Second session at new lake results in 32lb common
This 32lb 8oz common fell to Danny Baker on just his second session at a Lee Valley lake.
Tackling the Railway Pit at the Slipe Lane complex, Danny used ultra-short hooklinks in solid PVA bags to snare a total of three fish including the new personal-best common.
He said: “This was only my second session on the lake and having blanked on my first session I decided to change my approach, and I soon reaped the rewards.”
Danny filled his PVA bags with Mainline’s Spod and Bag Mix and fished a whittled-down Nash Monster Squid boilie topped with a piece of white fake corn on his 2.5ins hooklinks.
His rigs featured 18lb Korda Supernatural and size 6 Korda Kurv Shank hooks with a piece of silicon on the shanks.
Two lake bests in two weeks for 13-year-old
Just four months into his angling career, 13-year-old William Bennett has caught the two biggest fish of the year at his Colne Valley club water.
The teenager began fishing in April and has been focusing his efforts on Boley Road Lake on the Colnes Angling Society ticket.
His dad Paul said: “On his third fishing trip he caught a 15lb carp and that was the start – at that point he was hooked on carp fishing. So every Saturday from that day he has fished for carp.
“On only his third visit to Boley Road he caught a 26lb 8oz common, then two weeks after that he caught the 24lb mirror.”
Forty-plus at Fryerning Fisheries
Simon Scott opened his account at Fryerning Fisheries with “one of my best sessions ever” – banking a twenty, two thirties and a 41lb 8oz mirror.
The Stevenage angler set up on the Main Lake at the Essex big-fish venue and had the biggest two fish of the trip within an hour of each other.
The forty, known as The Woodcarving, was followed up by a 39lb 8oz mirror during his 48-hour weekend session.
“These were my first and second fish from the venue after a few blank trips, and both came within an hour of each other,” said Simon, whose session did not end there. A 29lb common and a scaly 33lb 2oz mirror, called The Pretty One, also fell to the 45-year-old.
He said: “In 48 hours I managed to smash my personal best and have four mint fish. I’m over the moon!” Simon added: “I wish to say thanks to everyone at Fryerning – what great people and stunning fish. I had one of the best sessions ever. I need some sleep now!”
Simon fed 10kg of homemade boilies on a smooth clay spot at 60 yards. He fished matching hookbaits on combi rigs made with Atomic Grabba hooks and 3.5oz homemade lead.
River Dearne barbel record
Wayne Hopkinson has smashed the River Dearne barbel record with the capture of this 15lb 4oz specimen.
The Rotherham-based rod targeted a rarely fished area of the South Yorkshire waterway and cast out a simple blockend maggot feeder rig over a shallow gravel bar surrounded by lots of streamer weed.
Wayne told Angling Times: “To see the size of this fish from such a small river was a shock and a real eye opener to us. I had only decided to fish the river as I’d heard a rumour of a big fish with a distinctive bend in tail.”
The previous biggest barbel reported from the River Dearne was a fish of 11lb 1oz caught by Michael Tackacs in October 2011.
It's a blue shark 'first' for English kayaker
Sam James has hooked and landed what is thought to be the first blue shark from a kayak in England in the form of this estimated 70lb-plus specimen.
The saltwater kayaking fanatic achieved the impressive feat during a trip out of Cadgwith, Cornwall, one of the most southernmost points in mainland Britain. Following a missed take, Sam made no mistakes after re-positioning a fresh mackerel bait.
He said: “The reel screamed, the rod went into a full bend and the yak shot forward, fast. I had no chance of stopping it on that first run, it was 265ft deep where we were fishing and I think it must have stopped at 260ft!”
Grafham's opening day produces 21lb 4oz pike
Staying away from the crowds paid off for Gordon Howes with the capture of this pristine 21lb 4oz pike from Grafham Water.
The Cambridgeshire-based Waterland Fishing Guide fished with his boat partner, Andy Loble, on the opening day of the Autumn/Winter lure fishing sessions.
Gordon said: “The majority of the anglers set up for the day around the main tower so we decided to avoid the area and ventured off round the lake in search of some of the larger residents.
“It wasn’t the most productive of days, however, I did manage to net the 21lb 4oz pike on a large Fox Replicant rubber lure. This was one of the very first 20lb pike to be had on Grafham this season,” he added.
Anyone interested in booking a guided session with Gordon should visit: www.stiveslakesfishery.co.uk
300lb porbeagle shark caught off Irish coast
Porbeagle sharks are providing anglers with plenty of action off the Irish coast at the moment with numerous fish landed by local and European anglers including this one weighing 300lb caught by Dutchman Robin Van Da Meer.
Robin was fishing aboard Hamish Curries’ Predator 2 Vessel out of Red Bay, Co. Antrim using live coalfish as bait. The capture follows a huge 360lb specimen landed by Brian Menary from Bangor, Co. Down aboard the same boat just days earlier. Visit www.predatorireland.com for fishing trips with Hamish.
Extra night results in two Snake Pit thirties
The importance of wangling an extra night on the bank was underlined for Karl Hall as he put two Snake Pit thirties on the bank during an extended session.
“I was only meant to be doing two nights, but I sweet-talked the missus into allowing me to do a third,” laughed the Colchester angler. “On the final morning I kept asking for ‘just another hour’ and that extra time proved bloody lucky!”
After a quiet two nights on the historic Essex venue, Karl’s action began at 3.30am on the third.
The 30Plus-backed angler, who was visiting the lake for the first time since March, said: “The fish didn’t move in until the final night and I had Popeye at 30lb 8oz at 3.30am and then a 24-pounder at 9am.
“I then noticed some fish fizzing up on another spot I had been baiting but only had one rod on. So I chucked another rod to it and had Filmstar at 31lb 6oz.”
Karl targeted a clear spot in the weed and baited heavily with Wicked Whites and The Nutz boilies from Mad Baits. He fished white Nutz pop-ups on hinged stiff rigs made with 30Plus Kodex rig bits.
Quick overnighter produces 11lb barbel from River Thames
A quick overnight session on the River Thames came up trumps for Sam Meeuwissen in the form of this stunning 11lb 10oz barbel.
The Gardner Tackle sponsored angler also banked brace of 5lb chub from the undisclosed stretch before eventually finding a way through to his desired quarry using a single hair-rigged Sticky Krill boilie cast over a bed of loose offerings next to an overhanging bush. It tested the full strain of Sam’s 12lb Hydro Tuff main line before eventually gracing the net. “On such a cold, misty morning it was a relief to have finally caught what I’d come for.”
More anglers in the Lure Angling Champs final
European style street fishing came to the UK in the latest two stages of the Fox Rage backed British Lure Angling Championships.
Competitors first tackled the Camden Lock area of the Regents Canal in central London where perch proved to be the primary species. Hampshire’s Adam Kirby totalled 364cm to win with John Wheeler, Ben Tregoning, Olivier Gayer, Kamil Drapala, and Mervyn Jones also going through to the final.
Then came Somerset’s River Tone where Gareth Finney came out on top with 128cm of perch and chub. The other five qualifying places being taken by Kevin Jones, Simon Nicol (pictured), Ben Thomas, Stuart Turner and David Smith. The final takes place at Chew Valley Reservoir on October 4th.
Dinton's famous Twin banked at 45lb
Mat Holland laughed when a friend walked into his swim and predicted which fish he would land that night.
But just a few hours later the prophecy was realised and the Plymouth rod was clutching Dinton’s famous Twin at 45lb.
“It was simply immense to spend a little time with a fish of such history from one of the country’s hardest and most prestigious waters,” said the 38-year-old.
Explaining how the events were foretold at the Berkshire venue, Mat said: “Another member of the syndicate, Bucks, came into my swim and predicted I would catch, and he even said what fish it would be.
“I just laughed and said ‘that would be great, mate’ and off he went.
“At about 1am I was woken by a big fish crashing out over my rods. Ten minutes later the right-hand rod absolutely melted off.
“I picked the rod up and bent into what was clearly a very good fish. As it moved across the swim to the left at a great rate, I put my waders on and entered the water to get a better angle on the fish. Eventually I managed to steer her back into open water in front of me and in the dull night light I scooped her into the net first time of asking.
“I staked out the landing net with a storm pole, switched my head torch on and just started laughing. I must have looked a right nut job; laying in the net was the very fish that Bucks had predicted I would have only a couple of hours earlier!”
Mat fished a Sticky Krill wafter over matching bottom baits and pellets to a hard clay spot at 40 yards. His combi rigs were made of King of the Pond components.
Predation Action Group set to mount legal bid
The Predation Action Group (PAG) has taken its ‘most important step forward’ in addressing fish-eating predators by beginning legal action and challenges to the law.
Members of the voluntary organisation recently agreed that £10,000 of funds are to be allocated for the exercise. The PAG is also looking for financial support from donators and the trade to help fund this further. Its five years since the inception of the organisation and board member Rob Hughes said: “Currently there are a lot of grey areas in wildlife legislation in respect of certain predators, licencing, protection of fisheries and the responsibilities of certain authorities. We’re seeking clarification on exactly what is legally possible and if it is we’ll challenge it. Everybody shrugs their shoulders and says that there is ‘nothing you can do’ about some predators but that’s not the case. The PAG wants the extent of the law to assist in protecting fisheries,” he revealed.
It is also looking at alternative sources of funding for otter fencing than the ‘wholly inadequate’ Environment Agency fund. For more information on how to support the PAG visit www.thepredationactiongroup.co.uk.
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There's never been a better time to catch monster perch!
If you've ever wanted to catch a big perch there’s never been a better time to do it. One of the country’s top fishery experts has this week told Angling Times that the nation’s stillwaters and waterways are teeming with specimen stripeys.
The claim, made by Dr Bruno Broughton, come on the back of last week’s Drennan Thames Festival 2014 match on the river in Oxfordshire which saw 15 perch over 3lb netted during the event.
Fisheries management consultant, Bruno told Angling Times: "The captures of so many specimen perch from such a wide variety of fisheries probably eclipses anything British anglers have experienced before - we've never had it so good.
“The rise in captures is basically a result of three main factors. Firstly, the upsurge in catches on commercial stillwaters is, in part, attributable to abundant stocks of small prey as a result of improved fishery management practices. This must also be true of other water bodies where perch have grown bigger on plentiful stocks of food.
"Secondly, the devastating impacts of perch disease - which greatly reduced perch in many fisheries appears to have receded in recent years. And Finally, far more anglers are deliberately targeting specimen perch, using tactics designed to improve their chances of catching them by design. Drop-shotting and other specialised techniques have proved to be a huge advantage for would-be perch hunters in seeking out otherwise uncaught giants."
The Thames alone has seen a huge wave of big perch banked this year including Paul Parnell’s 4lb 15oz specimen caught back in March but other venues have also boasted big fish as anglers have been reporting specimens from canals and reservoirs too. Last month Teenager Jack Hosier banked a huge 4lb 1oz specimen from the Grand Union Canal in Hertfordshire while in June John Deprieelle banked no less than 16 perch to 3lb 10oz during a single session on Upper Tamar Reservoir in Cornwall.
One angler making the most of the fruitful perch sport is England Lure Fishing team member, Sam Edmonds. The 20-year-old Abu Garcia sponsored angler has targeted a number of rivers and big stillwaters for the species in recent years claiming dozens of fish up to 4lb 12oz. A recent trip to Cambridgeshire’s Grafham Water with his dad Gary saw them haul in a staggering 70 perch over two days, topped by Gary’s 4lb specimen on a jigged shad lure. Sam told Angling Times: “There's never been a better time to target the species and the rivers are as good now as they have ever been. Lure fishing is the most exciting, rewarding and effective way to target them, and with autumn just around the corner, now's the time to give it a try.”
TOP 20 PERCH OF ALL TIME
1. 8lb, Mr Zerfall, River Avon, Hants, 1928.
2. 6lb 8oz, D. Cooke, undisclosed venue, 1965.
3. 6lb 3oz, Bill, River Thames, 2014.
4. 6lb 3oz, Ken Brown, Wilstone Reservoir, 2011. (Joint British record)
5. 6lb 3oz, G. Cooke, Wentworth Fishery, 1974.
6. 6lb 3oz, Neill Stephen, Stream valley Lakes, 2011. (Joint British record)
7. 6lb 2oz, Robert Townsend, undisclosed venue, 2007.
8. 6lb, Ricky Hilliday, Cotswold Water Park, 2010.
9. 5lb 15oz 8dr, Greg Strelley, Private Derbyshire pond, 2012.
10. 5lb 15oz, Ovidiuus Venskus, Hangingfield Reservior, 2011.
11. 5lb 15oz, Les Brown, East sussex lake, 2006.
12. 5lb 15oz, P. Clarke, River Stour, Suffolk, 1950.
13. 5lb 14oz, Lewis Hagland, private syndicate, 2011.
14. 5lb 14oz, Ken Brown, Hertfordshire stillwater, 2010.
15. 5lb 14oz, D. Florey, Farlow's Lake, 1953.
16. 5lb 12oz, Linas Provilaitis, Lincolnshire Drain, 2008.
17. 5lb 12oz, E. V. Hodd, Diana Pond, 1957.
18. 5lb 12oz, Paul Hendry, Durham brick pit, 1996.
19. 5lb 11oz, Mark Priaulx, London Docks, 2008.
20. 5lb 11oz, Martyn Topliss, Cambs pit, 2007.
TOP 5 PERCH OF 2014 SO FAR…
- 6lb 4oz (unclaimed record) Bill…., Lower River Thames, March
- 4lb 15oz Paul Parnell, Middle River Thames March
- 4lb 13oz Dan Eaves, Southern Stillwater July
- 4lb 12oz Steve Frost, Yorks Ouse tributary March
- 4lb 11oz Rob Thompson and Kamil Sulima, both Derbyshire Derwent March and January
FIVE PERCH VENUES TO TRY
- River Thames, Bourne End or Teddington, Bucks 01628 530500
- Whitmore Fisheries, Preston, Lancs 01253 836224
- Woodside Fishery, Kidderminster, Worcs 01299 270565
- Wilstone Reservoir, Tring, Herts 01582 841985
- Kennet & Avon Canal, Great Bedwyn, Wilts 077132 62959
Two top mirror carp from Kingsmead
The tenacity to dig out a swim in an unfished corner of Kingsmead Island Lake gave Dan Leney mirros of 36lb 12oz and 28lb 14oz.
The Middlesex rod’s off-the-beaten-track approach included arriving in the swim for a two-day session by boat after heavily pre-baiting with CC Moore’s XXX boilies and hemp.
The 39-year-old told Angling Times: “I fished in a quiet corner that has not been fished all year. I dug out a swim and covered it in reeds at the front so no-one would see what was going on.
“The fish would turn up every morning and patrol around the corner from left to right. I arrived silently on the boat and cast from the bank to spots that had been clipped up during the previous session.
“The larger of the two carp, a great 36lb mirror that had previously been a forty, was a great result as this went off just minutes after casting out.
“The fully scaled mirror, which weighed just under 30lb, gave a great account of itself having been hooked in the margin snag. I got into the boat and played it over a quarter of a mile away in open way – what a spirited fight!”
Dan used Rigmarole end tackle and CC Moore hookbaits.
Season's best barbel banked
The biggest barbel of the season has been banked in the form of this 17lb 2oz specimen.
The fish, known as ‘Bullet Hole’, was caught by Alan Cornwell from a Burton Mutual Angling Association controlled stretch of the River Dove in Staffordshire following a month long baiting campaign.
It is the second time Alan has landed the specimen which became his new personal best for the second time having weighed 1oz more than when he first caught it back in February 2012. The capture follows a string of double-figure fish banked by the Stoke-on-Trent-based rod including fish of 13lb 9oz, 13lb 8oz, 11lb 2oz and 11lb 6oz during his last four visits.
After regularly pre-baiting the swim with Cutting Edge mixed particles he fished a weedy shallow run and cast out a feeder filled with homemade paste in conjunction with two hair-rigged 15mm HG Dip boilies. The tip was pulled round shortly afterwards and following a dogged fight he netted the sought-after specimen. This was quickly backed up with a second fish of 11lb 12oz – his 15th double of the season.
“I am so chuffed to have caught this awesome fish again but it’s not without the help of friends like fellow angler John Davey - we all baited and fished the same swim to help keep the fish on the feed and it worked a treat,” he told Angling Times.
Also getting in on the action this week, was Gardner Tackle’s Alan Stagg, who netted a 15lb 8oz barbel on only his second river session of the season.
The Hampshire-based all-rounder targeted a Thames tributary and used a homemade bait dropper to introduce a mixture of hemp, corn and chopped CC Moore Odyssey XXX boilies no more than a rod length from the bank before positioning his rig.
He said: “Initially I thought it was a small fish, but the longer the fight went on, the more promising it looked.”
Alan mounted a trimmed boilie tipped with a piece of Enterprise imitation corn on a size 8 Gardner size 8 Covert Wide Gape Talon Tip hook and a 15lb Trickster Heavy hooklink.
UK Carp Wychwood Reel Facebook Competition Winner
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England stars win World Pairs Champs in Ireland
Lakeland & Inland Waterways World Irish Pairs 2014 (70 pairs)
It’s been a hell of a summer for Rob Wootton and Adam Wakelin, the pair of Leicester lads winning World Feeder Championships gold for England back in July and then Rob taking the UK Champs crown just weeks ago and the two boys rounded off their campaign with this big money title in emphatic style, following in the footsteps of Cathal Hughes and Phil Jackson to win Ireland’s richest festival and earn their place in the history books.
In fact, it could be argued that it was all over bar the shouting from the midway point when Rob and Adam had opened up a massive lead over the chasing pack thanks to three brilliant opening days that saw them win each overall match between them with 20 kilo-plus weights, scoring that couldn’t be matched and with gave them enough of a cushion to hold off contenders if disaster struck in the final few days.
Not that it did though as the two men put into action a steady approach for Thursday and Friday, designed to ignore winning overall and increasing the lead, more to keep hold of what they had and keep all four hands firmly on the trophy.
It worked a treat too as the champions finished with almost 23 kilos in hand over last year’s runners-up Steve and Phil Ringer, who were quick to acknowledge how much damage had been done in those first few days and how the mountain facing them would ultimately prove too much to climb.
“We made the commitment to fish the pairs having spent so much time over here practising for the Feeder Champs,” Adam said. “The fishing was brilliant and Rob fished the pairs last year with Nick Speed and told me what an unforgettable week it was so I was in pretty quickly! I wouldn’t say we fancied winning it but we felt we knew how to judge the venues in terms of the tactics to be on and the species to go for at certain times, which was very similar to Iniscarra on the World Champs.”
Winning over 12,000 Euros including the 10,000 Euro top prize, Rob and Adam got off to a flier on day one with Shimano/Dynamite Baits-backed new UK Champion Rob winning the match with over 28 kilos of hybrids and skimmers from Bunerky Lake fishing the feeder with bunches of red maggot. Then Adam took over.
“I was on Church Shore at Garadice but conditions were so bright and calm that you never think you can catch a big weight of roach and hybrids as the weather is so un-Irish!” he said. “I fished much the same way as Rob and had 25 kilos of roach, hybrids and skimmers to win the match and then did the same with 27 kilos from Killydeas the next day! By that point we had a massive lead and I think partly felt we’d got it sewn up so long as we had no disasters and some massive weights weren’t taken. You can never say never on a weight only festival but we were bursting with confidence.”
Friday was forecast to be more Irish with wind and rain and both Rob and Adam had one eye on this, fearing some out of the blue bream weights to upset the applecart but the forecasters got it wrong, sun and light winds prevailed and the big weights never appeared to leave them the champions!
“Fishing over in Ireland in the build up to the World Champs helped us massively without a doubt,” Adam added. “There were times when you had to work out when to change to fishing for skimmers of bigger hybrids, just like on Inniscarra. Those fish may only feed in your peg for half an hour but you had to be on the button to make the change and cash in. Sitting and waiting for them all day didn’t allow you to catch the roach and small hybrids before and after the big fish turned up and if you ignored them altogether, you just couldn’t have any sort of weight to challenge with.”
Despite ending up second for the second year in succession, brothers Steve and Phil Ringer were still more than happy with their week’s work, earning them over 7,000 Euros and rounding off a summer that saw Steve crowned World Feeder Champion and Phil earn a team gold on Inniscarra Reservoir.
And in all truth, both thought any chance of catching winners Rob and Adam had gone by midway through the week with 40 kilos of catching up to day and the draw rotation not putting them on sections with any form for big weights, which would have helped them claw back the gap.
“Adam and Rob were so far ahead that it would have been miraculous to reel them in,” Phil said. “With two days to go we had our own battle on our hands to finish second as Grant Albutt and Jamie Hawkins and Bob Nudd and Darren Davies weren’t behind. It all boiled down the final day when they were in the same sections as us and in was a straight shoot out to keep our advantage that we’d built up and to keep them at arm’s length.”
“I think we also missed out when we were on the big weight areas,” Phil added. “We caught well but with 15 kilos against Adam and Rob catching 25 kilos and 28 kilos, you can see where the advantage was opened up so quickly. They had a mega first few days and I think that blew a lot of the competition out of the water but it was a weight only festival and it can change on the final day, which we were hoping for but deep down, I think we’d settled for second!”
Pairs result: 1 R Wootton, Shimano/Dynamite Baits and A Wakelin, Preston Innovations, 160-630; 2 S Ringer, Daiwa/Guru and P Ringer, Ringer Baits, 137-020; 3 G Albutt, Matrix/Bait-Tech and J Hawkins, Guru, 127-820; 4 R Scott, Vale Royal Angling Centre and M Buchwalder, Preston Innovations, 124-940; 5 B Nudd, Browning/Van Den Eynde and D Davies, Drennan, 121-790; 6 C Hughes, Kamasan Starlets and N Hughes, Nathan’s of Derby, 115-090.
A by-product of winning the event overall in normally success in the Daiwa Cup too, this individual event running alongside the pairs and seeing the angler with the highest weight aggregate over the week lifting the glass trophy and winning the handsome cash prize plus vouchers for Daiwa Tackle – and Adam Wakelin was the man to get his name on the cup for 2014 with a comfortable victory on 93-510, almost 14 kilos clear of Steve Ringer.
“I can’t deny that we had a brilliant start to the week and on day one I was at Brackley Lake where I had 17 kilos of roach and hybrids on pole and caster for a brilliant day’s fishing and then it stepped up several gears and I just couldn’t believe how good the fishing was,” Adam revealed. “I had 25 kilos of roach and hybrids on the feeder from Glass House to win the whole day and then did the same at Killydeas on Wednesday with 27 kilos on the tip.”
“Lough Scur was next on Thursday and after the two previous days, I guess it was always going to be a bit of a come down but 14 kilos of roach and hybrids on the short pole with worm and caster was a lovely day’s fishing and did my bit for the pairs cause too,” Adam explained. “Friday was perhaps my worst day but hand on heart I wasn’t that bothered. I had around 9 kilos of hybrids and roach on the waggler from Lough Ross. To win the Cup is a great little bonus on top of the Pairs!”
Daiwa Cup result: 1 A Wakelin, Preston Innovations, 93-510; 2 S Ringer, Daiwa/Guru, 79-860; 3 R Scott, Vale Royal Angling Centre, 78-210; 4 G Albutt, Matrix/Bait-Tech, 777-950; 5 C Hughes, Kamasan Starlets, 77-880; 6 C Blurton, Ted Carter Preston, 75-190.
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86lb-plus brace of carp from Wingham syndicate
Matt Jones banked his third 86lb-plus brace with this 48lb 2oz common and 37lb 15oz mirror.
The 41-year-old former winner of the British Carp Angling Championship caught the fine pair from the Wingham syndicate a week after catching a 31lb 2oz mirror from the Kent venue.
The South Londoner said: “I've now caught the biggest common and the biggest mirror in the Carp Lake. I'm now after the prettiest fish there, a heavily plated mirror that was last caught two years ago at just under 45lb. After that I'll probably switch to the little-fished Main Lake as that's already produced eight different forties, even though the fish are even younger."
Matt fished a spot 50 yards out in 6ft of water to record his third 86lb-plus brace from the venue.
Wingham creator Steve Burke said: “The common had last come out in the spring at 50lb 11oz and I'm very pleased that it's already made up most of its pre-spawn weight.
“It's an exceptional 38ins long to the fork of the tail, but only 30ins in girth and still growing fast. How much it'll weigh when it fills out is anyone's guess!"
Matt baited with Mainline Hybrid boilies and fished a matching pop-up on a hinged stiff rig with a size 6 hook and a 3oz lead on a Fox clip.
New The Fishing TV Show has it all
“I was that pleased that I nearly self-combusted when I saw it!” These were the words of top carp angler Ian ‘Chilly’ Chillcott after he got a sneak peek at the first episode of BT Sport’s eagerly anticipated The Fishing TV Show.
The new programme is set to broadcast in three eight-part series, the first of which kicks off on Thursday, September 25 at 7pm on BT Sport 2, and will cover all disciplines of angling at rivers, lakes, canals and coastlines across the UK.
As exclusively revealed by Angling Times in July, the shows have been produced for BT Sport by Fishing TV, who already produce and broadcast their own programmes via their website, and are hosted by Chilly and top fly fisherman, Rae Borras.
The duo will not only be sharing their infectious passion for fishing along with their top tips and tactics, but will be joined by a long list of big names such as Des Taylor, former Drennan Cup champion Julian Chidgey, Jerry Hammond and Adam Penning.
The first episode will feature Chilly and Rae carp fishing at the historic Hollybush Lake in Hampshire, tips on using pellets from Duncan Charman, Bob James fishing the River Wye for chub and barbel, Rae targeting salmon in the River Deveron and Dave Barham goes out with the British Conger Club.
Chilly believes the show will be a huge hit because it isn’t solely aimed at giving advice to anglers but is a celebration of fishing that will even appeal to non-anglers.
“Every episode oozes all of the positive aspects and experiences that you get while out on the bank,” he told Angling Times. “I have to keep pinching myself to make sure that I’m not dreaming because to be a part of such an amazing series that covers every aspect of this great sport is beyond my wildest dreams.
Richard Lisney, sales and marketing director of Fishing TV said: “We are delighted that BT Sport have taken the decision to include angling as part of their offering on BT Sport - more mainstream airtime can only be good for fishing as a sport.”
For more information visit: www.fishingtv.com
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Great White spotted off Cornwall?
Has one of the world’s most dangerous sharks been spotted off the UK coast? That’s the question being asked this week after a video was posted on Facebook showing a large predator off the Cornish coast.
Speculation was soon rife as to what species it was, with many believing it could finally be proof that great whites do visit British waters.
The footage was captured by experienced skipper, Nigel Hodge, aboard his charter vessel Wave Chieftain out of Falmouth.
The 20 second clip was uploaded by Nigel to the Cornish Fishing Facebook group page where he commented: “I was fishing on the starboard side and went to get the deck hose when I noticed it on the port side… The deck is 24ft long and I would guesstimate that the fish was half the length of that with ease. The water was heavily chummed as I had the whole day’s bait to use up in half a day.”
Last August an angler aboard Nigel’s boat was playing a blue shark which was attacked by a much larger shark during the fight. At the time many national newspapers incorrectly reported that a great white was responsible although it was later confirmed to be an oceanic white tipped shark.
On this occasion, however, the country’s leading shark historian, David Turner believes it could well be a great white.
“Sadly the footage doesn’t clearly show any defining features,” said the author of The Shark Fisherman. “It is definitely a lamnidae shark – a porbeagle, mako or great white - but if it was 14ft long then it probably was a great white. This wouldn’t surprise me as I have always thought they visit UK waters. I was recently talking to Robin Vinnicombe, a top Cornish skipper who boated 15 mako sharks in the 60s, and he said he is now convinced that a 14ft shark hooked by Doug Philips in 1965 was a great white.”
In March this year a tagged great white shark, named Lydia, hit the headlines when she came with 700 miles of the Devon coast before changing direction.
Great White fact file
- A mature great white can grow up to 21ft in length and over 7,300lb in weight.
- They can live for over 70 years.
- A great white can accelerate to speeds exceeding 35 mph.
- They are responsible for by far the largest number of fatal unprovoked attacks on humans.
- Great white sharks live in almost all coastal and offshore water which have water temperatures between 12 and 24 degrees Celsius.
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