Cod stocks at critical level
CATCH and release regulations could be introduced to help protect stocks of cod around our shores, a new report has revealed.
The UK fisheries audit released last week by conservation organisation Oceana claimed half a dozen species are in a critical state due to overfishing, with herring, crab, and whiting also amongst the stocks deemed to be at a critical level due to overfishing.
An Oceana spokesperson told us:
“The UK is currently negotiating catch limits with the EU and Norway. Usually, a specific recreational catch quota is allowed, as happened with seabass and European eels, but as this is the first time such negotiations are happening since Brexit, we’re not sure of the outcome. If the UK allocates a zero-catch limit on cod, it could apply to recreational anglers too, which could result in catch-and-release fishing only.”
Catch and release regulations could be introduced to help protect stocks of cod around our shores
Record ide...from a river!
ALL-ROUND angler Colin Hebb has landed what’s believed to be Britain’s largest ide, this clonking 8lb 6oz fish.
The 37-year-old from East Yorkshire took it on quivertipped lobworm by a moored boat on his local stretch of the River Hull.
Ide, also identified as orfe, are usually found in commercials, but Colin has targeted them on the River Hull for the past eight years. He said:
“In 2013 I was tipped off about an area that held big roach, but all I could see there were huge ide basking on the surface.”
Colin’s capture beats the current British ide best by 1oz, and pictures of his catch have been sent to the British Record Fish Committee for verification.
Colin Hebb’s record ide, a new best – by just an ounce!
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
7lb-plus UK perch "on the horizon" say experts
LATE last autumn the angling world was rocked by the capture of a record-breaking 6lb 4oz perch, the latest in a long line of huge stripeys to be reported over the past few seasons.
During that time specimens over 4lb have become relatively common, with two- and three-pounders barely getting a mention in despatches. As impressive as this ‘new normal’ for the species has become, experts believe that even larger specimens prowl in our waters, thriving on a perfect storm of environmental conditions and a ready supply of food.
Experts believe that even larger specimens prowl in our waters
Thriving populations
Perch are arguably the most accessible of our native coarse species, found everywhere from vast open lakes to muddy canals.
Scroll back 50 years, though, and the situation was far different. Ravaged by a virulent disease, they were pushed to the brink of existence. So how have they made such a remarkable recovery?
Kye Jerrom, Senior Fisheries Officer at the Environment Agency, revealed that a number of factors have contributed to their success. He said:
“We’ve been monitoring perch populations since 1975, and since then there’s been a substantial increase in not only their numbers, but also their size.
“Many of our coarse fish populations have flourished in recent years, aided by excellent spawning success due to the recent long, warm summers.
“As a result, there’s plenty of food for perch, and in the correct environment they can display exceptional growth.”
This ‘correct environment’ ideally features – alongside an abundance of prey fish – a lack of other predators for competition, little angling pressure, and good water clarity. When all these factors come together, alarming growth rates have been witnessed, as Kye went on to reveal.
“Analysis we’ve done in such conditions showed that perch can grow to over 15cm in their first year and to over 3lb in weight in less than four years. For a species that lives for around eight years, this leaves plenty of time for them to reach record proportions.”
Perch can grow to over 3lb in weight in less than four years
All the rage
But there are other reasons why we’re seeing so many big perch being caught today, as Andy Cheetham, chairman of the Perchfishers club, told us.
“It’s been many years since they were wiped out by disease, so right now they’re at the peak of their recovery, resulting in bigger fish and larger populations. Add to this the fact that lure angling has soared in popularity, with thousands of anglers now at it, and that lure fishing is a great way to single out the biggest perch, and it’s little surprise that we’re seeing so many big fish being caught. Perch have also become quite a ‘trendy’ fish, with ever more carpers fishing for them over the winter months.”
Andy Cheetham with a fine 5lb 11oz perch from a Midlands river
A rosy future
Nobody can fail to be impressed by pictures of Matt Atkins’ potential new British record of 6lb 4oz, banked in October 2020, but Andy Cheetham believes even bigger fish are on the cards… if they haven’t been banked already.
“I certainly think there are bigger fish on the horizon, and have actually been told of fish to over 7lb having been caught in this country. You have to remember that many anglers don’t report catches nowadays, especially from a water that’s on form. Perch are cyclical and may fade from a venue for years before suddenly reappearing, so people like to make the most of quality fishing while it’s there – without competition from other anglers.
“The best perch fishing I ever experienced came from a stretch of river most people had given up on. I hit on a small group of very big fish, and over a five-year period I landed 11 four-pounders and five fish over 5lb,” Andy added.
Matt Atkins’ potential new British record of 6lb 4oz
Overseas example
With the average stamp of perch in the UK on the rise, the question remains whether one day the nation’s specimen hunters could be catching fish of five, even six pounds, with some regularity.
Across the North Sea in the Netherlands, fishing like that is already on offer, and Dutch specialist Tim Janssen firmly believes the UK could one day witness a similar level of sport because all the necessary foundations are in place.
“One of the reasons we have big perch is because of our big river systems connected to large gravel pits,” Tim explained.
“These are filled with clear, healthy water as well as loads of small bait fish for the perch to hunt, as well as a fish we call the ‘donal grondel’ (a small freshwater goby), and millions of crayfish.
“The UK has gravel pits with a good balance of food and clear and healthy water, so perhaps one day the perch should reach a similar level to ours.”
Whilst Britain does indeed have large gravel pits, they’re not on the same scale as those found in Holland, and most are not connected to rivers. Perhaps the closest we have to this model is the Norfolk Broads and, interestingly, that is a county that was geographically connected to Holland some 10,000 years ago. With the Broads already known to have produced perch to over 5lb in recent seasons to publicity-shy anglers, and with a rising number of crayfish and an abundance of bait fish in our waters, who knows what the future might hold?
One thing’s for sure: it’s an exhilarating time to be a British perch angler!
This huge Dutch perch of 6lb 11oz fell to Tim Janssen
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”
Fishing ‘Wembley’ is set to reopen
A stretch of the Warwickshire Avon once known as ‘the Wembley of river fishing’ is set to reopen this summer following a major rejuvenation project.
The famous Twyford Farm Fishery once hosted huge 100-peg events, but hasn’t been fished for many years after its owners removed the pegs and closed it to anglers.
The famous Twyford Farm Fishery once hosted huge 100-peg events
Now a return to the glory days looks on the cards after Manor Angling Ltd took control of the stretch and unveiled exciting plans for the future.
The company’s boss Howard Kaye said:
“Matches and festivals for the next river season starting on June 16 are already selling out, and we’ve got a RiverFest qualifier booked in too.
“We’ll also be opening a new tackle shop on site and digging a teaching pool at the top of the stretch for juniors, with tackle hire available.
“It’s going to be a fantastic venue, with big chub, barbel, roach, dace and bream. I’ll start building the pegs now, and we may even have a few ready for the last few weeks of the current season. Watch this space!” he added.
Howard Kaye wants the stretch to return to the glory days
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
Fundraising campaign launched for 'Blue Planet style' film on British fish
Anglers are being asked to chip in to help a one-hour film showcasing the secret lives of Britain’s fish – narrated by Jeremy Wade – go into production.
Acclaimed underwater cameraman and angler Jack Perks is behind Britain’s Hidden Fishes, but the not-for-profit venture needs £30,000 to come to fruition.
We spoke to Jack ahead of the launch of his crowdfunding drive.
Acclaimed underwater cameraman and angler Jack Perks is behind the project
What’s this all about?
Britain’s fish are often overlooked and under-appreciated, and it’s about time we put them in the spotlight. We have many amazing wildlife spectacles unfolding beneath the water and this film aims to showcase hidden and untold stories about British fish.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a cinematic-looking film made on some of the most incredible creatures we have, everything from tiny sticklebacks right up to behemoth basking sharks.
How much will it cost?
I’m aiming for £30,000, which sounds like a lot, but when you think about the millions it takes to produce some wildlife programmes it’s a drop in the sea. It’s the lowest amount I know I can do it for and it’s all or nothing – if we don’t hit the target we won’t be able to make it.
Is this a solo project?
I’m overseeing it and will do some of the filming, but we’ve got a whole team who will be paid for their work.
I’ve got a drone pilot who’s interested in wildlife, a composer to create new music, and one of the cameramen from the BBC Wildlife series Dynasties, Lindsay McCrae, has an interest in Scottish salmon and has agreed to be involved. And we’ve got Jeremy Wade on board as narrator.
Britain’s fish are often overlooked and under-appreciated
That’s quite a coup. How did that come about?
I knew Jeremy and had fished with him, through our mutual friend Dr Mark Everard. Jeremy is very good at what he does and he lends the project some extra weight and credibility. He’s known for travelling all over the world, but he’s also a biologist who loves fishing closer to home.
Why not get a TV company to fund the project?
I’ve tried banging on various TV company doors to tell these stories but they don’t want to listen, so as the old adage goes, if you want something doing properly you have to do it yourself.
It it a struggle to sell fish to a wider audience?
TV companies have got better, but it’s always going to be a badger or some kind of bird that wins out. And you have to remember that fish are hard – they’re not easy to film! It’s not like you can look out of your back door and see them. But I want to prove to people that they’re not brown, slimy and boring – they are fascinating.
“If you want something doing properly you have to do it yourself”
Are you inspired by previous fishing productions, and will you emulate them?
A Passion for Angling is the best angling show ever and I’m definitely trying to get that feel, just without the anglers! It’ll be full of really good cinematography with misty sunrises and frosty mornings – a feast for the eyes is what I’m aiming for.
What fish will you be looking to film?
There will be a big variety of freshwater and sea fish, including brown trout, because you find them everywhere, and things like barbel spawning. I’d also love to film tuna off Cornwall, plus sharks and much smaller species.
How long will filming take?
If we reach our goal it’ll begin straight away because spring is when everything kicks off underwater. I’m aiming for two years’ filming, so I’ve got two chances at recording each behaviour and we’ll be filming all year round.
There will be a big variety of freshwater and sea fish
Might we see things we don’t expect?
There’s lots of stuff that has never been filmed properly before, like perch and roach spawning. No-one has ever filmed that, which is incredible. It’s like someone saying ‘I’ve never seen a robin’s nest’.
There are other things like perch and eels co-operating when hunting. Perch know that eels will go along the bottom looking for prey and will send smaller fish shooting up into the water, so they swim above the eels, knowing they can get an easy meal.
There are also mullet in Lewes, where thousands gather in a little carrier stream before spawning. It’s like a spa – they arrive covered in fungus and spend time in the stream cleaning themselves off before spawning. I’m also keen to hear from anglers if they spot anything unusual.
Where will the film be shown?
At the moment it’s planned that this will go online so everyone can see it, so it’ll be on YouTube. I would love to have a premiere, though, even if it’s just online.
If there’s interest then it could be sold to TV, but it is non-profit so I’d either have to give it away for nothing or charge and then donate the money to a charity, probably a fish charity.
Find out more and how YOU can help here.
Let's hope common sense prevails on Brexit bait issue - Rob Hughes
Going to France for an annual carp fishing pilgrimage is something many big fish anglers have enjoyed in the past. Match and predator fishing fans have done likewise to places like Holland, Denmark and Spain, but sadly these jaunts are currently little more than distant memories. This isn’t just because of the dreaded Covid, but now also the new import and export regulations that are in place. Yep, Brexit has bitten back.
There was a story on the news that, while almost laughable, has deeper connotations. A British truck driver was stopped going into Holland and had his ham sandwich confiscated. This is because cereal and meat-based products are not allowed to be taken into Europe without paperwork.
While you may not be too concerned about your packed lunch, you’ll be more concerned about your boilies, groundbaits and maggots, as they’re on the banned list too! Then there’s the food we take – simple, innocuous things such the milk for cups of tea – and all manner of other things that we have taken for granted whenever we cross a border.
The fear is that Europe will want to make an example of the UK, or try to prove a point, and that may well make life difficult for years to come.
Let’s hope that common sense prevails, and when we do actually get to travel freely again – whether that’s this year or next – we won’t be met with the type of frosty reception the truck driver was forced to endure.
Thinking of taking boilies in to Europe? Think again!
Have we created the most cautious generation of pike ever? - Dom Garnett
I’m not going to lie to you, recent fishing has been a grind. My results wouldn’t flatter Sheffield United right now, especially when it comes to trying to catch a better pike or two.
It would be nice to think that after 30-odd (sometimes very odd) years of pike angling, these fish would be a formality. But no, they seem as moody as I’ve ever found them.
Pike seem as moody as I’ve ever found them
Have I got worse as an angler? Probably not. What I lack in free time, I ought to make up for in experience. But the one massive culture shift since I first started casting plugs and spinners in anger is the huge increase in fishing pressure. When I was growing up in the 1980s, it was a genuine novelty to see a pike angler. Devotees of the species were seen not so much as specialists as ‘a bit special’.
The far better tackle and greater respect for pike we have decades later should be welcomed. However, the massive increase in angler numbers has taught us that pike are not as daft as we thought.
Have we created the most cautious generation of pike ever? From fish that have a phobia of lures, to ridiculously gentle takes on bait, this would seem to be the case. If anything, it probably helps protect them against poaching – not that it’s much consolation when you’re sat by a canal contemplating a third blank on the trot!
Maybe you could argue that picky fish force us to be better anglers. Fly fishing has been a revelation on waters peppered with lures, while groundbaiting, popped-up baits and even night fishing have also helped me avoid blanks.
The real magic bullet, however, is to find venues and spots that haven’t been relentlessly fished. Easier said than done when the options are limited by Covid rules, or you live in an area with quite underwhelming pike fishing.
My results speak for themselves in terms of sheer desperation! Perhaps three-quarters of my pike have been caught on a fly rod after increasingly long walks from popular swims. Meanwhile, it’s also telling that I’ve really struggled on standard deadbaits. Or, at least, the only times I still seem to catch much are when the weather is horrendous or I stay on the bank into darkness!
Another cold day on the canal, where I have failed spectacularly so far
One thing you can say about pike is that on any venue with deep margins they will still feed close to the bank if you can only find ‘bite o’clock’. Just don’t expect them to feed at sociable hours or send line spilling of the reel like a runaway train.
The incredibly feeble bite my last double gave is symptomatic of this new school of pike fishing – to succeed, you need to cast away your assumptions, walk further and fish smarter than ever before.
World Freestyle Feeder and Street Fishing matches set for autumn
TWO brand new fishing competitions are set to be launched this year to capitalise on rapidly growing arms within the sport… and England are hoping to send teams to both!
The inaugural Freestyle Feeder Championships, which is scheduled to take place in Hungary in September, will break new ground as competitors will be allowed to use just about any combination of feeder, hooklink and loosefeed, unlike the more established traditional feeder fishing competitions.
The new feeder event will take an ‘anything goes’ approach
Also set to debut in 2021 is the Street Fishing World Championships, an urban lure fishing contest that’s sure to be popular with the nation’s army of predator fanatics.
England Manager Mark Downes is on the FIPS committee organising the Freestyle Feeder Champs and is hopeful that England will competing come the autumn.
“While we still have to wait for everything to be finalised and for the Angling Trust to grant us permission to enter, this new event is an exciting prospect” he told us.
“As the name suggests, there will be fewer restrictions on competitors, meaning that short hooklengths, Method feeders and pellets can be used, unlike in the classic feeder champs, where rules force competitors to use more traditional tactics.”
Meanwhile, the Street Fishing World Champs is scheduled to be hosted in Amsterdam later this year, and will bring a new dimension to the international match angling circuit.
“There was a trial event in 2020 in which 600 pairs entered,” Mark told us,
“so this event has the potential to be something really special. Lure fishing is incredibly popular on the Continent, and while England still need permission from the Trust to enter, it’s one to look forward to.”
The Street Fishing World Champs is scheduled to be hosted in Amsterdam later this year
Bait 'exports' in jeopardy after Brexit
ANGLERS planning a fishing trip to a European country may be prohibited from taking their own bait under new EU-UK trade agreement guidelines.
Under the legislation, which came into force at the start of last month, popular baits derived from animal products, such as boilies, pellets and groundbaits, will require a European Health Certificate (EHC) before they can be moved between EU states.
At present, the EHC for exporting fishing bait falls into the same category as animal feed, which requires expensive testing and certification from a vet to attain. In response to the legislation, the Angling Trust has joined forces with manufacturers Dynamite Baits and Mainline to quiz the European Commission for clarification.
Mark Owen, the Trust’s Head of Freshwater, said:
“The current position will undoubtedly impact anglers purchasing bait in England to go fishing in Europe once Covid travel restrictions are lifted, as they would need to produce an EHC if challenged.
“We have retained active engagement with the EU Commission through our membership of the European Anglers Alliance and are pressing them to facilitate a change of EHC classification.”
Boilies will be one of the baits impacted under the restrictions
Why big river roach are back! - How all rivers can benefit from a redfin restoration
THE recent capture of the season’s biggest roach by Simon Daley has highlighted the fantastic river fishing available down on the Hampshire Avon. This surge in redfin sport on the iconic river can largely be accredited to the work of the Avon Roach Project (ARP).
The ARP has rewritten the science when it comes to river restoration and stocking
Last month, we caught up with project Co-founder Trevor Harrop, who explained how the river has been transformed since they started.
“We love seeing roach catches like this on the Avon again, and it may even be one of our original stocked fish,” he said.
“A 3lb roach would usually be around 15 years-old, but you get some that seem to shoot ahead of the rest, and the clean nature of this fish suggests that it could be a bit younger because usually when they get old, they start to lift scales.”
“These large fish have always been in the Avon, but before we started our work they would usually be mixed in with shoals of chub or other species. Now that the river is brimming with roach of all sizes again, they are shoaling together.”
Simon Daley with the season’s biggest roach at 3lb 8oz
But how was this success achieved? Trevor revealed how the ARP has almost rewritten science when it comes to river restoration and stocking.
“We wanted to maintain the genetic purity of roach stocks within the river, which is why by using manmade spawning boards we collect our stock from the already resident fish. While at the start we were only finding small numbers of fish spawning, there would always be some bigger specimens there. It’s the genes of these fish that we have reared on.”
Trevor stocking roach into the Hampshire Avon
The incredible findings from the river’s rejuvenation are detailed in a new Avon Roach Project book, and among the most fascinating of these was the revelation that in 9 out of 11 years the roach spawned across the whole river on exactly the same date - April 24! Trevor is hoping that the book will inspire others to follow their lead in restoring river roach stocks. One man keen to replicate the success on his local water is Dr Mark Everard, who has already placed spawning boards in the Bristol Avon.
“The heroic acts of the ARP are going to be hard to repeat but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things we can’t all do to help,” he said.
“It starts with habitat management, because a lot of our rivers are badly damaged. Historic engineering has destroyed parts of the habitat on the Bristol Avon and this vandalism has made it harder for fish stocks to be self-sustaining. They need adequate food, safety from predators and somewhere to spawn, but I’ve seen rivers stripped bare of vegetation. They are often treated more like drains than rivers.”
Efforts are also underway to return Norfolk’s River Wensum to its former glory. The Wensum Working Group’s Tim Ellis said:
“Historically, the Wensum produced very large roach, and a lot of them too. But anglers’ records clearly show that they have badly declined in numbers and size. The Group, and others, have been trying to find the reasons for this, and to address them. Wensum anglers have been trialling fry refuges, as well as restoring existing or derelict ditch mouths and taking other measures to help the survival of young roach populations, such as planting riparian trees to provide cover.
The Wensum produced some phenomenal roach catches in the 70s
The Wensum historically has produced some very big roach too
“Overall, the chances of us replicating everything the ARP have done is small but hopefully we can achieve something by taking measures to nurture the river environment. This will include limiting barriers to fish movement, improving water quality and pushing for management of predators.”
The late John Wilson highlighted the Wensum’s roach potential
Read more about the fascinating Avon Roach Project by purchasing their new book here.
Fears mount for ‘Britain’s Best Canal’
The Aire & Calder Navigation in West Yorkshire is regarded as one of the best canals for fishing in Britain, but anglers are now fearing for its future.
Widespread fish deaths have been reported, as well as plummeting match weights, and venue regulars believe that these are strongly linked to the emergence of a huge sand barge on the popular waterway over recent months, which they say is destroying the aquatic environment.
The Aire & Calder Navigation in West Yorkshire is regarded as one of the best canals for fishing in Britain, but anglers are now fearing for its future
Capable of carrying 400 tonnes of grit sand, ‘The Farndale H’ began appearing on the canal in late September, which is when the alleged problems began to emerge.
Colin Finney, who runs the Aire Tackle shop, told us of the damage he’s witnessed.
“The barge has been going up and down the canal for a few months. We estimate that five tonnes of fish have been lost,” he said.
“It chugs along, leaving a trail of dead fish that’ve been chopped up and sucked into its engine cooling system. The seagulls follow it as it passes, mopping up the fish like they do with trawlers out at sea.”
“The barge has been going up and down the canal for a few months”
More possible evidence of the damage being caused can be found in pre-lockdown match results. In areas of the canal where 65lb catches of roach won matches last year, a mere 1lb 12oz won one contest. But it’s not just the fish that are allegedly suffering.
“We’ve got otters, kingfishers, herons and other creatures on the canal,” Colin added.
“This barge will have an impact on them too and before we know it, they’ll all be lost as well. Something has to be done.”
Angling Times contacted the Canal & River Trust, which owns the canal, about the reported fish deaths.
A spokesperson for the CRT told us:
“We’re investigating reports of fish in distress and a small number of carcasses along the Aire & Calder. The reports and evidence are inconclusive and could be a result of a number of causes. We’re doing our best to establish the cause of any incidents and will take any action that we believe is necessary.”
Angling Times contacted the barge owner for comment, but they are yet to respond.
Why our ‘dirty rivers’ are fishing so well...
THE state of England’s rivers was laid bare in 2020, with a series of damning Government reports revealing that the vast majority of our waterways fail to meet European ecological standards.
Why is the poor state of our rivers not showing in angler’s catch reports?
Indeed, they were deemed to be the dirtiest across the whole continent, with not a single river, lake or coastal water in the country being rated as ‘chemically good’.
You might think that this would result in meagre catches and stunted fish growth, but the reality couldn’t be more different. Over the past few months, bumper bags of prime silverfish have been winning river matches up and down the country, and in the specimen fishing world the story is the same. Immense barbel, chub, roach, perch and dace are all being banked this season from running water venues that appear – on the surface at least – to be in rude health.
In a bid to understand how the two apparently contradictory situations can co-exist, and how our supposedly polluted waterways are places in which coarse fish can not only survive, but also thrive, we asked the experts at the Environment Agency. The answer, it seems, lies not in the amount of pollution, but its type.
Heidi Stone, the EA’s Fisheries Partnerships Manager, told us:
“Some pollutants are obviously highly toxic and pose a massive threat to fish stocks, while other, organic, pollutants can actually lead to increased levels of invertebrates, resulting in more food for fish.
“Just because a river fails to meet water quality standards doesn’t necessarily make it toxic or dirty. It could be nutrient-rich and home to certain species that are thriving – it just hasn’t met all the required criteria.”
Some organic pollutants can actually lead to increased levels of invertebrates, resulting in more food for fish
This was a view largely echoed by fish expert Dr Paul Garner who revealed that not only is there a wide range of pollutants in our rivers, not all of which are harmful, but that certain species are better armed to deal with them than others.
“Just about everything we humans do, from flushing the loo or washing the car, right the way through to farming, creates pollutants that sooner or later will enter a river. The result is a really complex mix of chemicals in our rivers that impact the ecosystem in different ways. Some might affect the plants, while others influence the invertebrates, or stimulate algal growth – all of which have a knock-on effect on the fish.
“Most coarse fish are tolerant of low-level pollution, particularly organic pollution, which – as has already been mentioned – can stimulate growth of organisms in a river. However, there comes a point where you go past this and start having problems, such as those posed by low dissolved oxygen levels.
“But other pollutants can impact the fish in different ways, and not just in terms of water quality. Take soil entering a river because of run-off from intensively farmed land, for example. This could settle on the riverbed and cause siltation, which would affect species like barbel and dace that need clean gravels for spawning.”
Paul also revealed how the most susceptible and fragile of species when it comes to pollutants are typically salmonids such as trout, salmon and grayling, but that some of our coarse fish are far more hardy when it comes to dealing with apparently dirty rivers.
“Fish that are more ‘generalist’, in that they eat a wide diet, spawn on whatever substrate is available, and mature at a young age, will be less affected. Roach fall into this category, as well as chub to a lesser extent. Those with a more selective diet and spawning habitat, such as barbel and bream, are more likely to suffer.”
However, Paul was keen to add a note of warning that, although fish populations currently appear to be healthy in many rivers, the long-term situation might be very different.
“Just because there are lots of roach in, say, the River Trent, at the moment, it doesn’t mean that they’ll be there for future generations. With a bigger population comes ever more pollution, so for now we’ve got to make hay while the sun shines,” he added.
For now we’ve got to make hay while the sun shines!
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!
Fishing safe at Cotswold Water Park
NATURAL England has assured anglers that fishing will continue at Cotswold Water Park despite its new status as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The announcement was welcomed by anglers who had concerns for fishing on the park’s 177 lakes.
Dan Garner of South Cerney AC told us:
“NE told us the SSSI status won’t make any difference to fishing and fears about a closed season being enforced have also been put to bed.”
Fishing will continue on the Cotswold Water Park despite the new SSSI status
Boost to upper Severn barbel stocks
THE River Severn above Shrewsbury has been stocked with 250 baby barbel in what’s thought to be the first official stocking of the species on the upper river.
The River Severn above Shrewsbury has been stocked with 250 baby barbel
The 12ins-long, dye-marked fish were introduced into Rowley & Fenemere AA’s stretch of the river at Leaton, and further stockings are planned at the location under a three-year partnership between the EA and the club.
RFAA chairman, Max Taylor, said:
“These fish will help enhance future populations of the species in the upper Severn. The initial stocking may seem small, but it represents roughly half the number of barbel put in the river by Angling Times in the 1950s, which kickstarted the Severn barbel boom. To be able to replicate that work is fantastic.”
l The club is keen to track the progress of the fish, so If you catch a dye-marked barbel, call Max on 07977 048270.