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!
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.
Rare tiger carp sold for whopping £2500!
AN EXTREMELY rare strain of carp that’s believed to be the first of its kind in the UK has fetched £2,500 in an online auction.
The colourful 13lb mirror, which has been nicknamed the Tiger Carp for its distinctive black stripes, was snapped up by Todber Manor Fisheries co-owner Linda Candy after renowned fish farmer Mark Simmonds advertised its sale.
An opening bid of £500 kicked off proceedings, but it wasn’t long before fishery owners across the nation were making offers left, right and centre to claim ownership of the unique fish.
It’s understood that Linda purchased the carp as a surprise for her husband John. It will be delivered to the fishery in February.
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.”
Gudgeon group off to a flyer!
A FACEBOOK group initially created as a bit of fun to show appreciation for gudgeon has attracted 2,000 followers in just a few weeks!
YouTuber Carl Smith created The Gudgeon Society to show his appreciation for the mini-species, but never imagined it would prove so popular. To get involved, log on to facebook.com/groups/gobiohunters
The Gudgeon Society celebrates one of Britain’s best mini-species
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?
Former detective on a mission to stamp out fishing crime - full interview
After 30 years in the police, former detective Nino Brancato has joined the Angling Trust as manager of its Fisheries Enforcement Support Service. We spoke to the 55-year-old about his hopes for tackling angling crime…
Nino Brancato receives a commendation from the then Thames Valley Police Chief Constable, Dame Sara Thornton, for helping to disarm a man wielding a pump-action shotgun.
What’s your association with fishing?
I haven’t fished for about 20 years, but I used to go with my father-in-law down in Devon to do a bit of sea fishing.
How did you come into this role?
It was advertised on the National Association of Retired Police Officers and I thought my skill set could be put to good use. The Angling Trust’s regional enforcement managers are all retired police officers and I felt I could help with a knowledge of how to get things done, networking and managing budgets.
Some anglers believe the police don’t take fish-related crime seriously. What was your impression during your time in the force?
First, that type of crime is under the radar – it’s very, very under-reported, and if you don’t report it then nothing will get done. It’s like moaning about parking on your road, but if you don’t report it to the council then they’ll never send a traffic warden. My message is ‘Report it, report it, report it’ – not by moaning on Facebook but by making a formal report. There are specific offences of fish theft and other offences such as criminal damage that the police can act on.
What challenges do you expect to face?
The challenge is supporting the Environment Agency and building on the numbers of current volunteers because we all know what’s going to happen to budgets. I see getting more volunteers as my overriding objective for the next year.
We’ll have years of limited budgets, so I’d rather step up to the plate and support the EA in its role to protect fisheries, rather than throw stones at it from the sidelines.
It seems angling is full of volunteers willing to support the sport…
Absolutely! There are a couple of things I’ve found since starting this role. The Fisheries Support Service is superb. There are very few non-government organisations that have got that kind of set-up, and the Building Bridges project is cutting edge when it comes to migrant integration. As well as dispelling myths and getting rid of discrimination it’s also bringing a whole new younger class of people into angling.
The Building Bridges (BB) initiative has made giant strides integrating migrant angling communities in England. This picture shows Nino at a BB meeting recently on the River Trent.
How important is the Voluntary Bailiff Scheme?
Very. Every time an angler goes out as a voluntary bailiff, even if they’ve nothing to report, that’s information the EA can use. If there are no problems being reported then resources can be diverted to where we are seeing issues. These bailiffs are our eyes and ears on the bank.
The number of voluntary bailiffs is often quoted as being 500 – is that accurate, and will you be looking to boost numbers?
The 500 figure was what was deemed manageable at the time, but we’re looking to increase that to 700 over the next two years. Normally we recruit once a year, but we’ll be going to a more rolling recruitment.
You had a distinguished police career, including receiving a commendation for disarming a man armed with a shotgun. Can you tell us more?
I joined the police at 19 and did 30 years’ service, including being seconded to units dealing with issues of national security. The incident with the shotgun was just 30 seconds of being in the right place at the right time. I’m more proud of the things I did to bring down burglary figures, which made a difference to people’s lives.
[Angling Times gently presses for more details on the shotgun incident] I was with a team of detectives investigating a murder of a care worker in the car park of a care home. At the time, the victim’s husband wasn’t a suspect but we went round to his home to bottom out his story. He was a serving police officer – a protection officer at Buckingham Palace – and he had a cache of illegal firearms. He pulled out the pump-action shotgun and three of us pounced on him to disarm him. This was back in 1997.
What skills are transferable from your police skills to this new role?
It’s about knowing how to process information, gathering intelligence and knowing how to record and detect crime. I’ve managed 40-strong teams 100 miles apart dealing with life-and-death decisions – you have to have an appetite for risk. My skill set will bring good investigation, good partnerships with the EA and police, and a knowledge of how to target resources.
Have you set yourself any targets?
It’s easy to set and achieve numbers, and I’m looking to increase the number of patrols and the amount of good-quality intelligence we can submit to the EA and police, but what I really want to see is a far more constructive collaboration with all the people who care about fish and fisheries.
Nino has wasted little time getting involved. Last month he was on a work party with Reading and District AA .
Angling club set to lose their historic carp
MEMBERS of a Hampshire club lake are running out of ideas to save their beloved carp after plans were set in motion to dispose of the fish to encourage the growth of rare underwater plants.
Oakhanger AC’s Shortheath Pond contains an estimated 100-150 carp between 10lb and 30lb, but Hampshire County Council has now ordered the club to remove them on behalf of Natural England because they’re preventing the plants from thriving on a lake that falls within a Site of Specific Scientific Interest.
One of the carp that potentially could be killed as a result of the decision by Natural England
The club’s committee have an opportunity to fund a health check for the carp so they can be moved, but lifelong Oakhanger member Kevin Charman believes it could be a little too late…
“Natural England is contracted to remove the carp in early 2021 but there’s a high chance these fish won’t pass the health check,” Kevin said.
“Even if they do, the EA won’t allow us to transfer them into the club’s other carp water, as it isn’t landlocked.
“It’s heartbreaking to think that the carp I’ve known for the last 40 years will end up being buried in the ground, but that’s the reality we’re facing if nothing changes soon.”
Shortheath Water is set to lose its carp
Angling Trust lobbying overturns fishing ban!
Angling Times understands that fishing is one of several outdoor, individual activities which will be allowed during Lockdown 3.0, following lobbying from senior members of the Angling Trust team to Government officials.
Keep an eye on the Angling Trust website today as they are set to release a statement soon with the full story and guidelines for safe and sensible fishing over the lockdown period.
We are thankful for the behind-the-scenes work which goes on, ensuring we can carry on fishing and benefit both our mental and physical wellbeing.
* It’s probably a good time to renew that membership (or take one out) to the Angling Trust!
Stay in touch with the Angling Trust website and Facebook page for the full details