increase stocks to redress the situation. Rather than bow to pressure, however, staff researched a number of possible solutions and found that the falling catch returns could in fact be linked to there being too many fish in the lake. The Environment Agency was called in to help with a major netting operation aimed at assessing the stocking levels and the results proved a real eye-opener.
Venue manager Stewart Godber said: “The first sweep of the net alone in a nine-peg section of the lake produced almost 2,000lb of carp and silvers, and by the end we had netted over 10,000lb! The biggest fish were rehomed and since then the lake has hit top form. The final match before the destocking was won with under 10lb and soon after we reopened it took 123lb to secure first place!
It definitely proves that destocking is the way to go to improve sport.”
This is a sentiment shared by fellow fishery owner Colin Bartlett, who runs the hugely popular Lake John in Essex. Triple-figure weights of silvers are commonplace at the Waltham Abbey venue, but Colin is adamant such nets wouldn’t be possible without regular destockings.
“It is paramount to the continued success of Lake John. I have not purchased any fish in over 10 years and I have either given away or sold stock annually for the past 15. Every fishery would benefit from a netting survey - without it they are just guessing what’s beneath the surface, or they simply don't care,” said Colin
Leading fisheries management consultant Bruno Broughton explained why the practice of thinning out stocks can prove so beneficial. He said: “When waters are over-populated fish can easily become stressed by the restricted space and stop feeding as a result. Destocking may appear counter-intuitive, but it is a successful and under-used technique.”
*For free advice on destocking, call Bruno Broughton on 01952 691515.
Old school tactic still produces the goods
PVA stringers might not be the most in vogue tactic but Sioned Edwards proved just how effective they can be when she landed four carp, including this 20lb 2oz common, from a Welsh syndicate water.
It was her first outing in three months due to illness and due to the cold winter conditions she didn’t want to risk overfeeding any carp in front of her so simply cast out pop-up hookbaits on rigs incorporating 20lb Fox Coretex and size 6 SSBP hooks in conjunction with single bait stringers.
As well as the pristine common, her haul also included a second twenty in the form of a chunky 23lb 8oz mirror.
Single bait produces the goods for David Boult
CASTING towards showing fish at range produced this cracking 32lb 2oz common from David Boult during a recent short session on a West Sussex stillwater.
The Pagham-based logistics supervisor had seen fish moving at around 130 yards range and wasted no time whacking a single white CC Moore Northern Special pop-up towards the activity.
This was mounted on a long running chod rig tied with Gardner Tackle Tripwire and a size 6 Covert Chod hook.
He said: “I’d set up in a swim where I’d caught a lot of fish from last year, but when I saw around 20 odd shows towards the other side of the lake I quickly upped sticks and moved. I had the bite the next morning just as I was packing away and after steering it away from a set of snags I had my prize in the net.”
Personal best smashed with 51lb 8oz mirror
DAVE Smedley smashed his personal best of 38lb with this 51lb 8oz mirror caught from the Monks Pit syndicate in Cambridgeshire.
With more than half the lake frozen over, the 44-year-old from Essex only had a small area of water to fish and targeted a dying kelp bed at 60 yards range.
He landed a 36lb mirror on the first morning and then his alarm burst in to life out of blue 48 hours later.
“The fight was unbelievable,” he said. “The fish went through a set of reeds and then did its best to get under the platform I was fishing from. By this point I knew it was a very big fish and was dreading losing it. Thankfully I got it in the net the next time it rolled on the surface.
Dave offered a Mainline Cell boilie hookbait in a solid PVA bag over a bed of hemp on a Fox Coretex hooklink and a size 7 Nash Fang X hook.
History repeats itself with winter forty
HISTORY repeated itself for Scott Parkin as he kicked off 2013 in the same way he began 2012.
Thirteen months ago he bagged carp of 43lb and 38lb in a session on a Cambridgeshire stillwater – and he repeated the impressive feat last week, banking another forty and a thirty in a single trip.
Scott said: “Last year I had fish of 43lb, 38lb and 19lb but due to flooding this year the lake has been unfishable up until now.
“Keeping an eye on the weather I knew this weekend was going to be similar to conditions experienced last year so I started baiting a marginal silt gully for the week leading up to it.
“Being winter is was clear that very few people were fishing so baiting up was easy and I put in half a kilo every night that week, ensuring baits were scattered well to get the fish moving.
“I set up just before dark on the Friday and settled down brimming with confidence. At about 9pm I was answering a call of nature and due to having my alarms turned down low the first I knew of the take was when I heard a crack as the bobbin hit the rod.
“After a superb scrap I saw shoulders you could fit a saddle on come up from the murky flood-tainted water and roll into the net.
“I knew straight away it was one of the big ones but not which one. For a moment I thought I had a direct repeat capture from last year but it was one of the others in the shape of Moonscale at 42lb 8oz, a fish I had caught 18 months ago at some 6lb lighter. To say I was over the moon is an understatement.”
Scott’s session was rounded off with the capture of a 31lb 3oz mirror the following morning.
10lb 10oz River Goyt barbel tops six fish haul
FISHING conditions on the nation’s rivers have been far from perfect of late but this didn’t deter Jerry Gleeson who landed this 10lb 10oz specimen as part of a six-fish haul.
Targeting a stretch of his local River Goyt, the angler from Stockport targeted a slack area and primed his swim with four bait-droppers full of hemp and small pellets.
Over the top of this he flicked a simple running leger rig and used a 14mm 3B boilie from The Hook Bait Company on a braided hooklink that was finished off with a size 10 hook.
Grand Union Canal proves big pike potential
MARK Mole joined a growing number of specialist anglers who are proving the potential of the nation’s canals when he banked this pristine 18lb 12oz pike.
With his local rivers out of sorts, the Birmingham-based angler turned his attention to the Grand Union Canal at Lapworth, Warks, and fished towards a group of moored up boats.
“I thought the cover of the boats might have attracted some smaller prey fish which in turn would bring the predators in to the area,” he said.
His theory was proved correct when his floatfished lamprey hookbait was picked up by the biggest pike he has ever caught from the venue.
