Hampshire Avon giant is season's biggest roach
Simon Daley became the envy of all anglers just before Christmas when he caught what many consider to be the holy grail of fishing - a 3lb 8oz river roach.
This 3lb 8oz roach followed a string of 2lb specimens for Simon Daley
Fishing a stretch of the Hampshire Avon controlled by the Christchurch Angling Club, he connected with a flurry of 2lb fish before the biggest reported roach this season took his trotted maggot hookbait.
He told Angling Times:
“The conditions weren't great, so I decided to fish a swim with a far bank slack, not a very big one, but it had an undercut snag where the roach were hiding.
“The northerly wind was making presentation very difficult. I was getting four or five good trots through an hour when the wind died down enough.
“The first bite I had was 2lb 1oz fish, which on its own would have made my day.
“The next few fish were about a pound, then a 2lb 2oz roach and a brace of twos in short succession followed - I was buzzing.
“What came next was something very special indeed.
“When I hit the bite, the fish tried hard to get back into the snag. I managed to pull it out but it shot into the fast water. I was very nervous as I’d seen the fish and thought it was a big two.
“After a tense fight, I drew it over the net and was gobsmacked.
“The fish was colossal, I’ve never seen anything like it.
“A 3lb 8oz Hampshire Avon roach, I’ve never been affected so much by a fish, my mind was well and truly blown.
Simon’s giant Redfin fell to three red maggots trotted under a 10g Bolo float on a size 12 hook.
A true river monster. A 3lb 8oz Hampshire Avon roach
Long wait pays off for enormous Trent barbel
PERSEVERANCE paid off for Colin Garlick when he struck into this dream 18lb barbel after 30 biteless hours on the tidal Trent.
The 52-year-old joiner said the river was flowing so high and fast that he was forced to recast every 20 minutes due to a build-up of debris on the line, but that was all forgotten at 5.15pm on the second day of his session when his rod arched over.
“When I got it on the surface, I was in no doubt that it would smash my previous 14lb 9oz best,” said Colin.
Colin’s new PB fell to a running rig and a double 12mm Sticky Krill boilie hookbait.
(This catch was reported to our news team prior to the third England lockdown)
Colin Garlick and his 18lb River Trent barbel
"My greatest-ever Itchen roach haul" - Simon Daley
“At this time of year the big roach in the River Itchen tend to shoal up in a few pockets, so I decided to head to my local stretch after dark to see if I could find one.
“In the past I’ve had success fishing a simple free-running maggot feeder, so I stuck with the same approach and targeted an area of slack water on the far bank. Bites were slow and hard to come by, but by regularly casting I managed to keep the tip going round and enjoy my greatest-ever haul of Itchen roach – with five fish weighing 1lb 10oz, 1lb 12oz, 2lb, 2lb 1oz and 2lb 2oz!”
Simon Daley with his haul of Itchen roach to 2lb 2oz
Floodwater barbel goes like a steam train! - Mark Brayne
“Although the River Trent was well flooded and coloured, conditions were ideal, with mild weather and low air pressure forecast, so I headed out for a short session.
“At 5pm I baited a slack area with around 10 boilies, and two rigs were quickly deposited to the spot. I’d only been fishing for 20 minutes when one of my rods quickly sprang back and I struck into my first-ever December barbel.
“At first it came in really easily and for a moment I thought I’d hooked a bream, but when I got it near the net it tore off like a steam train! After a hectic 10-minute battle I eventually landed a huge-framed fish which pulled the scales round to 14lb 14oz. I was absolutely over the moon with the result and was packed up and heading home before midnight.”
Mark Brayne and his 14lb 14oz barbel
Could this be Britain's largest ever lure-caught pike?
A PREDATOR angler has banked what’s thought to be one of the largest UK pike ever to fall to a lure.
The impressive 45lb 11oz specimen was landed by Dan Hill (29) during a session with his friend Steve at a private stillwater.
Dan Hill and his 45lb 11oz lure-caught pike
The pair had taken several big fish from the venue over the past four years, but nothing to compare with Dan’s new 127cm-long personal best, which falls just over 1lb short of the current British record.
Dan said:
“After a bad day at work I planned to meet Steve down at the lake for 3.30pm and couldn’t wait to chuck some lures about. After clipping on my favourite white mouse lure, I cast it around 40 yards out, let it sink for 10 seconds, and it was taken instantly by this huge fish... which pulled me two feet closer to the water when I set the hooks!
“The lake is crystal clear, so we could both see it was massive from the off and Steve just kept telling me to take my time. When it finally folded into the bottom of the net I was a trembling mess.”
The Doncaster angler owes the success of his catch to his trusty mouse lure, which has since been encased with a plaque to commemorate the achievement!
Following the capture, Dan ‘retired’ his favourite white Miuras Mouse lure
Prebaiting pays off for monster Thames barbel
JASON Smith’s decision to prebait a small slack for a week paid off with the capture of this 18lb 6oz Thames barbel.
After making regular casts along the crease line separating the slack from the main flow, the 53-year-old’s Baitrunner reel finally screamed into life nearly five hours into his evening session.
Jason’s new barbel best fell to a 20mm Red Fish Pro boilie wrapped in a matching paste.
Jason Smith – 18lb 6oz barbel
Remarkable perch haul with nine over 4lb - Joe Atkinson
“After success on a southern reservoir, I was keen to get back again and target its monster perch. The first couple of hours were spent trying to locate them on the sounder and I eventually I found some fish on a drop-off. I lowered down my drop shot rig with a rubber fry lure, and received a delicate tap on the rod.
“I struck straight away and made a solid connection, which was followed by the unmistakable headshakes of a big perch.
“At 4lb 10oz, it meant I had accomplished my goal for the trip, but little did I know what lay in store for the rest of the day, because I ended up landing 15 more perch, with nine of them going over the 4lb barrier! It was another session that will stay with me forever.”
Joe Atkinson and his biggest perch of 4lb 10oz
Massive pike caught on film!
BOAT partners Ross Sneddon and Cole Milne couldn’t contain their excitement after filming the capture of a 35lb pike!
The Scottish Pike Anglers Alliance members were fishing an access day at the Lake of Menteith when Ross’ floatfished sardine was taken by the predator.
Visit scottishwildfishing on YouTube to see the film.
Ross Sneddon and his giant 35lb pike
Perch best saves the day!
James Champkin snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when this 4lb 7oz perch devoured his roach livebait right at the end of an otherwise blank session.
Targeting a southern lake, the 28-year-old endured several biteless hours before his left-hand rod signalled a take around 3pm.
He said:
“When a huge perch surfaced I knew I had a new PB.”
James’ rig included a sunken paternoster incorporating a size 8 Kamazan B983 hook
James Champkin and his new personal best 4lb 7oz perch
Sunken moped home to a giant dace! - Adam Jones
“I grew up in the Cotswolds fishing for grayling, so I decided to re-live my youth and target them in the small rivers surrounding my new West London home. My first few sessions were productive, and I caught grayling to 1lb 11oz, but it was the capture of a different species that grabbed my attention.
“I was roving along a Thames backwater when I discovered a sunken moped in the middle of the river that created a break in the flow. The slack water behind it looked perfect for a bite, so I baited up with maggots before running the float through. My prediction proved right, and I caught small grayling right from the off.
“The float buried again on the next cast and I struck into a fish that felt like a grayling but ended up being a chublet of around 1lb… or so I thought. It was far too big to swing in, so I netted it and removed the hook before slipping it back without a second thought. I remember thinking at the time that its mouth looked a little small for a chub, but it was just an afterthought.
“Later that night I was flicking through Instagram and spotted a fellow angler’s post about big dace, and that’s when I got that sinking feeling. His fish looked exactly like mine! The only way to atone for my mistake was to return to the swim, where hopefully I’d be lucky enough to catch another one.
“The next day I headed back with nothing but my rod, net, tackle bag and a bait pouch loaded with white and red maggots. After spending a few minutes baiting both sides of the moped, I made my first cast along the inside crease, the float buried and I netted a 9oz dace.
“I was delighted, but I knew that the fish was way smaller than the one I’d had the day before. After slipping it back I rebaited my hook with a single red and white maggot, before flicking the rig into the outside crease. I watched as it sailed past the moped, before sinking from sight.
“I struck and connected with a fish that kited just like a grayling into the near-bank slack, where it surfaced. Then my legs turned to jelly!
“I had a flashback to the day before as I guided what I knew was a huge dace into my net. At dead on 1lb, it was a scale-perfect example, and redemption for the earlier mistake! It goes to show that it pays to capitalise on by-catches – you might be surprised at what you’ll discover!”
Adam Jones and his 1lb dace
Lure smashed by dream pike
CASTING his lure tight to a far-bank reedbed was the winning approach for Stephen Ayres’ dream 36lb 5oz pike.
The fine specimen set a personal best for the Norfolk predator enthusiast, who struck into ‘the fish of a lifetime’ during a roving session at a local lake.
He added:
“Just a few winds after casting out to the reedbed the lure was smashed into, but it was only when it surfaced that I realised just how special this pike was.”
Stephen Ayres – 36lb 5oz pike
Trio of big perch on the fly! - Matt Roberts
“I headed to an Anglian Water reservoir to catch perch on the fly. A mate and I set out on the boat early and tried a spot where we’d had earlier success. The fish finder revealed a big shoal of bait fish close to the bottom, so I cast out a roach imitation fly.
“After five or so strips of the line I felt a tap followed by a heavy knock which I struck at – causing my light six-weight rod to buckle over into what I thought was a zander.
“When it surfaced I saw it was a perch! At 4lb 8oz it was 2oz off my PB. In the next hour I landed two more perch of 4lb 4oz and 3lb 8oz.”
(This catch was reported before the third England lockdown)
Matt Roberts and a 4lb 8oz perch
Winter campaign off to a flyer with 7lber - Adrian Eaves
“It was my first chub session on the River Thames this winter and the conditions were excellent. The river was running low and clear after the recent high levels and most of the autumn leaves littering the bottom had been washed away.
“After walking the section and feeding a few promising-looking swims with mashed bread, I headed back to the first and flicked out a lump of flake on a running lead set-up.
“No bites materialised in that swim but soon after dropping my rig into the second I had a very positive bite.
“Fortunately, it was a pretty uneventful fight in the clear water, with no snags to cause me any problems.
“It was real chunk of a chub and I was super delighted to get a 7lb-plus fish under my belt this early in the winter campaign.”
(This catch was reported before the third England lockdown)
Adrian Eaves and his 7lb 3oz Thames chub
Quick session rewarded with Ribble PB - Ian Potts
“My mate Paul and I headed to the River Ribble for a quick overnight session, and at roughly 11.30pm my bite alarm screamed into life and a nice 5lb barbel was soon in the net.
“Knowing bites can be hard to come by on the Ribble at this time of year, I was happy with the result, but four hours later my rod smashed over again and this time I bent into a much better fish that stayed deep in the flow.
“After a good scrap I slipped her into the net and Paul said straight away that it would be my new Ribble PB. At 12lb 15oz he was right, and I was totally made up with the catch!
“Both fish fell to Vortex Baits Hydroshrimp Cocoons and PVA bags of matching baits without any other loosefeed.”
(This catch was reported before the third England lockdown)
Ian Potts and his 12lb 15oz Ribble barbel
Stunning Frome grayling on the float
TROTTING a pair of red maggots 20 yards downstream to a near-bank slack helped put this immaculate 3lb 2oz River Frome grayling on the bank for John-Joe Price.
The Gloucester all-rounder spent 20 minutes baiting the fast water in front of the slack with maggots before casting his float.
“When it reached the slack the float’s orange bristle disappeared, I struck and this huge grayling rolled on the surface,” John-Joe said.
John-Joe Price and his stunning 3lb 2oz grayling
Flavoured maggots tempt big Stour chub
AN EARLY-morning raid on the Dorset Stour came to fruition for Richie Martin with the capture of a personal-best chub of 7lb 6oz.
Before introducing his float rig the Hampshire all-rounder baited a far-bank run with pouchfuls of plum-flavoured maggots.
He banked the fish after striking at a slight dip on his float an hour after his first cast.
Richie Martin and his 7lb 6oz Stour chub
PB roach on the second cast
JAMES Hutchinson couldn’t believe his luck when he connected with a 2lb 9oz PB roach on only his second cast.
Targeting a short near-bank run on a southern chalk stream, he baited the head of his swim with maggots for a few minutes before flicking out his rig.
“The first cast produced a minnow but on the second the float shot out of sight,” he said.
“I connected with what felt like a decent grayling, but then this huge roach swirled mid-river!”
James’ successful hookbait was a maggot and caster cocktail.
James Hutchinson and his 2lb 9oz chalk stream roach
Huge barbel nudges Hampshire Avon record
A month after slipping his net under a 16lb 10oz Hampshire Avon barbel, Paul Allen returned to the same swim to bank possibly the largest fish in the river, weighing 19lb on the nose.
Paul waited nearly three hours in the rain for the bite… then had to walk 25 yards downstream with his rod and net just to keep up with it!
Paul said:
“When I lifted her on to the bank I knew it was the big ’un, and although she was 11oz shy of Pete Reading’s record I couldn’t care less!”
Paul’s new barbel best fell to a Big Squid boilie wrapped in paste.
Paul Allen and his 19lb Hampshire Avon barbel
Record crucian carp! - Will it be claimed?
MOST anglers pit their wits against perch, pike or chub in December but not Matthew Wright, who fished through freezing 30mph winds and heavy downpours to slip his net under a potential new British record crucian at 4lb 11oz.
Matthew Wright’s potential new British record crucian carp
The fine specimen was the larger of two 4lb-plus fish taken by the 37-year-old during an overnight stay on a Surrey stillwater – where the terrible conditions at one point left him questioning his sanity… and clinging to his bivvy!
Reassurance that he’d made the right decision targeting the quintessential summer species finally came at 11.30pm, when a positive run resulted in a 4lb 4oz stunner that smashed his 3lb 9oz PB.
This 4lb 4oz crucian also found its way to Matthew’s net
But before he even had chance to bask in the glory of his achievement, an even larger fish tore off with his hookbait.
“At first I thought it was a carp, but then I felt the tell-tale nodding on the rod-tip, and when the fish surfaced in the beam of my headtorch I caught sight of the flank of a gigantic crucian,” Matthew said.
“As I guided it in, I just kept saying ‘oh my God, don’t fall off’, and I was shaking like mad when it finally went over the net cord – the size of the fish was just ridiculous.”
Matthew weighed the crucian three times on his Reuben Heaton digital scales in the presence of three other anglers, each time registering a weight of 4lb 11oz.
Despite making the Angling Trust aware of his catch, Matthew – who works as a fishery bailiff – remains unsure about whether he will yet submit a claim to the British Record Fish Committee, and said he was just happy knowing he’d caught a potential record.
He added:
“A lot of the credit goes to my missus, who finally gave me permission to go fishing after a couple of months of helping to look after our newborn baby!
“For 30 years I’ve targeted crucians and have caught them in -3°C before, but I never ever expected to break my personal best twice in a single December session.”
Both Matthew’s crucians fell to Method feeders and double fake caster hookbaits fished over a bed of hemp and mixed 3mm pellets at 30 yards range.
"Some of the best river perch fishing I've ever had" - Brad Pearson
“My mum bought me some Korum Squirmz lures for my birthday, so I got up early one morning and went over to the Great Ouse to try them out.
“I headed to a spot where I’d caught them from before, and over the next few hours I experienced probably the best perch fishing I’ve ever had! On my first cast into a deep channel I had a perch of around 8oz, and they just kept getting bigger.
“I quickly had five two-pounders, followed by the two ‘threes’, which really made me panic and reach for the net when I saw them in the clear water!
“After 30 minutes I’d lost count of how many I’d had but the total weight must have been well over 20lb.”
Brad Pearson with his 3lb and 3lb 9oz perch brace