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THE biggest chub of the season has been landed – a record shaking 8lb 9oz specimen from a club stretch of the Dorset Stour. The monster fish fell to Robert Young, and set a Christchurch AC record for the species as well as being a personal best for the Bournemouth computer engineer. In fact it fell just 1oz short of the chub record for the river as a whole, and is just 12oz behind Andy Maker’s official British chub record. Thinking outside the box paid off for Rob, who targeted an area avoided by most other anglers. He took the fish on a hair-rigged JH Baits Nuti-B boilie to a size 8 Drennan Super Specialist Barbel hook. He said: “I walk the stretches more than I fish them and I…

A FISHERY in Yorkshire is offering anglers the unique opportunity to watch their hookbaits while they fish – thanks to underwater cameras. In what is the first exercise of its kind, Welham Lake in Malton, North Yorkshire, is giving visitors the chance to improve their angling skills by allowing them to watch live underwater footage of their tackle while they target the fishery’s specimen carp and tench. The idea is the brainchild of fishery boss Gary Howard, who was inspired to create the project called ‘The Welham Underwater Carp Academy’ after he posted a video on social media, only to receive an overwhelming amount of feedback. He told Angling Times: “I came up with the idea when I took an underwater video of my lake using my phone and posted…

THE Government has been slammed after it released ‘woeful’ plans to improve the quality of the nation’s waterways. A mere 17 per cent of the country’s rivers and lakes are currently classed as being in good health, and the Environment Agency has now revealed it only intends to work on stepping that number up to 21 per cent within five years. Staff at the Angling Trust and World Wildlife Foundation have condemned the unambitious targets and WWF water policy manager Dominic Gogol said: “At this snail’s pace, it will take nearly a century to get most of our rivers healthy.”…

A NEW free DVD that will help boost your carp fishing skills has been released. Korda’s Masterclass Volume 3 stars big-name anglers Danny Fairbrass and Darrell Peck, who go on another European adventure, heading to a Dutch canal in search of the country’s mirrors and commons. Ali Hamidi and Neil Spooner also star, slipping the net under giant carp while fishing in Croatia, with Elliott Gray showing off his skills in the UK. The DVD is set to be made available in hundreds of tackle shops in the coming weeks.…

THIS year’s Pike Champs Final will take place on Whittlesey waters on Saturday, November 12 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Causeway Lake, Baylham, Suffolk. Bill Davies: 07725 910065 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28 Bellwater, Midville, Boston, Lincs. Brian Hunn: 07769 9587775 Beverley Beck, East Riding of Yorkshire. Dave Hancock: 07811 065835 Club House, The Ings, Lodge Lane, Wetherby. John Smith: 07743 115375 Hydneye Lake. Chris Tingley: 07876 185249 Longtown West Pond, Carlisle. Chris Bowman: 07714 168939 SUNDAY, MARCH 6 Hydneye Lake. Chris Tingley: 07876 185249 SUNDAY, MARCH 13 Bellwater, Midville, Boston, Lincs. Brian Hunn: 07769 9587775 Hydneye Lake. Chris Tingley: 07876 185249 Smeatons Lakes, Newark, Notts. W. A. Stevenson: 07505 792484…

ANGLING TIMES readers are being offered the opportunity to win a once-in-a-lifetime day’s fishing with the sport’s top stars – and it’s all in the cause of charity. Specimen hunters Dai Gribble, Paul Garner and Dan Sales are just a few names featuring in an online auction list that has been put in place to raise money for 16-year old angling fanatic Iwan Clarke, who is battling with leukaemia. Organisers Lee Swords and Jerry Gleeson have used social media site, Facebook to promote each auction and have been overwhelmed by the response of the public signing up to the cause. “We’re a nation boasting more than two million anglers and it’s great to see so many top names coming together for the cause,” Lee told Angling Times. “There are around…

TARGETING a small back eddy on a Yorkshire river worked wonders for Giles Alcock as he netted this 25lb 4oz pike. The Alcocks Tackle owner cast a soft white ATproducts lure into an area of slack water and began a slow retrieve across the river bed to trigger a strike from the big predator. “It wasn’t the most lightning of takes but it felt like a special fish from the outset,” Giles told Angling Times. “When I eventually saw it my knees turned to jelly! Thankfully the battle was short-lived and I was soon smiling for the camera and swiftly returning her to the river.”…

THE late Fred Buller would, I’m sure, be extremely interested to know that Gary Knowles (page 4) has caught a whacker of a pike from Blithfield – a reservoir virtually written off following a fish kill a few years back. In its heyday Blithfield was the Chew Valley of its time, with tickets like gold dust. So, even though many fish were killed, the survivors were of the same gene pool and, as I said a couple of weeks back regarding evolution, it’s the genes that matter! Add that to the undeniable fact that fish, particularly predators, thrive on neglect and the closing of the fishery for three years has helped to produce Gary’s fish and, almost certainly, more of a similar size. Yes, Blithfield is back on the pikers’…

RIVERS & CANALS CALDER AND HEBBLE CANAL, THORNHILL, W YORKS THE early pegs at Mill Street are your best bet for bites, especially from roach, which are showing to breadpunch fished on the pole. Contact: Graham’s Tackle, 01924 442040 Prices: £3 from Graham’s Tackle, Thornhill AA LEEDS & LIVERPOOL CANAL, SHIPLEY, W YORKS The odd bream to caster fished down the track. Roach on breadpunch. Contact: K&L Tackle, 01535 667574 Prices: £22 a year, Saltaire AA RIVER CROSSENS, SOUTHPORT, MERSEYSIDE Double-figure pike to both lures and deadbaits. Contact: Southport DAA, 01704 213690 Prices: £5 from Ted Carter, Southport DAA RIVER OUSE, LINTON-ON-OUSE, N YORKS Perch at Hunters Lodge pegs in the 220s to worm on feeder or bomb. Contact: Leeds DASA, 01132 249721 Prices: £52 a year, Leeds DASA RIVER…

RIVERS AND CANALS RIVER AVON, STRATFORD-ON-AVON, WARKS THE pegs opposite the theatre should produce some good bream catches to the feeder as long as the river stays a little coloured. Contact: Bailey’s of Warwick, 01926 491984 Prices: £3 on the bank, Leamington AA NORTH LEVEL DRAIN, TYDD GOTE, LINCS Anglers have been catching netfuls of roach on the pole using light rigs and small baits. Contact: Tydd Gote AC, 01945 463913 Prices: £4 on the bank, Tydd Gote AC OULTON BROAD, SUFFOLK This Broad is renowned for its pike and perch sport, with both lure fishing and static deadbaits worth a try. Contact: Oulton Broad Tackle, 01502 539593 Prices: Free fishing RELIEF CHANNEL, KING’S LYNN, NORFOLK Jacks to lures and shads, pike to 16lb on deadbaits and zander to 12lb…

SHORT BOOM  An inch-long length of Korda IQ2 fluorocarbon has a snap link swivel at the bottom and a small bead at the top, allowing it to slide. LINE STOP  A small Guru line stop checks the sliding bead. Below it is a 6ins hooklink of twizzled 0.11mm N-Gauge to a size 18 hook. LINK  Drennan Feederlink feeders incorporate a length of very heavy, stiff nylon which acts as a boom in the water. WHEN it comes to setting up a maggot feeder I like to keep things nice and simple. The first step is to thread a short, 1ins homemade boom on to the mainline. This is made from a short piece of Korda IQ2 fluorocarbon with a snap link swivel at the bottom and a small bead at…

IF I’m not getting any bites a great little edge is to give the maggot feeder a quick twitch around 30 seconds before reeling in. Doing this has two benefits – it helps to fully empty the feeder and it gives the hookbait that little bit of movement which can be all that’s needed to induce a bite. To twitch the feeder all I like to do is turn the reel handle slowly until the tip winds right round and then slowly drops back again. I don’t want to make the feeder move too quickly as this could potentially spook any fish in the swim, so I do it nice and slowly.…

STICKYMAG – DOES IT WORK ON RIVERS AND WHERE DO I GET IT? Q Is it worth trying stickymag on rivers and, if so, how do I go about using it? AStickymag is a great way to feed maggots at distance, but always think about flow too. If the river is pulling hard, add some aquarium gravel to the maggots before you add the sticky powder. This will make the ball sink really quickly. It’s easy to prepare sticky maggots. Just clean off all the sawdust or maize and dampen the maggots slightly before adding sticky powder. The best one I’ve found is called Gum Arabic. SHOULD I USE STRONGER LINE ON THE FEEDER? QI suffer a lot with crack-offs when I’m casting a feeder. What line strengths do you…

THERE’s no hiding the pulling power of worms, but the price can soon send anglers looking for an alternative bait. A traditional worm and caster attack can require around £30 worth of grub, but Craig Butterfield has proved that you can succeed by spending a fraction of what the textbook says. “Whenever worms come into the equation anglers think that they need to feed lots of them all day long, and that is always going to lead to a very big bait bill,” explained Craig. “But I’ve devised a tactic for perch that costs less than a tenner each session and is even more effective.” ON THE MOVE On the face of things, there aren’t many similarities between drop shotting and pole fishing, but Craig has combined the two in…

NO-ONE can accuse Danny of not putting his money where his mouth is with Embryo. “We’ve had £22,000 in from syndicate fees but I’ve put in £450,000 of my own money for fences, fish, rent, vehicles and salaries,” he said. “It’s definitely gaining momentum as we knew it would once we had taken on a couple of waters. The right amount of money was invested at the start to make them right. “We now have four waters with two to four more coming online this year, and we are fencing two or three a year.” He added: “I saw Embryo as a moral obligation on my part. Fishing has been very good to me, and I want to do what I can to protect it for the future. “I think…

CHEW Valley Lake is undoubtedly the best water in Europe for mammoth pike, and it would be hard to find a better Esox water anywhere in the Northern hemisphere. Chew has produced more different 40lb pike than any other water, including a 41-pounder caught by Carl Garrett only a couple of weeks ago. The water is unique, in that it just keeps on producing truly big pike, despite the kind of angling pressure that has seen off other iconic pike waters like Llandegfedd, Bough Beech, Ardingly and Ladybower. It has that magical set of ingredients that gives it longevity, making it the perfect ongoing production line for big pike. At 1,200 acres, it offers large expanses of grassy/weedy/reed-lined margins which provide perfect spawning grounds. Just as important, these areas go…

LEEDA, with its popular MAP and Wychwood brands, is associated with producing fishing tackle in all price brackets. For 2016, this thinking is continued with the launch of its Concept GT brand. This is for anglers who want match-orientated kit at a pocket-friendly price, but refuse to compromise on quality. Leeda Coarse and Match brand manager Mike Robinson (right) gave us an overview of the new brands: “The aim is to give retailers a desirable set of products that defy the traditional ‘budget’ stereotype. There are rods with awesome blanks, luggage that offers many of the features found in high-end designs, and a truly versatile range that gives the end user true value for money. “The rods, in particular, really give more expensive blanks a run for their money. Just…

CARP legend Kevin Nash is to allow public access to two monster-producing lakes as his company moves into fishery development. The Copse and Church lakes hold more than 10 fifties between them, including at least one 60-pounder. “There are more fifties in the Copse today than there are in most counties,” said Kevin, who is opening up the pair of Essex venues to help fund his company’s foray into the fisheries market. He added: “In terms of desirability the Copse has got to be the next Redmire.” A new Nash venue is being developed in Royston, Cambs, and another Essex lake is being dug at a total cost of £400,000. “To help continue to procure and develop fisheries, the Church and Copse will be a revenue stream towards future acquisitions,”…

Watercraft wins the day right now WE’VE just spent a great day on the bank with carp legend Danny Fairbrass, and the session, along with our fish-packed Carp News pages, proves that you can still catch some impressive fish even under the coldest conditions. Settling in for his first-ever go on the new water – one under the protection of the Embryo habitats scheme Danny founded – it wasn’t long before the first fish of the day was on its way to the net. Within a couple of hours he’d had five, a couple of them just a few ounces off the 20lb mark. These catches were down to pure watercraft skills, and it’s that information Danny passes on to Angling Times readers this week in our exclusive feature. Conditions…

JUST when I thought the rain was easing up, back it came, putting my river out of sorts. So it was a return to the stillwaters, and pike and perch. I’ve also been busy with a few talks, a couple of angling shows and a shop opening – and I landed a few big kippers along the way! MONDAY Colin Bunn, the owner of CatMaster Tours in Spain, was over here for a show and popped round to my house for a cup of tea and a chat. I have known Colin for many years and had some successful trips with his company for both catfish and carp – last time on the Ebro system I had two cats over 200lb, and Colin took one of my favourite photos of…

IT’S been a very wintry week around the UK, and when Jack Frost strikes there are normally a few fish you can rely on to provide a few bites – namely roach, skimmers and F1s. The rivers turn off and carp on commercials put up the ‘not interested’ signs, but silverfish and F1s are almost always willing to have a go, as the winners of this week’s Clubman awards demonstrate, with these three species dominating the best catches. Allan Cullington kept the cold at bay to win the Ropsley AC match at Portland Waters as he used long pole and pellet to weigh in 61-12-0 of F1s and skimmers on the Kingfisher Lake and further down South on Packington Somers’ Annies Pool, Phil Woolcock bagged 43-2-0 of F1s plus a…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Alvechurch Fishery Horseshoe & Canal Lakes (25 pegs) Fishing off peg 24, 18-year-old Sam Gaydon marked his first appearance at the venue with a victory on 69-5-0. He fished pellet feeder and dead red maggot into open water and down to the aerator to catch stockies and a number of carp to 8lb. Second-placed Rob Gandley fished waggler and maggot on a number of lines and ended the day with an all-carp catch of 58-115-0. Result: 1 S Gaydon, Romford AC, 69-5-0; 2 R Gandley, Alvechurch, 58-15-0; 3 P Jones, Alvechurch, 35-5-0; 4 L Ayres, Alvechurch, 31-11-0; 5 J Newton, Smithy’s Angling, 30-6-0; 6 T Hodges, Alvechurch, 28-13-0. Daiwa Hallcroft Fishery Vets (Thurs) Moat Pool (28 pegs) Pellet cone with maggot and corn did the trick for…

Thornhill AC Pairs (final round) Calder & Hebble Canal, Dewsbury (24 pegs) ANGLERS had to suffer strong winds and rain throughout the match again, and the weights weren’t much to write home about either. Young gun Kyle Ackroyd won with 3-8-0 of roach and perch using bloodworm at 11m off peg 7, second going to Frank Szackerley on peg 3 with 2-13-0 of roach and perch on bloodworm. The league honours went to Keith Marshall and John Needham with 47 points, the two men sharing the pairs win on the day with Ben Davies and Jim Burke on 10 points. Result: 1 K Ackroyd, Tri-Cast Calder, 3-8-0; 2 F Szackerley, Matrix Halifax, 2-13-0; 3 B Davies, Tri-cast Calder, 2-12-0; 4 T Guthrie, Matrix Halifax, 2-7-0; 5 J Burke, Tri-Cast Calder,…

Tuesday, February 23 Acorn Fishery Tuesday Tenner, Kingston Seymour - Mike 01179 497310 Alders Farm, Affordable Open, Great Brickhill – Trevor 07860 235655 Aston Park Fisheries, Sheffield - Alex 07743 845737 Coleman’s Cottage Fishery, Witham – Gerry 01376 516383 Daiwa Hallcroft Fishery, Retford – Nick 01777 710448 Decoy, Eastrea – Di 01733 202230 Garbolino Lindholme Lakes, Epworth – Neil 01427 872905 Heronbrook Over 55s, – Neil 07879 441288 Janson’s, Elton - 07976 317864 Kobra, Dynamite Baits Makin’s Fishery, Wolvey – John 07749 284823 Little John Lakes, Ollerton - Steve 07715 096738 Meadow View Fisheries OAP & Dis, Warrington – Brian 01925 757985 New Moorlands Farm, Kidderminster - Dave 07772 297462 Oaks, Sessay - Chris 07885 553323 Old Hough Fishery, Middlewich – Doug 07976 381996 Partridge Lakes, Culceth - Mel/Nel 07950…

Editor-in-Chief Steve Fitzpatrick – 01733 395097 steve.fitzpatrick@bauermedia.co.uk Deputy Editor Kevin Wilmot – 01733 395098 kevin.wilmot@bauermedia.co.uk Deputy Editor James Furness – 01733 395104 james.furness@bauermedia.co.uk Editorial Secretary Mary-Ann Payne – 01733 395105 mary-ann.payne@bauermedia.co.uk Tackle Editor Mark Sawyer – 01733 395107 mark.sawyer@bauermedia.co.uk Features Editor Richard Grange – 01733 395109 richard.grange@bauermedia.co.uk Features Editor Mark Parker – 01733 395140 mark.parker@bauermedia.co.uk Senior Feature Writer Ben Fisk – 01733 395101 ben.fisk@bauermedia.co.uk News Editor Ben Miles – 01733 395102 ben.miles@bauermedia.co.uk Senior Reporter Thom Airs – 01733 395106 thom.airs@bauermedia.co.uk Senior Reporter Tony Grigorjevs – 01733 395100 tony.grigorjevs@bauermedia.co.uk Senior Reporter Mark Peck – 01733 395103 mark.peck@bauermedia.co.uk News Reporter Ian Jones – 01733 395111 ian.jones@bauermedia.co.uk Digital Media Manager Rose Lloyd – 01733 395108 rose.lloyd@bauermedia.co.uk Head of photography Mick Rouse mick.rouse@bauermedia.co.uk Staff photographer Lloyd Rogers lloyd.rogers@bauermedia.co.uk Studio photographer Jacques Portal jacques.portal@bauermedia.co.uk Join…

A FIRST-time visitor to Bury Hill Fisheries caused a stir when he banked the venue’s biggest zander of the season. Swiss angler Oliver Brenner, making his debut at the Surrey complex, chose to fish the prolific Old Lake. Using a dark shad lure, he was soon into action with the hefty specimen that measured 81cm. Although it wasn’t weighed, experts have estimated that the big predator would have scaled around 12lb. For more details on the venue visit: www.buryhillfisheries.co.uk…

A GROUP dedicated to providing injured war veterans with memorable angling opportunities has revealed its calendar of events for the year ahead. Forces C.A.R.P. has announced that classes for both novice and experienced anglers will be run, with some of the finest fisheries in the country playing host. Basic and intermediate sessions will be staged, with the advanced course being run at Oxfordshire’s Linear Fisheries on July 2. For more details on how to get involved email simon@forcescarp.co.uk. Angling Times NOW ON THE iPad…

THE clock is ticking to secure your place at the biggest angling event in the calendar. Icons from the world of match, specimen and carp fishing will all be on hand to meet visitors to The Big One show, which will be staged at Hampshire’s Farnborough Airfield on March 19 and 20. A wide range of seminars, including Des Taylor’s top tips to getting back into river fishing and a commercial feederfishing masterclass with Tommy Pickering, will be run to help visitors become better anglers. Carp anglers will also be well catered for, with Avid’s Ian Russell hosting special question-and-answer sessions. There will also be a chance to try out the latest top-of-the-range tackle, grab a bargain or get an autograph from one of the stars. Staff from Angling Times…

FORMER Ladies World Champion Emma Pickering landed this 21lb 12oz mirror carp on just 2lb line and a size 18 hook. Visiting Chequertree Fishery in Kent for the first time, Preston and Sonubaits-backed Emma took the personal best on a piece of corn on the pole, helping her to victory in the match with 90lb of carp. “I started on the Method feeder, but only had one fish,” explained Emma. “Once I switched to the pole at 13m I started catching, then I hooked this on grade 9 Hollo elastic. It goes to show what you can land on light gear if you take your time,” she said.…

ANGLERS are being invited to have their say on the future of the National Championships following the release of plans to revive the fortunes of the famous matches. More than 5,500 anglers took part in the six Nationals when the competitions were at their most popular in the late 1980s, but fewer than 1,000 attending the two remaining contests last year. Organisers at the Angling Trust want to halt and reverse the decline, and have created four possible formats that could herald in a new era for the Nationals. Three of the proposals would see the current system abolished, with specific float, feeder, river and canal events taking their place. The final idea argues the case for keeping the two divisions alive with additional matches scheduled into the calendar. In…

FISHING without a rod licence landed one illegal angler a hefty bill of £853 after he was caught on the River Trent. Michael Welsh, from Liverpool, was approached by a bailiff on the Clifton stretch in Nottinghamshire and had the bill increased after ignoring action launched by the Environment Agency. Welsh was found guilty in his absence at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday, despite being given the chance to write to the court or attend the hearing.…

SOME of the biggest names in angling happily give their time and effort to support charities – sadly, very few of these are angling charities. I have made it a rule to support only new events that directly benefit angling. Since I became a trustee of Get Hooked on Fishing we have received less than one per cent of our very stretched income from angling. We have wages and costs to pay at our projects, and our hard-working managers – who would LOVE nurses’ pay and hours, never mind junior doctors’ – have to spend as much of their time, or more, seeking funding as they do on the bank helping people take their first steps into angling. Finding money to pay our CEO (who single-handedly oversees and directly manages…

GOING fishing with your mates is always exciting, but finding a venue to suit everyone can prove tricky. A fishery with a mixed stocking policy that suits a variety of styles is ideal, but sourcing one that matches the whole group’s idea of a good day is rarely straightforward. Thankfully, for those that are willing to do their homework before heading out, there are waters that fit the bill of all concerned perfectly, and the Oxford Canal at Lower Heyford is one of these. Take a stroll along this stretch and you’ll see anglers of all disciplines, with drop shot enthusiasts mixing in with the bite alarm and seatbox brigade. From small roach all the way through to bruising double-figure carp, this area of the canal has everything in it…

WITH the closed season nearly upon us it’s time to start thinking about stillwater species. And what better way to put a healthy bend in your rod than by targeting specimen carp? If you’ve never caught a double-figure carp or have been struggling on flooded rivers or icy canals and just want to see your tip fly round or hear buzzers scream, then a visit to a carp runs water is a great remedy. There are literally thousands of them in the UK, including waters where the match carp have become too big, and these can provide some superb sport. Angling Times reveals the best day-ticket waters to head for right now... 1 ALDERWOOD PONDS, STEYNING, WEST SUSSEX On Island Lake, fishing bright pop-ups on a light bomb rig is…

EVERY now and again a long-forgotten tactic comes back to the fore, and this winter it’s without doubt been the maggot feeder – a real blast from the past! Right now maggots are the number one bait as far as F1s are concerned, so it really shouldn’t come as a surprise that on venues such as Packington, where there are a lot of F1s, the maggot feeder is proving so successful. It’s not only a match winner, but on pegs where it’s a struggle to even get a bite on a pellet or Method feeder the maggot feeder has seen the tip pulling round on a regular basis. To be honest it’s a really nice way of fishing too, and over the last few weeks I’ve been giving it a…

WE’RE going into the last few weeks of the river season now, and while temperatures are currently low, the forecast is for warmer days over the next week. It’s often a great time of year to catch big weights, as fish will turn on to the feed after being subjected to high water and cold temperatures for the past couple of months. I don’t agree with the outdated river closed law that means we have to stop fishing on March 14 but, for now, we’re stuck with it – so make the most of the last few weeks by choosing your swims carefully to ensure some good catches to end the season in style. This week, I’m going to take you through the approaches I’d recommend you to try, what…

LEAD CHOICE The unpressured fish in Cawcutts haven’t pushed out to long range, so a small lead was all Danny needed. HELI SAFE SYSTEM  Korda released these devices last year. They allow the lead to be ejected when fishing helicopter-style. HOOK ATTACHMENT  For freedom of movement, the hook is clipped into a QC Ring Swivel, then covered in a piece of shrink tube. HOOKLINK Danny opted for his firm’s Hybrid Stiff material at Cawcutts to form a stiff boom section on this rig. HIGH-ATTRACT BAIT  Adding Mystic Spice Goo to 14mm Mainline Cell pop-ups is a favourite tactic for Danny at this time of year. CATCHING doubles on a freezing February day might not seem like the pinnacle of Danny Fairbrass’s career. But these fish represent something special for the…

CAWCUTTS, HISTON, CAMBRIDGESHIRE Size: 16 acres Stock: 15 to 20 originals supplemented by 240 stockies Tickets: Two rotas (weekend and weekday) at £175 each STANTON, STANTON HARCOURT, OXFORDSHIRE Size: 11 acres Stock: About 65 originals to upper thirties Tickets: Two rotas (weekend and weekday) at £175 each. Waiting list in operation SOUTH INGS LANE, NORTH CAVE, YORKSHIRE Size: Three lakes. One is 6.5 acres and two are 3.5 acres Stock: Pit One contains about 150 fish. Pit Three has 50-plus carp and Pit Two is yet to open. Tickets: Two rotas (weekend and weekday) at £175 each. Waiting list in operation MORE INFO www.embryoangling.org or tim@embryoangling.org or 01268 285987…

IN a split-second the great fish went from inert to full, total alert mode. Something new and appealing had entered its world… but what? Even though there was nothing for it to see as yet, the pike’s neuromast system – a collection of receptors along the lateral line – lit up like a sensory Christmas tree! When the intruder did come into view it was not a prey fish the pike recognised, but the erratic swimming action, powerful scent and vibration of the unknown ‘something’ was too enticing a package to ignore. The attack was savage, lightning-quick and inevitable. A few minutes later, Paul Parnell was landing his first double-figure pike of the session – welcome to the wonderful world of Rev Heads! WHAT THEY ARE Rev Heads are standard…

1 Try and find a bank spot that has received little pressure. Fish will be all over the lake at this time of year, and they could turn up anywhere. 2 Search for depths of 10ft. Although this is not absolutely crucial, I feel it’s a comfortable depth for big pike to be when they are moving around. 3 Try to get a bait boat with an echo-sounder. This allows you to find your required depth, ensures that your bait is presented well and enables you to drop chopped-up fish around your hook bait. If not, a carp angler’s marker float set-up will suffice. 4 Be patient. I firmly believe that in February the fish move into the shallower areas, and at some point they should find your bait. Often…

A FEW mates and I have an annual trip barbel fishing on the Severn and while booking the 2016 jaunt I had a chuckle about an incident from a few years ago. One of our party, Simon, is a wind up merchant and after suffering from his pranks it was right that we got him back. We waited until Simon had dozed off, then turned off his bite alarms and reeled in one of his rods. I unclipped his lead and replaced it with a pike float, which I trotted downstream past a bush. At the other side of the bush, our mate Steve cast over the rig and retrieved it. He put another lead on, tied his own line to it, and lobbed it in the flow. I’d paid…

Lake Escapes Tues, Feb 23, 6.45am Angling expert Matt Hayes is at Castle Leslie Lake in Northern Ireland, pursuing the ultimate predatory fish – the pike – and he’s keen to catch his own monster. Extreme Fishing with Robson Green Tues, Feb 23, 8pm Entertaining fishing travelogue. In the wild waters of Alaska, Robson Green goes fishing for varieties of salmon, trout, lingcod and halibut. Fishing Gurus Thurs, Feb 25, 9am Fishing at its finest: Join all-rounder Dean Macey for the biggest and best tactics and characters from the world of fishing. Compleat Angler Thurs, Feb 25, 8pm Geoffrey Palmer and Rae Borras are joined by expert Viv Shears at Blue Pool in Reading, to compare modern baits with Walton’s classics. John Wilson’s Dream Fishing Fri, Feb 26, 6am Local…

STOCK DOVE  SMALLER than the wood pigeon, in flight these birds lack the white wing bars and white collar. I see them at Blackstone, near Bewdley. GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL  OUR largest gull will kill rabbits and steal from other birds with food. It is much more powerfully built than the lesser black-backed gull. COMMON HAZEL CATKINS  THESE are now flowering, giving colour to the winter. The nuts from this tree are a very important food source for lots of animals in the countryside.…

Alliance & Leicester Liverpool, Chapel Pool: 1 M Wall, 25-0-0, pellet, skimmers; 2 D Pellow, 19-0-0; 3 C Smith, 13-12-0; 3 P Turner, 13-12-0. Beccles AC, Haddiscoe Lake: 1 R Brand, 29-11-0, worm, carp/skimmers; 2 K Barfield, 12-9-0; 3 M Youngman, 10-2-0 Birmingham Thursday Club, Packington Somers: 1 P Wollcock, 43-2-0, maggot, ide/F1s; 2 M Marshall, 18-0-0; 3 D Crozier, 13-6-0. Dereham DAC, Wicklewood Lakes: 1 P Gilding, 32-3-0, corn, carp; 2 S Brown, 31-2-0; 3 P Hunter, 26-14-0. Dorking AS, Furnace Lakes: 1 G Rose, 15-6-0, maggot, skimmers; 2 D Seer, 13-8-0; 3 J Poulton, 13-4-0. Edenbridge AS, Chittenden Fishery: 1 C Wood, 6-8-0, maggot, roach; 2 K Best, 5-0-0; 3 D Dutton, 5-0-0. Elm Park & Hornchurch DAS, Stambridge Lakes: 1 D Boyland, 29-8-0, caster, skimmers; 2 P…

Moorlands Farm Winter League Pairs (rnd 6) Silver & Meadow Pools (34 pegs) WITH two rounds to go in this league, time is running out for the chasing pack to catch the top pairing of Iwan Mills and Richard Kings. This match ended in familiar fashion with the overall league standings remaining the same. Mosella’s Richard Kings claimed first place after being drawn on Meadow Pool peg 8, where he caught 18 carp using waggler and bread for 105-0-0. Second went to Chris Cameron with an equally-impressive 101-15-0. Result: 1 R Kings, Mosella, 105-0-0; 2 C Cameron, Middy, 101-15-0; 3 K Rich, Middy, 82-14-0; 4 C Hill, Mosella, 55-11-0; 5 C Pace, Colin Pace Academy, 40-3-0; 6 L Richards, Packington, 37-2-0. Pairs: 1 M Watson and C Pace 3pts; jt2…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Alvechurch Fishery (Thurs) Horseshoe Lake (18 pegs) Result: 1 L Ayres, Alvechurch, 63-3-0; 2 W Beach, Alvechurch, 60-11-0; 3 J Newton, Smithy’s Angling, 49-12-0. Barford Lakes Match Lake (18 pegs) Result: 1 V Cross, Van Den Eynde, 48-10-0; 2 D Cooper, Barford Tackle, 44-14-0; 3 W Martin, Matrix/Van Den Eynde, 42-5-0. Daiwa Hallcroft Fishery Moat Pool (13 pegs) Result: 1 S Clark, Mansfield, 164-2-0; 2 G Gibson, Leegem Angling, 128-2-0; 3 D Dare, Marukyu, 39-14-0. Garbolino RAF East Midlands League (Weds) Westwood Lakes, Falcon Lake (11 pegs) Result: 1 B Bright, Garbolino RAF Digby, 35-12-0; 2 P Foster, RAF Old Lags, 25-8-0; 3 L Brackenbury, RAF Waddington A, 24-0-0. Janson’s Fishery (Thurs) Match Pool (17 pegs) Result:1 N Orton, Janson’s, 98-11-0; 2 I Foulds, Janson’s, 81-11-0; 3…

Partridge Lakes Covey Canal Lakes (63 pegs) ONE of the top rods on this venue, Daz Shaw, notched up another fine win in extremely difficult conditions. A strong wind gusting up to what seemed like gale force at times meant that anglers struggled to fish the long pole line, but the Maver NW rod employed two lines down the edge and then into the deep water down the track with maggot to net F1s and a few bonus carp to finish with a respectable 64-2-0. Runner-up was Franek Staniuszko, who fished similar tactics to the winner but fell someway short with 50-9-0. Result: 1 D Shaw, NW, 64-2-0; 2 F Staniuszko, Maver NW, 50-9-0; 3 P Balmforth, Maver NW, 49-0-6; 4 L Thornton, Middy/Bag’em Baits, 46-0-3; 5 T Madden, Leigh…

ANGLERS have this week refuted claims that a testicle eating fish could soon be heading to the UK’s rivers. The piranha-like pacu, normally found in the jungles of South America, has recently turned up in the USA, Denmark and even closer to home in Paris, after being released by pranksters or aquarium owners. Despite claims from fish experts that the species is soon likely to find its way to the UK, people took to social media to raise their doubts that such a predator could survive in the climate here, should it ever arrive.…

NO FEWER than seven 30lb-plus pike were recorded in a single day at Chew Valley Lake last week as it continues to produce a string of massive specimens. On Tuesday, February 16 the pick of the catches included a 34lb personal best for Fox’s Julian Chidgey, a 31lb 8oz fish for Carl Garrett (captor of last week’s 41lb esox) and a 31lb 6oz personal best for Lewis Porter. A 14lb brown trout was also caught by a pike angler. All these fish came from the bank of the Bristol fishery. The biggest taken from a boat was an impressive 34lb 12oz pike by Steve Marshall the day before. The final two days of this set of trials were postponed due to high winds. JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: FACEBOOK/ANGLINGTIMES…

IT’S been a week of shocks on the pike fishing front, with a number of huge predators being landed from venues with no form for the species. Bristol’s Chew Valley Reservoir dominated the headlines since the turn of the year thanks to a number of colossal catches, but it’s taken a back seat as less fashionable stillwaters stole the show. Leading the way was top all-rounder Gary Knowles, when he banked a personal-best 35lb 2oz fish from Blithfield Reservoir. The Staffordshire water’s credentials had been ignored by the vast majority after a fish-kill several years ago, but the Korum-backed star showed its immense potential when the pike fell for a soft plastic lure presented close to the bank. Although pike fishing has been banned there since early 2014 for the…

TOP angling writer and historian Fred Buller has passed away at the age of 89 following a battle with cancer. He was considered by many as one of the founders of modern pike fishing and widely regarded as a world authority on the history and development of fishing tackle. In 2010 Fred was rewarded with an OBE for his services to angling – with his book The Doomsday Book of Mammoth Pike contributing significantly to his most recent accolade. His work inspired many, including predator expert Neville Fickling, who followed in Fred’s footsteps with his publication, Mammoth Pike. “His contribution to our sport was inspirational and I still regularly look over his amazing work,” he said. “Fred was certainly the most important and respected angling historian of the modern era.”…

WHERE is the best peg in the country right now? Our sister publication, Improve Your Coarse Fishing, reckons there’s a boatyard on Yorkshire’s River Hull where anglers have been amassing bumper mixed nets of silverfish to over 30lb. What’s more, the fishing is totally free. Every winter large shoals of bream, hybrids, roach and perch pack into the stretch at Beverley, providing excellent sport for pole, float and feeder anglers. This being a tidal river, fishing isn’t all that straightforward, but local match anglers are well aware that the rewards are there for the taking, Venue regular Len Pulford is one such angler. He shows how to tackle this hidden gem in this month’s copy of Improve – on sale now!…

THE pike fishing potential of the Broads system was once again highlighted when Michael Spinks banked this 24lb specimen. Having spent three days chasing predators, the Boston angler went all out to end the trip with a twenty and legered a roach livebait in a likely looking spot on the River Ant. Seven pike up to double figures came early in the day, but he left the best until last knockings, with the big girl ferociously attacking the offering shortly before he was about to conclude the session.…

THE passing of Fred Buller OBE ( page 5 ) marks the end of an era. He was considered by many to be the world’s leading pike historian. The story of the Endrick Pike, estimated by Fred and Dick Walker to weigh 70lb, is worthy of a place at the very top of angling literature. Fred was also responsible for those little shot tubs of line degreaser known as Leadersink, composed of nothing more than detergent and Fuller’s Earth. I believe that Dick Walker discovered the mix and Fred sold it through his tackle shop – Chubbs of Edgware. Fred truly bridged the pike angling generation gap between the gaff and the unhooking mat. In my youth virtually every pike caught was gaffed under the jaw, which caused little or…

I MAY be an old fogey but I wouldn’t consider myself a technophobe. However, if I was potentially able to see what was happening underwater while I was fishing I wouldn’t look. I’ve had enough watching up to a dozen trout follow my seemingly well-presented fly in gin-clear water. I’ve even hand-fed a blue shark alongside a boat out of Montauk, New York, with chunks of fresh bluefish, then offered it exactly the same morsel on a hook and seen it smile at me... although I did catch it when I exchanged the wire trace for 600lb mono, but that’s another story. So, do I want to see swarms of tench snaffling 329.5g of a can of sweetcorn while leaving the other 0.5g on my cleverly-presented rig? Would I appreciate…

THIS WEEK’S 2 FOR 1 WATERS 1 Bradshaw Hall Fisheries, Lancs 2 Fleets Dam Fishery, Yorks 3 Hunters Lodge Fishery, N Lincs 4 Lloyds Meadow Fishery, Cheshire 5 Moorfields Farm Fishery, E Yorks 6 Oham Lakes, Lincs 7 Silksworth Lakes, Sunderland 8 Barston Lakes, Solihull 9 Celtic Lakes Resort, Wales 10 Curborough Fishery, Staffs 11 East Delph Lakes, Cambs 12 Makins Fishery, Warks 13 Mill Road Fishery, Lincs 14 Wold Farm Fishery, Northants 15 Alderwood Ponds, W Sussex 16 Kings Weir Fishery, Essex 17 Monk Lakes, Kent 18 New Farm Cat and Carp Fisheries, Berks 19 Stafford Moor Fishery, Devon 20 Thorpe Lea Fishery, Surrey…

RUSH LYVARS FISHERY, HULL, E YORKS Prices:£5 per day, first extra rod £2, second extra rod £1, available on the bank. Night carp fishing £15 per night Contact:07582 248037 Postcode:HU12 8JU THERE are numerous features and variable depths down to 15ft at this fishery, which includes islands. The Shallows is the old coarse lake and boasts a wide variety of species, including carp, ide, bream and tench. The ide and bream fishing is fantastic, with 50lb nets currently available to pole tactics with maggot over groundbait.…

RIVERS AND CANALS KENNET & AVON CANAL, PEWSEY, WILTS FISH punched bread on the wharf or turning bay on the boats section for a net of skimmers and roach. Contact: 07778 300457 Prices: £5 a day from the shop at the wharf, Pewsey AC OXFORD CANAL, KIDLINGTON, OXON Quality perch and skimmers on worm. Contact: Predator Angling Centre, 01865 372066 Prices: £3 a day in advance from local tackle shops, Kidlington AS RIVER AVON, WINKTON, CHRISTCHURCH, DORSET Chance of a chub to over 6lb on bread flake, and the odd barbel too. Contact: Ringwood Tackle, 01425 475155, Prices: £10 a day from local tackle shops, Christchurch AC RIVER BLACKWATER, BLACKWATER, HANTS Trot maggots at Shepherds Meadow for chub. A good roach swim is 60 yards downstream of the railway station.…

VIBRANT RED  Red is a colour that traditionally scores heavily and it is no different when fishing on the pellet cone. If red meat or maggots work at the venue, you can guarantee that pellets will too. AQUA BLUE  There are some colours that rarely get used in the bait industry and aqua blue is one of those. Give these pellets a go on heavily pressured waters where bites can be hard to come by. BRIGHT YELLOW  If the lake you are fishing has a muddy or silty bottom then yellow will work well. This is because the bright colour will contrast well against the murky contents that are sat on the deck. BRIGHT COLOURS  The water in the vast majority of commercial fisheries is clear at this time of…

HOOKBAITS are all about double maggot, the only real variable being a combo of a red and a white, two reds, or a red and a fluoro. It’s well worth experimenting with your hookbaits as the right combination can make a massive difference. I find a red and a white or a red and a fluoro best, as that bit of extra colour from a lighter coloured maggot seems to result in quicker bites. The only exception is when it’s really cold. Then I tend to catch a lot of really big F1s fishing double pinkie. I can only think pinkies work better because they are small and brightly coloured, and stand out. If I am looking to fish pinkies on the hook I will also put a few through…

LIKE many anglers, rain permitting, I will be spending the last few weeks of the river season in search of chub. As rivers begin to fine off after being in flood the chub can suddenly switch on as the clearing water spurs them on to feed. Under these conditions one bait stands head and shoulders above all others – bread. Not only is bread highly visible, so that the sight-feeding chub cannot miss it, but its consistency and buoyancy mean that it is the perfect chub bait, whether you are planning to trot a heavy float or use leger tactics. Even so, I know a lot of anglers fight shy of fishing bread, as they struggle to have confidence in this soft bait. Having spent some considerable time photographing bread…

“Was it the scent of the sardine or the krill that decided events?” IN the carp world there’s no lack of flavourings and attractors designed to stimulate the fish into feeding. Strange, then, that these artificial aids are not used more in the capture of other species. These days I wouldn’t dream of going shark fishing without a bottle of pungent fishy flavour to include in the chum, that traditional oily mash of mackerel flesh and guts. In the ocean, fish will readily pick up and follow a scent trail, and having witnessed the biggest-ever porbeagle from Wales and a blue shark over the British record I would be foolish to think otherwise. So while my latest experiment was with a slightly smaller predator, the pike, I conducted it with…

BAIT Favourite boilies: Mainline Cell – fish love the taste and they are easily digestible. Keep quantities very low. Chops or crumb: Half baits are ideal for intercepting fish in the edge, along marginal slopes. Spod or Spomb: The Skyraider spod is ideal when baiting so lightly. Throwing stick: A light spread of baits dispatched with a throwing stick is a more subtle approach than spodding. Catapult: Only put a few boilies in the pouch each time, to avoid over-baiting. Air drying: I don’t use air dried baits at this time of year because frozen boilies don’t go off in the cold temperatures. A soft boilie also leaks more attraction. Sizes: I’m not too bothered about size, as long as the baits are big enough to get to where I’m…

Jelly pellets so easy to make  HOW easy is it to make my own jelly pellets? The ones I buy pre-prepared from the tackle shop seem to dry out after a few weeks. Kenny Nash, London ANY pre-prepared bait will struggle to retain its appeal once a tub or bag is opened, so using the freshest you can always means more bites. Preparing your own jelly pellets is simple to do and also allows you to add colours and flavours to give the finished bait a bit of the X-Factor. Jelly pellets have one key advantage over a normal expander, namely that they are tougher and will stay on the hook better while retaining that superb softness that carp, skimmers and F1s love. They can be shipped out on the…

THERE are two types of spinner blade – Willow and Colorado. Willows are long, thin and leaf-shaped, while a Colorado has a more rounded, soup-spoon profile. It is how they act in the water that makes the difference. The Willow blade, featured on Rev Heads jig heads, creates less vibration than a Colorado because it’s thinner. It also stays deeper, even when retrieved quickly. Colorado blades are better for slower retrieves and/or fishing in heavily coloured water. This is because the larger surface area generates more vibration – although they tend to rise in the water on the retrieve, so they’re not that good in deep water. Their pulsation is longer and deeper than that produced by a Willow blade. In sound wave terms, Colorado blades are the bass, Willows…

A FEW weeks ago I was lucky enough to live test the awesome new Response M90 from Preston Innovations – which has quickly become its best-selling flagship pole. However, this top-end model, arguably the stiffest carbon tube ever to be waved about over the wet stuff, is but one of a series of three. All are 16m, but not all prices will send your wallet into shock. Next pole down from the Response M90 is the M70, built around the same 10-sectioned mandrel as its illustrious relative and packing away neatly into one section at 14.5m, with a 16m extension section taking it to its full length. What’s more, like the M90, it uses Torayca high modulus carbon fibre cloth (although obviously not quite of the same grade). Be that…

THIS giant common could go down in history as one of the most impressive carp captures of all time. The colossal fish weighed in excess of 94lb, which makes it special enough, but it also came from a public-access venue almost 12,000 acres in size. Publicity-shy Dutchman Vincent Keetman caught the fish – thought to be the biggest ever from a public venue – from France’s notorious Lac du Der Chantecoq. This sprawling water was the scene of Darrell Peck’s mammoth summer session last year that ended in the mystery torching of his van. As reported in Angling Times previously, sketchy details of the capture and poor-quality images of the fish circulated last autumn, but Vincent was only persuaded to make the catch public last week. He released two images…

England needs its rising stars ENGLAND has been the number one team in the world for a long time, and it would be easy to cement our place for a few more years yet. But it’s great to see that the management are looking at the long-term prospects and thinking about keeping that success going for decades to come. As good as Alan Scotthorne and Des Shipp are, there will come a time when they stop competing at world level and we will need new faces that are equally talented to step up to the plate. By naming Callum Dicks in this year’s World Champs squad and allowing Lee Kerry and Matt Godfrey to represent our nation at the European Championships we are giving the brightest talents an opportunity to…

1 DICK WALKER  Responsible for the Arlesey Bomb and the bite alarm, and instrumental in developing carbon fibre rods, Dick Walker also made one of the most famous captures ever in the form of Clarissa, the 44lb carp from Redmire Pool. Dick’s published works include The Carp Godfather and No Need To Lie. 2 FRED J TAYLOR  A real countryman who had 18 books published on angling, rabbiting, ferreting and many other aspects of rural life, ‘Fred J’ had his first article printed in Angling Times in 1954. With his two brothers, he helped to develop deadbaiting techniques for pike and the lift method for tench. Encouraged by Dick Walker, Fred’s work was in demand from the mid ’50s until his death in 2008. 3 CHRIS YATES  Part of Chris’…

Could your project do with £5,000 funding? APPLY now for up to £5,000 for junior fishing and park pond projects. The Angling Trust is inviting applications for the latest round of funding from the Angling Improvement Fund. Awards of up to £5,000 can be applied for to support junior fishing projects involving schools and colleges in partnership with clubs and fisheries, or rejuvenating under-used or neglected community waters such as park ponds, urban lakes or fishable rivers in towns or cities. Supported by the Environment Agency and administered by the Trust, the Angling Improvement Fund re-invests part of the proceeds of rod licence sales in England in projects directly benefiting anglers. Since last April, £315,000 funding has been made available for angling projects. Closing date for applications is March 2,…

Q My local fishery sees a lot of pellet and corn used, even in winter. The problem is that I’m finding this combo loses its appeal – what can I do to introduce something a little different to the fish, but which will still catch enough carp to compete? A Winter fishing is challenging at best and getting bites can be difficult at times, so how do you stack the odds in your favour? Looking at baits, two classics for winter carp are pellet and corn especially when you combine them. This is a staple feed for most anglers fis hing commercials in winter, and over the years I have caught plenty of fish on these great baits, but I always find myself looking to take things further and give…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Basingstoke Canal Winter League (rnd 4) Basinsgtoke Canal, Ash Wharf (32 pegs) Persistent cold rain and clear water didn’t bode well for this penultimate round, but you can’t always go by conditions as the canal fished extremely well. Laurence Glynn of the Homestores Tackle outfit went a place better than in the last round to win with an identical weight of 11-11-0. He fished his peg at Wood Street with breadpunch at 6m to take roach all day. Team-mate James Pitman drew behind the Napiers pub and took second with a similar bag of 10-9-0 on punch. Homestores Tackle stormed to victory on the day with 7pts. Result: 1 L Glynn, Homestores Tackle, 11-11-0; 2 J Pitman, Homestores Tackle, 10-9-0; 3 T Woolford, Tubertini Old Boys, 9-1-0;…

Decoy Lakes Six slands, Four slands, Beastie, Elm & Cedar Lakes (73 pegs) ANOTHER big turnout on the run in to the Angling Trust Winter League Final saw some fine weights taken thanks to a spell of mild weather settling in. Many expected the famous Beastie Lake to produce the leading weights, but it turned out to be the Cedar Lake that came up trumps. Top rod from peg 23 was Preston Innovations Black Horse rod Rob Dzialak. With a tinge of colour in the water, the carp had moved closer in, and that is where Rob fished for most of the day plundering stockies, F1s and barbel alternating between pellet and maggot to finish with a fine 133-15-0. Runner-up was Anthony King, The Dynamite Baits rod drawing Elm Lake…

Packington Somers Vets (Thurs) Geary’s Level & Little Geary’s Pools (28 pegs) WEIGHTS improved a little for Thursday’s match at Packington Somers. Lane’s Bait man Ron Savage won once again at the fishery as the old hand weighed in 45-11-0 of F1s to 3lb. He fished maggot on the deck at 13m from Little Geary’s Pool peg 25. Second went to another man familiar with picking up money at Packington, Ray Quinney. He was just one fish from toppling Ron as he replied with 44-3-0 of F1s using maggot feeder tactics to the island from peg 27 on the same lake. Result: 1 R Savage, Lane’s Bait, 45-11-0; 2 R Quinney, Packington, 44-3-0; 3 B Overton, Packington Vets, 43-11-0; 4 A Dolby, Lane’s Bait, 33-9-0.…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Blundell’s Fishery Rover All lakes (21 pegs) Big carp decided the main places, and for once the Trio Pool didn’t make the top two – peg 65 on the Pine Pool being the pick of winner Mark Hassell. The Stalybridge Angling man fished bomb and pellet to weigh in 61-12-0 of carp to 8lb. Second-placed Alan Clancy went for Ash Lake peg 53, and bomb and bread saw him net carp to 9lb for 56-0-0 at the scales. Result: 1 M Hassell, Stalybridge Angling Supplies, 61-12-0; 2 A Clancy, Leigh Tackle & Bait, 56-0-0; 3 M Wright, Gilder’s Tackle, 44-0-0; 4 M Gillespie, Edgeley Sports, 39-12-0. Brookside Fisheries Snake Lake (18 pegs) Weights were low in windy conditions, and Mark Pleavin found his 31-0-0 of F1s enough…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Climax Wold View Fishery Veterans (Tues) Gold Lake (15 pegs) Result: 1 K Hill, Wold View, 11-4-0; 2 T Wood, Wold View, 4-4-0; 3 G McKay, Wold View, 1-4-0. Climax Wold View Fishery Silver Lake (15 pegs) Result: 1 D Ringwood, Wold View, 49-4-0; 2 N Hewiss, Wold View, 40-8-0; 3 S Sykes, Wold View, 29-8-0. Firswood Fishery (Weds) Both Lakes (12 pegs) Result: 1 A Kirk, Lingmere, 55-15-0; 2 A Williams, Ray’s Tackle, 31-0-0; 3 B Bush, Birkenhead, 30-7-0. Highfield Fisheries Over 60s (Weds) Beech Lake (12 pegs) Result: 1 T Clark, Ted Carter Preston, 36-8-0; 2 T Bentley, Blackpool Angling, 23-0-0; 3 P Connelly, Rochdale Angling, 10-3-0. Meadow View Fisheries OAP & Disabled (Tues) Linnet Pool (14 pegs) Result: 1 D Ockwell, Leigh Tackle &…