10-year-old is youngest Drennan award winner with dream barbel
ELLA Mae Beckett became the envy of all seasoned barbel anglers when she hooked, played and landed this 16lb 5oz specimen during her latest outing, making her one of the youngest-ever winners of a Drennan award.
The South Yorkshire lass and her dad Steven spent summer targeting the River Dearne for barbel and after lots of effort and a few blanks the pair finally hit the jackpot.
Steven tells us:
“After two recent evening sessions of frustration, when we lost three barbel due to straightened hooks or snags, we decided to return the following evening with much stronger tackle.
“Ella baited her hook with worms and a couple of red maggots, filled the feeder with maggots and then cast it out to the spot.
“I told her to set the clutch and be on her rod ready to strike when the bite came.”
Sure enough, an hour later Ella’s rod arched round and she set the hook into a strong fish which instantly headed for some snags.
“Straight away she put her rod in the air and applied pressure which drew it away from the trees and into the shallows,” adds Steven.
“After a short battle this massive barbel graced the net and her emotions just went into overload. She cried tears of joy! It’s a moment I’ll never forget.”
Ella Mae Beckett was overjoyed with this incredible barbel
Sturgeon saved by four-year-old boy
A FOUR-year-old boy has helped rescue a sturgeon from the River Arrow after he spotted it struggling to swim in shallow water.
Harrison noticed the sturgeon struggling in shallow water
Harrison Hart, his mum Amelia and her partner Jake were walking along the riverbank in Studley, Warks when he saw a large, shark-like fish moving slowly against the current.
“It was obviously stressed as the river was only a foot deep, so Jake called his brother Kurt to bring his fishing net down so we could help move it into deeper water,” Amelia tells us.
“When Kurt arrived, he told us he thought it was a Russian sturgeon.
“We got the fish out, took pictures to help with identification, then released it upstream in deep water where it swam away.”
Amelia later notified the EA, which is looking to retrieve the fish. It’s likely the sturgeon, which can reach 15ft, was put into the river by a fishkeeper after it grew too big for its pond or tank.
It’s likely the sturgeon, which can reach 15ft, was put into the river by a fishkeeper after it grew too big for its pond or tank.
Yorkshire matchmen plan to get more kids fishing
A GROUP of veteran Yorkshire match anglers is planning to run a series of events for junior anglers after the Covid-19 lockdown as part of a drive to get more youngsters into the sport.
The forward-thinking initiative, which is being headed up by 66-year-old Kev Holvey, has been granted free use of Moorfields Fishery in Goole to host the matches, and tackle has been donated by local anglers for the youngsters to use on the day. The lucky participants will also be able to keep the equipment once the sessions are finished.
Kev, who ran a similar series of events last winter until fisheries were forced to close, said:
“We’ve already collected a vast amount of kit from supportive anglers and there is certainly a desire for these sorts of events. Over the winter we had around 20 kids and their parents attending each match. The kids love it, and at the start of each session we name each one of them after an angling superstar. They can get quite feisty if you get it wrong, saying things like, “No, I’m Bob Nudd today!”
For more information and to sign up for ‘Kev Holvey’s Coaching For Kids’, please visit his personal Facebook page.
Mum holds the key to get more kids fishing - Keith Arthur
No one can argue that carp angling is the prime mover behind most of the tackle industry in this country yet it’s a pretty difficult area for women, especially those with families.
Hopefully having the ultimate target – World Champion is pretty serious on any level – to aim at will encourage more women to get involved.
It’s no secret that the Angling Trust’s participation features Family Fishing as its primary means of introducing new anglers. It is very aware that it’s all very well targeting schoolchildren but it has to be borne in mind that anyone still at primary school needs someone to take them to the bank and supply them with tackle. Therefore good old Mum is the answer.
Although there are notable exceptions, most clubs have no facilities or even suitable waters for juniors and there are plenty of fisheries that either don’t or won’t cater for them either. Mum holds the key. Now there is even more incentive for Mums to become active within the sport rather than passive observers.
