Vicious fighting grayling - Jack Perks
“As anglers we give grayling this whimsical tag the ‘Lady of the Stream’, but they’re more ‘Bruisers of the Brook’!
“In spring, the males will turn quite black and dark and they rut with each other like deer. They don’t have teeth, but they’re really violent – biting and slapping each other for the right to mate with the females. It’s really quite shocking to watch!
“This happens in spring, when anglers aren’t fishing for them, so most people won’t have seen it, but I’ve filmed it in the Peak District in Derbyshire and you’ll see this in all waters that contain grayling.”
Help fund new fish film
Jack is currently crowdfunding to produce a free film called Britain’s Hidden Fishes, narrated by Jeremy Wade. To help get this project off the ground, visit the website here.
EA invests heavily in angling, after nearly a million rod licences sold!
A NEW Environment Agency report shows that a whopping £48 million has been invested into angling to help the sport to grow.
The figures come from the EA’s Annual Fisheries Report, which shows that it used the money generated from rod licence sales as well as Government grants to undertake a wealth of projects, including stocking of over half a million fish into our lakes and rivers, installing dozens of fish passes to help migratory species, and helping to protect fisheries from predation and otters.
A whopping £48 million has been invested into UK angling
Around £20 million of the total was raised by rod licence sales, of which 940,974 were sold in the year to March 31, 2020. This was supplemented by a further £28 million in partner contributions and additional Government funding.
Kevin Austin, Deputy Director for Fisheries at the EA, urged anglers to continue their support of the EA by purchasing a licence for the new season ahead:
“Income from licence sales is used to fund vital work to improve and protect our fisheries and fish.
“Income generated is invested directly back into the angling community, improving fish stocks, boosting opportunities for anglers as well as working with partners to make it easier for anyone to take up fishing.”
“Income from licence sales is used to fund vital work to improve and protect our fisheries and fish.”
With an estimated 100,000 people having taken up angling since lockdown began, the EA’s coffers are expected to swell further in the current financial year, and the Agency is planning an increase in spending on projects that benefit anglers and fisheries following the boom in licence sales. This includes further investment in fisheries improvement, events to boost participation, and added protection against predators.
Heidi Stone, the EA’s Fisheries Partnership Manager, is hopeful that fishing’s popularity will continue to soar.
“In 2020, we saw an exceptional increase in licence sales as people rediscovered fishing,” she said.
“We anticipate that fishing will continue to be popular after bringing such benefits to people’s mental and physical wellbeing.”
What the money was spent on
500,000 - Roach, dace, chub, barbel, tench, rudd, bream and grayling stocked
515km - Amount of river habitat improved, alongside 185 hectares of stillwater
58 - Fish passes installed
40,000 - People encouraged to try fishing for the first time, across 1,525 angling participation events
135 - Fisheries Improvement Programme projects to enhance facilities
2,000 - Collaborative projects, with partners including local angling clubs and river trusts
27 - Projects to protect fisheries from otters and cormorants
Angling's 7 Deadly Sins
The dividing line between success and failure on the bank can be incredibly small. To ensure your net is soaking wet rather than bone dry at the end of the session, here are some costly mistakes to avoid...
Being too noisy
If you want to keep the fish in your swim, the very first piece of the puzzle comes by keeping your bankside disturbance to an absolute minimum.
Heavy footsteps, hammering in banksticks and shouting to your mate down the bank will send the fish scurrying into the next postcode, never mind the next peg.
Keeping quiet, not casting too often (unnecessarily) and staying off the skyline will all dramatically boost your chances of catching.
And if you’re on a ‘social session’ with friends, don’t be the one tricked into having the lunchtime get-together in your swim – it could turn what’s usually a flyer into an absolute duffer!
Keep the noise down and try to be as stealthy as possible on the bank
Lazily picking the easy swims
Be honest, how many times have you fished the swims closest to the car park? Although these can occasionally be reliable areas, the chances are that the fish will be wary of them, as they are often the first spots taken by anglers.
Finding where the fish are holed up is the single biggest factor when it comes to success. After all, you can only catch what’s in front of you. With many venues under a lot of pressure these days, more often than not the fish won’t come to you, so you’ll have to go to them. Look for bubbles, swirls and tail patterns on the surface, showing fish, fins poking through the surface scum at the windward end of the lake, diving ducks coming back to the surface looking spooked – these will all massively boost your chances.
The fish often give us all the signs we need, we just have to spend time at the start spotting them… then acting on them.
The fish will often let you know where’s best to fish
Going too far
Casting is one of the most enjoyable aspects of angling. But we can all be guilty of getting a bit carried away occasionally and launching our rigs way out into the middle of the pond. The funny thing is, the majority of the time, especially as we move into the warmer months, the fish will be right under your feet. Always try to catch the fish as close to the bank as possible, because this makes the whole process of working a swim to its maximum potential much easier. If you start close and work your way out, you’ll capitalise on every possible bite. Also, if conditions change – say a strong wind picks up – you won’t suddenly be dropping short of your loosefeed. You can always give it the ‘biggun’ on the cast later in the session if you haven’t had any action.
Start close and work your way out
Piling in too much bait
With no shortage of videos or magazine articles showing anglers piling in the bait, it’s easy to think that when you turn up and deposit 10kg on to a spot, or ball in 20 balls of groundbait, the fish will come flocking from all corners and start feeding ravenously. However, 99 per cent of the time this simply isn’t the case. On short day trips you are far better off feeling your way into the session. A small pouchful of feed on each cast will slowly build the swim. This continual feeding activity will keep fish investigating the spot on a far more regular basis, and competing for feed, rather than picking slowly at the 10-course banquet on the bottom.
In most circumstances, little and often feeding is best
Using unbalanced tackle
We’ve all been there. Sometimes your kit simply isn’t up to the job. Whether it’s using a rod that is too stiff for your target species, or a line that snaps quicker than Gordon Ramsay’s patience, you need to balance your kit to the angling situation being faced.
Sometimes, you might think, ‘well if I fish heavier, I might land that accidental monster’, which of course is true, but you can guarantee it will be costing you countless bites from your desired species. Using balanced kit will not only boost your catch rate, it will make the experience way more enjoyable too. It’s far more satisfying to land a big roach on a finely balanced float set-up, with a light mainline, than to winch one in on a carp rod!
Balanced tackle makes fishing more enjoyable and you will catch more!
Cluttered boxes
Nothing’s more visually satisfying than a well organised tackle box, and believe it or not it’ll make you fish better as well. Having all your bits in one place will help you react to the tactical challenges being faced far quicker and easier.
There’s no fun to be had in scrambling around at the bottom of a mouldy bag looking for a feeder, disgorger or hook packet, only to be impaled by a discarded rig amid a bird’s nest of clutter from previous sessions. Keep your kit well ordered, and you’ll reap the rewards!
A messy tackle box can make fishing far more challenging
Lack of patience
In today’s ‘instant win’ society, patience is a dying art, but in angling it’s a core skill. Seeing a fish on the surface and crashing a bait straight on its head is often a shortcut to failure.
Steady feeding increases the fish’s confidence and the likelihood of it falling into your trap. This could take minutes or hours. The same applies to bites. We’ve all had the classic missed chub bite on the rivers, or the premature strike at a liner from carp in the margins on our local commercial. Learning when to hit bites and when to sit tight and let them develop comes with practice. Sometimes it’s best to sit on your hands until that bite is truly unmissable!
Sometimes it takes time to catch a fish
On the road to protect our rivers
AN AVID 82-year-old angler from Lancashire has walked nearly 300 miles with his dog to help raise funds to protect his local rivers.
Philip Lord is chairman of The Ribble Rivers Trust, a body created to protect and improve the Ribble and other local rivers. Based in Clitheroe, the organisation has incurred heavy costs during the pandemic, having had to expand its offices to make them Covid-safe, on top of its usual expenses.
With the Trust struggling, Philip took it upon himself to help by setting the target of raising £2,000.
“I go out every day on a five-mile circuit with my dog Freddie, but we’ve still got further to go until I reach my target,” he said.
With the Trust struggling, Philip took it upon himself to help by setting the target of raising £2,000
If you wish to support Philip, visit: www.gofundme.com/f/philip-lords-walking-challenge
Elite Angling: A Sport or a Pastime? - Rob Hughes
A rather grand title for this subject and no, I’m not talking about anglers who have egos bigger than their own fishy tales.
I’m looking at the issue of elite sport and, more precisely, what constitutes it.
A while ago I became embroiled in an argument with the presenter on Radio 5 who asked me “How could something that you wear a woolly jumper for be classed as a sport?”.
He was trying to provoke a laugh, but the reality is that a sport has to contain a number of ingredients or elements in order to be classed thus, and to my mind angling has them all: organisation, physicality and competition.
The Oxford Dictionary defines a sport as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or a team competes against another or others”.
Angling ticks that box. Online, it’s a similar story if you use Dictionary.com, which defines sport as “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess” and uses racing, tennis, golf, bowling and wrestling as examples.
Once again, we qualify. Any match angler out there will vouch for the competitive element of our sport.
Some may say that more people don’t compete than do, and I’d agree with that statement, but the same can be said for cycling, swimming, running and shooting…. and they’re always classed as sports!
So, my conclusion is this: if we’re a sport, then surely the best at our sport, especially those that are at professional or international level, must be classed as elite? It’s a no-brainer to me.
Can fishing be described as a sports the same as golf?
Midlands electrofishing sparks debate over status of ‘non-native’ zander
Debate is raging once again over the status of zander after contractors were criticised for removing and killing the predators in a canal marina.
The Canal & River Trust (CRT) electrofished Diglis Marina on the Birmingham and Worcester Canal in Worcester, leading zander fans to question whether it would have any impact on established populations, whether it was a good use of CRT funds and whether other species caught during the operation were returned alive.
The ‘non-native’ zander are being removed from canals in the Midlands
‘Futile’ culls
“It’s an exercise in futility,” said predator angler John Glover, who believes electrofishing actually boosts zander numbers because it tends to remove larger fish, leaving younger ones to thrive. He said waters which aren’t electrofished balance themselves out, leaving silverfish populations to remain naturally consistent.
Mr Glover, of Tusses Lure Division Angling Club, criticised the sporadic electrofishing of CRT waters as a money-making exercise for contractors. He said:
“It’s counter-productive and it’s not efficient. All it generates is more zander, and these small zander go on the rampage, which is what annoys the match anglers.”
Healthy canals
On stretches of canal run by Tusses Lure Division, where the CRT does not routinely remove zander, Mr Glover said the all-round fishing had never been better. Moreover, he added, a zander-fuelled boom in lure angling was bringing money to the local angling economy.
“The canals are the best I’ve ever known them for coarse fishing,” he said.
“I love roach fishing and I reckon it’s currently the best it’s ever been.
“We’re trying to encourage more matches on our stretches and I think match anglers would be pleasantly surprised. I’ve had 2lb roach out of the Oxford Canal and, in the same spot where we’ve caught half-a-dozen zander in a day, a friend and I have each had 100lb bags of bream in the summer!”
John Ellis, the CRT’s fisheries manager, defended the Worcester cull but said he was happy to have a debate about the way canal zander are treated. He said the fundamental issue was legislation, including the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which makes it illegal to stock or return zander to the water.
“If people want to change the law they should lobby the Environment Agency and Government,” he said.
“Shouting at the CRT is a bit like lobbying the police to change the law on speeding – Parliament changes the laws, not those who enforce them.”
Mr Ellis said fully enclosed stillwaters could legally hold zander and that the CRT would happily donate all its canal-netted zander to such venues for free, but very few waters meet the criteria or have applied for a licence. He said none of the 72 reservoirs under the CRT’s control was classed as fully enclosed.
Electrofishing is used by the CRT to remove zander from canals
Duty under the law
He added that the approach to non-native species had to be consistent, and that anglers couldn’t pick and choose preferred species to remain.
“We can be prosecuted if we allow zander to enter other waters,” he said.
“There’s case law involving the plant Japanese knotweed, where Network Rail was sued when it started growing in people’s gardens.”
Asked whether removing zander had any real impact on their numbers, he said work focused on stopping populations taking hold in previously uncolonised waters and had successfully eradicated zander on stretches of the Trent and Mersey and Sankey (St Helens) Canals. He said:
“Electrofishing catches fish as small as 10cm-15cm, so we’re reducing zander numbers and overall weight. Its overall effectiveness depends on how efficient and regular you are.
“I agree there’s not enough science on this subject, nor the money to undertake the research. The industry collectively needs to sit around a table and work out a future.”
“We can be prosecuted if we allow zander to enter other waters”
Other concerns
Mr Ellis said about 100lb of roach and bream were caught during the cull at Diglis Marina, which cannot be fished, and were taken to a nearby Droitwich Spa AC stretch. Asked why MEM Fisheries, which he founded, was given the electrofishing contract, Mr Ellis said he left the business in 1997 and that an eight-strong procurement panel sat for all CRT tender jobs.
He said most of the CRT’s 250 tenant angling clubs support zander control, but stated he was in favour of a ‘Midlands canal zander zone’ which the trust proposed to the EA in 2015. No decision has yet been reached.
“I wish it was easy to legally create zander fisheries, because I think that’s ultimately the solution,” said Mr Ellis.
“That could include a small Midlands canal zone if people could sign up to reasonable compromises – including zander anglers, the EA, CRT, Natural England and wildlife trusts.”
Speaking as a non-executive director of the Angling Trust, Mr Ellis added:
“I’m sure it’ll come up at future meetings.”
How will climate change affect our fisheries?
AS WINTER bites it can be difficult to believe that global warming is a real phenomenon. Yet whether or not you believe it’s caused by human activity, the climate is changing and this will affect our fisheries for centuries to come.
The Earth’s climate has always been in a state of flux, with periods when the planet was hotter than it is now and other times when it was significantly cooler. The last Ice Age, for example, which covered most of the UK in an ice sheet hundreds of metres thick, ended just 12,000 years ago – a mere blink in geological terms. Whatever the reasons, we’re now seeing the planet warm up and, with the complex weather patterns we see in the UK, this is already having an effect on our climate. The weather affecting the UK is becoming more extreme and less consistent.
The only certainty is that long-term global warming, climate change and disruptive weather will have consequences both good and bad
Which species will thrive?
Warmer summers and mild winters are good news for many UK species of coarse fish, many of which are close to the northern limit of their range. Species such as carp, tench and bream aren’t native to Scotland and the Borders, but are increasingly stocked in fisheries here and do well. Successful recruitment of small fish into the next generation is likely to be limited, though, particularly because of lower-than-required sustained temperatures in summer.
Higher summer temperatures and longer summers could well see recruitment improving for these species, particularly further north.
Bream may actually benefit from a longer spawning season
It’s not all good news, though, especially for some of our rare native species that require much cooler conditions. The once abundant burbot disappeared from our rivers after the last Ice Age, because it requires low temperatures to survive. Powan, a rare whitefish found in just a few glacial lakes in the UK, are also under increasing threat from rising temperatures and pollution. Grayling are perhaps another species that could see their range diminished as some rivers become too warm for them to tolerate.
Grayling are at risk from rising temperatures
Records may be broken
Will rising temperatures see our coarse fish records broken as fish will be able to grow faster? Once again, what benefits one species may limit another. Longer summers and mild winters can, other factors being equal, mean that fish can grow faster and for longer. Food must be plentiful, though, and oxygen levels must remain high for fish to feed.
Over the last few decades we’ve seen tench, carp and barbel records shoot up to weights previously thought unobtainable in the UK. Interestingly, the sizes reached by these species are now approaching those seen some years ago in mainland Europe.
The average size of specimens of all three species has also increased massively and across the whole country, which suggests that this is not just a localised phenomenon. While the carp record could be expected to increase as more fish of better strains have been stocked, the other two species are perhaps more intriguing. While many different reasons for this size increase have been postulated, only changes to the climate can explain why this has happened in so many, such diverse, venues.
Other species have seen no increase in their maximum size and specimens have, if anything, become more rare.
Pike and roach are good examples of species that appear to have been ‘left behind’. Both species are not close to their northern extremity in the UK, and so the climate here is probably already close to the optimum.
The records for these species are also similar to ours in many other European countries, suggesting that they derive no benefit from climate change.
UK perch are approaching the size of those found in Europe
The results of flooding
An increase in the frequency of extreme weather is predicted to be another consequence of climate change for the British Isles, and this could have a big impact on our fisheries. Heavy rainfall, leading to flash floods, has affected many parts of the country in recent years and can have a major effect on river fisheries and adjacent stillwaters.
Floods can wash away the young-of-the-year fish, in particular, and this can lead to the loss of potentially good year classes. With the populations of many river species, such as chub, often being dominated by just a couple of year classes, it is obvious that a badly-timed flood can have a serious impact on the fishery for perhaps several decades.
Increasing volumes of water also mean that there is rightly an increased emphasis on flood management to prevent flooding in the first place. While this is essential, engineering work and removing cover from rivers to increase their water capacity can destroy important habitats for fish and other animals and plants. Even if floods themselves do not damage our river fisheries, the management of flood risk may have a knock-on effect.
Whether you believe in human-made climate change or not, there are always winners and losers when the weather changes.
Predicting what these changes will be is, at best, an inexact science thanks to the complex interwoven connection between fish and their environment.
Heavy rainfall, leading to flash floods, has affected many parts of the country in recent years
Fishing prescribed on the NHS!
Angling is set to be prescribed by doctors on the NHS to help combat mental health problems.
Fishing will be prescribed to combat mental health problems
This significant endorsement of the sport’s life-changing qualities will begin with a trial scheme in the South West.
Under the pilot, which will begin referring patients this summer, GPs at seven surgeries in the Somer Valley, Somerset, will prescribe fishing to those with conditions such as depression and anxiety. Angling is one outdoor activity seen as part of the ‘green prescribing’ solution, which links countryside pursuits with restorative effects.
At least one large local angling club has agreed to provide access to fishing kit and venues for the scheme, Angling Times understands, although more are expected to follow suit as it gathers momentum.
People will be able to be prescribed angling by their GP as one of a number of activities to improve mental health
Angling’s advantage
Dom Garnett, who has been part of the planning process with the Angling Trust, told us:
“People will be able to be prescribed angling by their GP as one of a number of activities to improve mental health.
“Our sport has an advantage over some of the other activities labelled as ‘green space’ or ‘blue space’ therapy because it can be sociable or, for those with anxiety when around groups, it can be a solitary pursuit.
“If we get some good case studies from this pilot then we can get the message out there that angling is really good for you. I see no reason why this can’t go nationwide, which would be brilliant for angling.”
“I see no reason why this can’t go nationwide, which would be brilliant for angling”
The scheme’s backers
The trial in Somerset is backed by a partnership between Natural England, Wessex Water, the University of Bath, Bath and North East Somerset Council and the local NHS. It has been funded by Wessex Water, Defra and Natural England and is expected to run for three years, but may be extended to five if funding can be secured.
Wessex Water has backed the scheme because it’s keen to reduce the use of anti-depressants in the Somer Valley. These find their way into the sewage system and are costly to remove. The utility company has said that it will monitor water quality during the scheme and the University of Bath will track the project’s effectiveness by surveying GPs. Water companies elsewhere are also likely to monitor the impact of the trial with a view to duplicating it.
The trial is expected to run for three years
Fishing as a force for good
Organisations such as iCARP have demonstrated angling’s ability to help servicemen and women suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues, but this NHS-backed scheme adds further endorsement and boosts the sport’s flourishing public image. When lobbying for a safe return to the banks after last year’s initial lockdown, the Angling Trust’s When We Fish Again proposal quoted Dr Paul Stolk as saying:
“It is evident that participation in angling can have a positive effect on personal health and wellbeing, most notably as a means by which an individual can escape or recover from stress, trouble or illness.”
Dom Garnett added:
“We know the therapeutic value of angling and more case studies will only help us grow and reach more people. This will help take it from the anecdotal to the real world, proving it works. It’s great for mental health generally, with fewer people needing expensive therapy and popping pills.”
“We know the therapeutic value of angling”
A step in the right direction
Commenting on the scope of the pilot scheme, Dom said:
“It’s not a silver bullet – it won’t be for people with really serious mental health issues and it’s not going to be perhaps the only answer or definitive answer, but it could help a lot of people.
“There will be a lot of people who haven’t processed what they’re going through and will still carry the scars and anxiety of lockdown once we emerge from it, and I believe fishing could be of huge benefit.
“Angling is more visible than ever. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if it was seen as part of the solution as we return to normality?”
Jane Wright, a senior adviser at Natural England said:
“I’m pleased to be overseeing this fantastic project, working with partners to embed the use of green prescribing to improve mental health and wellbeing.
“This year has shown how essential nature is to our wellbeing. Angling offers a great opportunity for people to connect with nature and enjoy a sport that’s healthy and fun. The health and wellbeing benefits of fishing are well-known and we hope to see a positive impact on the community and those who need additional support.”
Angling offers a great opportunity for people to connect with nature and enjoy a sport that’s healthy and fun
Carp Team England boss on a 'species hunt'
Carp Team England manager Rob Hughes has paused his quest for huge carp and set his sights on smaller coarse fish.
“Pre-Christmas and pre-lockdown I decided to spend time over the holidays with my 14-year-old son, trying to catch different species on short sessions,” he says.
A big dace, just one of the different species Rob has caught
“We set a few targets, and even fishing just short sessions in the afternoon have been great fun. Trotting maggots on the stick float, maggots and worms on the waggler, drop shotting and jigging, wobbled lures, fly fishing for pike, plus boilies and bread feeders were just some of the tactics we used.
“Once the box was ticked there was no repeating it. It was on to the next challenge.”
Lures did the trick for the perch
Rob enjoyed a phenomenal roach session recently, taking 48 redfins in an afternoon, the majority of which weighed over 1lb.
Just part of Rob’s phenomenal roach haul
“But the highlight of the winter for me has to be a gudgeon a smidgeon shy of 7ins!” says Rob.
This huge gudgeon has been Rob’s highlight so far
Optimism for big summer of match fishing
Match organisers remain hopeful that the sport’s big events, including Fish ‘O’ Mania, Maver Match This and the Division 1 & 2 Nationals, will go ahead later this year.
Although nothing can be set in stone given the current lockdown situation and uncertainty surrounding the lifting of restrictions, Andre Grandjean, Chairman of the Angling Trust’s Coarse Competitions Committee, is optimistic for a summer of big events.
“Our plans are full steam ahead,” he said.
“By June and July, when most of our events are due, we’re expecting that things will be okay to go ahead.
“One concern people have had is how and where we’ll fit the qualifiers for these events in, but most of these don’t start again until after April, and we anticipate that by then these will go ahead as planned, in a Covid-safe way of course.”
Maver’s Andy Kinder is the man behind the mega-money Match This event that unfortunately was cancelled last year. This time though, he’s hoping that event can take place.
“We managed to do around seven qualifiers last year, which frees up a bit of space in the calendar this time round,” he said. “While there’s still a way to go, I hope that the event will go ahead as planned.”
“By June and July, when most of our events are due, we’re expecting that things will be okay to go ahead.”
Big carper finds perfect lockdown target
Big carper and The Challenge star Harry Charrington has put the carp rods away for now and set his sights on greedy river chub.
“If I’m still to get my fishing hit in lockdown that’s the only way to go,” he says.
Fortunately, Harry lives just a stone’s throw away from a fantastic stretch of river in East Anglia, one with a good head of chub.
“I’m very lucky in that I can easily access miles of quality river with dozens of great spots, all with the aid of my bike, so it couldn’t be more local. Since Christmas I must have had over 30 chub, with the average size between 3lb and 4lb 8oz.
“However, I struck gold the other day when I managed a 5lb 3oz and a 6lb 1oz in consecutive casts, with the six being a new PB!”
Harry is clearly delighted with his 6lb 1oz chub
Fishing's BIGGEST challenges!
WE recently reported the capture of a sensational 3lb 8oz river roach, a feat widely regarded the angling equivalent of scaling Mount Everest. But what other angling achievements can compare? We asked our columnists and readers…
Winning the world champs
For Rob Hughes there was one challenge that stands above all others, and that’s claiming a gold medal at the World Champs.
“You’re not just competing against the fish, but against a raft of very talented people who are at the top of their game,” he said.
“There’s no room for error, as you can guarantee that some of the other competitors won’t make a mistake. You only get one chance.”
The process starts with just getting a place in the England team which, as current England International Rory Jones confirms, is no easy feat in itself.
“The number of different skills that an international level angler must master is unrivalled. There is no hiding place on the international stage – the angler must be truly multi-skilled,” he said.
“There is no hiding place on the international stage”
Tracking down a double-figure eel
The reaction to Steve Pitts’ capture of a 10lb 2oz eel last summer showed just how much of an accomplishment this is for any angler. The magnitude of the catch was certainly not lost on renowned specialist Neill Stephen, who said:
“Big eels can’t be seen, they are rarely if ever recaught, and they are usually solitary one-off fish, so by definition you have to fish for them where there is no record of them ever existing!
“They can turn up anywhere, from a tiny garden pond to a huge gravel pit, and they are notoriously elusive, with some anglers putting in hundreds of nights before they even get a run. There are also many instances of huge fish being netted or electrofished out of lakes, put back and then, despite every effort by anglers, never being caught again. Put simply, you have to be a total nutter to fish for them, and most eel anglers are!”
Steve Pitts with his giant 10lb 2oz eel
Landing the Burghfield Common
Only 14 men in history have banked this impressive carp. Topping out at over 60lb, it is one of the country’s biggest commons, and the challenge starts with just getting a ticket for the 96-acre Burghfield Lake near Reading. Once you’re there, you then have to deal with the labyrinthine nature of the lake itself, a vast amount of which is inaccessible. You’ll soon be questioning your sanity!
Scott Lloyd, who banked the highly-sought after fish in April 2017 said:
“It takes about two hours to walk around Burghfield, and it’s blood, sweat and tears because it’s so overgrown in places. You have to go through brambles to get to the water’s edge. I soon developed a passionate hatred of brambles! Unless you’ve been there you will never have enough respect for that lake or that fish.”
Scott Lloyd with the incredible Burghfield Common
Boating a giant shark
AT columnist Martin Bowler knows more than most about tough fishing challenges – after all, he wrote an acclaimed book all about tracking down some of the rarest fish in our waters called ‘Catching the Impossible’!
For him the ultimate angling challenge is to target truly wild fish. He said:
“In the UK that is far from easy, but there are a few fish I’d still like to tempt onto my hooks! The sea offers the epitome of wild fishing, and with only two mako sharks ever having been caught since I was born in 1971, I think this isn’t just the ultimate challenge, but an almost impossible one!
“Failing that, catching a sixgill shark would also be fabulous!”
“This isn’t just the ultimate challenge, but an almost impossible one!”
Win one of the ‘big three’
For match anglers there are three main big money events – Fish O’Mania, Match This and the Golden Reel. Match ace Jamie Hughes believes scooping just one of these Blue Riband events deserves a place amongst angling’s toughest challenges.
“Your reputation means nothing,” he said.
“First of all, you need to qualify and that means fishing unfamiliar venues miles from home against talented anglers, many of whom are often local experts. Once you get through, then there’s the final itself and those you’re up against will practice intensely for it. Then, on the day you need to draw a peg that gives you half a chance, and then you need to pray it fishes to form. I’ve drawn some belting pegs in finals that have turned out to be rancid! You also need to remember that the match can be won and lost in the last 10 minutes!”
“On the day you need to draw a peg that gives you half a chance, and then you need to pray it fishes to form”
Catching a 30lb-plus pike from a non-trout water
Any pike over 30lb is impressive, but fish of such size are far more common in trout reservoirs than they are in rivers, canals or any other natural venue. Reigning Drennan Cup champ Rich Wilby believes catching a ‘thirty’ from such a venue is right up there.
“I spend a lot of my piking time on the Norfolk Broads and can count on one hand the number of known 30lb pike that have been caught there in recent times,” said Rich.
“Predation has a lot to do with their demise, as the larger ones are an easy meal for otters in the spawning season, and cormorants have all but wiped out the prey fish in many places, which big pike obviously need to sustain their weight.”
Huge pike like this are more common in trout reservoirs
Is the EA failing our fisheries?
The man who helped launch the Voluntary Bailiff Service (VBS) has denounced it as “a pointless waste” of millions of pounds of public cash because, he says, the Environment Agency rarely acts on the intelligence gathered.
Dilip Sarkar resigned in frustration as the Angling Trust’s national enforcement support manager last summer after eight years in the post. He’s meeting junior Defra minister Rebecca Pow to seek an independent review into the allocation of £6m of rod-licence money.
Are our fisheries getting the protection rod licences pay for?
‘Wasted intelligence’
Dilip says the VBS, which began in 2012 and trains unpaid anglers to provide ‘eyes and ears’ on the bank, is a successful model copied by police forces to combat other areas of rural crime. But he claims the EA – which funds the scheme through rod-licence sales – has failed to act on reports, rendering the VBS toothless.
He said:
“Unless the EA delivers the required end result, which is co-operating, engaging and acting upon intelligence received, the whole thing – through no fault of either the Trust’s Fisheries Enforcement Support Service (FESS) or the VBS – is a pointless waste of substantial public funds. The EA must be called to account.”
Dilip Sarkar resigned in frustration as the Angling Trust’s national enforcement support manager last summer
Lockdown inaction
Dilip said his disappointment peaked during the first lockdown when the EA kept its fishery enforcement officers (FEOs) at home despite the Home Office calling for partner agencies to take pressure off police. With angling banned the VBS received reports of fisheries remaining open. He said:
“It was suggested to the EA that as their FEOs were at home, on full pay – not furloughed – they should be provided details of errant fisheries to contact and hopefully resolve these issues without the police service involved.
“The attitude of the Environment Agency was that the matter wasn’t its responsibility, and nor was it for the EA to become a ‘substitute for the police service’. This, frankly, beggared belief.”
During initial lockdown, 154 voluntary bailiffs completed 1,791 patrols and reported 255 incidents of illegal fishing, generating 91 intelligence logs. Dilip added:
“The EA’s dismal performance crystallised everything that’s wrong with the whole set-up.”
“During the first lockdown the EA kept its fishery enforcement officers at home”
Funding model
Between August 2015 and October 2020 the EA paid the Angling Trust just over £6m of rod-licence cash to run the National Angling Strategic Services (NASS) contract, of which the VBS is part. That money also covered the Trust’s Fisheries Enforcement Support Service (FESS), which uses paid staff to oversee the VBS network.
The EA said it estimates around £1.3m of rod-licence money has been spent directly on the VBS as part of the NASS between May 2012 and October 2020.
“Clearly, the total spent on VBS and FESS would be a substantial proportion of the overall cost [of the £6m awarded],” said Dilip.
“This is a great concern because the EA is not capitalising on the demonstrable benefits the FESS and VBS provide. The EA, despite financing the exercise, has consistently obstructed progress and failed to cooperate.”
The EA estimates around £1.3m of rod-licence money has been spent directly on the VBS
VBS resignations
The strained relationship between the VBS and EA has led to resignations from the Trust’s paid regional enforcement managers (REMs) and, Dilip claims, a downing of tools by many disillusioned volunteer bailiffs.
Chris Wood of Shrewsbury Anglers Club was a VBS area co-ordinator until resigning last year. He said:
“In four years I never once had a FEO attend an incident I’d reported. No matter how many reports you posted, you would never, ever get an officer to come out.”
Mr Wood praised the VBS concept and said he would return to the service if the EA issues were resolved.
A former Trust REM who resigned added:
“The FESS and VBS are a superb resource. The AT, VBS and angling public are doing their bit by reporting matters. The sad truth is the EA are institutionally hostile to the VBS and don’t see the benefit volunteers and their intelligence can bring. It’s time for the EA to resolve these issues or pass fisheries enforcement to an agency that will improve things for the benefit of all.”
“It’s time for the EA to resolve these issues or pass fisheries enforcement to an agency that will improve things”
AGENCY Response
We asked the EA if it was satisfied with the proportion of VBS-reported incidents its officers respond to.
“Yes,” said a spokesman.
“Incident response, patrols and operations as a result of intelligence analysis are separate issues. Intelligence logs from the trust are sent to the EA’s National Intelligence Team. Most of these are included within a monthly intelligence report, which is used to help influence where and when patrols are best deployed to combat the illegal activity reported. We could do more if we had more resources available.”
Trust CEO Jamie Cook said he wished he could have worked with Dilip to address his concerns, adding Mr Sarkar should be proud of what he created, making it
“all the more bizarre he should be seeking to trash his own work and argue the team he led was ineffective”.
He added:
“The Trust has pressed the EA at every level to increase its enforcement activity. During the last lockdown we wrote to Sir James Bevan [EA CEO] on this subject making it clear that we expect EA enforcement services to continue to operate alongside the country’s other frontline public and enforcement services.”
“The Trust has pressed the EA at every level to increase its enforcement activity”
WIN a dream trip to Wilson's Thailand fishery!
ANGLERS are being given the chance to win a dream fishing holiday at John Wilson’s Thailand resort thanks to the launch of an online fundraiser.
Anglers have the chance to win a dream fishing holiday at John Wilson’s Thailand resort
One lucky winner and a friend will be entitled to a seven-day exclusive booking at the Bung Sawan estate, eight nights’ accommodation in a local hotel, free airport transfers and £2,000 cash to spend during the stay.
The fantastic prize has been offered by Gillhams Holidays UK Ltd in a bid to raise vital funds for the John Wilson Fishing Enterprise (JWFE) – a social care initiative which uses fishing to help improve the mental health of kids and young adults.
The prize has been offered in a bid to raise funds for the John Wilson Fishing Enterprise
John’s daughter Lisa, who’s a highly qualified social worker and founder of the enterprise, said:
“Covid-19 was a real setback for the JWFE in 2020 as it just wasn’t possible to get large groups of people out on the bank.
“When restrictions are eased during the spring and summer, the cash generated from this fundraiser will help our staff of licensed fishing coaches to make up for lost time and start making a significant difference to the lives of people suffering with poor mental health.”
Tickets for the fundraiser cost £7.99 each and can be purchased from the competitions section at www.gillhamsholidays.co.uk
You could enjoy catching fish from Wilson’s lake!
The buzz of the take is fishing's most exciting moment - Des Taylor
THE other day I was talking to Angling Times editor-in-chief Steve Fitzpatrick about what we thought was the most exciting thing about fishing.
Was it the waiting and the anticipation of that next bite? Was it the take, the playing of the fish, or the landing of our prize? We agreed that it had to be the take every time.
Is it a float lifting and then slowly sinking below the surface that sets your pulses racing? Maybe it’s a predator slamming into a lure, or a chub tapping on the quivertip before pulling it round 90 degrees? If you’re a carp angler, it’s probably all about sitting in your shelter on a still, silent night when out of the blue the indicator flies up and the buzzer screams a one-toner as a big fat mirror hits the lead on a bolt rig.
A float amongst the bubbles, the excitement when it goes under is unrivalled
Whenever a fish takes, our heart rate steps up a gear and with boyish enthusiasm we hope and pray it’s the biggest fish in the lake. Even if that fish turns out to be a 2lb carp or 1lb chub, you didn’t know that at the time you first made contact did you? No – when the moment came it was your first 20lb carp or 6lb chub. Just keep at it, and eventually your dreams will become reality.
On my barbel guiding days I can see what the take does to an angler. When the rod bends over double I tell them not to panic, and to just pick the rod up without striking. The answer is always the same: “No problem, I’ve been fishing for years so I won’t panic.”
But after a wait which may be one minute or one hour the rod thumps over as though a sack of spuds has hit the line. My pupil lurches forward, sometimes falling off his chair as the rod is being pulled off the rest. In blind panic he strikes!
“The rod thumps over as though a sack of spuds has hit the line”
Of course, the fish is traveling at 100mph and the angler strikes on powerful line in the opposite direction and is nearly pulled off his feet. But that’s what it’s all about, and he’ll remember that take for the rest of his life, whether it’s from his first double or a 6lb barbel.
Later he may well recall the playing of the fish and the photo of his prize, but it’s the take that will really stick in his memory.
It’s the same for me – even now, after so many years, it’s that buzz of the take that keeps me going back for more.
Only the other day on the Severn I was sitting there with two rods, hoping for a chub or a barbel on the boilie, but because of cold water entering the river overnight I was hardly confident of a bite. I’d been almost comatose, looking at the stationary tip, and then suddenly it doubled over.
What a take, what a chub, and just like one of my customers I was all over the place once it was in the net. I tell you, the day I don’t get that feeling is the day I will pack up. Will that be soon? No chance!
“I’d been almost comatose, looking at the stationary tip, and then suddenly it doubled over”
Angling coaches in every store!
TACKLE giant Angling Direct has revealed an ambitious plan to train 80 members of staff to become professional angling coaches and work in the company’s stores around the country, offering free advice to anyone who enters.
The initiative, which will see the retailer partnering with the Angling Trust, is geared towards catering for the new wave of anglers who entered the sport last year.
Angling Direct marketing manager Oliver Harper said:
“In a few months’ time there will be an Angling Trust Level 1 coach in each of our 38 stores, which will add more of a community feel. We’ll be training staff across the brand, so alongside people on the shop floor, we’ll have people in our customer service team, as well as the media team who are qualified coaches and are able to offer professional advice.”
There will be an Angling Trust Level 1 coach in each of the 38 AD stores
Fish weights and records - Rob Hughes
With the New Year now well underway, many of us will be setting ourselves targets. ‘Go more often’, ‘win more matches’ or ‘catch a new PB’ will be popular goals, while the more ambitious among us may harbour even loftier aspirations such as ‘win a Drennan Cup weekly award’, ‘qualify for a big-money match’ or even ‘try to catch a British record’!
On that note it was interesting to see the recent news from the BRFC regarding the records claims from the end of 2020. Five were submitted, three were accepted, and two rejected. Well done to the new record-holders. In freshwater, the crucian carp record of 4lb 10oz was equalled by Craig Smithson and accepted by the committee. The potential record perch of 6lb 4oz was, however, temporarily rejected on a weight issue. A ‘more precise scales test’ was requested by the committee, as they couldn’t agree on an accurate weight.
I rarely weigh fish these days unless they are especially meaningful or particularly big. I’ve no interest if a carp I might catch is 24lb 6oz or 28lb 2oz. I have, however, got a small set of digital pocket scales for my perch and dace fishing, but they don’t weigh ounces properly – they weigh them decimally, so half-a-pound is recorded as 0.5 on the display. Crazy! You’d think that the manufacturers would get that bit right.
One thing’s for sure, before I head out for my next session targeting dace, I’ll have to invest in a slightly more dependable set of scales. Unlike with 20lb-odd carp, I will have every interest in whether that big dace I dream of catching weighs 15oz or 1lb!
The bigger the fish, the less ounces matter – and vice-versa, of course!
Will there be another fishing boom in 2021?
BACK in March 2020, the short-term future of the angling industry looked uncertain due to the fallout from the Covid pandemic.
But following a huge upturn in the sector’s fortunes, which saw rod licence sales soar, fisheries busier than ever and tackle and bait companies struggling to keep up with demand, many fishing-related businesses are now investing heavily to ride the wave of the boom well into 2021.
More and more families have come to realise that fishing is a sport that can be enjoyed by all ages and abilities
An additional 50,000 people bought a licence during October and November – traditionally a quiet period – and the swelling numbers on the bank haven’t gone unnoticed by shops and fisheries.
Howard Kaye, who runs the tackle shop at Manor Farm Leisure Fisheries, has just opened his second shop, Manor Angling Plus, in Evesham, and has plans for a third, larger store to open up later this month.
“The unexpected boom in business this year has certainly helped put us in a good place,” he said.
“Signs are really good for the future. I think a lot of the new people buying licences will keep fishing and we’ll hopefully continue to prosper. The third store, set to open later this month, is a larger enterprise out near Twyford Farm. We have exciting plans for that place, which I can’t reveal just yet!”
Howard Kaye – two shops and a third planned!
Over in Bicester, Oxfordshire, Tackle Tavern – in business for just three years – has gone from strength to strength.
“We’ve increased our stock-holding capacity, and boosted our online presence, which has helped us to have a lucrative year,” Matty Morrell, the owner, told us.
“Even during lockdown we used the downtime to develop our website, and already we’re seeing the benefits of that.”
Tackle Tavern has already moved and expanded three times.
“We’re always looking to grow,” Matty added.
“Moving to an even larger facility is always on the cards if the spike in demand continues.”
It’s not just tackle shops that are preparing for a big year in 2021. At Makins Fishery in Warwickshire, the work taking place is geared to improving accessibility for the new breed of beginner and junior anglers who have emerged during the boom.
“We want to make things as easy as possible for people visiting the fishery, particularly with so many newcomers getting into fishing last year,” said staff member Reece Woolley.
“New access roads, car parks and a driveway are all being installed to make things more practical and appealing to customers, and we’re also digging out the lakes and de-silting them to make the fishing even better!”
Work in progress at Makins Fishery to improve access for the new breed of beginners and improvers
He added:
“After such a productive summer in 2020, we’re getting ready to kick on and are expecting 2021 to be just as good, if not even better!”
Some of the growth in participation in 2020 can be attributed to fishing restarting quickly after the first national lockdown and continuing all the way through the second, when other sports and activities remained off limits.
Angling Trust boss Jamie Cook, who led the battle to keep us on the banks, thinks the future is continuing to look rosy.
“We’re really excited for this year,” he told us.
“Our priority will be to continue our fight to keep fishing legal and one of the few permitted sports if we’re hit with another lockdown, but aside from that we’ve got lots planned to keep new and returning anglers enjoying their fishing.
“Our Get Fishing and Let’s Fish Campaigns will hopefully continue to boost participation, and we’ve also got a few initiatives in the pipeline to support the infrastructure laid down this year.”
Angling Trust boss Jamie Cook has promised to keep fighting for anglers this year
In addition, Jamie hopes to improve the Trust’s engagement with existing anglers.
“I want us to be in better touch with the sea fishing community, as well as with match anglers. I’ve spoken to a lot of the latter, from grassroots to elite level, and while we’re doing well with our large competitions there are still some areas in which we can improve.
“Overall, it’s fantastic to see that the industry is thriving. Hopefully we can all make 2021 another year to remember.”
West Midlands leads licence growth boom
THE WEST Midlands accounted for the biggest rise in newcomers to angling in 2020, new figures have shown.
At the end of November 2020, there were just over 151,000 full licence holders in that region, a rise of 17 per cent over 12 months, with the region of Greater Manchester and Merseyside showing the next biggest increase (up 16.4 per cent to 86,000), followed by Cumbria and Lancashire (up 15.5 per cent to 45,000).
The figures, released by the Environment Agency, revealed that a further 12 regions showed an increase in participation during that timeframe, helping to contribute to an overall rise of 108,000 in the number of rod licence holders.
The West Midlands remains the region with the most overall licence holders, followed by East Anglia (133,000) and Yorkshire (105,000).
The EA also revealed how the overall growth in sales has continued in the months leading up to Christmas, in spite of the Covid pandemic and unfavourable weather conditions.
A spokesperson for the Agency told us:
“Despite traditionally being a quieter time of year for fishing, in October, 36,851 people bought a fishing licence, and a further 18,928 licences were sold in November.”
Rod licence sales continue to boom!
"A reality check is overdue on the price of fishing. It’s amazing value" - Dom Garnett
Complaining about the cost of living was a national obsession well before any pandemic, but you do wonder sometimes when it comes to the value of fishing.
Yes, it can cost a bomb if you want to join a carp syndicate or fly fish the chalkstreams. And yes, many of us instantly double the cost by accumulating enough tackle for three people. But is the cost of going fishing really so terrible?
I had to chuckle wryly to myself the other day as regulars at a day-ticket lake moaned about parting with eight quid. The last time I went to a fourth tier football match I paid three times that amount just for a seat, and still had to fork out for a pint and a match day programme.
My last day-ticket fishing session was a case in point. I was fishing a pretty rural lake and all I needed to get bites for pretty much the whole of an enjoyable morning was a pint of maggots and a few worms from the compost heap.
I have no desire to stir up a hornet’s nest here, but perhaps a reality check is overdue on the price of fishing.
Our sport offers incredible value for money. Thirty quid for an annual licence is not even 60p a week, and kids are free. Yearly club tickets can be had for well under £50 in most areas. So why do some of us still talk of daylight robbery? Do these people never take the wife to the pictures or pick up the tab on a family meal out?
Thirty quid for an annual licence is not even 60p a week
Coarse and carp anglers, I have to say, are especially curmudgeonly on this score. As an all-rounder I quite regularly pay £20-£50 for a day’s fly fishing on a beautiful river or lake (I really should work harder on my Z-list celebrity status to get more freebies!).
Is the same fee really so unthinkable just because I happen to be casting a stick float or feeder?
In an era where the country creaks with debt and jobs are uncertain, it’s inevitable that people start to sigh about the price of everything from bacon baps to city centre parking.
Yes, there is real hardship out there and it can be brutal on families. But could it be that a huge part of angling’s massive Covid-era resurgence is the incredible value our sport offers? Perhaps it’s time we asked an honest question or two, therefore. Yes, the price tag of a day’s fishing can vary from “a fiver if I catch you” to three figures; but what’s the true value of a day’s fishing?
What price those few hours of anticipation, relaxation and excitement?
Far from being a rip off, our sport is an absolute steal.
What’s the true value of a day’s fishing?