Target silvers now for big match weights!

Silverfish are threatening to oust carp as the number one species on Britain’s commercial fisheries. 

Reports sent into Angling Times over the last week have revealed match nets of silvers topping the 100lb mark, with some even nudging the 200lb mark – suggesting that carp needn’t always be the automatic target.

The heaviest of these came from the newly-established Springvale Fishing Lakes in Nottinghamshire, where an incredible 191lb bag of ide was weighed in by an angler fishing the Oak Avenue Lake. 

Fishery owner Sue Bloom told Angling Times: “Although it’s more expensive to go down the silver fish route, I have been stocking our lakes with ide for three years, alongside the tench, skimmers, crucians and chub – they are becoming increasingly popular in matches now. 

“You can rely on ide to offer sport in all climates – we have had such a hard winter, and if I had stocked only carp we wouldn’t have had any anglers turn up. 

“To keep a fishery busy you need to support anglers who are retired – and those aged 60 and above can’t always cope with a 10lb carp!”

Another venue that’s renowned for producing stupendous weights of roach and bream in matches is Wold Farm Fisheries in Northamptonshire.

Angling Times asked venue boss Dax Miller if more anglers are now chasing silvers in matches. 

He said: “We’ve had several 200lb-plus match weights recently, and although some of them are carp, the back-up weights of silvers have been phenomenal. They are definitely worth targeting! 

“I’d say it’s an art to catch silvers – anyone can turn up here and catch a carp, but many wouldn’t know how to specifically target the roach.

“We do get the odd silver fish angler but I think they are a rare breed nowadays.

“We also often get media lads coming here for roach features because the sport is so prolific. 

“Personally I love fishing for roach. I’d much rather catch 5lb of roach than 200lb of carp!” 

Commercial ace Des Shipp is renowned for his match winning skills and agrees that silver fish have played an important role in competitions he’s fished. 

He added: “I think there is definitely a place for silvers in matches, perhaps more so in the winter time as the water cools down, but even now anglers are catching 100lb-plus bags of these smaller fish. 

“I think there was a 130lb net of skimmers from Todber Manor last week – that’s awesome fishing! 

“On a lot of venues now the carp are growing too big for matches. They’re wise, you can’t feed a lot, and you’re waiting for a bite – I think people are starting to get bored with that now.”