Huge Thames bream haul by river rookie

The winter blues show no sign of affecting red-hot silverfish sport after countless personal-best weights were taken at venues across the nation.
Roach, bream and perch have continued to feed heavily despite the chilly temperatures, with both rivers and stillwaters producing well beyond what is expected in the run up to Christmas.
Arguably the most impressive catch of them all was Tom Downing’s huge haul of bream from the Thames, where the Devon rod shared more than 150lb with MAP-backed star Tony Curd during his first-ever session on a river.
Having been persuaded to make the 400-mile round journey to the stretch at Kingston-upon-Thames he was soon rewarded for his commitment, with slabs to 7lb falling to the groundbait feeder every chuck during the frantic session.
Tom told Angling Times: “I’m a big fan of commercial fisheries but after a day out like that I am definitely going to be doing more river fishing.
“Tony had assured me that we would get a few bites, but to share more than 150lb of bream at this time of year surpassed my expectations by a mile.”
Similar levels of success were also recorded on commercial waters, as Des Shipp proved with a 60lb-plus haul from Frant Lakes made up of roach to 1lb and skimmers and perch to 2lb.
The England international was performing a demonstration at the Kent complex and attracted a bite every chuck throughout the session. He said: “It was one of those days where the float never stopped going under and everything we tried worked almost straight away.
“The growing number of silvers in commercials means a good day is on the cards on even the coldest of days.”
Other silverfish highlights of the week included 250lb-plus of silvers being brought to the scales during the latest contest at Scunthorpe’s Messingham Sands, Dennis Pattinson’s 37lb 3oz net of roach coming out on top. Numerous pleasure anglers have also landed personal-best nets of silvers at Northamptonshire’s Wold Farm Fisheries, with 70lb-plus bags of roach and skimmers being taken.

46lb of bream in four hours

Four hours was all big-fish ace Adrian Eves needed to bank three bream for a total weight of 46lb 14oz.
After introducing a big bed of bait and kicking off the session with a 9lb bream from a stillwater in the south, most anglers would have stayed put, but not Adrian.
He moved swims after seeing several fish roll on the surface and introduced a fresh bed of pellets, particles, maggots and corn.
It didn’t take long for the Fox and Dynamite Baits- backed angler to reap his rewards, banking fish of 15lb 14oz, 15lb 12oz, 15lb 4oz, 13lb 10oz and 9lb.
He used 8mm Dynamite Baits tiger nut dumbells and sweet corn hair rigged to the back of size 8 Fox hooks.

Three double-figure bream in 90 minutes

Just 90 minutes was all Geoff Collins needed to bank a hat-trick of double-figure bream, topped by this 14lb 12oz specimen.
The other fish tipped the scales at 14lb 5oz and 12lb 9oz, and were taken when the specialist from Northants put in a four-hour session on a local gravel pit venue.
All the bream were taken at 45 yards range with groundbait feeder rigs and a boilie and corn combination on the hook.
“The bream came in a 90-minute spell just after work, and with it being quite cold and flat calm I was really surprised the bream were feeding so well,” said Geoff.

Two bream for 31lb 6oz!

Scott Lloyd became the envy of many specimen anglers with a brace of bream totalling 31lb 6oz.

The Crewe rod made the five-hour round trip to Linch Hill Fisheries in Oxfordshire and fished an area on Stoneacres Lake that he’d prebaited for two months.

Bream of 15lb 12oz and 15lb 10oz fell to the 26-year-old in a session that also brought carp of 31lb 12oz and 24lb 10oz.

His rig consisted of 20lb mainline and a 16mm Krill frozen ready-made boilie from Sticky Baits.

Ton-up at Ridgeway Fisheries

With temperatures rising weights have started to soar on the Cotswold’s Ridgeway Fisheries with anglers filling 100lb-plus nets of carp and silvers.

The four interlinking canal pools, known as Walters Lake are where all the action is taking place and with 73 pegs to choose from you won’t be without a swim if you’re a day-ticket angler. What’s more the lake has recently been restocked with thousands of small carp to boost sport even further.

Depths on the canal average around 5ft and thanks to bank erosion the width is now up to 20m in places meaning pole fishing is not the only tactic which can catch fish as anglers have discovered this spring with small method feeders, bomb tactics and even wagglers with banded pellets taking carp averaging 3lb. Fishing the inside ledge at 4-5m and down the edge is also productive with pellets, maggots, corn or meat too. The best anglers here work between two or three lines taking fish from each. A mainline of around 0.12 with black hydro or Preston 15 elastic should be fine for anything you should encounter in here. If you want to concentrate just on the silverfish, which include skimmers and roach, a 40lb bag can be obtained fishing smaller baits down the middle of the track.

Prices: £8 a day, £5 for children sharing with an adult.
Contact: 01285 860412
Location: Ridgeway Fisheries, Wickwater Lane, South Cerney, Gloucestershire, GL7 5UQ
Facilities: Café, toilets, disabled toilets, bait shop (no casters or maggots), accommodation
Rules: Barbless only, all nets to be dipped on arrival, no floating baits, no bite alarms, no boilies, one rod maximum

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Carp and silverfish galore at Toft Farm Fisheries

Warwickshire's Fisheries is a perfect example of a simple yet effective modern commercial fishery. Its two identical, tear-drop shaped lakes are divided into carp and silverfish waters so you can guarantee you’ll catch exactly what you set out for this weekend. Whether it’s a club match where 100lb of carp is needed to win, or simply a winter session after a few roach, Toft certainly has it covered.  With ample space in between pegs and modern wooden platforms as well, a decent days fishing is always on the cards. Here’s a breakdown of what is on offer:

Carp Lake (55 pegs)
With an island at the east end and a huge body of open water to the west, the Carp Lake is ideal for most methods. The pellet feeder filled with 2mm micro pellets and a banded 6mm pellet will catch carp averaging 4lb steadily when cast to the island. Alternatively, fishing the waggler or pole shallow in open water pegs with maggot or pellet will account for good bags of carp as well as the odd big roach. The anglers winning the matches on here recently have only been fishing a top kit plus two sections, where the near shelf bottoms out at around 6ft. 81lb of carp and roach was taken off peg 46 recently using this method, with 4mm, 6mm expanders and meat proving the best baits.

Silverfish Lake (34 pegs)
With a uniform depth of around 6ft and a central island at only 13m away from each peg, the pole and feeder tend to rule here. Dobbing tight to the island reeds with bread accounted for a 107lb mixed bag of barbel, roach, skimmers and F1 carp for one anger recently. A fairly strong elastic is advised so the fish can be pulled from the snags. Try fishing on the deck down the track with 4mm soft pellets over micros and maggots to find skimmers to 3lb. The margins are also noted to produce the odd big carp to 10lb on dead maggots – which were moved from the Carp Lake into the Silverfish Lake to boost catches weights.

Prices: £7 a day
Contact: Ester on 07934 237103
Location: Toft Farm Fisheries, Kites Hardwick, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV23 8AD
Rules: Barbless hooks only, no keepnets unless in matches, no cat or dog food
Facilities: Toilets, Parking, tea and coffee at weekends

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Head to Westlands Lake to bag up on F1s

Much like the recent weather, the F1 fishing has been hotting up at Westland’s Lakes and anglers have been cashing in with bags up to 200lb from the complex’s Little Tench and Island Ponds. F1s to 6lb 12oz have even been banked from the margins on the prolific Middle Lake.

Visitors are enjoying some cracking sport on the other five day-ticket lakes too with big tench and big bream starting to feature from the Tench Pool. On the 25-peg Little Tench Pool, anglers have been feeding pellet and maggots little and often via a cad pot to catch F1s shallow.

These are all averaging around 2-3lb – with ide, skimmers and the odd big carp making appearances also. Elastics don’t need to be too strong on this lake too as most fish average around the 1-4lb mark. Meanwhile on the 25-peg, match-style Island Pool, visitors have been bagging up as well. This pool is similarly stocked to Little Tench with mainly F1s being landed by anglers fishing waggler or pole tight to the islands. These features are situated at around 13m away with just 2ft of water – making them ideal places to target in the summer. Attack these areas using hookbaits like corn or pellets to good effect. Alternatively, if you prefer more of a chilled session then head to the Canal Pond where all the carp and F1’s have been removed and replaced with quality silverfish. 30lb nets of barbel, chub, ide and tench are now coming out thanks to the new stocking programme to help offer a diverse fishing experience.

Prices: £5 a day per rod, Loyalty card available for OAP’s and Disabled
Contact: 01964 541192, www.westlandsangling.com
Location: Westlands Angling, Hornsea Road, Sigglesthorne, Hull, HU11 5QLY
Rules: Barbless only, no keepnets, fishery own pellets, do not discard bait into the water,  no meat in any form, groundbait by feeder or pole cup only, No nuts or particles unless prepared by a recognised bait manufacturer, no bait boats, unhooking mats to be used, no fixed rigs, no artificial baits
Facilities: Toilets, tackle and bait shop, loyalty card, food on match days, disabled access

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It's a record for RiverFest

A record-breaking year for the sport’s biggest matches continues this week after Riverfest reached a historic landmark by gaining over 2,000 ticket applications for the first time ever.

The big money competition has been a revelation since its creation in 2013 and now event organisers at the Angling Trust have been forced to run a ballot for places this year for the first time as a result of its immense popularity.

Officials have now staged the draw to decide who will compete in the 24 qualifiers, with almost 70 per cent of the heats oversubscribed.

The news comes just weeks after Fish O’Mania once again posted record application numbers.
Angling Times columnist Dave Harrell was the brains behind RiverFest and he said: “It is fantastic news for river fishing and I am overwhelmed at how well supported this tournament has become in such a short space of time.”

“A lot of people said there wasn’t a demand for big money river fishing events but this has blown that theory out of the water. There will be a £35,000 prize pot available to those in the final on the River Wye in November and it’s great that thousands want a shot at the title.”

Venues including the Severn and Warwickshire Avon were amongst those in demand, although the three qualifiers on the Trent proved the most popular.

With a large number of people left disappointed at the prospect of being left on the reserves list, discussions have already opened up to potentially revamp the system next year and Dave added: “There is no reason why we can’t hold bigger qualifiers to cater for more people. We wouldn’t do that at the detriment of the fishing but if an organiser thinks it is feasible, we would open up more pegs for next year.”

TOP FIVE MOST POPULAR QUALIFIERS

60 anglers take part in each heat, with three qualifying for the final
1. River Trent, Holme Marsh – 156 (ticket applications)
2. River Trent, Burton on Trent – 155
3. River Trent, Newark Dyke – 152
4. River Severn, Bewdley – 148
5. River Severn,Worecester to Upton - 145

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16lb 12oz fish tops run of huge bream

Paul Garner is just one of many anglers who have this week proved why you should be out there fishing for big bream when he banked this 16lb 12oz personal best.

His first ever trip to a tough gravel pit provided the Peg One consultant and Angling Times columnist with his dream start to his bream fishing campaign after preparing his swim with 40 balls of groundbait laced with pellets and boilies.

The fish, that beats his previous personal best by 7oz, was fooled with a grain of imitation corn that was fished in conjunction with a size 10 hook, a 10lb mono hooklink,  a 2oz inline lead and cast over the top of a patch of silt that was situated 130 feet from the bank of the midlands venue.

“I’ve had a ticket to fish this lake for about four years, but never got the chance to fish it,” said Paul.

“So to see the frame of this incredible fish come over the near shelf and into the light of the head torch in the crystal clear water really was an awesome sight.”

“I leave my imitation corn sitting permanently sitting in a little tub filled with Nash tangleberry  flavouring and this is what I had the fish on. I’ve had so much success on ‘boosted hookbaits and really is something that more anglers should give a try.”

A heavy bombardment of groundbait also did the trick for Ryan Hayden when he coaxed this 13lb 2oz specimen over the frame of his landing net.

The bream falls just 1oz short of his current personal best and provided the Northhants-based specialist with the only bite of a session at a low stocked venue after he put his faith in a Method feeder with a three-inch hooklink that was finished with a critically balanced grain of buoyant imitation corn.

“It was really windy during my session  so I used a length of heavy tubing and back leads to keep everything pinned down to the deck,” said the Drennan employee.

“When targeting big fish like this you don’t want anything that might spook them when they’re grazing over your baited area.

Leicestershire’s Lee Snow followed up the recent capture of a 15lb 9oz bream from a 30-acre local gravel pit when he hit the jackpot once again with a 13lb 2oz fish.

He proved why this species are synonymous with large amounts of bait when he introduced eight kilos of dead red maggots, hemp, pellets, boilies and corn.

It was an imitation grain of corn that also did the business for Lee who presented his bait at 80 yards.

“I started my campaign early this year and it’s really paid off as this is my fifth double so far and its only April,” he said.

Last but certainly not least is Callum Lee who also brought this season’s tally of double figure bream to five when he fished a northern day-ticket water to bank a brace weighing 10lb 4oz and 10lb 1oz.

Hair-rigged bloodworm pellets fished in conjunction with a free-running groundbait feeder was the winning combination for Callum, who beat both fish with 6lb main line and a 4lb hooklink.

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Huge prize pot for this year's World Pairs

The race is on for a share of the £20,000 cash pot up for grabs in this year’s World Pairs Angling Championships.

Entries are now being taken for the Lakelands and Inland Waterways event in Ireland, which was won last year by England Feeder Team duo Adam Wakelin and Rob Wootton

The match is now in its fourth year and has been a huge hit with anglers both in the UK and on the Continent, attracting some of the best matchmen around to enjoy natural wild angling on Ireland’s prolific Lakelands area over five days of fishing in mid-September.

Match dates for 2015 are Monday, September 7 to Friday, September 11 and the generous sponsorship continues, with 15,000 Euros being put up by the Lakelands & Inland Waterways body alongside additional funds from partners Fermanagh-Omagh District Council, and Leitrim and Cavan  County Councils.

That means over £20,000 of money to be fished for along with the Daiwa Cup, an individual event that runs alongside the main pairs battle with more cash and top tackle from the Scottish company. For just £85 per angler all in, entry won’t break the bank either.

“I’d not been to Ireland for ages until brother Phil and I fished the pairs, and I was amazed at how good the fishing was!” said World Feeder Champ Steve Ringer, who has finished second in the last two years. “The sport is just incredible with 10 kilos of roach and hybrids on almost every day and a really top class of angler. When you’re up against the likes of Bob Nudd, Tommy Pickering, Kev Ashurst and Cathal Hughes, you can see just what a prestigious event the pairs has become.”

Venues for this years’ event include some proven favourites and possibly new stretches on known waters.

With big bream not dominating, the event will suit the angler targeting roach and hybrids on pole and feeder and the massive prize fund makes this the richest coarse match in Ireland.

Topped up with tackle and vouchers from Daiwa plus goodies from Bait-Tech, it’s an event well worth crossing the water for.

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Target silverfish at unique Redbridge Lakes

With its unique layout and virtually carp free stocking policy Redbridge Fishery is a refreshing change from you ordinary commercial fishery.

Both the fishery’s pools contain a mixed stock of tench, cruicians, roach, perch, bream and ide and anglers visiting the venue recently have been bagging up with the latter with nets topping 40lb.

LAKE CUTHBERT (30 pegs)
Every peg has a rush bed to target close in as well as a small bay around 26m across on the edge of the island. Depths average 5ft and with only a handful of bigger carp to over 10lb light tackle and simple rigs are all you need on this pool. With a huge stock of silverfish, tench and crucians it’s a great place for a pleasure session where bites are not difficult to come by. At the moment casters and maggots fished shallow at around 11m is the top tactic for the ide.

LAKE DAISY (34 pegs)
This pool which has depths averaging 5ft is devoted to the pleasure angler. Huge nets of ide, roach, crucians, perch and tench can be caught fishing simple tactics like pole and waggler. At the moment anglers are catching well fishing a 4mm pellet over a bed of fishmeal groundbait at around 10m out. There are also some big perch in this pool to over 4lb and these are often caught fishing caster and worm tight to features like the rush beds found in most pegs.

Prices: £15 a day, £10 taster day
Contact: 020 8551 5663, 07774 990 100, www.redbridgelakes.co.uk
Location: Redbridge Fishing Lakes, 1 Salix Lane, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 8LY
Rules: No keepnets, landing nets supplied by fishery, barbless only, no fixed leads, no bait discarding, no boilies, joker, cat meats
Facilities: Toilets, café, tackle shop, disabled access; tackle hire, free kids coaching

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Bag 30lb of stillwater barbel from Thorpe Fisheries

There are few commercial fisheries that can be branded as ‘natural’ venues, but Thorpe Fisheries in Tamworth certainly fits the bill thanks to its spring fed waters. The excellent water quality has helped keep the fish healthy across both lakes to insure you’ll be catching immaculate looking specimens throughout your session. When it comes to stillwater barbel, there’s no better place to head than the 42 peg Brook Meadow Pool where they grow to a rod-bending 7lb.

Most methods will catch them however a worm fished next to the sluice between pegs 38 and 39 may well bring you 30lb worth. Aside from barbel, carp to 16lb, tench, roach, chub, bream and crucians all reside here, with 60lb mixed bags a regular occurrence in matches fished over the weekends.

Many anglers prefer to fish the pole at 12m where the shelf starts to run down to around 13ft deep. Krill groundbait works wonders here, especially when double caster, worm or corn is fished over it. Alternatively, the reed lined margins are a perfect place to attack with this groundbait late in the day for a big double figure carp.

The Method feeder with dead maggots on the hook will also produce good bites from tench and carp when chucked to the island.

Alternatively, the 22 peg Spring Pool offers the same species to catch bar the barbel. Due to the vast space of open water, 100lb of quality carp can be amassed on the pellet waggler during the summer, which will soon start to show.

Prices: £7 a day, £5 concessions
Contact: Rosie on 07707680758
Location: Thorpe Fisheries, Clifton lane, Thorpe Constantine, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 0LH
Rules: Barbless hooks, no meat, no surface fishing, only 3 tins of corn, landing nets to be dipped before fishing, carp friendly pellets allowed, small inline method feeders only, no dogs allowed.
Facilities: Toilets, parking, disabled access.

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Fantastic sport for everyone at Frant Lakes

It's human nature to try and find fault in something but even the pickiest of customers will struggle to grumble about Frant Lakes.

Situated in a tree lined valley just outside Royal Tunbridge Wells, the Kent complex boasts a true beauty that is instantly apparent from the moment you drive through the gates.

Step out of your vehicle, take a birds-eye view over the Car Park Lakes and your desire to wet a line will strengthen even more, with each water providing a pleasant setting for your day on the bank.

Only the occasional vocal duck or aircraft making its approach in to Gatwick Airport will break the silence, giving you the perfect setting to unwind after a week of hard graft.

When it comes down to deciding which of the eight lakes to fish you really are spoilt for choice. Each one provides a completely different opportunity, with big carp enthusiasts and silverfish fanatics both catered for. There’s even plenty of scope to launch a specimen fish campaign, with perch over 4lb and bigs slabs on the cards.

An onsite tackle shop sells all the bait and terminal tackle you could possibly need, with the café serving up a mouth-watering full breakfast that will give you the perfect start to the day.
There’s even an opportunity to have you and your tackle carted from the main car park to your peg, with a fishery 4x4 ferrying visitors to less accessible areas of the site.

One man that has fallen in love with the delights that Frant has to offer is Peter Bolt.

The Orpington Tackle & Bait boss’s store may be situated almost 30 miles from the fishery but he became so inundated with positive reviews from customers that he had to find out what all the hype was about for himself.

“Anglers kept coming in the shop raving about the place, telling me all about their big catches. I just had to give it a go and on my first visit it lived up to the expectations, with 30lb of skimmers and perch coming in just a few hours sport,” explained Peter.

The Car Park Lake was the water selected for a session in front of the Angling Times cameras, with big hauls of skimmers and roach on the cards with bonus stripeys and double figure carp a distinct possibility.

A peninsula cuts through the middle of the lake, with a small gap in the middle of it allowing the fish to roam between the two different zones.

“There are plenty of pegs that have marginal areas that just scream fish and I’ve picked a spot today where a large tree has collapsed in to the water. You can guarantee that there will be a few perch under there.”

A generous dose of worm and casters were fed in to the open water to draw in the chunky silvers, with a similar amount placed down the edge for the bonus predators.

Small silvers were the first to respond but the stamp of fish soon improved, with skimmers averaging just under 1lb making their way in to the net regularly. Peter’s marginal line was equally prolific, with plenty of big perch to just over 2lb devouring his worm hookbaits.

Although the carp didn’t play ball on the day, it was impossible to ignore their presence, with fish rising to the surface every few minutes to slurp up insects that had lay to rest on the surface. Anyone fishing with floating bread or dog biscuits on the day would certainly have reaped the rewards!

Taking an opportunity to wander round the lakes, it quickly became apparent that Frant genuinely did cater for everyone. From deck chair clad pleasure anglers right through to hardened carp anglers with every item of camouflage kit on the market, they were there making the most of this fantastic facility.

“It ticks every box on the checklist and it is no wonder Frant Lakes gains such fantastic feedback. One week you can go after a big carp, the next in search of a huge perch – it is a complex you will never tire of,” concluded Peter.

Prices: £11 adults, £8.50 concessions (based on a day ticket for lakes 1-6)
Contact: Call 01892 616424 or visit www.frantlakes.com
Location: Frant Lakes, Hawkenbury Road, Bells Yew Green, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 9AP
Rules: No barbed hooks or braided mainline. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
Facilities: Parking, toilets, café, tackle shop
Tackle shop: Call Peter at Orpington Tackle & Bait for more details on angling in the area on 01689 852884

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Trinity Waters caters for all tastes

There's growing pressure on modern fisheries to provide anglers with a diverse fishing experience but Trinity Waters in Somerset certainly offers that and much more. Comprising four unique lakes, the fishery sets a standard of angling that meets the desires of pleasure anglers, matchmen and specimen carpers alike. So whether it’s a bag of silverfish or a 30lb carp that makes you tick, Trinity certainly has the goods to deliver. Here’s a breakdown of the lakes:

SITE 1

Woodland Lake (31 pegs)
Woodland is the main match pool and is the lake to fish if you’re in search of big nets. Current match and pleasure weights are rolling in around the 80lb mark – although a 120lb bag of carp was recorded recently on the pellet wag fished 3ft deep at range. Paste will soon come into play down the edge when the weather warms up, whereas the Method feeder or pole fished short on the deck with maggot and caster will account for 40lb-50lb bags of roach, tench and skimmers all year round.

Ash Lake (20 pegs)
This six-island water has the potential to produce triple-figure nets of carp, crucians and tench in the summer; however 50lb bags are currently coming out on small bits of paste. Fish down the track and on the deck with the pole and feed micros via a cad pot to catch. The Method feeder with worm segments on the hook to the islands will also work as the weather warms.

SITE 2

Wildmarsh Lake (78 pegs)
Wildmarsh is a hit with both carpers and matchmen as it offers a shot at big carp to 16lb as well as huge nets of bream averaging 5lb. Boilies and PVA bags of pellets cast into open water will find the carp, as well as the odd big bream to 11lb which have been caught by carpers in the past. If you’re a pleasure angler though there are plenty of mixed fish stocked including tench, barbel, chub and small carp as well. Alternate between the pole and pellet down the edge or the Method feeder in open water with paste or maggot to catch a range of species.

Chandos Lake (8 pegs)
Known as the specimen carp lake, Chandos has suffered a drop of form during the winter however the fish are starting to feed again. Carp to 29lb are stocked – and an encouraging 21lb common was banked just last week. Over hanging willow trees, lily pads and islands provide plenty of features to cast your boilies and PVA bags of pellets at, with bright pink or yellow pop-ups proving the most successful hookbaits of late.

Prices: £6.50 a day, £4 concessions
Contact: 07896982567 or 01278 450880, www.trinitywaters.co.uk
Location: Trinity Waters, Straight Drove, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA5 2BQ
Rules: Own keepnets can be used BUT MUST GO IN WATER DRY – two nets to be used for carp and silvers, barbless hooks only, no stalking of fish, unhooking mats for large fish, use bait in moderation, no boilies (apart from Wildmarsh and Chandos lake), no rods to be left unattended, no floating baits.

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Big Fish Off gets second series in 2016

The second series of The Big Fish Off has been given the green light.

As you read these words creators of the hit show are working on the next action-packed series that’s received the full backing of broadcasting giants ITV.

Filming of five new episodes hosted by executive producer Ali Hamidi and Dean Macey will begin this May and will feature four shows at popular venues in the UK and one that’s likely to be filmed in Thailand.

The huge success of the first series was largely down to the fact that its wide spectrum of celebrity guests and exiting angling challenges helped bring fishing into the homes of a whole new audience and that winning format will remain unaltered for series two, which will also be broadcast on ITV 4.

Ali has also revealed that the huge list of stars that already want to be part of the next instalment include former footballer Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock, boxing legend Steve Collins, Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills, actor and Comedian Bobby Davro and former Olympic athlete Sally Gunnell.

“I’ve known that we had the thumbs up for the second series for a while now and it feels great to be able to officially announce the news,” said a delighted Ali.

“It’s a great show that has a winning format as the celebrity guests really were the key to getting non-anglers into the Big Fish Off and believe me this next series is going to be even better with new challenges, huge laughs and great banter.”

“The bosses at ITV loved the ‘Britishness’ of the first series so that’s why we are filming four in the UK and one abroad, which we hope will take us to Thailand.

“I’d just have to take this chance to thank everyone who’s been involved in the show and to all of you out there who have given the series so much praise and support. Without you none of this would be possible.”

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Biggest bream of the year banked

Two grains of corn have accounted for the capture of this huge specimen as big bream go on the feed.

As anglers across the UK prepare to embark on their 2015 bream and tench campaigns, Leicester’s Lee Snow proved why it often pays to get ahead of the crowds when he struck gold and banked the new personal best that weighed 15lb 9oz while fishing at a local gravel pit.

It provided his only bite of the session that he kicked off by introducing a bed of hemp, corn, pellets and dead maggots then he cast two grains of critically-balanced imitation corn over the top of his spot that was 85 yards from the bank.

“I didn’t expect a fish like this so early on in my campaign and I know there will be so many other anglers out there that will be in two minds whether to get the bream gear out yet or not,” said Lee.

“But this just goes to show that you should get out there and have a go even if the water temperatures haven’t really begun to warm up properly.

 His fish follows the capture of an impressive 30lb 1oz mirror carp, that he banked from the same venue just a week earlier and the bream feel for his hair-rigged bait that was attached to a size 10 Korda Wide Gape hook, a 12lb coated braid hooklink and 12lb mainline.

And with the capture of over 40 ‘doubles’ from the venue last season alone the 40-year-old joiner thinks it’s a water that will throw up something very special indeed.

“Like many other gravel pits across the country this place has huge potential and I know there are some very special fish to be had so I’m going to go full steam ahead,” Lee continued.

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Nine lakes to choose from at Bradshaw Hall Fisheries

Situated in a tranquil valley well away from the urban hub of the main town, Bradshaw Fisheries certainly aims to provide for every type of angler.

Since the complex was taken over by new owners a couple of years ago, it has gone from strength to strength, with all of the nine lakes producing the best action in the their history.

Pole anglers are bagging up on Lake 8 and 9, with the brace of snake lakes the perfect place to land a big mixed net that will be made up on carp, tench, F1s and silverfish. Fish maggot or pellet to the far bank, taking a look down the margins from time to time in an effort to pick out a few bigger samples.

Those that prefer a rod and line attack won’t go far wrong on Lake Four with the Method feeder and pellet waggler both scoring for 80lb nets of carp. This lake is also home to huge numbers of roach and 30lb of them certainly isn’t out of the question if you fish maggots or casters shallow.

Lake Two is the first choice of many specimen anglers and carp to over 20lb falling frequently to boilies, with corn, hemp and casters a better option for bream and tench to over 7lb.

It is also the ideal place to introduce newcomers to the sport, with the smaller and more intimate Lakes One, Five and Six all on fire for roach, perch, skimmers and chub to 3lb.

Experience the magic of Bradshaw Fisheries this week for an unforgettable experience.

Prices: One rod priced at £8 adults and £6 concessions
Contact: Call 01204 307197 or visit www.bradshawhallfisheries.co.uk
Location: Bradshaw Fisheries, Slack Lane, off Bradshaw Road, Bradshaw, Bolton, Lancs, BL2 4JW
Rules: No braided line, barbless hooks only, no cat or dog meat
Facilities: Toilets, café, tackle shop, parking

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How to enter Riverfest 2015

Riverfest 2015 is up and running and the race is on to win river matchfishing’s biggest prize.

This year’s event is bigger than ever with 24 qualifiers, and applications are now open to secure places in search of the massive £12,000 top purse this November.

“We’re delighted to have been able to increase the size of the competition, giving 240 more anglers the chance to qualify for the final,” said event creator , river maestro Dave Harrell.

“There are some great new venues as well as established favourites and we’ll have 12 more anglers in the final itself. It’s going to be a great competition!”

Angling Times readers can throw their hat into the ring by filling in the entry form printed each week in Angling Times. Unlike in previous years, tickets will be allocated on a random draw basis rather than first come, first served.

A three-week window for applications is now in operation, closing on Sunday, April 12. The list of successful applicants will then be published on the Angling Trust’s website, and payment for tickets will be collected after this time.

Entry is £25 per ticket, and anglers must pay for each successful entry. Failure to do so will result in their full allocation of tickets being withdrawn.

Any tickets left after the random draw will then be sold on a first come, first served basis.

For 2015 there will be more chances than ever to qualify, with several new venues and an increase in match sizes that will ultimately generate 12 more places in the final.

This takes place over the weekend of November 14 and 15 on the River Wye at Hereford, with spectators welcome to come and watch and an on-site bookmaker present on both days for anglers and the public to have a flutter.

How to apply...

To help ease the suspense as to whether you’re fishing or not, organsiers the Angling Trust has produced a timetable for how tickets will be allocated this year:

March 23 – April 12: RiverFest opens for entries
April 13 – April 14: Random draw takes place with results published on the Angling Trust website
April 15 – April 24: Angling Trust contacts successful entrants for ticket payment
April 27 – May 1: Tickets issued through the post

THE QUALIFIERS
SATURDAY JUNE 20 – RIVER CALDER, MIRFIELD, WEST YORKS
Chub are the dominant species in the early part of the season and its pretty much all floatfishing on the waggler or stick float.

SATURDAY JUNE 27 – RIVER SWALE, MORTON, NORTH YORKS 
Floatfishing with maggots and casters on fancied chub pegs will lead the way but with colour, barbel will have a big say on the feeder.

SUNDAY JULY 5 – BRISTOL AVON, NEWBRIDGE TO SALTFORD
A river synonymous with bream on the feeder, but real mixed bags have ensured qualification in previous matches.

SUNDAY JULY 12 – RIVER TRENT, NEWARK DYKE, NOTTS
The Dyke holds specimen chub, barbel and some big bream but skimmers are the standard fare on groundbait feeder.

SUNDAY JULY 19 – RIVER TYNE, CORBRIDGE TO WYLAM
Could be a dace bonanza fishing the whip if the river is carrying extra water. Matches are usually won with 40lb-60lb.

SATURDAY JULY 25 – RIVER TRENT, HOLME MARSH, NOTTS
Traditionally a bream venue, 100lb will be possible for feeder anglers although barbel can show. They’re decent fish too.

SATURDAY AUGUST 1 – RIVER WEAVER, NORTHWICH, CHESHIRE
Slow and deep, the River Weaver is all about bream and last year’s qualifier saw a new match record set using Method feeder and mini boilies. Skimmers and roach will be the back-ups if the bream aren’t in the mood.

SATURDAY AUGUST 15 – RIVER SOAR, SUTTON BONINGTON, LEICS
Chopped worm is essential on the Soar and while the feeder for bream will be the main approach, eels, perch and tench can see you go through.

SUNDAY AUGUST 16 – RIVER YARE, LANGLEY, NORFOLK
Depending on the tide this could be won on bream or roach. If the slabs feed it’s a feeder job. On a roach day, polefishing maggots and casters could net you 40lb.

SATURDAY AUGUST 22 – RIVER TEES, BOWESFIELD, CLEVELAND
Expect bream on the feeder, although there are also lots of small fish that could win a harder section using the pole.

SUNDAY AUGUST 23 - RIVER NENE, ORTON, CAMBS
Bream and skimmers on the feeder are likely but hemp roach and chopped worm fish like eels, perch and tench could also play a part.

SATURDAY AUGUST 29 – RIVER DON, SPROTBROUGH, SOUTH YORKS
Feeder anglers will get on well with the Don, targeting roach, skimmers, hybrids and a few proper bream, but only in the deeper sections.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 5 – RIVER SEVERN, BEWDLEY, WORCS
An iconic bit of river packed with chub and barbel that responds to the feeder and either hemp and caster when it’s clear or pellets when coloured.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6 – RIVER GREAT OUSE, LITTLEPORT, CAMBS
Although the bream shoals are big, they’re also unreliable and it could be that a 15lb net of roach gets you through.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13 – RIVER WYE, BREINTON TO  EIGN, HEREFORDSHIRE
You’d put your house on chub winning this qualifier, especially in low and clear conditions. Small fish are present, but not in sufficient numbers to challenge the expected 40lb weights.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19 – RIVER SEVERN, BRIDGNORTH, SHROPSHIRE
There are always some barbel to be caught on this section of river and it’s very similar to Bewdley inasmuch as pellets rule the scene following rain, swapping to maggots, casters and hemp in the feeder when the water is clear.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 27 – RIVER TRENT, BURTON ON TRENT, STAFFS
This qualifier will be a classic small-fish match catching roach, perch, dace and the odd skimmer on the long pole or running line. Hemp can be particularly devastating at this time of year.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 3 – RIVER THAMES, MEDLEY, OXON
This is the time of year when the Thames is in full swing and bream shoals are numerous, along with big perch, chub and even a few tench on chopped worm.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 10 – RIVER SEVERN, UPTON ON SEVERN, WORCS
Under the right conditions this section could produce an astonishing weight of bream on the feeder, but you’d still want well over 50lb to do well. Small fish are also plentiful.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 11 – RIVER MEDWAY, BARMING, KENT
Making its RiverFest debut, this intimate part of the Medway ranges from deep, slow sections to narrower, faster pegs with chub and bream the big fish on offer.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17 – WARKS AVON, ECKINGTON, WORCS
The section of the Avon that produced a stunning result last year, with two 120lb bream weights! Those fish can still figure to feeder tactics, especially with colour and extra water in the river.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 18 – RIVER SEVERN, SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE
Roach, dace, perch and the odd chub and bream are still the fish to catch on the Quarry and County Ground sections. A range of float disciplines work on this part of the Severn.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 24 – YORKSHIRE OUSE, HUNTER’S LODGE TO LINTON, NORTH YORKS
Regularly match fished but sometimes a tough nut, where the odd big fish could win the whole thing. Expect bream on the famed bungalows at Hunter’s Lodge.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 1 – OLD RIVER NENE, MARCH, CAMBS
An out-and-out bread venue, fishing for roach and skimmers and aiming for 20lb-plus. Mild weather could see tench, perch and even the odd eel show on the wider bypass section.

THE FINAL

SATURDAY 14 AND SUNDAY 15 NOVEMBER – RIVER WYE, HEREFORD, HEREFORDSHIRE
One of the finest stretches of UK river at this time of year with big barbel and chub plus masses of roach, dace and perch. Split over two days, anglers will fish one match on the upper reaches where big fish dominate. The other will be on the town stretch that’s packed with small fish on the float.

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Superb sport on offer at Peatling Pools

Peatling Pools in Leicestershire offers superb sport across three lakes which are currently producing excellent mixed nets.

It’s on the Malcolm Pool where you can catch a variety of fish in one sitting, with many anglers reporting catches of chub, carp, barbel, tench, crucians, bream and roach. This half acre water has an island at the car park end and a number of 9ft deep holes, particularly located around the base of the island shelf. This makes the feeder and waggler ideal tactics for catching – with anglers preferring to use corn, maggot and worm as hookbaits.

The small pool which connects both Malcolm and Magna Pools together features a bed of lily pads, and these should be targeted with the float and worm for a big tench – especially when the weather warms up. The Magna Pool itself is similar in appearance to Malcolm, in that it also has a central island roughly around 18m out. The method feeder cast to this feature with meat on the hook will claim carp well into double figures as well as chub and bream.

The gem of the fishery however has to be the Parva Pool, which although tiny, packs some serious punch for its size. Big perch to 5lb and roach to 3lb have all been caught from here to those fishing the pole with maggot and worm on the deck. However, with only eight fishable pegs, you’ll want to make sure you set your alarms early this weekend to secure yourself a spot.

Prices: £7 a day
Contact: 07860 644023 or 0116 2867316
Location: Peatling Pools, Peatling Parva, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 5PU
Rules: No littering, no fires, barbless hooks only, not keepnets except for organised matches
Facilities: Café, Tackle shop, lakeside parking, toilets

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Huge carp hauls expected soon at Lands End Fishery

Known for producing summer match nets in excess of 300lb, Lands End Fishery in Somerset has proved that it’s got what it takes to be the very best – and with temperatures now on the up, it won’t be long until match weights will once again reach dizzying heights. So what makes this fishery so good? Not only is each lake stocked with a large number of quality, mixed species, but every peg offers a diverse range of features to test your angling skills.

Tadham Lake (16 pegs)
If you’re a specimen hunter then this is the lake for you. It’s stocked with carp to 26lb, grass carp to 17lb, tench and bream to 6lb and a large number of brown goldfish to 4lb as well. The central island is easily reachable with the feeder or pole and this is exactly where you want to target. Corn and pellet will catch nearly everything in here.

Tealham Lake (24 pegs)
The six-hour match record here is an astonishing 351lbs 10oz, making it the go-to water for many matchmen who visit. The two bar-shaped islands and surrounding trees and bushes provided excellent cover for the resident fish, which are mostly made up of carp, tench and bream. Big perch to 4lb also live here and can be caught down the edge or in the gap between the two islands on worm or prawn hookbaits.

John Walter Lake (30 pegs)
An open plan water with three central islands and a host of bays to target. The pole fished shallow with pellet or caster is a firm tactic for roach, rudd and the odd goldfish with many anglers preferring to target the carp from the islands with a pellet feeder. The corner pegs are often high-flyers as well thanks to their access to the side mud-banks and open water.

Sidney’s Lake (24 pegs)
This is the newest water on the complex at Lands End which mirrors the same layout as the John Walter Lake. It’s stocking of carp to 7lbs, perch to 3lbs, roach, rudd and skimmer bream makes it a favourite with novice and pleasure anglers who are looking for a relaxed session. The islands are worth a shot with the feeder or waggler with maggots, with a switch to corn preferable for the carp.

Prices: £7 a day, £5 concessions
Contact: 07977 545882 or visit the new website at www.landsendsomerset.co.uk
Location: Lands End Fishery, Heath House, Wedmore, Somerset, BS28 4UQ
Rules: Fishing dawn to dusk, barbless Hooks only, no Keepnets permitted, no method feeders, all rigs must be free-running with a minimum hooklength of 12 inches, no cat/dog meat, no bread, no floating baits, no nuts or beans, only coarse/carp pellets to be used for feed.
Facilities: Parking, Toilets, disabled access, tackle shop, refreshments

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