Is this the best Trent barbel haul of all time?

Schoolboy has achieved what many seasoned specimen anglers can only dream of – hauling in an incredible 19 double-figure barbel in a single session.

The remarkable catch, which totalled over 200lb, was made by eight year-old Rio Kassim, who was fishing the prolific Collingham Weir day-ticket stretch of the River Trent in Nottinghamshire.

Accompanied by his dad, Leon, and two friends, the youngster bagged 20 fish in total, only one of which failed to make the 10lb mark. They included four over 13lb, topped off by a personal-best 13lb 10oz specimen.

Even more amazingly Rio, who had only fished a river twice before in his life, achieved his memorable feat using a meagre three pints of maggots. 

The catch, which will no doubt raise eyebrows in the angling community, also left his dad in total shock. 

Leon told Angling Times: “It was just one of those days when everything went to plan and the tip just kept wrapping round – it was incredible. 

“By the end Rio was exhausted and could barely stand up in the gravel, but he put all of us to shame that day.” 

The group arrived on the river early in the morning to ensure they could bag swims, and it didn’t take long for the action to start. 

Just half-an-hour into the trip, Rio’s rod was looping over as the first barbel took a liking to his maggot feeder set-up with double maggot hookbait. Eleven hours later the sun was setting on a day the youngster will never forget.

“The only problem is, the catch has spoiled him now. 

“He will expect the fishing to be as good as that every time we go. 

“He will be trying to better that haul of huge barbel for the rest of his life,” added Leon. 

Off to a barbel flyer

Ant Molyneux’s debut session on the River Trent resulted in this 14lb 4oz barbel.

The Avid Carp-backed angler introduced a bed of Code Red boilies on arrival, but that tactic failed to gain a response in the first 24 hours.

Ultimately, though, his patience was rewarded and his alarms screamed into life when the barbel took his glugged boilie hookbait, and after a dogged battle the fish was in the net.

“I instantly knew I’d beaten my previous best of 12lb 14oz and I am already planning my next trip to the Trent,” explained Ant.

His winning rig incorporated a 3oz K-Grip lead and a 12lb Korum Barbel Line hooklink to a size 10 Xpert Power hook.

Britain's biggest carp denied official record

Britain’s largest carp will not be ratified as an official record because it is a “cultivated fish”.

That is the ruling of the British Record Fish Committee after the mirror known as Big Rig was caught at 69lb 3oz by Tom Doherty at the Avenue in Shropshire.

“It’s a very uneducated decision”

— Rob Hales, Avenue boss

The committee decided the fish had been “grown under an artificial feeding regime close to a weight close to or exceeding the existing species record”. It has subsequently been caught at 71lb 4oz and that weight will not take the record either.

Avenue boss Rob Hales told Angling Times this morning it is a “very uneducated decision”.

He said: “It’s very predictable and I’m not at all surprised. I think that they (BRFC) don’t fully understand the carp-fishing/fishery/growing-fish business. It’s a very uneducated decision. All big carp in this country and elsewhere only get to those weights because they eat high-protein boilies.

“I gather they (BRFC) say it wouldn’t have reached this weight in the natural environment – but the fish is a fish, not a robot.”

BRFC chairman Mike Heylin told Angling Times the fish may still be able to break the record in future.

He said: “I don’t think it’s ruled out forever. If it came out at 85lb and had put on a significant weight in the fishery itself – assuming the fishery isn’t being regularly fed huge amounts of bait – I don’t see why we would be necessarily excluding it forever.”

Rob Hales said: “That’s very interesting. I actually think Big Rig will make 85lb, so it’s a challenge I’m willing to accept. I feed my fish to stop them getting hungry, you can’t force food down their throats.

“In my opinion, whilst it was a predictable decision, I think they’re only delaying the inevitable.”

Mike Heylin confirmed the carp record still exists and would not be split into cultivated and un-cultivated lists. He added: “I’m happy with the outcome, happy we did all we could to look at all the evidence to see if it could be accepted under our terms of reference.

“It’s an awesome piece of fishing, Tom must be over the moon to catch it – I know I would be.”

Help fence out otters

Embryo Angling Habitats has created a non-profit-making calendar, proceeds from which will go to build otter fences around fisheries that cannot afford them.

 The Pioneering fishery improvement organisation, founded by Korda Tackle boss Danny Fairbrass, has vowed to put £7 from each calendar sold into a scheme that will see numerous struggling angling clubs and not-for-profit syndicates benefit from additional protection from predators. 

Speaking exclusively to Angling Times, Danny said: “The threat from otter predation is increasing every year, and more and more historic waters are being ruined with the loss of their prized fish. 

“We aim to stop this and reverse the downward trend in available fishing. 

“No-one involved in the production of this calendar has taken a single penny from it, including the photographers, who have provided their amazing images totally free of charge – a very noble gesture which we applaud them for.” 

The calendar, which alerts anglers to which days in 2017 will be best to fish, will cost £8 and can be purchased from all Korda stockists. 

Clubs urged to apply for cash generated by carrier bag sales

What is the Bags Of Help Scheme?

• The scheme is run by Groundwork UK on behalf of Tesco Plc to fund environmental and green space-based projects.

• The initiative is supported by money from the 5p charge levied on single-use carrier bags.

• 1,251 organisations from Tesco’s 416 regions up and down the UK will receive a share of the Bags of Help fund.

• More than 2,800 groups up and down the country applied for grants from the scheme. These were whittled down to three in each of Tesco’s regions by Tesco colleagues.

• For more information please visit: www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp

How to apply

Find your local store and jot down the postcode. Then go online at: www.groundwork.org.uk and take the eligibility survey to apply.

Angling clubs and fisheriesacross the UK are being urged to come forward and apply for millions of pounds of free cash which is being raised from the sale of Tesco carrier bags.

More than £12m is up for grabs as part of the Bags of Help scheme, created to fund environmental and green space projects across the country.

The scheme, which is being run by the charity, Groundwork, on behalf of the supermarket giant, is funded every time someone buys a 5p carrier bag at Tesco.

Hundreds of projects have benefited by as much as £12,000 since the scheme began in October last year.

 Huddersfield-based Learn2fish has already successfully applied for a pot of cash. 

The project, to introduce youngsters and the disabled to the sport at the club’s Woodhouse Mill Ponds fishery, will get at least £8,000 in improvement grants. 

Project director Steve Kelly is now urging other clubs to follow suit. He told Angling Times: “It’s really simple – you just go on the Bags of Help website, fill out the form and then, if you’re eligible, shoppers will vote for your project in store to determine how much cash you get. 

“It’s hard to put into words what such a grant can do – we are building a dipping pond for students as well as improving disabled access at the fishery.

“There are not many clubs nowadays awash with cash, so this kind of grant can go a long way to increasing angling participation at all levels.

“Its not just the money which we will be benefiting from either. We have seen loads more interest in would-be anglers and community groups who want to try fishing because of the publicity the scheme has generated for us.”

Applications for the next round of funding are now open, and bosses at the scheme are urging projects to come forward and apply, including those from angling. 

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork UK chief executive, said: “Bags of Help is helping to create better and greener places for everyone to enjoy across the country.

“We’ve been thrilled to see the diversity of projects that have applied for funding – from community gardens to angling projects and everything in between. 

“Now the scheme is permanently open for applications, and because grants can now be used for the development of local outdoor spaces, we expect angling groups like Learn2fish will now have an even greater chance to benefit.”

Canals on the rise as anglers flock back to fish them

A research project has revealed that the number of anglers fishing the UK’s canals has doubled in the last four years.

Hundreds of stretches had been left deserted in recent times as a result of the commercial fishery boom, but the latest statistics have shown a remarkable turnaround.

Officials from the Canal & River Trust have announced that sales of their Waterways Wanderers permit have rocketed by 100 per cent since 2012.

The ticket allows anglers to target hundreds of miles of canal for a small fee each year, and national fisheries and angling manager John Ellis believes there are a number of reasons for the revival. 

“Gone are the days when anglers saw canals as venues capable of producing small fish and nothing else, with the awareness of their incredible potential,” he said.

“Whether you’re a predator, match or general pleasure angler, there is certain to be a stretch close to home that will appeal to you.

“Add to this, improved access and pegging in many areas and it is easy to see why canals have drawn back a lot of anglers.”

A national surge of interest in lure fishing and drop shotting is also thought to have aided the comeback.

Korum-backed specimen angler Gary Knowles said: “No matter where you are in the country, a cheap and affordable stretch of canal that is home to perch, pike or zander will be on your doorstep.

“At the drop of a hat, with practically no preparation and carrying just a light rod and reel, shoulder bag and landing net, you are ready to go.

“You can walk for miles fishing a very effective method and catch some cracking-looking fish from both industrial and rural settings. Given all this, it’s no surprise to me that the popularity in fishing canals has increased rapidly.”

Birthday boy’s Pike Champs joy

The 2016 Pike Championships results

1 Andrew Muirhead, Cromer, 21lb 1oz (two fish)
2 Wayne Lees, Oxfordshire, 16lb (two fish)
3 Jack Taylor, Stoke-on-Trent, 14lb (one fish)
4 Diniz Rodrigues, Cromer, 13lb 12oz (one fish)
5 Paul Lenton, Doddington, 13lb 2oz (two fish)
Kevin Roads, Alderminster, 11lb 2oz (one fish)

A cheque for £1,400 and the 2016 Angling Trust Pike Championships trophy was an unexpected but pleasant reward for birthday boy Andrew Muirhead.

The pike fanatic, from Cromer, Norfolk, celebrated his 52nd birthday with two fish totalling 21lb 1oz, including the day’s biggest pike of 18lb 1oz. 

Fishing peg 24 on Cambridgeshire’s Bevill’s Leam, an area known locally as Glassmoor Bank, Andrew had to wait 90 minutes for his first run of the match, but after recasting a dead roach to the drain’s far margin the float was off again in two minutes. 

“I gave the rod a hefty strike and immediately knew it was no jack pike – but the fight from the 18-pounder was rather disappointing,” said Andrew.

Things could have been very different had third-placed 12-year-old Jack Taylor not lost a potential match winner. 

The youngster, from Stoke-on-Trent, caught a 14lb pike then, like the winner, saw his float dip again from a second fish.

“I saw the fish briefly in the clear water. It was a much better fish than the 14-pounder, but unfortunately it let go and I lost it,” said Jack.

Incredibly, he hooked the fish again moments later, but in a cruel twist of fate, he lost it again. Consolation came in the form of third place and the prize for top junior. 

In between Andrew and Jack was British Pike Fishing Squad member Wayne Lees with two pike for a combined weight of 16lb, including a 13lb 4oz fish.

On a day of heavy rain, an early-morning frost and strong winds, another four double-figure fish were recorded as well as a host of smaller fish.

Match organiser Ted Rowe commented: “Despite the horrendous weather conditions throughout, the 2016 Pike Champs has been another roaring success and I’d like to thank the Angling Trust for its sponsorship, my wife Ann for helping to organise the event, all the match stewards, and Whittlesey AA’s Dave White for the venue.  

“For me, though, the story of the day was young Jack landing a double-figure pike to come third in the match, beating off some very strong competition.

“Hopefully news of his success will spur on other juniors to take up this great sport of ours.”

Dave White, vice president of Whittlesea Angling Association, added: “Even though the conditions were poor and the fishing very hard, Whittlesey AA are proud to be able to hold the Championships on one of our many waters.” 

New strain of hard-fighting ‘super carp’

Britain’s anglers are filling their nets with a new strain of ‘super carp’. 

These F1 ghosts are being described as ‘the commercial fish of the future’ following the first introductions of the hardy hybrids over recent months. 

The strain has been developed to feed willingly even in the coldest conditions and is immune to Koi Herpes Virus (KHV). It’s the ghost carp element that makes it distinctive – and it fights harder than the original F1.

Commercials that have already shared more than 10 tonnes of F1 ghosts include Gold Valley Lakes in Hampshire, Tunnel Barn Farm in Warwickshire, Staffordshire’s Heronbrook Fishery and Bradshaw Hall in Lancashire.

“When we stocked the fish there was more than 700lb caught in a match the very next day,” said Bradshaw’s Luke Worthington.

“Anglers love them because they look more individual than original F1s and fight really hard. We have more on order for next year.”

This is just the first phase of stockings across the UK that will continue until March 2017.

Babylon Fish Farm owner Jason Dorkings, who was involved in the creation of the original F1 carp, has been working on this latest project for over four years at his Kent facility. 

He says there is such demand for the F1 ghosts that there’s now a waiting list for venues that want to stock them.

“These fish have surpassed all my expectations and the feedback has been tremendous. I can’t produce them fast enough to meet demand,” he said.

“We’ve stocked fish from 6ins up to 2lb and they are stunning to look at. I really can’t wait to see how big they can grow.”

Tunnel Barn Farm in the Midlands is another venue where anglers have been singing the praises ofthe new strain, and boss Tony McGuire said: “Anglers have been over the moon with this fish, which has already featured in our winter league matches.

“Their willingness to feed in the colder conditions seems to have encouraged other species to have a proper go as well.

“Pleasure anglers love the look of the F1 ghost as well. But remember to fine down your rigs to catch them through the winter.”

Battling flu... and a near-60

A morning he will never, ever forget is how TJ Elliott described catching this giant 59lb 12oz mirror – despite coming down with flu during his session.

The fish, known as Single Scale, came during a midweek trip to a large southern club water. Having found a likely looking spot a few weeks earlier, TJ continued to fish the same swim each week and baited heavily with CC Moore Live System boilies each time.

“It soon became clear that my spots were getting cleaner and cleaner,” he said.

On this occasion, TJ got in the swim on Wednesday morning but after baiting up his illness kicked in. 

“At around 4pm I had only managed to put one of the rods out to the spots and then decided to have a little sleep as my flu continued to progress.”

After eventually getting his other two rods out before nightfall, TJ returned to bed but was woken at 4.30am to a single beep “followed by my clutch going into absolute overdrive”.

“The fight was very straightforward, just 15 minutes of very heavy lunges and slow plodding. 

“When she came up for the net, I knew it was her! I scooped the net under what can only be described as a baby whale and as she passed over the cord I let out a massive ‘YES!’. It was definitely a morning I will never, ever forget.”

TJ fished snowman rigs with Live System and CC Moore Dairy Supreme boilies on fluorocarbon D rigs.

‘Prehistoric’ giant beaten on feeder rod!

This 165lb white sturgeon was tamed on a feeder rod from a private lake in Italy.

The captor was French angler Seb Nash, an angling adrenaline junkie who specialises in targeting huge fish on pole or heavy match tackle. 

Seb landed the prehistoric-looking specimen at midnight following a 30-minute tussle on 30lb line, a size 6 hook and a 3.8m feeder rod. 

He floatfished a piece of smoked herring in the margins over a bed of pellets for his prize.

51lb mirror banked on only bite of trip

Liam cradles his 51lb mirror, which fell to a pop-up.

Liam McGoldrick had only one bite during a weekend session on Wellington Country Park – but he wasn’t complaining when it resulted in a superb 51lb mirror. 

Arriving at the venue in the dark, the 32-year-old baited up and cast out. The following morning he noticed fish feeding further down the bank, but rather than recast and risk spooking them, Liam left his baits in position in the hope that the fish would move out of the area and towards his swim.

That proved to be a wise move by the senior contracts manager from Kent. 

He said: “The bite came at around 10pm and it was just a single bleep, followed by the line pinging out of the clip. 

“I was on the rod straight away, and the fight was immense – the fish was extremely angry and did not want to give up!”

Liam used a Mainline Cell pop-up over a spread of bottom baits and presented it on a Ronnie rig made using a size 4 Gardner Tackle Mugga hook and a safety lead clip system from the same company. 

Pair of fours make a winning perch hand

Perch fishing sessions don’t get much better than the one Ben Hinton enjoyed on the River Thames.

He landed no fewer than a dozen 2lb-plus fish topped by this specimen of 4lb 6oz.

Fishing an unnamed stretch of the waterway, the Gardner Tackle-sponsored angler’s dream haulfeatured three 3lb stripeys as well as another of 4lb 1oz in what he called ‘by far the most crazy three hours’ fishing I’ve ever had’. 

Ben tempted all his perch on trotting tactics with small livebaits under a bobber float. He used 5lb Gardner fluorocarbon mainline and a size 6 Gardner wide gape Talon Tip hook.  

Perch are Ancholme deciders

Mouncey League
River Ancholme, Cake Mills (32 pegs)

Perch are the target fish on the river now as the roach are yet to arrive in numbers. 

Drennan Barnsley Blacks star Simon Fields topped this latest round with 8-0-0 of fish to 1lb off peg 32. The former Division One National champ caught on chopped worm and caster fished at 11m. 

Second went to Paul Cannon on 6-4-0. Leading the league is Wayne Easter on 33 points, one in front of Rich Pulford.

Result: 1 S Fields, Drennan Barnsley Blacks, 8-0-0;
2 P Cannon, Mosella, 6-4-0; 3 P Iveson, Scunthorpe, 5-14-0; 4 K Harrison, Scunthorpe, 5-0-0; 5 I Parkinson, Scunthorpe, 4-14-0; 6 C Camburn, Scunthorpe, 4-4-0.

League: 1 W Easter, 33pts; 2 R Pulford, 32; jt3 R Bent,
G Tock and G Bunnage, all 28.

Two fifties in Holme Fen catch boosted by three thirties

Steve Wright banked one of the biggest carp braces in history with mirrors of 57lb 1oz and 52lb 14oz from Meadows Lake at Holme Fen in Cambridgeshire.

The 35-year-old also had carp of 38lb 2oz and 37lb 6oz for a four-fish average of over 46lb, before nipping next door to Poachers Pool and banking a 33-pounder! 

“Put it this way,” the Stockport carper told Angling Times with a chuckle. “I’d caught three thirties in my entire fishing life before this trip, and now I’ve had two fifties and four thirties in the same session.”

Steve was among a group of nine anglers on Meadows Lake, which is open to all on a booking system, but spent two of his six nights on the neighbouring Poachers Pool.

He came third in the draw for swims on Meadows and opted to set up in Party Point Double.

“I’ve been to Holme Fen twice before and caught both times, but I’d been really unlucky and caught stockies of 16lb and 19lb,” said builder Steve.

“Party Point Double was my third-choice swim and we hadn’t seen any fish, but I knew there was a clear spot to fish at about 16-and-a-bit wraps (65 yards). The first night I put two rods on that spot and had the 52-pounder, so I switched all my rods to that area for the second night. 

“Nothing happened the second night and I think I had probably put too many rods on the spot, so I left two on there for the third night and had the 38.

“On the last night I was standing in the swim with a mate and we saw a fish come straight out of the water over the spot, and literally within a couple of seconds the bobbin pulled up and line started slowly ticking off the spool. I struck but pulled into absolutely nothing.

“I quickly reeled in and cast the same bait out again.

“As I put the rod on the rests it screamed off and I landed the 57-pounder, before having the 37 within the hour.” 

Preston and Barnsley head to Spanish final

Sunny Spain awaits the anglers of Preston Innovations Telford and Drennan Barnsley Blacks after the two star-studded sides won through from the qualifier for the new World Club Feeder Championships event.

Their prize is now the chance to be crowned inaugural champions next summer.

Although the event at Barston Lakes was fished by only seven teams, organisers are hoping that number will grow in the coming years, with the prize being a weekend of feeder-only action against the best teams in Europe.

And England have a great chance of bagging gold given the strength of angler who will be heading out in 2017.

The Preston Innovations side of England Feeder boss Tommy Pickering, Adam Wakelin, Mick Vials and Will Freeman plus former Ladies World Champ Emma Pickering and ex-Fish O’ champ Neil McKinnon, won but only on total weight. They tied with Barnsley and Daiwa Dorking on 17 points apiece, their 124-8-0 tally getting them over 40lb in front. Barnsley pipped Dorking by just over 3lb.

“The venue is the River Jucar at Fortaleny in Valencia when there will be 30 teams,” said Tommy.

“There weren’t a lot of sides fishing but we just needed to get the qualifiers off the ground, so it was all a bit last minute but it’ll grow. It’s all feeder, feeder and more feeder in the UK at the moment, everywhere you look.”

The winners only just got away with it as, from a commanding lead at the midway stage, they saw their advantage ebb away.

“We were lucky as we thought the fish would move on to a short line at around 18m but they went the opposite way and pushed out,” Tommy explained. “We weren’t ready for that, but others were and I thought at the end that we might not even have qualified. The plan was to fish a small open end feeder with single maggot at around 35m and then come short where we’d filled it in with leam and joker. It worked to an extent!

“I had an easy match, winning with 66-8-0 from peg 55. There’s no Method feeder or pellet allowed, so I fished a little groundbait feeder holding joker and pinkies with single maggot on a size 18 and caught 15 F1s, 13 skimmers and two carp. I think Steve Ringer summed it up best. He said that nobody had the perfect plan. We all got some things correct but missed a few tricks here and there.”

Result: 1 Preston Innovations Telford, 17pts (124-8-0); 2 Drennan Barnsley Blacks, 17 (83-10-0); 3 Daiwa Dorking, 17 (80-4-0); 4 Ringer Baits, 19; 5 Daiwa Gordon League, 22; 6 Derby Railway, 22.5; 7 Stoke MG, 25.5.

Double-figure zander boated from Grafham

A 350-mile round trip in search of a big zander produced a great result for Gary Knowles when he boated a 12lb 2oz specimen.

The Cheshire angler made the long journey to Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire and headed straight for deep water.

Using a 40g jig head with a Quantum Freddie Shad lure, he had a take on his first cast but lost the battle. Determined to set the record straight, he instantly chucked the bait back into the same spot and was immediately rewarded with the biggest predator of the trip.

Returning the next day, Gary carried on the action with several other zeds to a best of 10lb 4oz.

£20m boost for River Severn

FISH PASS SITES

Seven sites have been pinpointed for renovation, with various devices being installed to help fish move more freely up and down the Rivers Severn and Teme. 
The weirs in question are:
• Upper Lode
• Diglis
• Holt
• Lincomb
• Bevere
• Powick
• Knightsford

The UK’s first-ever underwater viewing gallery – that allows spectators to watch fish in one of our most iconic rivers – is just part of a huge £20 million improvement project.

Years of discussions to secure the huge pot of government funding to transform the River Severn have finally come to fruition, and now Angling TImes can reveal how that cash will be allocated.

Millions will be spent on making it easier for coarse and game fish to migrate up and down the waterway via many state-of-the-art fish passes, but along with improved access and habitat improvements, arguably the most talked-about development is the installation of the unique underwater viewing area at Diglis Weir in Worcester.

Members of the public will be able to look in on what goes on beneath the surface, with the large shoals of barbel, chub, predators and silverfish all expected to be on show.

For those that are unable to visit the site, a live feed is expected to run on the internet to give everyone the opportunity to see what the river holds.

A collaboration between several influential bodies, including the Canal & River Trust, came up with the idea, and its national fisheries and angling manager John Ellis said: “In the past fishing’s big problem is that the general public can’t see what’s going on beneath the surface. There’s been an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality.

“But the first-ever viewing window at Diglis Weir will open up this underwater world and give people an incredible insight into the lives of fish, their surroundings and their importance to our natural world.

“This work will open up more of our waterways for coarse and game species to become more widespread, while improving habitats and river environments. It’s great news that more conservation bodies are recognising fish and angling.”

Severn Rivers Trust deputy director Mike Morris was equally delighted at the scheme’s confirmation, and he added: “We are extremely keen for local anglers, school children and the wider public to get involved with the viewing gallery, which will be built at Diglis to monitor all movement of fish.

“Staff and volunteers will be on hand to help those with no prior knowledge of what lies beneath the surface and give them a better understanding of the various species they come across.”

The news comes just one week after the Environment Agency announced plans to provide free rod licences to all under-16s. 

Reigning RiverFest champion Tom Lane believes this move will further assist the process of attracting more juniors into the sport. 

He told Angling Times: “If youngsters are given the chance to view fish in their natural habitat it will create a unique opportunity that I am sure will spark an interest in the underwater habitat.

“Fish are often forgotten about, but this is a fantastic way to educate people and get them into angling at the same time.”

Work will get underway next year, with the scheme set to be completed by 2022.

Carper’s 30lb pike falls to a boilie!

Tom Bray became the envy of predator hunters across the UK when he landed this impressive 30lb 1oz pike... on a boilie!

This is only the second pike that the 21-year-old has ever caught, and it gave him his only bite during a session at a day-ticket water in Cambridgeshire.

A critically-balanced boilie topped with a popped-up piece of imitation corn was too much for the predator – which beats Tom’s 17lb personal best for the species – to resist.

“At first I thought it was a small carp. It was shaking its head and giving a decent account of itself as it neared the net,” said Tom.

“I probably would have put the fish back without weighing it, but then it rolled over in the net and I couldn’t believe the girth of the creature. 

“My mate, who’s a keen piker, came down to see it and he was blown away, so there was no way I was going to slip this one back without weighing it properly and getting a few shots.”

Tom, from St Ives, Cambs, had never seriously targeted pike before this recent trip to his local carp water, but in the light of this accidental capture he’s now admitted to an urge to fish specifically for them this winter.

“I’ve never fancied fishing for pike in the past, but this fish has changed my mind,” Tom continued.

“I know I’ve been very lucky to catch this fish of a lifetime, because anglers fish for years and never catch a 30-pounder.”

“It’s going to take some beating, but who knows what else is in this lake.

New Feeder Champs all set for 2017

Feeder fishing is the method of the moment.

Feeder fishing is set to become even more popular, following talks of the launch of a huge national event to celebrate the tactic.

In the wake of big competitions like the Feeder Masters and the triumphs of the England Feeder team managed by Tommy Pickering, bosses at the Angling Trust are drawing up plans to create an event which could be on par with the current National Angling Championships.

Team England Veterans squad man Joe Roberts and former England International manager Dick Clegg are two big names who have been discussing the plans after increasing demands by anglers and clubs that wish to see the creation of such an event.

Said Joe: “It’s still early days but we hope to create an event that could see as many as 200 anglers in 40 teams on the bank. 

“The recent launch of the World Club Feeder Championship means every nation has to find two clubs to represent them, and we think this would be a better way of qualifying for it than the system we have at present.”

This year’s qualifier for the World Club Feeder Championship was held last weekend and was won by Preston Innovations Telford, with Drennan Barnsley Blacks runners-up. Both qualify for the 2017 World final in Spain.  

The event was held at Barston Lakes in the West Midlands, but Joe believes the new version would require a much bigger venue if it was to go ahead: “Major events are quite difficult to organise in the UK because of the lack of venues able to cope with that number of anglers. The River Trent would meet all the requirements, and really suits feeder anglers,” he added.

New of the new event has been welcomed in the match fishing fraternity, and England International Feeder Team manager Tommy Pickering who said: “All the other nations who enter the World Club Feeder Champs have their own feeder national events, so it’s only right we should have one two. It would be a great spectacle,” he added.

8lb chub tops a week of fantastic catches

The capture of countless huge chub from rivers across the UK has proved that now’s the time to beat your personal best.

Alfie Naylor had every reason to celebrate when he banked the fish of a lifetime in the shape of an 8lb chub from the River Trent.

The specialist from Newark has enjoyed an incredible season so far on the waterway, and his run of form continued when he turned his attentions away from barbel and on to chub.

He opted for a groundbait feeder packed with hemp, pellets and the base mix that formed his 110% Baits Red Ball Plum boilie hookbait, which was attached to the back of a size 8 hook with a short hair.

“I honestly thought it was a common carp. This is by far the biggest chub I’ve ever seen,” Alfie told Angling Times.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that this stretch of the Trent holds a British record fish. 

“It was the best chub venue on the whole river in the 1980s and it’s back to its best. I’ve barely scratched the surface of its potential.”

Elsewhere, a lump of luncheon meat fished over hempseed proved the right combination for Gary Hickling, who banked a new club record 7lb 10oz chub from the Great Ouse.

It sets a new best for Vauxhall Angling Club and was landed from the River Great Ouse by Gary when he fished upstream of Radwell at the stretch of river adjoining the Sharnbrook complex.

A simple leger rig and a bait cast beneath an overhanging tree tempted the fish that beats the previous club record by 2oz.

Moving further south, another angler to smash his personal best for the species was specialist Stuart Davison.

He fished a short session on a Christchurch Angling Club-controlled stretch of the Dorset Stour to bank an impressive specimen that took a legered boilie hookbait and topped the scales at 7lb 3oz.

“I caught this fish on a really short session at dusk. It just goes to show that you don’t need to spend hours on the bank,” said Stuart. 

The River Nene in Cambridgeshire has been in incredible form this season, and Peterborough & District Angling Association bailiff Mark Smith banked his biggest-ever chub while fishing a day-ticket stretch.

It weighed 6lb 3oz and was caught on a Sticky Baits Krill boilie.