Chris Tarrant is back with new TV series
A new primetime fishing show hosted by Chris Tarrant is coming to terrestrial television this week.
Chris Tarrant Goes Fishing will be shown on Channel 5 in four hour-long parts covering domestic and international angling.
The experienced presenter said the project is a “labour of love” that he hopes captures a more rounded view of the sport. The four episodes include sailfish to 180lb in the Maldives, massive lake trout in Yukon, pike on the fly at Chew Valley Reservoir and salmon from Ireland.
“It’s four very varied programmes,” said the Who Wants to be a Millionaire? host, “It was authentic and it wasn’t a lucky man’s jolly around the world. I don’t think there’s anything in it that will make fishermen say ‘oh, that wouldn’t happen in real life’.
“I wanted to explore areas that fishing programmes never do. I wanted to talk to people about how they got into fishing, are they obsessive, does it affect their lives – the stuff that’s about the fish and the fishermen.”
The project began when Chris and angling guide John Horsey decided to pack a video camera on a pre-planned trip to the Maldives.
The former Tiswas host said: “We did some filming and during it we thought ‘this is quite good’ and we were enjoying it – it didn’t feel like work, it was a labour of love.”
Executive producer Martin Founds, of Anglers World Holidays [[corr, no apostrophe]], said: “It’s much more than a fishing series, it’s about the ethos and what makes people go fishing – the places you visit, the people you meet and the wildlife you bump into.”
The series begins on Channel 5 at 7pm on Friday, November 1. For a full interview with Chris about the project see Angling Times out on the iPad and Android on Monday October 28 and in shops on Tuesday October 29.
John Wilson: I've no regrets
As John Wilson packs his backs for his new life in Thailand, Angling Times were granted an exclusive interview with Britain’s most famous angler.
What is it about Thailand that has prompted you to move there?
It’s got a lot going for it as a fishing destination. For instance it’s hot all year, between 85 and 95 degrees F, the water temperature averages between 80 and 90 degrees and that’s important because it means that all the fish stocked into lakes and rivers grow very fat at an alarming rate and they’ve all got tremendous stamina. There are something like six species that grow to over 100lb and four of those grow to over 300lb so the fishing there is absolutely spectacular. Apart from that I love Thai food, so does my wife Jo, the little bit of arthritis we both suffer will perhaps go, the cost of living is less and it’s a challenge that we’re really looking forward to.
Do you feel sad about leaving the UK?
No not really. I’ve lived in the UK for most of my 70 years, and I’ve lived here at Lake House in these lovely grounds for 31 years. I’ve done everything I’ve wanted to do, run fisheries, planted trees, raised the kids and I’m ready for a new challenge.
How have things changed in fishing here in the UK?
The changes have been astronomical. I’ve just finished my latest book ‘Where to Fish in Norfolk and Suffolk’, the eighth edition 40 years, and the changes can be seen with each edition. Basically angling in the UK has gone from roach fishing to carp fishing. When I was a kid living in London there was a little lake where I caught little carp after my paper round and that was the only place where I could catch carp. Most of the lakes that hold carp now, even 40 and 50 pounders, weren’t even dug when I was a kid. At the same time of course, all the clear-flowing upper reaches of rivers in Norfolk especially have all been denuded of roach and dace by cormorants and so while I would sooner be trotting down a river with my centrepin, holding back and catching a big roach in the winter, I can’t do that any more because there are very few places to do it.
Are you leaving the UK with any regrets?
I like to think I haven’t got a single regret. I don’t wish to grow old as an angry old man moaning that the Wensum hasn’t got any roach in it any more and things like that. I’m going to Thailand, we’re going to have a fishery there, I’m going to follow my fishery instincts with all these weird and wonderful, exciting, colourful species so I’m going on to a new thing. I’ve got no regrets about the fishing in Britain because it is evolving on its own.
Are you leaving with a smile on your face?
Very much so. I loved fishing in Britain. I think I’ve had the best time that any angler could possibly have in Britain in the last 40 years. I’ve seen the swing from roach to carp, I’ve run my own fishery here at Lake House, I’ve looked out every day at this beautiful view that really is unique and I’ve caught lots of fish along the way.
What positive message can you leave for Britain’s anglers?
If you need to specialize as I have over the years, get yourself out there sea fishing. Catch a few bass from the beach, go up to Scotland and catch a big skate. O go to the Wye and catch a bag of barbel like I have with Martin Bowler (see feature on the centre pages). Don’t just put up with your own environment. We’ve all got good cars now, it doesn’t take too long to get anywhere. Broaden your horizons, fish new places.
People are saying you’ll soon be back. Is this the end of Wilson in the UK?
Obviously we’re going to be coming back for special occasions now and again but we’ve spent a lot of money having a bungalow built out there, we’ve a beautiful lake that I’ve had reshaped, it’s a jungle setting and we’ve got lots to do. I’m not say in later life when one or both of us become decrepid and we can’t handle it out there we won’t be back but who knows? People say to me: “Are you going for good?” to which I reply: “What’s for good?” I’m going with great intentions, a lot of hope and I’m really looking forward to it.
If there was one thing you could change as you leave, what would it be?
I would love to show kids the delight of putting a float down running water. I would love to have kids spend more time looking through polarising sunglasses and climbing trees than sitting in a bivvy. But each generation has its own guidelines by which it lives and it’s probably unfair for an old codger like me to what I want to see because the youth of tomorrow is already enveloped in the way it fishes and its desires and its hopes and its dreams and you can only be good at what you do and be well known in your own generation.
How would you like to be remembered by British anglers?
For the broadcasting I’ve done – 160 half-hour television programmes in 25 years. I’ve contributed to over 90 books, 40 of which have been my own books and just recently I’m delighted to have been involved with my new book which allows readers to scan it and watch a half-hour video on their smartphone or tablet. I can’t think of a better legacy than that.
What are your greatest memories of fishing in the UK?
This would take hundreds of hours but if I was forced I’d nail it down to two. A catch of nine double-figure bream that I caught slider fishing from a boat. That was a unique session and years before people started getting double-figure bream on carp gear. And I guess perch fishing on the Ouse, when I had three sessions when I caught four fish over 4lb per session. Dick Walker, my hero of the 1950s, used to write that perch were the biggest fish of them all and until you’ve caught a 4lb perch, you don’t know what he means. But when you actually catch a 4lb perch and hold it in your hands, you think somebody must have made it. It’s too big!
Will you miss fishing any particular waters in the UK?
The River Wensum for its big roach, and now having fished it with Martin Bowler I’ll miss the Wye and its barbel, but there’s not a lot that I’m really going to miss because I’ve had a wonderful life of fishing all over the British Isles.
What UK fishing styles will you miss?
Definitely long-trotting with a centrepin reel for big roach. That’s why I came back to Norfolk in the 1970s. Sadly that’s pretty well gone now in Norfolk but I have more recently gone down to other rivers like the Test, Dever and the Ouse and I’ve enjoyed some long-trotting. For me it’s the most skillful technique of all.
EXCLUSIVE! John Wilson's last UK interview
Jan Porter reunited with stolen tackle
One of the sport’s most loved personalities has been reunited with a vast array of his most treasured rods and reels following a heart-breaking robbery at his home.
Shimano’s Jan Porter was left devastated after crooks attacked his Warwickshire home and took almost every item of tackle he had collected over several decades.
Police officers opened an investigation to find those responsible for the crime but ‘The Man in Red’ was finally given reason to smile following a tip off from a friend.
While visiting a West Midlands car boot sale, his friend – who has not been named – approached a dealer who was selling large quantities of fishing tackle and instantly became suspicious after viewing a number of items.
A quick call to Jan helped confirm that he had stumbled across a large batch of his tackle and police were quickly summoned to the scene.
“I spoke to officers over the phone and they asked me to describe some of the items that had gone missing. I’ve done a lot of modifications to my gear and they soon realised they had found what they had been looking for,” explained Jan.
“I’ve had 27 rods and 11 reels returned and money can’t buy a lot them – they have a lot of sentimental value for various reasons and it’s remarkable that I’ve got them back.”
“It’s been a tough few weeks since it happened and I’d given up all hope of ever seeing any of it again. This has been a real boost to me and I’m overwhelmed at the amount of support the whole of the angling community has given me,” he added.
Experts have now been drafted in to install a sophisticated security system at Jan’s property as he continues to rebuild his armoury of equipment and he is now urging others to follow his lead. He said: “Fishing tackle costs a lot of money and its important people take measures to protect it. Make sure it’s locked away and out of sight to stop thieves in the act.”
Carry on sleeping
“We will not prosecute sleeping anglers.” That is the message from the Environment Agency after widespread panic arose following a controversial court case.
Earlier this year, Essex-based rod Greg Holbrow was caught napping while fishing at his local Green Lane Fishery by bailiffs and given a court summons for the crime.
During the trial at Chelmsford Magistrates he failed to lodge a plea and was found guilty of fishing without a rod licence, leaving his rods unattended and failing to provide his name and address upon request. He was ordered to pay a total of £647 in fines and costs.
The move led to anglers raising concerns that the incident could set a precedent, potentially putting thousands of carp and specimen anglers who fish long sessions in danger of facing prosecution.
But the EA have now moved to allay those fears and revealed the exact reasons for the punishment.
A spokesperson for the government body said: “When approached, he was asleep in his van and failed to wake for 15 minutes. The bailiff tapped on his window, said hello and deliberately tripped his bite alarms to rouse him. When Mr Holbrow did awake, he failed to state his name and address to our bailiff, which is also an offence.
“We will not prosecute anglers simply for being asleep when fishing. Many anglers will take a nap but will respond immediately when they have a bite, often with the help of a bite alarm,”
Officials from the Angling Trust approached the EA to help reassure anglers and Fisheries and Enforcement manager Dilip Sarkar is delighted at the news. “It is clear that this angler's conduct was totally unacceptable on every level and got his just desserts,” he said.
“There is clearly nothing for responsible anglers, and carp anglers in particular, to be concerned about, which is as it should be.”
Death of Big Jona
Fishery boss Rob Hales says he regrets not closing one of his lakes in the weeks preceding the death of one of the country’s biggest carp.
Jona, who topped out at 61lb 8oz and was last caught in August at a weight of 58lb, was found dead last Wednesday at the Avenue in Shropshire. Owner Rob Hales told Angling Times the inhabitants had struggled having not spawned successfully this summer.
He said: “We think we had a slight problem on the fishery, something we had never seen before. The fish didn’t spawn successfully this year and we had a number of experts assess it. The fish that were caught in early August were stressed out and their immune system was weakened – they had a small parasite that all fish in all fisheries have but unfortunately the fish that had been caught were weaker. Really, we should’ve been closed when Jona was last caught, so I blame myself for that.”
Jona was believed to be about 20-years-old and had grown quickly since first being caught over the 40lb-barrier by Iain Macmillan in 2010.
Rob added: “She was a very special fish but the Avenue did a lake-record 48lb 4oz common last week and I’m sure that fish will smash through the 50lb barrier in the spring. Whether it’ll reach 60lb is another matter as you need a lot of things to come together.”
Rob, who discovered Jona’s body himself, said the fish would not be mounted. He said: “I thought about it but I’d rather look forwards than backwards.”
Fishing author asks for help
‘A celebration of Britain's canals,’ is how author Dom Garnett has described his current book project, which aims to be a ‘how to’ guide to methods and species as well as the definitive reference work on manmade waterways across Britain.
"Canals represent a fascinating fishing resource," he said. "There’s over 2,000 miles of water, with endless possibilities for pleasure, match and specimen anglers alike, not to mention a deep nostalgia and rich history."
Touring dozens of waterways from the Highlands of Scotland to the far south of England, Dom's work will feature both picturesque waters and gritty urban settings.
"The aim is to provide the most thorough book ever written on canal fishing, complete with up to date records and info."
Merlin Unwin will publish the work in early spring 2014. In the meantime, Dom is keen to link up with as many clubs and anglers as possible, with a special interest in remarkable or unusual catches, fishery details and colourful tales from towpaths across Britain.
You can contact him at: domgarnett@yahoo.co.uk or 07804 240986
Stiff penalty for abusive licence cheat
Rod licence dodgers could be in-line to face tougher penalties after an evader became one of the first ever to receive a community service order for his crime.
Law abiding anglers have bemoaned lenient sentences handed out to thousands of people caught without the correct documentation but the courts made a stand against the issue when Scott Riddle was ordered to do 50 hours of unpaid work and banned from the sport for a year.
The 29-year-old from Somerset was approached at his local docks by Environment Agency staff in January who asked to see his rod licence. He instantly became rude and evasive, giving a false date of birth and swearing before pushing past a bailiff.
Despite their best efforts to calm him down he continued in the same vain and was eventually handcuffed while police were called for assistance.
Appearing at Taunton Magistrates Court, Scott pleaded not guilty to fishing without a rod licence but guilty to obstructing an EA bailiff. He was subsequently found guilty of both offences.
Officials confirmed the tough sentence was handed out as a result of the violent nature shown by the defendant and EA staff member Richard Dearnley said: “‘The defendant could have saved himself a lot of time and trouble if he’d purchased a licence and shown a little more courtesy when approached by bailiffs.
“We watched him make five or six casts and there was no doubt he was fishing,” he added.
Since the conviction Angling Times have been inundated with comments on Facebook about the decision, and reader Andy Bristow said: “I don’t think this goes far enough. The fines should be at least £1,000 for the first offence. I’m currently unemployed so if I can afford a licence so can everyone else.”
Yorkshire’s Craig Brown also shared this view and believes good causes should benefit from criminals. He said: “Those caught fishing without a licence should get all their tackle taken off them and it should all be donated to charity.”
Others believe the punishment is too harsh, with reader Chris Warman from Newport adding: “Yes, he's committed an offence but a fine and naming and shaming should have been enough.”
Northern Angling Show set to be gem in angling's calendar
The 2013 Northern Angling Show is set to become one of the biggest events on the fishing calendar after it was announced that more of the sport’s leading coarse and match brands have signed up.
Tackle giants Preston Innovations, Korum, Sonubaits and Avid are the latest to confirm their attendance along with M.A.P, Wychwood, Matrix and many more.
Visitor feedback indicated that a stronger coarse / match presence was needed to cover all aspects of angling and organisers have worked in conjunction with the manufacturers to ensure they’re involved for NAS 2.
The show, taking place on the weekend of December 7/8 at EventCity in Manchester, will now boast more than 85 exhibitors including a number of big names which did not feature last year, such as Garbolino, Delkim, Matrix, Gardner, Fox, CC Moore, Century and Angling Intelligence.
In a further boost, a huge number of early bird tickets were snapped up in just the first two days of going on sale and tickets are still flying as participation is set to reach new heights.
Updates on the event are available on the show's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/NorthernAnglingShow
To buy a ticket for the show visit their website at www.northernanglingshow.co.uk
Full list of exhibitors:
A+E Angling Products
Angling Intelligence
Angling Publications
Angling Times
Angling Trust
Aqua
Avid
Bait Zone
Barbel Society
Blyton Ponds
Boilie Design
Bountyhunter Publications/Big Carp Magazine
Carp Craze
Carp Talk
Carpology
Carpworld
Castaway PVA
Catmaster Tours
CC Moore
Century
Cefas
Coarse Angling Today
Crafty Carper
Delkim
Dino Floats
DNA Baits
Environment Agency
Erics Angling Centre
EZ Feeda
Fish Frenzy
Fishing Glasses UK
Fox International
French Carp Adventures
Garbolino
Gardner
Gifts 4 Anglers
Guru
Hooked on Baits
Infusion Baits
Improve Your Coarse Fishing
Korda
Korum
Kryston
Mad Baits
MAP
Matrix
Maximum Carp
MCF
Medusa Feeders
Mosquito Angling
Nash Tackle
National Anguilla Club
North West Flydressers Guild
Northern Monkeys/North West Carp Forum
PB Products
Peg One
Phat Fish Clothing
Pike & Predators
Pike Anglers Club
PLS Baitboats
Preston Innovations
Redwood Tackle
Revolution Rod Grip
Rig Marole
Saber
Sonu Baits
Specimen Fishing UK
Stapeley Angling Centre
Stoney & Friends
Taska
Ted Carters Fishing Tackle
The Firm Carp Company
The Tornado Boiler Company
Trakker
UK Carp
Vale Royal Angling Centre
Warrington Angling Association
Warrington Koi & Aquatics
Waverunner
Wychwood
Zandavan Products
Plea to fish canals
A new campaign has been launched by the Canal & River Trust in a bid to revive angling on the nation’s historic waterways.
The ‘Be Inspired Go Fishing’ strategy has been created in response to the significant decline in participation levels over the last 20 years which has seen the number of clubs controlling canal stretches drop by almost a third from 490 to 350.
The scheme, which is being headed by the agency’s new Angling Development Manager, Becca Dent, will seek to encourage not only existing angler to visit canals but will also organise ‘taster’ days for youngsters and new comers to the sport including events to coincide with the National Fishing Month and Take a Friend Fishing.
Caroline Killeavy, head of community engagement for the Trust, said: “Angling has a role to play in contributing to healthier communities and better waterways. At the heart of our plans are the fantastic angling clubs that we already have on our network. By working in partnership we’ll be able to reach out to new audiences; getting them angling and ensuring healthier, more enjoyable waterways for everyone”.
A recent survey of nearly 30,000 anglers by the Angling Trust, revealed that 23 per cent said the lack of local fishing venues was the main factor in preventing them going fishing. However, with nearly half the population of England and Wales living within a 5 mile travelling distance of a canal the CRT are also looking at improving access, particularly to inner city stretches of canals. Specimen hunter Dan Sales, who regularly fishes on urban waterways believes the strategy is a fantastic idea. “Canals are absolutely stuffed with fish and people need to make more of them as there is so much potential. The idea of more urban canal angling is great as these stretches are so local to many youngsters and fishing on them can be simple, like Light Rock Fishing is to sea angling, all you need is a small rod and a few lures or simple float rig and you can catch anything,” he said.
THE MAIN OBJECTIVES
1: Work with angling clubs to get more anglers on the bank and seek advice on improving the network.
2: Obtain funding from organisations such as Sport England for projects which encourage new blood into the sport such as street fishing.
3: Improve access and facilities for anglers.
4: Improve their website with more information on places to fish and how to go fishing.
5: Encourage existing clubs to run more matches and new forms of angling such as with kayaks.
Carp anglers join protests over controversial HS2
In the week a report into the HS2 rail-line said it would boost the UK economy by £15bn a year, a group of carp anglers has voiced concerns over the project.
The Carp Angling Protection Society, which was formed in October, has written to the Department for Transport seeking assurances over the proposed railway, which will link London and the north.
Chairman Dean Watts said in a letter seen by Angling Times that the proposed route would “destroy natural habitats, SSSIs, [and] historically important and famous angling lakes such as Savay, Korda and Pit 3”.
A report compiled by accountants KPMG on behalf of the project said regions outside of London would be the biggest beneficiaries of the rail link, though the economic boost would not be felt until 2037.
In a separate concern, CAPS also asked whether bridge repairs around London and the Colne Valley could affect the River Chess and lakes such as Croxley Hall.
'Stop using eels as bait'
With the traditional pike season fast approaching the National Anguilla Club has this week issued a plea for predator anglers to stop using eels as bait.
Despite laws aimed to protect the species – in England and Wales it is an offence to remove them from freshwater, estuaries or inshore waters up to a distance of six nautical miles – they are still exploited for commercial gain and eel stocks are believed to be as low as five per cent of average levels in the 1970s.
NAC General Secretary Andrea O'Sullivan said: "There has been some debate over whether anglers ceasing to use dead eels as bait will make any difference to the overall impact of commercial fishing. However, this is about anglers standing together and raising awareness of the issue within our own community. We are also planning other initiatives aimed at improving the conservation of the European Eel."
The call has been supported by the Pike Anglers Club of Great Britain, the Pike Anglers Alliance for Scotland and the Catfish Conservation Group who have united in issuing a recommendation to their members asking them not to use eels, particularly when there are so many sea and freshwater species which can be used without any negative impact on their overall populations.
PAC general secretary Alan Dudhill said: “It would be wrong of us to condone the use of a ‘critically endangered species’ as bait for catching pike. We have urged our members to consider the history, life-cycle and plight of the eel when deciding whether or not to use them as bait. Eels are in fact rarely used by pike anglers but where mitten crabs and signal cray fish are present they are often the bait of choice.
“The main issue here is the continued commercial netting, export and exploitation of eels by the food industry. How can this be allowed to continue even though the eel was registered by CITIES as being critically endangered a number of years ago? We should all be prepared to join forces to protect our fish and sport.”
Earlier this year the Angling Trust stated that commercial eel fishing was simply not sustainable and called for an end to the practice.
Shops gear up for carp fishing boom
Is carp fishing taking over the sport? That appears to be the case after reports of fishing tackle sales suggest that anglers would now rather catch a 20lb carp than 20lb of roach.
Many of the country’s biggest retailers have witnessed a definite shift in buying trends in recent years, with sales of specimen carp tackle now outnumbering match and general coarse gear in many cases.
Several reasons have been suggested for the rising popularity of ‘carping’, with marketing and celebrities high on the list.
Bristol Angling Centre estimates that a staggering 75 per cent of its customers are now carp anglers, with terminal tackle from Nash, Korda and Fox outselling everything else, revealed co-owner Callum Dicks.
“Twenty years ago it was the other way round and 75 per cent of sales here were for match products,” he told Angling Times. “But for the past six or seven years carp fishing has really taken off. I put it down to social media being huge in carp angling. People want to fish when they want, stay overnight and take pictures of big fish. The match side is becoming more expensive and less appealing.”
Mark Wilkinson, General Manager of the Chapmans Angling chain, has also noticed a preference towards carp, especially among youngsters.
“I think half of it is due to role models such as footballers appearing in the media with big carp. The carp boys market themselves better, especially with clothing ranges which are inspired by snowboarding and surfing, not bream slime! It’s generally trendier and even if a young angler starts out with a tub of maggots, they are soon looking to buy a rod pod,” he said.
Previously location has played a big part in the type of tackle a shop sells. Angling Direct’s Waltham Cross branch lies in the Lea Valley where there are gravel pits galore, and shop manager Len Golding said its customer base has been 70 per cent carp for a long time. He cites the decline of rivers and the rise of day-ticket carp waters as making it easier for new anglers to catch a big fish.
But even in traditional strongholds of match and natural fishing, such as the North East, carping is taking hold too. Despite very few big fish venues in the area, Pete Rambo of Cleveland Angling Centre said that it is fast catching up with the coarse side of the business.
Calls to save our crucians
Experts have warned that crucian carp could become extinct unless action is taken by fisheries and angling organisations.
Often referred to as a ‘bar of gold’, the fish has long been seen as an iconic British species but numbers of the species are declining fast. Many hybrids, caused by a mix of crucian carp and goldfish or king carp, are mistaken for true crucians and Simon Scott, a lecturer at Sparsholt Fisheries College and fish farm owner, said the future is looking bleak.
“Proper crucian carp have been on the decline for 20-years now. They breed with other fish so readily, especially goldfish, and a cross like this is somewhere in the middle of a different species. When you get hybrids crossing with crucians for 10–15 years in a lake they become very hard to tell apart. Goldfish are stocked so readily all over the UK now and it only takes a few unwanted fish from a tank to go into a pond for this to escalate,” he explained.
Efforts are being made to conserve the true crucian carp strain, however, especially in Norfolk. At Rockland Mere Fishery, strains of king carp are being removed to ensure the crucian population does not breed with other species. It’s part of a North Norfolk Biodiversity Action Plan to protect them and create good habitats for them. Chris Turnbull of the Norfolk Anglers Conservation Association is involved and said he wants to see other areas of the country doing the same.
“True crucians are very much small pond fish and don’t breed very well in big lakes and pits. Sadly these small ponds are steadily drying up or being neglected. Unless we make special efforts, we face having just a handful of waters in the country which hold them and that situation is a big risk. It’s commercially viable to create lakes with crucian carp and no king carp, because catching these fish has become a rarity these days. Just look at the success of waters such as Marsh Farm in Surrey which is recognised as one of the best,” he said.
Famous angling writer Chris Yates is a huge fan of crucian carp and said he welcomes any efforts to encourage them.
“I believe it is the only native carp to the UK and it would be a great shame to destroy a population which is at least 5,000 years old. It’s a wonderful, fun fish and I enjoy the subtlety and light tackle required to catch this challenging species.”
Barbel record will fall in weeks
Experts have predicted that 2013 could be the best year ever for big barbel.
An unprecedented number of specimen sized fish have already been taken from waterways all over the country, and sport is expected to improve even further over the coming months as the fish reach their peak weights.
Back in March Dave Currell came within 10oz of breaking Grahame King’s 2006 British record of 21lb 1oz with a 20lb 7oz specimen from an undisclosed river. It was the first barbel over the 20lb-barrier to be banked from a UK river since the capture of a 20lb 12oz fish from the River Wensum by Mark Rylands in 2008.
At the time Dave told Angling Times that he wouldn’t be surprised if the fish topped the British record weight by the end of the year, a view shared by some of the sports leading names.
Phil Smith - who has caught double figure barbel from 23 different rivers and 15lb-plus fish from five of these – expects even bigger fish to be landed in the coming weeks. “At the moment we’re seeing big fish getting caught in conditions that aren’t really conductive to producing large fish. If we get some rain and a bit of water pushing through then it stands to reason that these fish could easily gain a couple of pounds in weight and it wouldn’t surprise me if the record was broken.”
In recent years many people have expressed fears for the future of specimen barbel fishing in the UK with factors such as otter predation leading to the demise of some of the county’s biggest fish – including the record fish The Traveller from Adams Mill on the Great Ouse and The Beast from the Wensum. Despite this, there are now more rivers than ever before capable of producing 16lb-plus barbel with the River Nene and Derbyshire Derwent being two of the most prolific in recent months.
A river record of 17lb 4oz was recently caught from The Earl of Harrington’s Angling Club controlled stretch of the Derwent and club treasurer Teresa Parr said: “I have no doubt that the barbel have always been in the river but we’ve done a lot of work over the last year to build and improve pegs on our stretch. This season, our members have been able to fish from pegs which didn’t even exist last year which gives them a much better chance of catching.”
Barbel Society chairman Steve Pope believes there has never been a better time to target the species: “There’s too much doom and gloom from a lot of people. Yes otters eat some barbel and certain rivers have suffered more than others. But they can’t eat all the barbel and you only need to look at the fish that are being reported to see this. You can fish some parts of the Trent, for example, and catch over 20 barbel in day now which is something you simply couldn’t do years ago.
“I’ve also been around long enough to realise that a lot of rivers are cyclical. There are waterways that are in the doldrums at the moment but in the future will no doubt be producing big fish again. And vice versa.”
**2013’s Biggest Barbel**
- Chad Critchley: 16lb 15oz Derbyshire Derwent
- Steve Russell: 16lb 6oz and 15lb 1oz River Nene brace
- Paul Garner: 16lb 8oz River Dove
- Steve Russell: 15lb 5oz, River Nene
- Tommy Rowe: 15lb 9oz, River Nene
- Barry Jarvis: 16lb 4oz, River Ivel
- Justin Beale: 15lb 9oz, River Thames
- Wayne Tooth: 17lb 4oz, River Derwent (record)
- Ian Hartley: 16lb 12oz, River Derwent
- Duncan Kay: 16lb 8oz, River Nene
- Michael Sables: 16lb, River Dove
- Andy Cartlidge: 15lb 14oz, River Dove
- Ivan Tee: 15lb 1oz, River Nene
- Trevor Pole: 16lb 2oz, River Great Ouse
- Dave Currell: 20lb 7oz, undisclosed river
- Alan Cornwell: 17lb 1oz, River Dove
- Christophe Pelhate: 15lb 6oz, River Arun
- Dean Derbyshire – 15lb 6oz Dorset Stour
- Ashley Burton: 14lb 3oz, Warwickshire Avon
- James Crameri: 17lb 7oz and 16lb 10oz, midlands river
**Rivers to try**
- River Trent – Collingham Angling Association, 01636 892573
- River Dove – Stoke-on-Trent Angling Society, www.sotangling.co.uk
- Derbyshire Derwent – The Earl of Harrington’s Angling Club, www.theearlofharringtonsac.co.uk
- River Nene – Peterborough and District Angling Association, 01733 380768
- River Ouse – Milton Keynes Angling Association, www.mkaa.co.uk
- Hampshire Avon – Davis Tackle, 01202 485169
- River Stour – Ringwood and District Anglers Association, www.ringwoodfishing.co.uk
- River Ivel – Ivel Protection Association, 01992 558902
- River Lea – The Fishers Green Consortium, www.fishersgreencon.co.uk
More cash pledge for England
The new chairman of the Angling Trust has vowed to increase funding for the English national teams.
George Stephenson has taken over the position from Mike Heylin after being selected from a number of high quality applicants and has identified a number of priorities for the organisation including accelerating the growth in membership and continuing to develop the relationships with Sport England and the Environment Agency to deliver the National Angling Strategy.
But one of his main objectives is get the national teams the support he believes they deserve. “We have the best teams in the world but they don’t get anywhere near the sponsorship they should, it’s ludicrous,” he told Angling Times. “In the near future I hope to secure the arrival of major sponsors so that the teams get the funding they should.”
George, who now lives on a farm in Wiltshire which includes two miles of the River Nadder and a carp lake, has been a passionate all round angler since the age of 4, catching coarse, sea and game fish throughout the UK and around the world including a 23lb pike from the River Wye, a 32lb salmon from Iceland, a 96lb Nile Perch and a 30lb carp from the UK.
He spent 25 years in Africa running safari camps before setting up a highly successful business arranging fishing expeditions throughout the world.
Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal said: “On behalf of all the staff and volunteers, I would like to thank Mike Heylin for the immense amount of time, energy and enthusiasm he has given to the Angling Trust. His dedication to angling and fisheries over 40 years has culminated with a huge contribution to the formation and early development of our unified representative body. I am very grateful to George Stephenson for volunteering to take on this role and I am looking forward very much to working alongside him and the rest of the board to build on our success so far.”
Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon has also welcomed his appointment: “I know of George’s work and his knowledge and experience of the world of angling and fisheries will, I’m sure, be very useful to the Trust in the next stage of its development.”
Tackle firms flock to Northern Angling Show
The 2013 Northern Angling Show is set to become one of the biggest events on the fishing calendar after it was announced that more of the sport's leading tackle firms have signed up following bumper early ticket sales.
Following the news that Angling Times is giving its full backing to the show, tackle firms and exhibitors from all over Europe have been in talks to take part in the event which is being held on the weekend of December 7/8 at EventCity in Manchester.
The show will feature more than 50 exhibitors including a number of big names which did not festure last year, such as Garbolino, Delkim, Matrix, Fox, CC Moore, Century and Angling Intelligence.
In a further boost, more than 40% of earlybird tickets have already been snapped up in just the first two days of going on sale as participation is set to reach new heights.
Updates on the event are available on the show's Facebook page www.facebook.com/NorthernAnglingShow
To buy a ticket for the show visit their website at www.northernanglingshow.co.uk
170-year-old angling book set to raise thousands
A Victorian fishing book is expected to sell for tens of thousands of pounds when it goes under the hammer.
William Blacker’s ‘Art of Angling, and Complete System of Fly Making, and Dying of Colours’ will be displayed for inspection in Cirencester this Friday and has already attracted the interest of collectors.
The author was a Soho tackle dealer known for his revolutionary approach to fly fishing. Early copies of his 48-page book are unique, containing actual flies and fly-tying specimens attached to the pages with silk thread and silver seals. This example was published by Howlett & Son in Soho, around the corner from Blacker’s shop.
Auctioneer Philip Allwood said: “First editions of Blacker's Art of Angling were printed in London and Edinburgh, but we can find reference to no other example of this work being printed by Howlett & Son.
“Add to this the fact that this volume has been self-published, and what we could have on our hands is a first impression of the first edition of this definitive guide to angling and fly making, a book so invaluable to anglers that it is still in print 171 years after it was first published.”
The auction will take place in October. For more information visit www.mooreallen.co.uk or call 01285 646050.
Dolphin was far from home in River Dee
Officials from the Environment Agency were left stunned after they filmed a dolphin in Chester’s River Dee!
Staff were conducting routine flood defence maintenance on the waterway when they witnessed the rare site and it is believed the dolphin swam up the river during the high spring tide.
It is the first time that officers have seen one of the species in the popular fishing venue, although rumours have arisen to suggest a similar sighting was reported around eight years ago.
The impressive mammal has since been rescued by the RNLI and carried back out to sea.
Google slammed over licence adverts
The Angling Trust is once again calling on Google to remove ads for websites that charge an administration fee for rod licences.
The Post Office website is the only official source of rod licences, but at least two sites sell the permits for inflated prices. This practice is entirely legal, but many anglers are drawn to adverts for these more expensive sites when searching for rod licences on Google.
The trust claims the adverts were removed after a BBC report on the issue, but have since re-appeared. The Environment Agency is forbidden from advertising rod licences so cannot compete for screen space with these ‘secondary’ websites which can charge an additional £20 for each licence.
Angling Trust chief executive Mark Lloyd said: “We urge Google to do the decent thing and remove these sponsored links to these appalling sites for good. It is suspicious that the sites were removed when Google’s spokesman was put on the spot on the radio, but then mysteriously re-appeared.”
Barge sells anglers' kit
Anglers across the midlands now have the option to buy fishing tackle in a unique way following the opening of the UK’s first ever floating tackle shop.
The Tackle Boat, which is simply a converted canal barge selling numerous items from rods and reels to hooks and line, has been operating since the start of the year on stretches of the Grand Union Canal between Marsworth in Buckinghamshire, up to Braunston in Northamptonshire.
The barge, named Le Souk, is the original idea of Mark Thame, a 54-year old angler and waterways fanatic from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, who had to sacrifice a large chunk of his home to bring his dream to fruition. “I live aboard the boat with my wife and originally came up with the idea because there is nowhere for visiting anglers or boaters to buy odd items of tackle from, so we took out one of the cabins and used it for storage,” he said. “Our market is people who may not necessarily be hard-core anglers but those on trips who just want to give it a go or maybe for those who get to the bank and find they have forgotten a particular item.”
The boat is currently touring the Northampton area but will rove about the canal system during the summer months. Each item of tackle has been carefully selected with anglers on a budget in mind and everything is displayed on a number of racks which simply attach to the side of the boat when it is moored on the towpath. “We don’t stock expensive tackle as we want to stay affordable to everyone. We know our market won’t want to spend a fortune on gear as we sell on the bank not over the internet to people paying with credit cards” said Mark. “We tend to set up in areas where there are plenty of tourists or at canal boat shows and fetes and we have to move around as the Canal & River Trust rules only allow two trading boats in any one area at one time,” he added.
The Tackle Boat does not sell live bait due to lack of refrigeration facilities, however it does offer groundbait as well as items such as pole rigs, terminal tackle and luggage.
Anyone interested in visiting or finding out the boats location can do so by clicking on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thetackleboat or emailing: thetackleboat@hotmail.co.uk
