31lb linear from southern syndicate
This stunning 31lb 2oz linear was caught by Dan Gilbert during a two night session on a southern syndicate water.
Targeting a long range patch of silt 100 yards from the bank, the 32-year-old from Marlborough fished two rods with chod rigs over a scattering of Sticky Krill boilies and one with a bottom bait over a bed of Krill and Bloodworm pellets and broken boilies.
The bottom bait rod produced his first fish of the session in the form of a short and chunky 31lb 2oz mirror before the big linear and a smaller fish of 27lb 6oz fell to his chod rigs.
Dan tied his rigs with 25lb ESP Stiff Rig Bristle Filament and size 5 Atomic Chodda hooks.
Target 40lb carp from close in
A short evening session on a southern park lake saw James Kelly land his target fish from the venue at a weight of 41lb 6oz.
The London-based Gerry’s of Wimbledon employee had seen a few fish cruising up and down the shallow margins and after closely observing the exact route that they had been taking he waded out and carefully lowered a single Obsession Carp Baits Nut Mix boilie on to a spot which he thought the fish would be most likely to stop and feed on.
Shortly afterwards his alarm signalled a slow take and after a spirited scrap he landed a stunning low-twenty linear.
“As I knew there was obviously a few fish feeding in the area, I quickly tied on a fresh rig and hookbait and waded it back out to the same spot,” he told Angling Times. “Within an hour I received another slow take with my bobbin slowly tightening up to the rod. I lifted in the fish and a savage fight followed before I had the lakes most sought after resident, Single, in my net. Once weighed at 41lb 6oz it set a new personal best and was also my first English forty,” he added.
176lb catfish on 40th birthday
Gareth Williams could not have asked for a better fortieth birthday present than this 176lb catfish from the River Ebro.
The County Offaly, Ireland-based rod had booked a long weekend on the famous Spanish waterway to celebrate and targeting a stretch at Benifallet he landed a number of catfish between 35lb and 45lb as well as carp to 22lb.
With just an hour of his session remaining Gareth received the bite he’d been hoping for. “The fish tore off on a 150 yards run. After over half an hour I netted a huge catfish which measured 220cm and tipped the scales at 176lb.”
2lb roach shock in barbel session
When Dave Chambers received a series of little knocks during a barbel session on the River Thames, he scaled down his tackle expecting chub to be the culprits - instead, he hooked in to this quality roach weighing 2lb 4oz.
Fishing over a bed of Vitalin, pellet and boilies, the 51-year-old used a piece of prototype Wraysbury Bait paste on a size 8 G Force hook and a 10lb Drennan Double Strength hooklink.
“It’s ironic that I spent years trying to catch a 2lb roach from the Thames by design and the best I managed was 1lb 13oz, before I gave up. Now I’ve caught one on a barbel trip! I’ll definitely be back for these big roach because there are cartainly more of them in the river these days,” he said.
Two bites, two carp for over 50lb
Two bites in a matter of minutes resulted in commons of 21lb 12oz and 33lb 8oz for Duncan Arrandale.
The 39-year-old from Evesham was fishing an overnight session on the Carp Society’s Farriers Lake and targeted a hard spot surrounded by sparse weed at 45 yards range.
After baiting the feature with around 150 free offerings he cast Mistral i40 pop-ups over the top on hinged-stiff rigs constructed from Korda Mouthtrap and ACE Camo Core hooklinks along with size 6 Fox Arma Point SSSP hooks.
He said: “I was just having my second cup of tea of the morning when my right-hand-rod burst in to life resulting in the 33. I slipped it into the margins in the retainer sling and while I was setting up the camera, the left hand rod roared off with the 21lb’er.”
First session on Suffolk Water Park produces two 30lb carp
Glyn Gardiner couldn’t have asked for a better first session on Suffolk Water Park’s Big Fish Lake, landing a brace of thirties.
The 41-year-old car mechanic from Ipswich had a quick walk round the venue on his arrival and with strong winds forecast headed to a sheltered area.
After making several casts with his marker rod Glyn located a patch of silt at the back of a weed bed which he baited with half a kilo of Mainline Baits 15mm Cell boilies.
He said: “I hadn’t seen anything show during the first day but at 8.30pm I received a steady take and after a decent scrap I landed a 33lb mirror known as 3 Scales. I was delighted to catch on my first trip, especially a thirty, as the lake receives a lot of pressure and can be very tricky.”
The best was still to come, though, and three hours later his alarm burst in to life for a second time.
“Another spirited fight followed and I managed to get the fish past the weed bed without any major problems. Once I got the fish on the bank I recognised it as one of jewels in the lake’s crown – a mirror called 4.3. It has been caught at over 40lb but was slightly down in weight on this occasion at 36lb 3oz.”
Glyn mounted 15mm bottom baits on blow-back rigs tied with Fox Camotex hooklinks and size 6 Korda Wide Gape hooks.
Lifelong dream achieved with double-figure barbel
A lifelong dream to catch a double-figure barbel was finally achieved for Jim Perrin after he landed three huge fish in the space of a week, including this superb 12lb 3oz specimen from Throop fishery.
Jim was given a guiding session with expert angler Kenny Parsons as a Christmas present last year and made full use of it when the pair recently headed to the famous stretch of the River Stour. Having already landed a fish of 12lb 2oz from the River Kennet just days before, Jim cast into a deep swim baited with boilies and hemp where he hooked the fish along with a number of smaller fish. Anyone interested in a guided session with Kenny should call: 07770 637300.
4lb perch from weedy River Ivel
Mick Burr targeted a small run on a very weedy River Ivel where he landed this monster 4lb perch.
The Shefford & District Angling Association bailiff was fishing the club’s stretch situated between Stanford and Langford near Biggleswade in Bedfordshire, where he used straight lead tactics with lobworm as bait to lure the specimen. The 53-year-old from Hitchin, who regularly fishes the waterway in winter said: “The river was low, fairly clear and very weedy for this time of year but I wasn’t going to give up and I knew there were plenty of these perch in here as I caught one weighing 4lb 4oz just two weeks previous and the swim was fairly deep so I just trotted the worm through the margins and bingo.”
Mick chose a mobile approach, searching each swim as he walked the bank, using 4lb mainline tied direct to a size 6 Korda wide gap hook.
The Ouse Really Is Great At Littleport
After some excellent weights in the recent Angling Trust World Club Qualifier, the River Great Ouse at Littleport is proving its worth as an excellent natural venue.
The waterway is currently fishing as well as it has done for many years with roach, small bream, and significant numbers of tench being caught in nets to 25lb. Large bream 5 lb to 7 lb can also show on any peg to either feeder or long pole tactics. The depth is a good 9-10ft deep so heavy pole rigs of 2-3 grams with size 18 hooks and 0.08 hooklengths are not uncommon and the venue often responds well to a balling-in approach. To do this fish a groundbait such as Bait-tech Pro Natural, Sensas Gros Gardens or Dynamite X River and feed around 5-7 balls at 11-13m, fishing maggot or caster over the top. Once bites die off it is time top up with a couple more balls of groundbait.
There has been a recent explosion of perch in recent years with loads of fish from an ounce or two up to around ¾lb to be taken on maggot but if chopped worm tactics are used in the right areas expect anything up to 3 lb. The same tactics can produce some of the many big tench that have recently started to show. At this time of year the pegs opposite the mouth of the ‘Boat Haven’ are the most popular for the pike/zander anglers with pike in the mid/high teens common place although 20lb plus fish are quite rare.
TIP: When balling-in, add damp leam to your mix, particularly in the deeper swims to help get the mix to the bottom quickly.
Prices: £5 a day on the bank or £15 a season, Littleport AC,
Location: River Great Ouse, Littleport, Cambs, CB6 1NT
Contact: Benwick Sports, 01353 721009, info@littleportanglingclub.co.uk
Rules: No fires, no litter
Still time to get your tickets for Northern Angling Show
There is now less than three weeks until one of the biggest events on the fishing calendar!
The Northern Angling Show launched in early 2013 with what has been described as ‘the best fishing show for years’ and this December the event will be bigger than ever. A perfect day out for the whole family, located next door to the Trafford Centre, Manchester. Doors open 9am both days and tickets are available on the door - £12 and £15 for concessions and adults. Under 10s go free.
The show, taking place on the weekend of December 7 and 8 at EventCity, now boasts the biggest stars and celebrities of the sport as well as many of the major brands and manufacturers showing off all the latest tackle, bait and more.
The show now features more than 100 confirmed stands including all the major players from the coarse, match and carp worlds plus a pole alley to try out the latest gear. Add this to the two stages complete with ponds for live talks from the countries best anglers and you have a weekend that cannot be missed.
To top off what promises to be the largest angling event ever held in the North, everyone who pre-orders their tickets online via the NAS box office can claim a free copy of Angling Times or Improve Your Coarse Fishing magazine.
Check out the new website where you can book tickets, sign up to the newsletter and find up-to-date information as it’s released on stage times, exhibitor lists and floor plans.
Visit: www.northernanglingshow.co.uk or www.facebook.com/NorthernAnglingShow for more details
New personal best carp from Hunstrete for club bailiff
Bathampton AA club bailiff Aaron Burke took a break from his duties to land this new personal best 36lb 4oz mirror from the society’s Hunstrete Lake.
The Bristol-based rod had only had his rods in for position for a couple of hours when he landed a 21lb common. The best was still to come, though, and 60 minutes later he received a second take -this time the culprit being the sought after specimen known as The Pig.
“The common and the big mirror made it a special day for me. I’ve been after a UK thirty for ages,” said Aaron, who offered a Supreme Baits 16mm Spicy Seafood boilie on a snowman rig with a 12mm Richworth S-Core pop-up.
30lb common from Nene Valley
This 30lb common was caught by Luke Griffiths during a recent session on a tricky five-acre gravel pit in the Nene Valley.
The 25-year-old Peterborough-based landscape gardener found success when he offered a Mainline Baits Milky Toffee pop-up hookbait on a clear area over a scattering of the new Hybrid boilies.
After a spirited scrap he got his prize to the bank with the help of a hinged-stiff rig constructed with a Fox Coretex Matt boom section and a 25lb Rigidity pop-up section attached to an Arma Point SR hook.
Target 38lb mirror after four year wait
A quick overnight session on a local water resulted in Jak Bryant landing his target fish – Seven Scales at an impressive weight of 38lb.
The Hampshire-based rod woke at 4am after an uneventful night and decided to re-bait his rods and put out around 20-30 CC Moore Live System boilies over each rod.
He said: “45 minutes I had a powerful run and as soon as I picked up the rod I had a feeling I was attached to my target fish. The fight seemed to last for ages but I finally slipped my net under the fish I’ve been chasing for around four years.”
Jak used a tweaked version of the KD rig consisting of a size 8 Gardner Covert Longshank Mugga hook and a Sink Skin hooklink.
Two 70lb carp in under 12 hours
There aren’t many people in the world who can claim to have caught two 70lb carp in under 12 hours, but Wayne Cooper is one of them.
The British angler, who now lives in France, was fishing at Rainbow Lake in his adopted country when he snared a 72lb common and the former world record carp, the Ken Dodd Fish, at 74lb 2oz on the same day.
Both fish fell to Solar’s Chinese Take-Away boilies.
Giant 196lb specimen skate from Scotland
A run of blanks came to a welcome end for Joe Campbell when he landed his first ever shore caught common skate – this huge 196lb specimen.
The 48-year-old self-employed joiner from the Isle of Harris in Scotland, targeted the island’s Tarbert Pier, where fish to a massive 225lb have been caught in the past, but had to endure numerous biteless trips before finally striking gold. “I had been fishing the pier twice a week for the past two months,” he said. “With these fish you know they are big as soon as you hit them and there isn’t much you can do but give it line before bullying it in.”
Joe fished a sliding boom rig at 50-yards with a whole mackerel on a size 10/0 hook tied to 150lb mono.
Floods produce a 16lb 5oz Tidal Trent barbel
One of the biggest ever barbel to be caught from the Tidal Trent has been landed by Wayne Glossop – this 16lb 5oz specimen.
The all-important bite came right at last knockings as the Sheffield-based 24-year-old was about to reel in after what, up until that point, had been an uneventful overnight session.
“It wasn’t the typical powerful barbel take, but was fairly slow and steady,” said the Climax Tackle barbel consultant. “The fight wasn’t quite as straightforward as I hoped it would be, though, as the river had a lot of extra water on which made playing the fish that little bit harder. And then when I got down to the edge my landing net caught on a tree stump and I broke the spreader block. I had to wade in to the margins and somehow managed to net the fish. At first I thought it was a small double but once I got it up on the bank and pulled the mesh apart I realised it something a little bit special.”
Wayne has targeted the Tidal Trent’s barbel stocks for the last three years and has enjoyed a productive season by adopting a roving approach and fishing numerous different areas of the midlands waterway.
“I had a new pb of 14lb back in June and have caught several smaller doubles. This fish, however, is in a different league.”
Wayne found success with a 16mm home-made boilie which he hair-rigged on a size 6 Fox SXC hook and a 4ft Camotex Soft 25lb hooklink.
Another angler to take advantage of the ideal conditions was Staffordshire’s Gary Morgan who landed a 17lb barbel from an up and coloured River Dove.
Due to the pace at which the water was pushing through, the 43-year-old simply dropped a large lobworm hookbait in the edge.
“At 8pm my rod was almost dragged in,” Gary told Angling Times. “The fish just hugged the bottom and I struggled to move it. After 20 minutes I eventually got the better of it and netted my prize.
“Most anglers on the river use boilies or pellets but I thought that with the flood water a natural bait would give me a better chance of catching,” he added.
20lb 6oz pike best of 12 fish haul
This mint-conditioned 20lb 6oz pike was the highlight of a prolific session on a Leicestershire stillwater for predator fishing expert Alan Dudhill.
The general secretary of the Pike Angling Club of Great Britain (PAC) shared a 12-fish haul with his fishing companion Ian Cougil when they used popped-up whole mackerel hookbaits on free-running leger rigs.
All of their fish were beaten with 50lb braid and 30lb traces.
“This water is full of roach, bream and perch, so it seems strange that sea baits would work so well, but it has to be the oils that are released into the water that make this bait irresistible to pike,” Alan told Angling Times.
To find out more about the PAC visit: www.pacgb.co.uk
High-pressure perch couldn't resist rubber jig
Perch are notorious for being tricky to catch from swims where they’ve been heavily pressured, but undeterred by this fact Dirk Fastenau went on to catch a string of specimens to over 4lb using a small rubber jig.
Targeting a stillwater in Germany, Dirk ended up fishing a spot that he originally wanted to avoid due to the amount of anglers who have plundered its perch population, but decided to give it go with a Quantum Joker lure with which he’d enjoyed good results with in the past.
His imitation bait came up trumps once again, and his very first cast produced a fish over 2lb which was followed by this superb perch measuring 49.5cm and estimated to have weighed well over 4lb.
39lb 8oz mirror carp in howling storm
Rich Shelley came close to breaking the magical 40lb-barrier with this 39lb 8oz mirror caught during a recent session on an Essex syndicate.
The Fox International sales manager spent three hours walking round the lake looking for signs of showing fish but with the light rapidly fading and nothing showing he had to follow his gut instincts and set up where he thought they were residing.
He said: “I cast one rod with a single hookbait towards the far margin and the other two closer in over 4kg of boilies and a jar of hemp. Three hours later the single rod signalled a take and I proceeded to land a carp of 35lb 10oz.”
The next day and night passed without event but on the final morning his left-hand-rod over the bed of bait burst in to life.
“It was at this time that the storm hit at full force and there was debris flying through the air and trees creaking as I was playing the fish. I got the fish in the net and photographed as quickly as possible before making the decision to pack up and make a hasty exit!”
Rich offered a pop-up hookbait on a size 5 Arma Point SSSP hook and a 20lb Coretex Matt hooklink.
2lb 12oz roach from Lochnaw Loch
The famous Lochnaw Loch once again proved why it’s regarded by many as the UK’s best specimen roach venue when Wyn Jones banked a hat-trick of fish over the 2lb-mark.
Two of the Herts-based angler’s roach topped the scales at 2lb 12oz, with the smallest of the trio weighing 2lb 1oz.
All of his fish were caught on 10mm Dynamite Baits The Source boilies in conjunction with 6lb mainline, 4lb mono hooklinks and size 16 hooks.
Wyn was fishing with fellow specimen hunter Phil Smith, who also got among the big roach landing fish of 2lb 9oz and 2lb 6oz.
