222lb Siamese carp!

This incredible picture shows one of the world’s biggest Siamese carp – snared on the Method feeder.

It was caught by Tim Webb, the owner of the award-winning Palm Tree Lagoon in Thailand. 

The specimen weighed 222lb and smashed his previous best for the species of 180lb.

He was battling the fish for an hour-and-a-halfbefore it was brought under control with a 50lb braided hooklink and a size 1 hook. “This is, by far, the biggest Siamese carp I’ve ever heard of, let alone seen,” Tim told Angling Times.

“I caught it from an undisclosed stillwater, but I bought the fish and in the photo I am about to stock it into Palm Tree Lagoon. Now anyone can come and try to catch this enormous specimen,” he added.

To find out about Palm Tree Lagoon visit: www.palmtreelagoon.co.uk

Lucky peg 13 brings Welsh forty

Welsh day-ticket water has produced its first 40-pounder in more than two years.

The 40lb 1oz mirror was caught by Shropshire angler Nick Burrage on only his second visit to White Springs, near Swansea.

Fishing with friend Mick Stacey on the Specimen Lake, Nick settled into swim 13, the only peg available when he made the booking a month earlier.

“It was very warm and sunny as we set up, but I like to get my rods out first to make use of every minute on the bank,” said Nick. 

“Within two hours of the rods being out, the one over on the nearby island let out a beep, and with the line lifting in the rings slightly I felt it and drew it back a foot at a time. Without being able to feel the lead at any point, I lifted the rod and was left reeling in lots of slack – until I reached the fish that was swimming towards me!

“By the time I was bent into the fish, it had powered through two of Mike’s lines and we quickly took the bail-arms off to stop the fish using the tight lines like a disgorger to unhook itself. 

“A close-in battle with rolls and boils at my feet continued for
10 minutes, showing her power and fitness. Then, soon enough, she popped up and after one last roll she found my net. 

“The guy came round from next door to see and the scales swung round to 40lb 1oz. We all checked and checked again. The capture became a talking point around the lake and on the internet – I suppose not everyone will be happy about a Shropshire lad catching this fish!

“The lake owner came down, and he’s a great guy. He was telling me about the restocking, so it’s well worth a visit if you’re in that neck of the woods.”

Thousands more angling recruits

The future of angling is bright thanks to the success of this year’s National Fishing Month, which introduced nearly 14,000 new people to the sport over the summer.

The initiative, which is the country’s largest angling participation programme, held a record-breaking 326 special events throughout July and August in a bid to promote fishing to a much wider audience. 

During the six-week period, newcomers across the country were able to learn about fishing and gain new skills thanks to round-the-clock help from licensed coaches and angling bodies such as the Canal & River Trust, the Angling Trust and the Professional Anglers Association. 

Naidre Werner, Chair of the Angling Trades Association (ATA) which runs National Fishing Month, told Angling Times: “I’m over the moon that our NFM participant numbers continue to reflect how important NFM is in creating awareness of angling to the general public. 

“We really do fly the flag for fishing… and people love it!” 

The real key to NFM’s ongoing success is without doubt attributable to the enthusiastic and steadfast support of the voluntary organisers and coaches who actually plan and deliver the events every year. 

“It’s thanks to their hard work that the sport is exposed to so many people – and they deserve our greatest thanks and gratitude for helping recruit the next generation of anglers to our wonderful sport,” Naidre said.

One body that contributed to the overall success of the campaign was the Canal & River Trust, whose partnership with the National Fishing Month campaign helped expose the country’s waterways to hundreds of people. 

John Ellis, Fisheries Manager for the Canal & River Trust, said:
“We are delighted with how well our new partnership with National Fishing Month worked out this year – engaging with nearly 1000 participants. 

“We are already planning a larger programme of events on our canals and rivers in 2017 to make sure that even more people get the fishing habit.”

National Fishing Month was also popular with top fishing brands Daiwa, Fladen, Fox, Leeda and Pure Fishing, who collectively helped make the campaign a reality and a success. 

Naidre Werner added: “These establishments have demonstrated the admirable virtue of ‘putting something back into angling’, and I applaud them for it.”

To find out more information about the event, visit: www.nationalfishingmonth.com

Personal best perch is a joy to (be)hold…

Catching big fish is all about being able to adapt, and Marcus Joy did just that when a barbel fishing session produced this 3lb 12oz perch.

He spotted the predator during a visit to a local river, so he dashed back to his car and exchanged his barbel fishing gear for a spinning outfit.

It was an inspired decision by the Lone Angler Team member. from Gainsborough, Lincs, as he returned to the water and the new personal best took his small rubber lure on the second cast.

“I’m going to keep the spinning rod in the boot for the rest of the season, but I doubt I’ll beat my new pb for quite a while,” he said.

Short sessions yield huge roach

Short sessions are often the key to catching big summer fish, and Stewart Barnes proved exactly that when he banked a string of huge specimens topped by two 2lb roach.

The specialist from Hemel Hempstead set his sights on a tributary of the River Ouse after spotting big roach back in the winter, and a series of short sessions before and after work saw him net his biggest-ever roach along with 10 other fish to a best of 1lb 10oz.

But his river success didn’t end there. The Big Fish Gear team member became the envy of countless big-fish hunters when he also netted several barbel to double figures and a huge chub weighing 6lb 4oz.

“Sometimes I’ll get down to the river in my lunch hour and only get 30 minutes’ fishing, but it’s well worth it, as these fish prove,” enthused Stewart.

“To catch one 2lb river roach at this time of the year is incredible, but to land two is an unbelievable achievement.”

In order to create a feeding frenzy in his swim, Stewart cast out a simple leger rig with a single 10mm halibut pellet hookbait and then fed 3mm pellets constantly over the top.

He also fished his hookbait as tight as possible to the back of his size 10 hook with a short hair rig.

“Lots of anglers just cast out a lead with a PVA bag and then wait,” he said. “But feeding by hand over the top really creates competition in the swim and the fish soon become preoccupied with the free offerings.

“This makes them much easier to catch.”

43lb 4oz personal best carp after family bereavement

An emotional Eddie Warde caught the fish of his dreams just days after his dad passed away.

Having lost his father Wez to cancer, the Northamptonshire angler was determined to fulfil
a long-standing social session – and it turned into a trip he will never forget.

“Two weeks before the trip my dad Wez was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and just five days before the planned outing I received the heart-wrenching news that he had sadly died,”
said Eddie. 

“I was devastated but adamant the trip should still go ahead. I told friends and family members that something special would grace my net, but I had one particular fish in mind that I really wanted and I said Wez would give it to me!”

Eddie and Rushden Angling Centre owner Nick Whitmill headed to nearby Ecton Lakes in search of that special fish.

On the first night, Eddie went to bed at about 11pm and told Nick “I’m having the Big Lin”.

Four hours later, Eddie was woken by a single bleep and hit into a fish. “The rod was solid with rafts of floating weed covering the line,” said the Higham Ferrers angler, who donned his waders to help with the fight.

“Gradually the fish came into view and it was one of the lake’s two big linears! At this point I
was shaking and thinking ‘could
it really be the one?’.”

Indeed it was – 11 months after its last capture, the Big Lin at a personal-best weight of 43lb 4oz. 

“Nick was speechless and I was in pieces, so after weighing we sacked her as sunrise was almost upon us and raised a celebratory beer to my beloved dad, knowing he’d made my dreams come true. 

“I just sat in the water with the Big Lin, sobbing until sunrise. 

“A monumental moment in our hearts and minds, a trip that will never be forgotten.”

18lb 3oz monster sets a new River Nene barbel record

The River Nene barbel record has been smashed with the capture of a massive 18lb 3oz specimen.

The incredible fish was landed by big-fish ace Nigel Bryans, who tempted it on a trimmed-down 3ft Twitch Lamprey and Smoked Herring boilie.

It was a short unplanned evening session that turned into the trip of a lifetime for the 53-year-old Lincolnshire angler, and Nigel has now beaten his own official record for the waterway, which he has held since 2012, by 11oz.

Fishing on a Peterborough & District Angling Association stretch of the river, Nigel initially fed a swim with freebie boilies.

But he was soon upping sticks after making what would turn out to be a huge discovery: “I have fished the venue for years and usually start in the same swim, but after feeding the spot I went for a walk and spotted this huge fish hiding in the weed. 

“I knew it was one of the bigger barbel in the stretch, so I moved my gear and decided to go after it,” he said. 

Within an hour of casting out his leger rig attached to a PVA bag of matching broken and whole boilies, Nigel’s tip flew round. Despite a spirited fight the fish was no match for his size 14 hook, 2ft of 15lb Gardner Trickster braid hooklength and 18lb braided mainline.

The barbel, thought to be the same specimen that was banked at a weight of 18lb by Gary Johnson back in June, was weighed and returned with the help of a witness, allowing Nigel to claim a new venue record. 

“I am really proud to break my own personal record for the river – the fishing has been hard this year, so to catch this fish, especially with the river being so low and clear, is really satisfying,” he added.

Records tumble at Arran’s Lake with 1,514lb match winner

THE RESULT

1 Michael Jones – 1,514lb
2 Michael Corsini – 1,341lb
3 Nathan Gooderham – 1,020lb
4 Douglas Richardson – 947lb
5 John Hague – 928lb
6 Louis Johnson – 612lb

The biggest weight in the history of world competitive fishing has been taken at a colossal 1,514lb.

Arran’s Lake in Essex has a reputation for producing monster catches in summer, but even the most ambitious of expectations were obliterated when Michael Jones netted more than 350 carp averaging 4lb during a six-hour contest.

That wasn’t the only talking point on the day, because Michael Corsini took what is now the second-biggest match weight anywhere in the UK, an incredible 1,341lb for runner-up spot. And spare a thought for sixth-placed Louis Johnson, who didn’t win a penny despite bagging 612lb.

Warm temperatures and a gentle ripple greeted the field on the day. The match was split into two three-hour events with a weigh-in at half time to conform with fishery rules.

Using pellet 5m out, Michael Jones put 705lb in the net in the first session, stepping up his efforts after the break to collar another 809lb.

Runner-up and match organiser Michael Corsini relied on corn close in and recorded 582lb in the first half and 759lb in the second. He told Angling Times: “We all knew that big catches were going to be on the cards, but never in our wildest dreams did we expect weights like these.

“It was a literally a fish-a-chuck and by the end of the match I was so exhausted that I felt like I’d run a marathon!

“You couldn’t get the bait in quickly enough and during each half I had 10 keepnets in the water to conform with weight limits, reducing the amount of space I had to fish into.”

News of the huge catches has divided opinion in the match angling world. 

Some people are claiming that the big-weight culture has gone too far, but Michael disagrees with the criticism.

“People have this perception that fish are dragged in on stupidly heavy tackle and in bad condition, but that couldn’t be further than the truth,” he said.

“I use 0.21mm line and a sensible elastic. It’s all about the technique of getting fish in, rather than piling on a ridiculous amount of pressure that could cause them damage.

“The fish are always breeding, which shows they are happy in their environment, and the owner regularly nets out smaller carp to create space for the bigger ones. 

“Sensible rules and good fishery management are applied, and I’d say that Arrans is just a special and unique fishery.”

Several other matches are set to be staged in the coming months, with a winter league also pencilled in at the complex.

You can find out more or book a spot by calling Michael on 07522 149186.

This season's biggest crucian carp

This is the picture of the biggest true crucian of the season. It topped the scales at 3lb 13oz and was banked by Korum-backed specialist Ed Matthews.

The specimen came from a little-known venue in Shropshire that Ed himself stocked with the species seven years ago.

He started his short afternoon session at Sutton Carp Syndicate in style with a brace of impressive fish of 3lb 4oz and 3lb 2oz, but the best was yet to come.

After rebaiting his spot with balls of groundbait laced with pellets and then recasting his simple feeder rigs over the top, it wasn’t long before the huge fish sucked up an 8mm Sonubaits oozing pineapple boilie.

Ed said: “I was so chuffed to have two three pounders I called my mate to come and take pictures and, as we were getting the shots, my rod rattled off again.

“As soon as it was in the net I could tell it was much bigger as it was much rounder with a higher back. I was overwhelmed, as I stocked these crucians when they were around 1in long and cared for them for so many years just hoping one day that they’d weigh over 3lb.

“Now it’s got me wondering just how big they could go."

His session-to-remember also produced fish weighing 2lb 10oz and 2lb 5oz, which were all taken on rigs that featured Korum Easy Feeders that were packed with 2mm pellets.

There are very few venues in the UK that hold genuine crucians because of the hybridisation that occurs with other fish.

Ed’s a supporter of the National Crucian Conservation Project (NCCP) which helps promote and protect the future of true crucians. Now he says he hopes the fish he’s nurtured will help inspire other fishery owners and managers to increase the spread of this popular but declining species.

“The exciting thing about this catch is how young the fish look. I hope the lake produces many more like it in what is a testing time for crucians,” he said.

“Their growth shows what’s possible. I just hope that what I’ve done helps inspire others to do the same and get on board with initiatives like the NCCP to play their part in seeing numbers of this wonderful species increase across the country.”

Dave Lane catches his eighth UK fifty

Dave Lane cemented his reputation as one of the best carp anglers of all time with the capture of his eighth British 50-pounder.

The Suffolk-based angler caught the stunning 52lb 12oz fish, known as Colin, from the Shallow Lagoon on the St Ives complex in Cambridgeshire at the end of a productive spell brought on by a change of tactics.

After managing just four fish in as many months, Dave’s last four weeks on the syndicate venue has produced 16 carp. 

The TFG and Mainline-backed angler said: “This season has been particularly tricky as the carp have been totally preoccupied with the vast array of natural food. After four months of hard angling, I only had four fish to show for it.

“However, a change in tactics, involving huge amounts of particles, seeds and chopped Mainline Hybrid boilies, soon started to turn things in my favour.

“I eventually identified two spots where the carp were willing to feed and kept these topped up with bait as often as possible.

“Once the bites started to come I decided to keep my results a secret, hoping to capitalise on the situation before anyone else noticed and the area became busier as a result.

“In all, I managed a four-week run, fishing two or three nights a week, and I caught carp every morning at some point between 4am and 11am.

“My final bite came at 5.45am on a Wednesday morning when, after a heavy battle in the thick weed, I slipped the net under my obsession at 52lb 12oz.”

Writing on Facebook after the capture, Dave added: “I can’t possibly reply individually to the hundreds of well-wishers who have commented this morning but thank you all.

“It is quite humbling to see how many people actually take an interest in my little obsessions.”

Help save our lakes from KHV

Britain's anglers are being urged to play a major part in stopping the spread of a deadly disease that continues to threaten our fisheries.

Several high-profile commercials have been hit by Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) in recent weeks but experts believe that the problem can be contained if anglers pull together.

Thousands of pounds have been spent on research to find out how the disease is spread, with evidence suggesting it can latch on to landing nets and keepnets and be transferred when anglers visit other fisheries if the nets have not been exposed to ultra-violet light and dried out.

Leading scientist Bruno Broughton is adamant that anglers hold the key to eradicating KHV. He said: “This is a highly infectious disease of carp with a high mortality rate.

“But anglers have the power to help slow the spread of KHV by making sure all nets and carp sacks are dried thoroughly in sunlight. UV light kills the virus, and if all anglers did this it could make a huge difference to the number of fisheries that contract the disease.” 

Worcestershire’s Larford Lakes is among those that has been hit by the virus. Staff there are opting to stay open for business while introducing measures including net dips to try and stop KHV spreading further.

The Glebe Fishery has also contracted the disease and has been closed to members until at least early August. Owner Roy Marlow said: “People have asked how we got KHV, and as we do not buy any fish in, by far the most likely cause is that it was transferred by anglers with infected nets kept in a stink bag that had recently been in an infected water.

“We have a dry net rule, but it only needs one angler not to abide by it and it’s a disaster.”

Many fisheries have net dips and provide their own nets to help prevent the spread of disease, but more and more venue owners are now insisting that anglers dry their nets before fishing.

One such complex is the popular Barston Lakes, in Solihull, West Midlands. Barston hasn’t been affected by KHV, and takes all the precautions necessary to safeguard the venue. 

Top fisheries consultant and owner of AE Fisheries, Andrew Ellis, believes that commercial fishery bosses also have a massive part to play in KHV prevention. He said: “Too many fishery owners don’t have regular surveys done in the winter and therefore know nothing about their lakes with regard to key factors such as stocking densities.

“Many fisheries choose to introduce more fish without knowing how many they have in the first place. This is very dangerous once water temperatures start to rise and we experience the kind of weatherwe’ve had in the last few weeks.

“Ensuring that you have a healthy fishery is the best way to keep issues such as KHV at bay, and I’d advise any owner that hasn’t had any advice on the issue to get in touch.”

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WHAT IS KHV?

KHV is a highly infectious disease that hits hardest in water temperatures between 16°C and 28°C. Outside of this range it may stop affecting a fishery. It is spread from fish to fish, but other agencies can be responsible for its transfer, including fish urine, faeces and infected water. On some fisheries KHV can wipe out just a handful of fish while on others the whole stock of carp can die from it.

The first confirmed outbreaks were in Israel in 1998, since when it has spread rapidly to at least four continents. It was first reported in the UK in ornamental fish in 2000, but the first main outbreak in recreational fisheries was in 2006. Since then there have been between six and 25 confirmed outbreaks each year. There is no known cure.

Any fishery who suspects they have KHV must inform CEFAS, who will then investigate and confirm whether or not this is the case by running a series of tests.

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3 STEPS TO PREVENT KHV

Anglers hold the key to stopping the spread of KHV. Here are three simple things you can do to help the cause.

1 Let the sun do its work

Dry your nets – nets that are damp and chucked in the garage will harbour infections that can live for weeks on end. 

But by putting your nets out on the lawn in sunlight once you get home, you are almost guaranteed to kill any infections. 

If you are unable to dry your nets at home, lay them out on the bank at the fishery before your session, giving them at least 45 minutes in direct sunlight.

2 Tend to your stink bags

Empty stink bags – the stagnant water that collects in the bottom of these can also harbour deadly bugs. 

Tip the water out of your bag, making sure you do this well away from any venue so that it can’t seep in. Keep your stink bag open while you are fishing and allow the sunlight to dry it, killing all the bugs in the process.

3 Sterilise your nets

Use net dips – hundreds of commercials insist on visitors fully submerging their keepnets in a chemical solution before they start to fish. Although there is a lot of debate as to how effective dips are in the fight against disease, there is certainly no evidence to suggest they cause harm, and when in place they should be used.

Drying your nets after they have been dipped makes it even more likely that all bugs will be killed.

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HELP IS AT HAND...

The Fish Health Inspectorate is part of Government agency the Centre for Environment, Food and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS). If you have any worries about your stocks email:
fhi@cefas.co.uk or call: 01305 206700.

Or contact the Environment Agency’s 24-hour hotline: 0800 807060. For more details on preventing the spread of KHV visit www.aefisheries.co.uk or www.bruno-broughton.co.uk 

21lb bream is ‘fish of a lifetime’

A 30-year quest to land a giant bream finally came to an end for Bob Pickering when he banked this 21lb monster from a North West stillwater.

The Stoke-on-Trent big-fish enthusiast had spent three decades in search of the elusive big bream from the 90-acre mere, and finally hit the jackpot when the 21-pounder fell for a legered 6mm pellet. Incredibly, it is the first bream to be caught from the venue this year, despite the fact that the fish are regularly targeted. 

Yet another blank night session looked to be on the cards for Bob until the bite he had waited so long for materialised at first light. He told Angling Times: “When I picked the rod up the fish powered off and I was convinced I had hooked a carp or a tench.

“Once it was within netting range I saw the back of the fish and I couldn’t believe it was one of the huge bream that I had waited so many years to catch.

“I have never had a bream over 7lb from this water and nobody else had caught one of the true beasts for months on end. This is the fish of a lifetime – all those blanks and years of frustration have been more than worthwhile.”

Bob caught the fish from a gravel bar 60 yards out, and his winning rig comprised a 15lb braided hooklength and a size 10 hook.

Northern specimen angler Gary Knowles was blown away by the catch. He said: “This is the catch of the season. It is a vast water that holds a handful of bream that barely ever get caught. 

“It’s such a well-deserved fish when you consider how long Bob has been targeting them.”

UK Champs victory on first Boddington trip

Boddington Reservoir made its Old Ghost UK Angling Championships debut for the third round. 

Some areas proved hard, but others provided plenty of bites from the Northants venue’s big carp, and South Yorkshire youngster Alex Dockerty won the match with a level 140-0-0.

Twenty-year-old Alex, from Hatfield Woodhouse, won on his very first visit to the venue, using Method feeder, bomb and pellet waggler tactics to net 19 carp and take the £1,000 cheque for winning the round.

Second spot went to the ever-consistent Andy Power with 134-6-0, with Surrey’s Robbie Taylor ending up in third on 119-2-0.

Pegs in the 90s and early 100s were the ones to draw, as Alex topped the shop at peg 107 with Andy not far away on peg 97.

“This was my first visit to Boddington. Everyone said that my peg was in a good area, so I went to it at least happy that I would catch a few,” said university student and Lindholme Lakes tackle shop worker Alex. “The plan was to begin on the Method feeder and give it an hour to see how it went. If I caught then I’d stick to the feeder but if not, my back-up was a bomb line at 30m where I could also fish the pellet waggler and swap between the two.”

Beginning with a 60m chuck on the pellet Method using a small orange boilie on the hook, Alex netted his first carp after 10 minutes to settle his nerves, adding another in the remainder of that opening hour. That prompted him to throw the bomb over where he’d been pinging in three 8mm pellets regularly.

“First chuck with an 8mm pellet I got a carp and from then on it was steady – not a bite a chuck but enough indications and bites to keep the interest up,” he continued. 

“The change to the pellet waggler came when I got liners regularly on the bomb. The float was set 3ft deep and cast every 15 seconds, with most bites coming as soon as it settled. I caught 11 fish on this, including two 15lb carp, six on the bomb and those two on the feeder.”

Result: 1 Alex Dockerty, Garbolino Lindholme/Bag ‘Em Baits, 142-0-0; 2 Andy Power, Preston Innovations, 134-6-0; 3 Robbie Taylor, Daiwa Dorking, 119-2-0.

Section winners: A - Damien Brierley, 75-8-0; B - Jason Brown, 65-0-0; C - Ady Hull, 34-10-0; D - Mark Fox, 66-0-0; E - Joe Wheeldon, 63-12-0; F - Steve Cooke, 81-9-0; G - Jason LeBosquet, 98-2-0; H - Rob Wootton, 80-0-0

11 doubles in huge bag of bream!

One of the greatest-ever hauls of double-figure bream has been taken from a Nottingham gravel pit... and Angling Times was there to photograph it!

Mark Perkins used simple feeder tactics to land no fewer than 11 double-figure fish to a best of over 13lb when we joined him on the banks of Nottingham AA’s Attenborough Nature Reserve.

During the memorable session the Dynamite Baits and Shimano-backed rod feeder-fished worm and maggot hookbaits to take 15 fish in just a few hours’ fishing at a water he believes is one of the finest bream venues in the UK.

“This place is incredible, and everything just came together on the day, said Mark, from Bingham, Notts. “The fact that I made such a fantastic catch with Angling Times photographer Lloyd Rogers on the bank with me made it even better.”

“We only decided to go there the night before I fished, so if I’d had more time I would have put some bait in leading up to the session. Who knows what I’d have had if I’d got more fish in the area?”

With a strong wind blowing into his face on the bank of the windsurfing lake, which is part of the Notts complex, Mark fished a groundbait feeder at 25 yards.

It was packed with pellets and casters, then plugged at each end with groundbait. All of Mark’s fish were beaten with 6lb mainline and a 0.16 mm hooklink attached to a size 14 hook.

“The wind had been blowing into that bank for about a week so I knew the fish would be there and that there was no need to cast too far out,” Mark continued.

“One of the biggest tips for catching the really big bream is to introduce plenty of pellets through the feeder. Lots of carpers fish this water and the bream have become used to feeding on the pellets they introduce.”

Dave Turner, secretary of Nottingham AA, is excited about the reserve’s potential.

“This lake has always been known for huge catches of big bream and the average size of the fish just keeps improving every year,” he said.

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there’s a 20-pounder in there because it’s such a rich, healthy water and lots of high-protein bait is introduced by carp anglers. Anyone interested in fishing here should contact me,” he added.

Daiwa Dorking are World Club champs!

Daiwa Dorking have lifted the World Club Championships in San Marino – the first English club to be crowned champions since Essex County back in the 1980s.
They did it in style on San Marino’s Ostellato Canal, winning both days of action against 27 other teams from around Europe to finish on 23 points, four in front of Italian locals and red hot favourites Lenza Emiliana Tubertini.
England men William Raison, Des Shipp, Simon Willsmore, Callum Dicks and Darren Davies, plus Welsh international Lee Edwards, went all out for bream and skimmers in searing 40ºC heat, leaving boss Steve Sanders bursting with pride. “We were third a few years back, but this is the one we so badly wanted to win,” he said. “The team were awesome, professional and full of confidence.
“The fishing was very physical and I doubt that many anglers could do what was required,” he continued.
“In the 10-minute prebaiting period we fed a crazy amount made up of 12 litres of groundbait made into 17 balls and thrown in, then six more cupped in, topped off with 20 balls of leam potted in, all at 13m. We managed this with around five seconds remaining!”
Dorking had worked out how to catch both small and large fish by feeding just the once. The groundbait would catch small skimmers for the opening few hours, before the leam kicked in to pick off the bonus skimmers and bream.
“As ever on international matches, end pegs in the sections seemed to be best, so when we got five middle pegs on day one, I feared for us – but the lads were phenomenal. To finish three points out in front was a brilliant result,” Steve enthused.
“Day two gave us better pegs, but on many sections there wasn’t much in it. Callum caught a catfish to nick the section from the Italian and Lee was struggling until his leam kicked in and he went from having 300g with two hours to go to weighing over 7kg for good points.”
Joker, casters and hemp went into both the groundbait and heavy, sticky leam mixes, each angler topping up when the bites faded with a small ball. The signal to try for better fish came when a big skimmer was caught, often around 90 minutes to two hours into the match. That would see three or four bloodworms fished overdepth.
Added Steve: “The Italian side knew the venue well and didn’t practise properly in the first few days but we were emptying the place, catching up to 30kg.
They saw this, got back on their boxes and started to take it seriously.”

Result: 1 Daiwa Dorking, 23pts (11 12); 2 Lenza Emiliana Tubertini, 27 (14 13); 3 MMX Tubertini, 44; 4 RS Crazy Boys Maver, 50; 5 Sensas 28, 52; 6 Sensas Ntra Sra Del Prado, 54; 7 Triple A Milo, 56; 8 Drennan, 57; 9 SPS Serravalle Maver, 59; 10 Fishing Tackle Max, 61; 11 Team Dunaev, 67; 12 Maver Zammataro, 70; 13 Fish Dream, 71; 14 DGBF Belgique, 78; 15 Lempaalan KK Colmic, 78; 16 Sumadija, 80; 17 SRZ Powazska Bistrica Sensas, 81; 17 Pesnica-Sensas Slovenjia, 81; 19 Corvin Hunedoara II Trabucco, 83; 20 Eko Fishing, 86; 21 Virtus Fishing Team Sensas, 88; 22 SRD Rak-Raktje, 90; 23 Constellation Stockholm, 95; 24 Clube de Pesca de Competicao, 102; 25 US RGD Jelah Tesanj, 104; 26 Tubertini Team Ireland Fermoy CA, 109; 27 Sportfescherverain Stadtbredimus, 123; 28 Odense Sportsfisker Klub, 131.

Fish O’Mania final was ‘the best ever’

Organisers of Fish O’Mania have labelled this year’s final ‘the best ever’ and have already started work on planning the next campaign.
Thousands of people tuned in to watch the action unfold and were treated to arguably the most thrilling final in the history of the tournament.
It wasn’t until the dying stages that the winner became clear, with Andy May just about doing enough to see off a talented field and bag the coveted trophy and £50,000 top prize.
Host venue Cudmore Fisheries had been subject to criticism from some quarters after weights dwindled during the 2014 and 2015 finals, but the Staffordshire complex bounced back in style.
Tournament owners Matchroom Sport were delighted at the event and Media Director Luke Riches told Angling Times: “It was an amazing final that saw the 16 anglers share over 600lb of fish between them – that is more than double what was landed last year.
“The Arena Lake was always going to take time to settle down from draining and restocking, and it has certainly done that now.
“There were four different leaders and the lead changed hands six times. The runner-up spot for £10,000 was not decided until the very last weigh-in... how’s that for drama?”
Champion Andy May was in full agreement that the final will live long in the memory, and he said: “The staff at Cudmore have got the stocking spot-on, and it made for a fantastic match that was alive until the very end.”
Discussions have already been held to decide the format of next year’s tournament, and Luke hinted that changes could be made for 2017.
“We saw the event as a huge success but we have had plenty of feedback from anglers.
“As a result of this we will be looking at tweaking the qualification process to make
Fish O’Mania even more exciting,” concluded Luke.

Cambs venue’s 61lb 4oz lake record tops feeding spell

An incredible fortnight at one of the country’s top open-access waters produced 16 thirties, eight forties, four fifties and the same 60-pounder twice.
Meadows Lake at Holme Fen Fishery in Cambridgeshire only opened last year but has already provided dozens of anglers with new personal bests.
It can be fished by anyone on a pre-booking system and owner Martin Dawson said it was an “incredible” period with “pbs being broken on a daily basis”.
The lake’s biggest resident, Captain Jack, first fell to Darren Price in a 24-hour 10-fish hit from Harry’s Swim. He caught the big mirror at 60lb 6oz along with others of 41lb 2oz and 38lb 8oz.
The following week, Barry Mann also caught Captain Jack at a new lake record of 61lb 4oz from the Dugout. Barry, who fished white pop-ups on hinged stiff rigs, also had mirrors of 48lb 4oz and 43lb 4oz.
Brothers Trevor and Darren Frisby fished for six nights and also cashed in.
Darren managed five fish, including a 48lb 10oz specimen and a 44lb 15oz fish from Party Point, while Trevor had seven to 52lb 2oz from the Dugout.
Trevor, from nearby Yaxley, told Angling Times: “It was a phenomenal week, it just blew us away. An average fish in that lake is 30lb, and I caught almost all of mine in a 24-hour period.
“We got there on Monday and within an hour of starting Darren had a new pb of 36lb 10oz.
“I had a 16lb 8oz common from Party Point Single on Tuesday morning, but then moved to the Dugout and found new spots on the Friday morning.
“Between 12pm on Friday and mid-afternoon Saturday I had five thirties and a fifty!”
Elsewhere, Graham Peach caught a 52lb 8oz mirror on his final day in the Beach, while Mark Shaw in Party Point had mirrors of 52lb 2oz and 51lb 6oz.

World predator event at Grafham Water

Gary Palmer’s huge 36lb 6oz pike

Angling Times readers are being given the chance to win some of the biggest cash prizes in predator fishing with the launch of a new lure fishing event.
Prizes worth £18,000 will be up for grabs when the first-ever UK qualifier for the hugely popular World Predator Classic (WPC) kicks off on Sunday, August 21 at Grafham Water Park in Cambridgeshire.
Hordes of anglers from across Europe have already signed up to the England World Predator Classic Boat & Kayak Qualifier, which will see the winners walk away with an all-expenses-paid entry into next year’s £70,000 World Predator Classic (WPC) held in Holland.
The ‘open to all’ qualifier, which has been organised by former England Lure International Gary Palmer, will become one of the richest non-match fishing competitions on the UK angling calendar, but Gary believes this is just the start of something huge.
“The popularity of species such as pike, perch and zander has hit an all-time high and the call for more high-profile lure events like this has become greater each year,” he said.
“The WPC has grown immensely since it started three years ago, and qualifiers have already taken place elsewhere in Europe – next year we will have one in Wales and Scotland.
“Although anyone can enter the WPC, anglers are required to use their own boat.
“That can prove expensive and difficult, so the qualifier will give more average anglers the chance to attend.”
Gary tasted success for himself in this year’s WPC just a few weeks ago, winning the largest fish award with the capture of a monster 35lb 6oz pike (pictured).
Fishing on the famous Hellevoetsluis Lake ,Tokar-backed Gary tempted the giant predator on a 4ins Spro Bomy Shaker lure.
The WPC Qualifier isn’t the only lure fishing event to be held next month. The weekend of August 6/7 will see dozens of kayak anglers take to the water in Northamptonshire for the Pitsford Kayak Grand Slam.
The competition, which is another ‘open to all’ event, has been arranged by kayak angler Dane Wood, who warmed up for the event by netting a giant personal-best 5lb perch from
an unknown water in the Cotswolds while fishing with the Ocean Kayak UK Fishing Team.

18lb 13oz zander from the Severn

The River Severn has produced a 18lb 13oz zander, Angling Times can exclusively reveal.
Current British record-holder for the species, James Benfield, legered a bleak deadbait just a few feet from the bank on the famous waterway to lure the fish.
The capture comes just nine years after the 28-year-old from Malvern, Worcs, made history by banking the 21lb 5oz British best from the same venue.
It was the slightest tap on the rod-tip that signalled the bite from the shy predator during his latest session on the rver.
“These zander are very timid, so I use my 1.45lb test curve rod like a quivertip and strike at any movement. If I hadn’t been fishing like this and relied on a bite alarm the fish might have ejected the bait before I’d have even known about it,” James told Angling Times.
His latest specimen is the highlight of a productive start to his 2016 river campaign which has produced many fish to around 7lb – but James admitted that the 18-pounder came as a shock.
“Having caught lots of small zander since the start of the season, I knew that this fish was something special straight away.
“Then these huge boils starting appearing on the surface and I just wanted it in the net. My heart was in my mouth,” he said.
“To have the record and then to catch another huge fish like this is beyond words.
“I fully appreciate what an achievement it is to land a double-figure zander, let alone two for 40lb.”
A simple running rig made up with 12lb mainline, a 3oz lead and a single size 6 treble was the winning set-up for James, who went on to bank four other zander on the day.

After 30 years on the Dove, switch to Trent sees 16lb best barbel

Incredible barbel sport on the nation’s rivers continued this week, with a host of huge fish hitting the bank.
Respected specimen all-rounder John Davey hit the jackpot on his very first visit to the River Trent with a 16lb 14oz personal-best barbel.
The 69-year-old, from Stoke-on-Trent, has fished the River Dove for over 30 years, but decided to give the in-form waterway a try.
His running rig was baited with a 16 mm Sticky Baits Krill boilie, and the hookbait was accompanied by a stringer of matching baits.
The offering was soon picked up by the specimen, that beats his previous pb by 1lb.
“This is an incredible fish for this time of the year, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it goes 19lb in the winter,” said John.
“At first I thought it was a bream, as it just plodded around, but as soon as it got into the deep water under my feet I realised how wrong my first prediction was.
“I was using a pretty big net, but you wouldn’t have thought it because the fish’s huge frame arched over in the mesh.
“It’s taken a long time to get on the Trent, but I’m getting back down there in the next few days after this,” he added.
Another angler to smash his personal best was Craig Horton, who banked two fish that many can only dream of.
Prebaiting a stretch of Farnham Angling Society’s River Loddon paid dividends as he won the battle with a 16lb specimen. He fooled it with hair-rigged pellets on a simple running rig.
It was the same tactics, but this time on a pressured free stretch of the Dorset Stour, that saw the angler – from Basingstoke, Hants – complete an incredible barbel double by slipping the net under a pristine 14lb 11oz barbel.
“These were my first two sessions of the river season, and they turned out to be my most memorable ever,” he said.