Should F1s be considered as silvers? - Keith Arthur
I have never hidden the fact that I don’t like F1s.
I think fishery owners were conned when the original crucian x goldfish hybrid was subtly switched to a goldfish x king carp strain.
The originals, which don’t grow over 4lb, would be fine in silver fish matches but how can a fish that has reached well into double figures and average 6lb-plus in some waters be considered not to be a carp?
It’s bonkers. If they must count (probably to keep the weights up) why not give them a nominal weights say a maximum 2lb?
F1s can grow to an impressive size - bigger than most silver fish
Angler lands giant sturgeon twice in one month!
IN the fishing world lightning does indeed strike twice, as Stuart William Larkin found when he caught the same giant sturgeon two times in the same month.
The monster fish bottomed out Stuart’s 70lb scales the first time he tempted it from Hollyhurst Lake Fishery near Birmingham, but little did he know he would have to do battle with it again two weeks later.
It took a liking to two very different hookbaits too, the first time falling to a quarter tin of luncheon meat and the second time a pair of 10mm boilies.
Four day quest for giant Lea roach
JOE Royffe’s four-day pursuit of a big River Lea roach finally turned up trumps with the capture of a 2lb 7oz specimen.
The Hertfordshire-based angler had spotted a brace of large redfins tucked under a reedbed and decided to target them on trotting gear with red maggots.
After hooking a number of smaller fish Joe finally struck into a strong resistance just before the light faded.
He said: “I was met with a solid resistance and could soon feel the classic jagged lunges and head shakes through the rod as the fish lunged around the swim.
“This has got to be one of my favourite captures so far this season – knowing how hard big roach are to come by on the Lea system.”
Chocolate river no problem for monster chub!
FLOODWATER has halted fishing on many rivers across the country but anglers targeting southern waterways are currently enjoying sport from a glut of specimen fish.
Hampshire specialist Simon Daley was one of them and he found success in pursuit of chub on the Dorset Stour with the capture of a 7lb 7oz giant.
The big-fish hunter, who made headlines a fortnight ago with a superb 16lb 13oz barbel, had intended to trot maggots for his quarry but a rapidly rising river forced a change of tactics.
He said: “The river was bank high and chocolate in colour, so trotting was out of the question.
“Instead I decided to fish the slacks with a strong-smelling paste hair-rigged to a size 8 hook, 8lb mainline and my favourite Drennan 1.25tc rod.”
Early in the session Simon thought his chance was gone when he missed a bite but a few taps on the tip five minutes before packing up was enough to warrant a strike.
He added: “I connected with a heavy fish and had to play it hard to keep it away from the snags.
“I was shocked when it surfaced – the length and girth was immense.
“I’m sure come February or March it’ll be a proper monster.”
Get on the bread for a big Avon roach
Alan Storey was left speechless when he banked this sublime 2lb 11oz 8dr roach.
Targeting Christchurch AC’s stretch of the Hampshire Avon at Winkton, the 65-year-old had struggled to fish the float in harsh conditions and was forced to switch tactics to find a result.
He said: “I’d caught small roach and dace but thought there would be a chance of a bigger fish on the bread feeder.
“After making a few casts I soon found the sweet spot and watched as the quiver tip signalled a positive take – I knew straight away it was a big roach from the classic nod, nod, glide during the fight.
“My heart was in my mouth as the roach went into the main flow near to where a big pike had surfaced previously, but thankfully I was able to net it first time.
“Whilst I would love to have caught it on the float a switch to the bread feeder made all the difference – it’s important to have a couple of options with you on the day.”
Alan’s successful set-up included 4lb mainline to a 2lb hooklink and a size 12 hook mounted with breadflake.
Should match vets have more time to get set? - Keith Arthur
I used to be a regular visitor to White Acres and would be today if my circumstances were different. I know how well run all the fishing is down there which makes it very difficult for me to understand how in the recent Veterans’ Festival, only 90 minutes was allowed from the start of the draw to the ‘all-in’.
At least two great anglers, ironically both with Team England management experience, fell foul of this race to get fishing: John Weedon, who manages the disabled squad, and none other than the great Dick Clegg.
Dick at least got to fish, albeit starting very late without the all his required kit assembled: John on the other hand was disqualified for the day by having too much bait with him. He isn’t the first to fall foul of that very sensible rule but with terrible weather and the massive rush to start he forgot he had stuff already in his carryall.
Dick seems to have made the decision to not fish the event again because of the lack of time to set up, which is also very understandable. It’s sad and perhaps more consideration should be given to us veterans to prepare.
High water keeping barbel feeding despite the cold
DESPITE freezing temperatures barbel anglers have been hitting the banks in their droves in search of a new personal best.
Here are three recent barbel reports to inspire you to get the rods out…
Dariusz Prech 16lb 15oz barbel
Scunthorpe-based angler Dariusz Prech braved unsavoury conditions on the tidal River Trent to bank his biggest barbel ever at 16lb 15oz.
Targeting an area of slack water Dariusz opted for a maggot approach and fished four grubs on the hook in conjunction with a cage feeder loaded with spicy pellets and a shrimp and krill groundbait.
He said: “The fish was very strong, and the fight took about 10 minutes as it tried to get away in the strong flow.”
Mitch Godfrey 15lb 1oz barbel
Perseverance was key in the capture of this 15lb 1oz chunk for Mitch Godfrey who fished all day to finally receive a take whilst he was packing up.
The Nottingham-based rod targeted his local River Trent and lowered two 10mm Bait-Tech Krill and Tuna boilies into a crease behind a tree in hope of a take.
He said: “Considering the cold the fish put up a superb scrap and there were a few twitchy moments as it rubbed around a snag but a very welcome 15lb 1oz barbel eventually made it to the net.”
Paul Potter 14lb 2oz barbel
Barbel fanatic Paul Potter continued his superb run of form on the Dorset Stour when he slipped his net under a 14lb 2oz specimen during a recent evening trip.
He told Angling Times: “This barbel is possibly one of the most stunning 14 pounders I have ever caught.
“A simple change in winds from North to South East also brought the air and water temperatures up a touch and got them on the feed.”
Paul used a Hook Bait Company Spicy Fish Pro boilie to help temp the barbel.
Dream dace falls from Hampshire stream
WINCHESTER-based angler Aidan Bordiuk was left shaking with excitement when he netted this dream 1lb 1oz dace during a trip to a Hampshire chalk stream.
After spotting a shoal of silverfish in clear water Aidan fed his chosen swim for half an hour to gain their confidence and received a strong take on the very first cast.
He said: “Amazingly a pike lunged as I brought it to the surface, so it was a lucky escape for this very special dace.
“Once I got it in and realised its size the feeling was great – it was something I’ve not had for a long time whilst fishing.”
Aidan’s dream dace fell to maggots fished on a size 18 hook, 3lb line and an Avon style float.
"Is it possible anyone other than Jamie Hughes can be Match Angler of the Year?" - Keith Arthur
Once again I see it’s time for the Angling Times awards… and there are some interesting decisions to make.
River of the year? While the Hampshire Avon will surely be in the running to usurp the Thames as River of the Year - and both have produced some stunning catches - both the Trent and Wye must also be in with a good shout. Even the Severn, described as ‘dead’ by some top names last season, has been excellent much of the time.
As for the champion Stillwater, Tamar Lakes must be right up there especially as some challengers, such as Ferry Meadows, Southfields and Bough Beech seem to have peaked and are now falling away, although I’m sure it’s temporary and probably conditions-related.
There is one decision though on which there can surely be no debate: is it possible anyone other than Jamie Hughes can be Match Angler of the Year? Lee Kerry and Andy Bennett would be shoo-ins in other years but not this year, surely!
I’m looking forward to reading the results in next week’s issue…
(Winners will be revealed in our December 10th Christmas special)
Monster perch results in lost phone
DESPITE dropping his phone overboard Charlie Coppolo fished through the despair to boat this immaculate 4lb 8oz perch.
The lure-fanatic’s session on an Essex reservoir was certainly a tale of two halves, as he explained:
“The day started fantastically with my first bite producing a new PB of 4lb 10oz!
“I was buzzing but whilst sitting back staring at the photos on my phone I somehow managed to juggle it in to the air and over the side of the boat.
“With no back up or anything, I could do nothing but just watch the only photo I have of my PB just slowly sink to the depths.”
Undeterred the 32-year-old fished on and whilst drop-shotting a purple dropshot Molix SV Crawfish he managed to land the 4lb 8oz specimen alongside another fine stripey of 3lb 8oz.
Skill, not brute force, is required to land big fish - Keith Arthur
Catching a fish over 80lb on carp tackle is a brilliant feat.
No matter how strong the tackle, exerting pressure on a fish using a long rod is not easy.
I once challenged a good carp angler to make a drag set at exactly the test curve of the rod work. It was an original Daiwa Emblem and a 2.75lb Kevin Nash Amorphous 12ft. He couldn’t do it without putting the butt on the floor, bracing it against his knee and pulling with both hands.
I was only holding the reel, not walking away – that would have flat-rodded him and set the drag off, as a fish would do.
Anyway, hats off to Jacqueline Horvath, who landed an 86lb carp from monster carp water Euro Aqua. There’s a degree of skill in getting the fish to take the bait, but that is nothing like the skill (strength barely comes into it, by the way) required to put a fish of that size over a landing net.
TO READ THE FULL STORY ON JACQUELINE’S CATCH VISIT: https://www.carpfeed.com/fishing-news/article/is-this-the-first-90-pounder-banked-by-a-woman-video
FOR MORE FROM FISHING’S TOP COMMENTATOR PICK UP ANGLING TIMES THIS TUESDAY!
South West canal hits top perch form
AN angler fishing for silvers on a Somerset canal recorded one of his best ever sessions recently when he encountered a shoal of large perch - including a monster 4lb-plus specimen.
Mark Affleck was fishing the pole on the Taunton and Bridgewater Canal, when after putting together a nice bag of roach on casters, he decided to switch to his worm line, with tremendous results.
“What a great fight on light pole gear, unfortunately the pictures didn’t do it’s size justice”, he said.
Taunton Angling Association’s Dan Baldwin told Angling Times previously of the canals potential for large perch, he said: “The perch are spread throughout the canal but there are some noted hotspots. Bathpool Boat Docks, Chalton Orchard and upstream of Maunsel Lock, all hold lots of perch ranging from 1-3lb.”
It certainly looks like now is a great time to try and catch these fish. If you fancy a go yourself head to www.tauntonanglingassociation.co.uk for tickets.
Middle Severn on fire for double figure barbel
WHILST some anglers may have been put off by the high coloured water and cold conditions this past week, Robert Mitchell headed out to his local River Severn and was rewarded with a fine brace of double figure barbel.
Fishing with 15mm Catalyst boilies on a middle section of the Midlands river, Robert banked specimens of 10lb 6oz and 11lb 1oz - not bad for November!
He told Angling Times: “The river is very fishable at the moment and in a couple days will be perfect for chub, which are a popular target for Severn anglers in the colder months.
“With the water temperature at 9.3 degrees, the barbel are still worth trying for too.”
Rob fished his rigs over a bed of 2mm/4mm pellets and presented his boilie hookbait on a simple running rig made up of Bank Tackle components.
Over 600lb in catfish trio
Spain’s River Ebro is famed for its immense catfish but few anglers have enjoyed trips like Gary and Lucas Carter have, where they banked three cats over the 200lb mark.
Fishing over a six day period the biggest moggie the father and son landed between them pulled the scales round to a colossal 218lb – and they even added other moggies to over 150lb, alongside carp to 38lb!
Lucas said: “We were guided by Catfish Tours, with our guide being Edd Brett, who year after year has provided us with five-star service and always puts us on big fish.”
Have you seen this spooky ghost carp?
A VIDEO of a ghost carp with a ‘human face’ on its head has gone viral – leaving thousands of people unsettled by its spooky appearance.
The short clip was taken by tourists in Kunming, China who were shocked when the carp emerged from a local lake and ‘looked at them’ with what appeared to be human eyes.
Confused viewers took to Twitter to portray their thoughts of the sighting, with one person stating: “Are You Serious? This Fish Is Demonic!”
To watch the video please visit www.digg.com/video/fish-with-human-face
Three double figure bream and a giant hybrid!
Ian Hannaby trio of Double Figure Bream and 7lb 5oz hybrid
A hectic 15 minute spell resulted in three double figure bream landed by specimen angler Ian Hannaby, the biggest of which was 11lb 4oz.
Fishing three rods on three different spots around 20 yards apart, Ian had the quick hit of bream just after dark on a 10mm Ringers Chocolate Orange Wafters.
Amazingly, no other bream followed, however did land this immense 7lb 5oz hybrid!
It's official - Fishing is good for you! - Marina Gibson
The power of angling has been promoted by record-breaking fly angler Marina Gibson at an event for National Stress Awareness Week, where she revealed the positive impact that fishing has on mental health.
Marina, who is a lifelong angler and qualified fishing coach, became truly aware of the power of angling whilst working in the busy capital city.
“When I was living in London and found the stresses of everyday life all too much, fly fishing at Syon Park offered me an escape.
“Fly-fishing has long been heralded as a great source of therapy and it demonstrates how fishing and being outdoors allows you to step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
“It clears your mind by focusing on the beautiful surroundings as well as the art and technique of exercise, as well as keeping your mind busy with an art form.”
Since the event Marina has continued to spread her message on the positives of fishing by appearing in an article by The Times newspaper and in an interview on Sky News.
Holland the place to be for massive perch
A PERCH equalling the current British Record best of 6lb 3oz has been boated from a river in Holland.
The massive stripey fell to the rod of 50-year-old Mark Edwards who alongside friend Keith Elliot had embarked on a guided trip on a waterway near Rotterdam in search of a huge perch.
Keith told Angling Times: “We were drifting across likely-looking areas and fishing little plastic paddle tails close to the bottom when Mark’s rod hooped over, and straight away our guide recognised the take to be from a huge perch.
“We couldn’t believe our eyes when this huge, round fish surfaced moments later.
“It was a new PB for Mark who was over the moon with such a giant fish.
“Come February I’m sure it’ll be close to the 7lb mark.”
River Lea throws up a monster dace
Trotting maggots between gravel bars on a stretch of the River Lea proved fruitful for Joe Royffe with the capture of this plump 1lb 8dr dace.
The Hertfordshire specimen ace fed a small pinch of maggots on every trot through to ensure regular bites from roach and dace throughout the day, although at 2pm he struck into a much larger fish.
“I received a very confident bite and I knew almost immediately that I was attached to a large dace,” he said.
“After a great scrap on light tackle and an exciting few moments, I was amazed at its size when it finally glided into the landing net – a fish that beat my previous best by 4oz.”
Specimen roach are hard on the feed...NOW!
DESPITE unsavoury weather conditions specimen anglers have been enjoying fantastic roach sport from river and Stillwater venues all over the country.
Here are three specimen reports to help whet your fishing appetite for the week ahead:
John Joyce 3lb 1oz 8dr roach
A double bronze maggot hookbait has accounted for one of the biggest river roach of the season in the shape of this pristine 3lb 1oz 8dr specimen.
It fell to the rod of 32-year-old landscape gardener John Joyce who headed to his local stretch of Dorset’s River Frome for a few hours’ maggot feeder fishing on the tip.
He told Angling Times: “I was catching plenty of small trout and eels when I struck into a much stronger fish, and I was surprised to see this huge roach pop up!”
Geoffrey Smith 2lb 9oz roach
Carp angler Geoffrey Smith enjoyed the roach session of his dreams after banking three personal bests in just a 48-hour period.
Targeting Brasenose One at Oxfordshire’s popular Linear Fishery, the Cardiff-based rod saw a grebe take a sizeable roach in the margins and decided to target the same area with maggot hookbaits.
He said: “Whilst spraying the area with bait I managed to draw the roach in, and before it got dark I landed fish of 2lb 3oz, 2lb 7oz and 2lb 9oz.”
Richard Wilby 2lb 9oz roach
HUGE roach from East Anglian rivers are rare beasts so you can imagine Richard Wilby’s delight when he slipped his net under this pristine 2lb 9oz specimen.
The 2018 Drennan Cup runner-up had spent eight morning’s fishing his chosen venue over the last few weeks with just three roach to show for his efforts, but this 2lb 9oz example made all the effort worthwhile, as he explained…
“Huge roach are very rare in this region so I’m tremendously happy with it – although I think it could do me a bigger one!” he said.
Richard’s roach fell to simple trotting gear including a pin, stick float and a piece bread flake mounted onto a size 12 hook.
