Innholdsfortegnelse for 3260 i Angling Times

KIERAN Granville proved you don’t have to spend a fortune on season tickets to find big fish when he banked this 4lb 2oz perch from a club water. The Taunton AA head bailiff visited the association-controlled Maunsel Ponds and relied on a tried-and-tested floatfished worm approach on a water better known for its carp. It was a ploy that worked a treat within a short space of time, with the big predator soon falling foul of the simple tactics. Tickets to join the club are currently on sale and start at £25 for adults and £10 for juniors.…

“A big thank you to all anglers who have bought rod licences” MORE than £380m has been invested into angling since the formation of the Environment Agency, Angling Times can reveal this week. Raised from the sale of over 25 million licences over the last two decades, the money has been spent by the EA to fund its dedicated quest to improve thousands of UK fisheries, fight illegal angling and increase participation in the sport. The staggering figure was brought to light by EA bosses who are celebrating 20 years since taking over from the National Rivers Authority (NRA) back in 1996. The news will come as a huge motivational boost to the thousands of anglers who already have and will now be renewing their licences for the 2016/17 season,…

I WONDER if any of my mates will hook one of the Florida Keys mystery fish when we head out for our annual trip next week. In the harbour almost every year Roy Marlow hooks something while freelining a piece of cut bait. The line suddenly accelerates in classic tarpon style, Roy tightens up and the fish will plod down and not come up off the bottom. I’ve watched Roy fight two or three of these monsters for an hour each and eventually apply so much pressure the 20lb line parted. My theory is they could be sawfish, which in the Keys grow to over 16ft. Indeed, on a trip Roy made in February with Harry Warren, Harry caught a small sawfish – about 7ft long so not so tiny…

AS USUAL, I attended the terrific annual Daiwa Brighton Pollack Competition. My host Paul Dyer’s boat, Brighton Diver, failed to trouble the scorers but I kept two of my three pollack and the fillet from one side made a lovely meal for my wife and me, baked in the oven for 15 minutes in panko breadcrumbs seasoned with salt, pepper and lime zest. It was gorgeous. There were obviously winners, and well done to Martin Donald who just pipped England international Ray Barron by 5oz with a lovely fish of 13lb 9oz, a goodly weight considering the fish had all recently spawned. Martin took home a trophy, £500 in sweep money and a £250 Daiwa Tackle Voucher. Junior champ was Michael Parker with a 4lb 15oz fish. Altogether there were…

HOW TO TAKE PART – Cut out the special voucher below, take it to one of the participating fisheries listed in our 2-for-1 scheme and you’ll receive two day tickets for the price of one. Enjoy! THIS WEEK’S WATERS 1 Commonwood Fishery, Denbighshire2 Croft Fisheries, Lancs3 Majestic Pool, E Yorks4 Moorfields Farm Fishery, E Yorks5 Partridge Lakes, Cheshire6 Rising Fishery, Lancs7 Sykehouse Fisheries, Lincs8 Barston Lakes, W Mids9 Izaak Walton Fishery, Staffs10 Makins Fishery, Warks11 Ockeridge Fishing Lakes, Worcs12 Peatling Pools, Leics13 Suffolk Water Park, Suffolk14 Wold Farm Fishery, Northants15 Churchgate Lakes, Essex16 Framfield Fishery, E Sussex17 Hartleylands Fishery, Kent18 Royal Berkshire Fishery, Berks19 Trinity Waters, Somerset20 White Springs Fishery, Wales…

THERE is no doubt that snake lakes are growing in popularity, and hundreds of commercials across the country have turned to them to give anglers the red hot action they crave. Both match and pleasure anglers enjoy the challenge this type of water provides, since a carefully devised plan is required to make the most of your session. Here are five of the best in the North… FIVE IN-FORM SNAKE LAKES BIRKWOOD FARM FISHERIES, WAKEFIELD, W YORKSHIRE Heavily stocked with carp, the 37-peg Emily’s Lake offers weights over 100lb of fish averaging around 7lb. Conact: 01924 892251 Postcode: WF6 2JE HERONBROOK FISHERIES, SLINDON, STAFFS One of the UK’s best snake lakes venues. Head to peg 10 on Meadow Pool for 70lb-plus of carp or Bridge Pool for 100lb of F1s.…

LONSDALE PARK, CARLISLE, CUMBRIA CUMBRIA isn’t blessed with much coarse fishing, but this complex certainly makes up for the dearth of quantity with its high quality fishing and lodges. Situated on the edge of the Lake District National Park, guests staying at Lonsdale are provided with the opportunity to fish on five private lakes in over 40 acres of unspoilt country estate. Each accommodation option comes with its own private pegs so anglers can target the venue’s specimen tench, perch and carp for which the fishery is renowned. Lonsdale has a wide range of accommodation including holiday cottages, luxury lodges and luxury caravans, so there’s something to suit every taste and budget. Prices: Fishing for residents only, lodges from £534 a week Contact: 01228 562655 or visit www.lonsdalepark.co.uk Postcode: CA4…

STILLWATERS ALDERWOOD PONDS, STEYNING, W SUSSEX The Island Pool is producing big perch to 3lb on worm and maggots fished in the margins. Keep a constant trickle of maggots going in to draw in the prey fish, which in turn will pull in the perch. The traditional whole king prawn hookbait, cooked or raw, is a perfect change bait although it will bring the odd carp to the net… all good fun in our opinion! Contact: 01903 816377 Postcode: BN44 3AA ANGLERS PARADISE, BEAWORTHY, DEVON The float, feeder and pole are all catching on the Golden Tench and Orfe Lakes. Soft pellets and corn are the best baits when fished tight to the islands. The bigger fish also tend to patrol the margins and simply can’t resist a large…

CUT-DOWN FLOAT Bites can be instant when fishing in this manner. A Carpa Chimp float that has had an inch of the stem cut off will sit up instantly to show every indication. RIDDLE THE SOIL Leaving the soil on your worms will lead to most of the attractive juices being absorbedby it. Riddle the soil off to help release the flavours quickly. BAIT BATCHES Make small batches of worm mush throughout the day. Otherwise the flavoursome juices will dry up too quickly. CUPPING IN Play around with the consistency of your worm mush. On the deck, squeeze together a hard ball, switching to a loose version when trying to catch shallow. TURN TO TRACIX There are lots of powders on the market, all of them good, but Sensas Tracix…

RIGHT now is the perfect time of the year to try paste fishing, but I know many anglers shy away from it because they have trouble keeping it on the hook. The simple rule to remember is that the further out you are fishing, the firmer your paste needs to be. So right in the margins it can be so soft that it drips off the hook, but when using legered paste against an island it needs to be much stickier. Ready-made paste comes in many flavours and colours, but I prefer to make my own, as this allows me to get the mix exactly right every time. Let’s take a look at the different pastes I use for the four most common styles of fishing with this awesome bait.…

Tape up a marker IDEAL when you need to drop a pole rig in the same place every time Drop your rig a couple of feet out of place in some swims and it could well be going into much deeper water well out of sight of the fish. To ensure you fish in the exact same spot every time, place a piece of masking tape on the section you will be holding and make sure your elbow is on it every time you ship out. Shorten your shallow rigs TRY THIS when you are missing bites when fishing up in the water Carp can swallow and eject a bait in a split second, leading to lots of missed bites. Shortening the line between pole tip and float will help,…

IT’S well and truly tench time and I’m going to have a crack at a small lake near my house. Would I better off fishing the pole or waggler, and what would be a standard uncomplicated rig to use for both tactics? Gary Flavill, Syston THE waggler will enable you to fish further out and vary the shotting according to presentation. However, when wind may cause a waggler to drift with the tow the pole’s presentation will be superior, as it will in a swim with lily pads or reeds at close range when pinpoint bait placement is needed. On the right are two simple rigs to try... TENCH WAGGLER RIG THIS rig allows you to fish what’s known as the ‘lift’ method, using a large shot on the lakebed…

HOW many carp can I catch in the edge before I need to feed again? Gareth Watkinson, Slough SOME days you’ll need to feed after every fish, while on others it’s possible to nick half-a-dozen big carp before introducing any more bait. Let the bites you are getting dictate how you should be feeding. Begin with a large pot of bait and when it’s time to fish the margins, wait until you get that first bite or indication. Drop in again and if you keep getting bites, there’s no need to add more bait – but if nothing happens after the first fish is landed, you may need to drip a little more feed in. Often you can see fish moving in shallow water so you’ll know if any are…

IT MIGHT not feel like it, but summer is on the way and with it comes the season of long sessions. Whether you’re taking time off from work to have a long weekend at your local venue, or hopping across the Channel for a week in France, these longer trips are all about preparation. Last week, Bait-Tech-backed Craig Mortimer enjoyed a hugely successful trip to Iles 3 in central France, banking a string of giants to over 60lb on Poloni boilies. His methodical approach was part of the winning formula, and one clever trick is to accurately ration your bait. “When you go away for a long session, at home or abroad, it’s only too tempting to turn up with sacks of bait and go a bit mad,” he said.…

Ever heard a carp angler tell you they were fishing at ’15 wraps’ and wondered what it meant? It’s all to do with accurate casting. A wrap is the distance between two poles driven into the ground (almost always 12ft/4yards apart), around which the line is wrapped to find the distance to your chosen spot. It’s a great system, and this is how it works.…

What to look forward to... INSIDE this brilliant new 132-page book you’ll find a wealth of top tips and tactical advice from the biggest names in the sport. The world of carp fishing can seem a minefield, with complex rigs and bait recipes and confusing tackle choices. However, the easy-to-follow advice and well illustrated features in this book will dispel the myths and help you to put a new personal best on the bank! The book covers everything from choosing the right rod, reel and terminal tackle, to picking the best bait and tying top quality rigs. You’ll learn to cast like a pro, and how best to play big carp so that you never lose another one! What’s more, the Expert Masterclass taps into the knowledge of some the…

SPECIMEN angling has become very predictable over the years but the giant tench that was netted last week has certainly stirred things up. If I hear that a big pike has been caught I instantly think it is from Chew Valley Reservoir. Big crucians are usually from Marsh Farm and giant roach are often banked from Sway Lakes. The fact that you can usually guess where the big specimens come from takes away part of the fun that makes our sport so exciting. But the 17lb 8oz tench that Neil Bradley and Jamie Potts netted out of a lake changes everything. It gives you renewed hope that there are waters out there with fish that have never seen a hook before. The country is littered with untouched ponds, reservoirs and…

“I had a dozen perch to about 1lb 12oz and missed a number of other takes” “I had a dozen up to 1lb 12oz and missed several other takes” WOULD you believe it’s gone cold again! On my way down south last Saturday it snowed, quite heavily at times, but within minutes the sun came out and the wind was warm! This ‘hit-and-miss’ weather needs to move on before I can think seriously about long fishing trips. When it does finally settle you can rest assured I’ll be having a few days away on a big-fish venue and see if I can catch one for the camera. WEDNESDAY Worked on my new book, writing about 2,000 words towards another chapter. I am enjoying it because writing is one of my…

Bath Spartans AC Green v Watchet AC Black Lower Woods Ponds (12 pegs) Result: 1 B Meaden, Bath Spartans AC Green, 11-11-0; 2 N Ball, Bath Spartans AC Green, 9-15-8. Team result: 1 Bath Spartans AC Green, 8pts; 2 Watchet AC Black, 10. Billericay DAC V Bill’s Tackle Priors Fishery (12 pegs) Result: 1 S White, Bill’s Tackle, 43-12-0; 2 M Banks, Bill’s Tackle, 43-0-0. Team result: 1 Bill’s Tackle, 8pts; 2 Billericay DAC, 10. Blue Circle MG V Rusty Hooks Orchard Place Farm (12 pegs) Result: 1 P Chapman, Blue Circle MG, 86-0-0; 2 R Easterling, Rusty Hooks, 77-8-0. Teams result: 1 Blue Circle MG, 7pts; 2 Rusty Hooks, 10. Bottisham AC V The Royal Exchange Greensands Fishery (12 pegs) Result: 1 A Kleen, Bottisham AC, 72-9-0; 2 R…

Runner-up Pearson left trailing on a mere 130lb! WOODLAND LAKES (WEDS) Partridge & Kestrel Lakes (26 pegs) WEDNESDAY’S open produced a stunning out-of-the-blue mega weight for Johnny Maddison as he rocked the fishery match record with a mammoth 394-8-0 net of carp. Needless to say, he won the match by a country mile as Macauley Pearson took second spot on 130-0-0! Johnny drew peg 2 on the Partridge Lake and began the day fishing pellet on the deck at 5m for a few early carp before he saw some fish cruising around on the surface on the long pole line. Switching to banded pellet at 14.5m, the Mosella Quaker man was soon into a few fish using dobbing tactics with minimal feed. However, it was when a ripple came across…

TUNNEL BARN FARM (MON) Extension Pool (22 pegs) Result: 1 W Sweetman, Tunnel Barn Farm, 140-1-0; 2 L Blundell, Sensas, 97-9-0; 3 P Hancocks, Tunnel Barn Farm Vets, 74-9-0; 4 G Makin, Miracle Baits, 72-1-0; 5 I Shephard, Daiwa Gordon League, 69-8-0; 6 D Chapman, Swan Baits, 68-12-0. TUNNEL BARN FARM (WEDS) House Pool (16 pegs) Result: 1 D James, Mosella, 224-10-0; 2 S Harwood, Drennan Banbury Gunsmiths, 156-2-0; 3 P Hughes, Mosella, 139-12-0; 4 A Leese, Tunnel Barn Farm, 98-4-0; 5 P Hancox, Tunnel Barn Farm Vets, 92-1-0; 6 A Green, Maver, 79-4-0. TUNNEL BARN FARM (FRI) Top Pool (16 pegs) Result: 1 R Knowles, Shakespeare, 150-4-0; 2 L Whetton, Mosella/Tunnel Barn Farm, 98-0-0; 3 D James, Mosella, 90-0-0; 4 I Shephard, Daiwa Gordon League, 63-4-0; 5 M Bingham,…

SNAGS – they’re an unhappy part of spring fishing on commercials. Often they take the form of reeds and roots that have spent the winter in a dormant state only to suffer a toddler-like growth spurt as the sun warms the water. They now become tackle-grabbing menaces, and popular hidey-holes for carp and F1s in island swims. And to make matters worse, sometimes you can’t even see the vegetation snaking up from the lakebed until it peeks above the surface. Therefore you can never quite be sure that the place where you’re dropping your rig and feed isn’t going to be bang in the middle of a snag pit. However, the task is not so much ‘mission impossible’ as crash, bang, wallop stuff, as plenty of brute force is needed…

EVERY year is the same. Winter seems to take an age to disappear and then, bang – suddenly the evenings are lighter, the birds are singing and the fish are on the move. That sudden transition has definitely happened while we’ve been compiling this issue and I know it’s the trigger that many of us need to really get back on the hunt for carp. I’m writing this on the eve of a trip to France for a week at the beautiful Tranquillity Lakes and I really cannot wait to get cracking on the first long session of the year. Another angler to really enjoy his fishing is Andrew Riste, who has written a piece on one of our favourite day-ticket venues in Britain, Caerphilly Castle. We covered this place…

AFTER fishing numerous venues, I have compiled a list of seven definite edges that, if followed and applied to your own fishing, can help increase your catch rate. LOCATION The biggest problems come when people can’t see any obvious signs, and then make a snap decision based on nothing tangible. For me, social media is a massive tool and when used correctly can help pinpoint fish activity from previous captures, both recent and historic. Most social-media pages are frequently updated, giving us anglers an almost live feed to what’s happening on a particular venue. Previous captures in similar weather conditions can also be a really good guide to where to start looking. I personally always know which lake I’m fishing in advance, so I make sure I check the lake’s…

HAVING recorded six fish in one 48-hour session, then eight fish in the next 48-hour session with carp to 35lb 12oz, it’s fair to say Ed Betteridge knows his way around the busy day-ticket waters at Linear Fisheries. These Oxfordshire lakes probably see more pressure from good-quality anglers than any other in the country. “The fish in these places are highly educated to the ways of carp anglers,” Ed told us. “So, to keep one step ahead of the game, I have devised a five-point plan that over the past few weeks has seen me having some really big hits.” To find out more about Ed’s approach, UKCarp met up with the 40-year-old Chub and Greys media manager on the Road Bank at St John’s. Here’s what he had to…

Chub Vantage bivvy RRP: £439.99 www.chubfishing.com The flagship in the Chub range, the quality of this shelter’s Climatex material is what initially catches your eye here. The Vantage is cleverly designed to maximise the space offered by its footprint, with split poles allowing access for bigger bedchairs and improving the useable space inside the bivvy. There’s also a large rear vent to help the circulation of air and a variety of front-door configurations. The tensioning system keeps everything rock solid and the heavy-duty groundsheet and pegs round off a pedigree product. Korda Goo RRP: £11.99 www.korda.co.uk The fifth batch of these potent liquids is upon us, bringing the number in the range to a massive 28. This season’s newbies are Bumbleberry, Wonderberry, Wicked Tuna Supreme and Wicked Tuna Smoke. Goo…

ONE of the world’s most famous anglers helped save the life of a fellow fisherman who was stranded on a remote island and was apparently ‘preparing to die’. The incredible story unfolded during filming of the next series of River Monsters with Jeremy Wade around a group of uninhabited islands off the coast of Australia’s Northern Territory. There the crew found a ‘castaway’ who’d been without water or food for almost three whole days. “We were filming for an episode of Series 8 called ‘Death Down Under’ and headed to the opposite end of the island because the waters where we’d originally planned to be were far too choppy,” said episode director Stephen Shearman. “We saw this blue cooler box on a rock and the team joked that Tom Hanks…

PREDATOR fishing legend Dave Kelbrick has sadly passed away following a heart attack. Emotional messages from anglers across the UK have been flooding into social media sites and internet forums to pay tribute to the lure fishing pioneer and angling writer, whose legendary captures came as an inspiration to so many. Dave leaves behind his wife Den and son Luke. His funeral takes place this Thursday, May 5 at St James Church in Ince, Cheshire.…

I REMEMBER when Billy Makin first designed and opened his fishery (see pages 26 and 27). He’d worked out that for some reason river and canal sport was not attracting customers like it once had, so he created a fishery where catching was all but guaranteed, along with parking and comfortable swims. It has been the blueprint for most coarse fisheries ever since. Even specimen carp lakes are now expected to have tailor-made swims for bivvies. “Trust me mate, it’s the future of fishing,” said Billy, and who would argue with that now? “Billy Makin created a fishery where catching was all but guaranteed”…

STILLWATERS BORWICK FISHERY, CARNFORTH, LANCS Pleasure anglers visiting the complex’s Fingals Lake have been reporting some huge weights of silverfish, including bream to 5lb and roach to over 1lb. Feed two lines on the pole and fish maggots or casters. Contact: 07508 460730 Postcode: LA6 1JU MEADOW VIEW FISHERY, LYMM, CHESHIRE Target open water with pellet shallow for carp to 4lb on Thrush Pool. Feed corn in the margins and fish here later on for the bigger carp. Paste and 6mm pellets also work down the edge line for carp to double figures. Contact: 01925 767505 Postcode: WA13 9BA OHAM LAKES, ALFORD, LINCS Fish pellets and corn at the top end of Badger Lake close in where the water is around 3ft deep. Expect to find carp, barbel and…

COMMONWOOD FISHERY, WREXHAM, DENBIGHSHIRE Aran Lake is exclusively a specimen tench water and you can catch fish to 9lb on the wag and mag or corn. Contact: 07968 207331 Postcode: LL13 9TF CROFT FISHERIES, CHORLEY, LANCS The Croft Pool contains an excellent mixed stock of carp, skimmers, roach, tench, chub and perch. Fish maggots to claim a mixed bag. Contact: 01257 483147 Postcode: BL6 5LA MAJESTIC POOL, BEVERLEY, EAST YORKS Catch carp to 20lb by fishing wafters over crushed boilies, particles and pellets in open water and down the marginal shelf. Contact: 07904 079647 Postcode: HU17 0SQ MOORFIELDS FARM FISHERY, GOOLE, E YORKS Anglers have been sacking up here since the turn of the year with 100lb-plus nets featuring on the Match Lakes. Contact: 07710 817150 Postcode: DN14 8BQ…

STILLWATERS BOLDINGS POOLS, BRIDGNORTH, SHROPSHIRE The edge lines at this fishery are really starting to burst into life! Feed pellet and corn down both margins on Sycamore Pool then switch between these two areas to catch carp to 9lb and bream to 3lb. If your swim goes dead it’s important to top it back up with a potful of groundbait or micro pellets. Contact: 01746 763255 Postcode: WV16 4SS DENTS OF HILGAY, HILGAY, NORFOLK Mixed bags can be taken on the long pole on the Farm Shop Lake by alternating between maggot and soft expander pellets on the deck. Switching to a small pellet feeder and a banded 6mm pellet down the edge usually tempts the bigger carp which can be caught to over 10lb here. Contact: 01366 385661 Postcode:…

BURY HILL FISHERIES, DORKING, SURREY Milton Lake is one of the most tranquil waters in the region, and pole fishing with double maggot, pellet or corn could help you attract a 20-fish catch of crucians to 2lb. Contact: 01306 883621 Postcode: RH4 3JU FORTY ACRE PLANTATION LAKES, STOCK, ESSEX Although this fishery is best known for its specimen carp and catfish, it is also a great place to catch a big crucian, with the margins of Small Lake worth your attention. Contact: 07940 000492 Postcode: CM4 9RS MARSH FARM, MILFORD, SURREY All three day-ticket lakes are home to crucians over the 3lb barrier, and floatfishing at close range with sweetcorn or casters under a sensitive float rig is the best way to find the biggest specimens. Dot the float right…

WALDEGRAVES FAMILY HOLIDAY PARK, MERSEA ISLAND, ESSEX WALDEGRAVES has four lakes to choose from which offer great sport for pleasure, match and specimen anglers. The lakes are stocked full of top quality carp, bream, tench, roach, rudd, perch and gudgeon Day tickets are available but the real deal starts when you book a holiday here, as all residents enjoy free fishing. There’s no better time to take advantage of the venue’s incredible fishing breaks and enjoy a stay in holiday homes which are available from just £109. Prices: Fishing breaks available from £109 Contact: 01206 382898 or visit www.waldegraves.co.uk…

THE world of specimen hunting can be hard to get your head around. Secretive and sometimes cloak and dagger, reputations, livelihoods and even marriages have been wrecked by the relentless pursuit of a big tench or barbel, but you’ll not find Tony Smith showing any of those traits. For him, catching a big fish is all about what angling should be – excitement and the deep satisfaction of ticking off a target having executed a plan. The 71-year-old from Knottingley was recently crowned runner-up in the Drennan Cup thanks to a stellar year that saw him win four Weekly Awards. A big-fish angler for over 50 years, Tony is a little long in the tooth to get involved in the bun fight that specimen hunting can turn into. Instead, he…

WITH the World Feeder Champs just a couple of months away, I’ve been putting in some time on a variety of big lakes recently, fishing all manner of different feeder types for bream, skimmers, roach and hybrids. I tend to use the whole range of feeders on the market, from tiny blockends to big Methods and special distance feeders for those really long casts. I’m often asked about how to pick the right type to use, so here’s my simple guide… DISTANCE FEEDERS WHEN fishing at 45m-70m on big, natural waters a Kevin Leach Distance feeder is a favourite of mine. Weight forward in design, it casts straight and true even in a strong crosswind. I tend to use one of 32g or 40g, depending on conditions and distance required.…

1 To half a cup of water add your colouring or flavouring. For pastes I normally halve the dose of concentrated flavours. 2 Gradually add the powdered paste mix, stirring well to stop lumps forming. The paste should be quite sloppy at this stage. 3 Leave the paste for at least 10 minutes to begin to absorb the water. Check its consistency and add more powder if required. 4 Leave it to stand in a plastic bag for 30 minutes. This allows the paste to fully absorb the liquid without it drying out.…

“Since childhood I have been fascinated by the species” I LOOK forward to many things during the fishing year, but when it’s time for tench there’s a special kind of magic in the air. Since childhood I have been fascinated by the species – its green flanks, red eyes and fighting qualities – and today I still marvel at the ‘doctor fish’, a creature unlike any of its other freshwater cousins. A warm wind, the sun on my back and tench rolling in the swim is what I dream about. The trouble is, it’s hard to wait for such halcyon days so I always start my tench campaign before late spring fires the true starting pistol. I never need an excuse to go fishing, and even if the wind still…

DO I always have to use an olivette on pole rigs over 0.5g or will shot do just as well? Jeff Simpson, Crawley SHOTS are okay to use up to around the size of float you mention but beyond this, they can be a little too cumbersome. You will find yourself having to fix a lot of them on line, which can damage the mono in the process, creating more weak points. An olivette is far more streamlined and less likely to tangle than shot. CAN you fish corn shallow on the pole for carp? Norman Clough, Tipton GENERALLY no. Corn sinks very quickly so unless a carp sees the bait within seconds, you probably won’t get a bite. Meat and pellets are lighter and sink slowly, giving you a…

THE Boss weighed 52lb 4oz for James Mann at Essex’s Fryerning Fisheries on a Mainline Hybrid snowman rig. JOE Gladdis banked this 35lb 4oz mirror, and a 27-pounder, from Kevin Nash’s Church Lake on a 5ft zig rig. JAMIE Everard managed seven fish from Milemead Fisheries’ Specimen Lake in Devon, including this pretty twenty. THIS 40lb 12oz mirror topped a five-fish catch on Sticky Krill boilies for Paul Cooper at a Lincoln syndicate venue. A 48-HOUR session on Horton Church Lake produced this 45lb 4oz mirror for Steve Bliss to a Sticky Krill pop-up.…

I’m a convert to your new-look magazine I’M a self-confessed creature of habit but I have made an exception for the new format of Angling Times – it looks fantastic! I’ve been reading the paper for more than 30 years and the change to a magazine caught me completely by surprise. When I first noticed the change I did have a little moan to myself, but a full read of the content soon swung my attitude in favour of it. The Where to Fish section gave me plenty of fresh ideas of venues to try, and the tale of the huge Irish roach bags has certainly tempted me to head back overseas next year. Well done to everyone involved – a job well done indeed. Peter Carter, Worcester Sport still…

BACK in the days of the Angling Times Winter League, one successful team was practising for a semi-final on the River Cam. They prided themselves in developing young angling talent and as they lined up near Cambridge, three youngsters sat in a line in the middle of the squad trying different ways to tempt tricky Cam roach. On this freezing February day, the youngsters were somewhat surprised to see a small hunched figure walking across the field opposite towards them. It was a tramp… and a female one at that. Anyway, with a cheery wave and a ‘Good morning!’, this lady then proceeded to undress, in full view, until she was stark naked. She then walked straight into the river, washed everything and stepped out again before dressing once more…

DETAILS of maintenance work that could affect angling over the next 12 months have been published on the web by the Environment Agency. EA maintenance work covers a broad range of activities that have the potential to affect angling. These include routine maintenance such as weed clearance and management of bankside vegetation, particularly of aggressive invasive plants like Himalayan balsam. Other work may include channel straightening and dredging, maintenance of flood defences and pumping stations, and removal of both natural and unnatural obstructions in water courses. Search for ‘river maintenance programme’ on the www.gov.uk  website. FARMOOR FISHERY’S 59 STONE OF FISH SPRING snow showers failed to prevent 826lb of fish being landed in the Thames Water Shield at Farmoor Reservoir in Oxfordshire. The Trust’s Danny Williams worked with…

MAVER MEGA MATCH THIS QUALIFIER (SAT) Heronbrook Fisheries (90 pegs) THE Match This bandwagon rolled into Staffordshire for the latest qualifier, but the cold snap scuppered the chances of many. John Ashwell, however, grabbed the qualifying place from peg 26 on the Meadow Pool thanks to a 163-8-0 net of big carp and a few F1s. A regular at the fishery, the Maver Midlands rod went for a pellet approach fishing a banded hard 6mm bait across to the far bank. He then changed to meat at 5m late in the day to pick off some better carp. He ended the day with just over 20lb in hand from second-placed and last year’s runner-up in the Match This final, Frankie Gianoncelli. He was on peg 43 of the same lake…

AUBREY CUP 2016 IN AID OF MACMILLAN CANCER RESEARCH (WEDS) Janson’s Fishery, Donut, Match, Munroes & Tommo’s Pools (64 pegs) Charity really benefited from this annual event with over £1,000 raised for the Macmillan cause. On the fishing front, Colin Spencer was quids in as he took 102-0-0 off peg 24 on the Munroes Pool to win. Banded pellet fished at 14m to the island and then in the margins saw Colin land carp to 5lb. That put him just ahead of Steve Davies who, from peg 5 on the same lake, also caught on pellet over and in the side to reply with 95-5-0 of fish to 8lb. Result: 1 C Spencer, Janson’s, 102-0-0; 2 S Davies, Janson’s, 95-5-0; 3 S Stewart, Janson’s, 85-13-0; 4 R Redwood, Carlton, 85-5-0;…

BAIT-TECH VIADUCT SPRING LEAGUE (RND 1) Campbell, Cary & Lodge Lakes (54 pegs) The Spring League kicked off in most un-spring like weather, but it still needed a big weight to win, Tony Rixon bagging 225-9-0 of carp to 8lb off peg 116 on the Campbell Lake. He caught on long pole and pellet on the deck and in the edge. Nicky Ewers followed in second with 195-12-0 off Cary Lake peg 86 where he used bomb and pellet. Result: 1 T Rixon, Mosella Veal’s, 225-9-0; 2 N Ewers, Preston Innovations Thatcher’s, 195-12-0; 3 D Baker, Frenzee SW, 182-3-0; 4 B Giles, Frenzee SW, 182-2-0; 5 N Chedzoy, Preston Innovations Thatcher’s, 179-13-0; 6 L Sorokin, Preston Innovations Thatcher’s, 159-13-0. BAIT-TECH VIADUCT FISHERY (THURS) Campbell & Cary Lakes (34 pegs) Thursday’s…

“AS far as bait goes, you can’t beat groundbait and dead maggots for shallow island swims,” said Adam. “I’ll feed Sonubaits Maggot Fishmeal mix, prepared on the ‘claggy’ side so it sinks well and won’t be wafted about by feeding carp in the swim. “This new groundbait is ideal for maggot fished in the margins and over to islands and I’ll add just a few dead reds to this. “How much you feed is governed by how many fish are in the peg. If I was aiming to get one fish into the peg at a time and catch it, then this would be done using a Cad pot on the pole, but when I want a number of carp in the peg on the feed and aim to catch…

STANDING within the grounds of a medieval castle while doing battle with a powerful carp isn’t something many people have the chance to experience. For me, being born in Caerphilly and living two minutes away from Caerphilly Castle, I’ve sometimes taken this majestic landmark for granted over the years as it’s always been there and you can’t really miss it. The castle was built in the 13th century as a defence fortress by Gilbert De Clare during his war with Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, a war which De Clare eventually won. After that the castle became derelict until it was finally restored in the 19th century. Recently the castle’s great backdrop has been seen in the BBC series Doctor Who and Merlin. Being the second-largest castle in Britain it sees thousands…

“THIS BOOK WILL SHOW YOU THE BEST RIGS FOR PUTTING MORE FISH ON THE BANK” INSIDE this new book you’ll find information on the essential tackle you need and how to use it, the best baits to use and learn how to tie the best rigs for putting more fish on the bank. For any newcomer to sport or making the step up to targeting big carp, the world of carp fishing can at first appear a minefield of information with complicated rigs and complex bait recipes. Hopefully, the easy-to-follow advice and simple information will dispel some of these myths and make carp fishing a less daunting prospect. The book is split into seven sections covering everything you need to know about catching carp. Knowing your quarry is one of…

Spring is finally, officially here!! By the time you read this, the two most important, pivotal catalysts on carp behaviour will have been triggered. These are the passing of the spring equinox where daylight hours begin to exceed those of darkness, and what I call the water temperature equinox where day and night temperatures exceed double figures, leading to a mean average water temperature in excess of the magical ten degrees. These two things are major tipping points and, all over the country, carp will now be active and very catchable. In the past I have begun a spring campaign only for a series of sharp frosts to descend and totally extinguish my positivity. If this happens to you then don’t let it affect your plans at all! Once the…

“IT’S THE BIG COMMON, AND IT LOOKS MASSIVE!” Ia little chuckle to myself when I think about how this all unfolded. When I was young and just starting fishing I couldn’t have even dreamt of the unbelievable path that I’ve been on. My angling journey has led me to catch my immense feeling of achievement. So let me rewind to April 2015 when my red-letter session started. My best mate Dean and I had a few days’ fishing booked. This had been on the cards for months, as this period of spring has always proved to be a good time of year for carp fishing. sing it’s game on. Dean had heard his first cuckoo the previous week, then caught a 26lb mirror not long after. I knew that the…

“I just kept piling the bait in – I didn’t stop all day” A MAMMOTH baiting campaign that saw John Deprielle pile in 20 kilos of bait during a single day session ended with the capture of this huge personal best perch. In order to feed his way through the sheer numbers of carp and get through to the big perch at his chosen commercial fishery, the Devon-based specialist introduced as much bait as some anglers would use in a month, and his reward was this 4lb 12oz specimen. “I’d heard from a match fishing friend of mine that there were big perch in this water, but it’s also full of carp and silverfish. Every time I fed a handful of bait, the surface of the water just erupted with…

TWO fishing companions staged the ultimate memorial to a late friend when they headed abroad for a fishing trip… and used his ashes to make the bait! Yorkshiremen Cliff Dale and Paul Fairbrass were shocked when their bankside buddy Ron Hopper died before the three of them were able to enjoy a holiday to Jurassic Mountain Resort and Fishing Park in Thailand. To commemorate Ron’s memory the pair created boilies nicknamed ‘Purple Ronnies’ out of his ashes and banked a 180lb-plus lake record Siamese carp. “We came up with all sorts of ideas, but this was something out of the ordinary and as soon as we thought of it we were sure this was the best way to honour him,” said Paul.…

Fishing tributes Cliff Dale and Paul Fairbrass caught carp on boilies made from a friend’s ashes. Here are six gestures to remember those no longer with us... 1 The ashes of Somerset bream fishing legend Pete Hodge were mixed with groundbait and balled into his favourite River Huntspill after his death in 2008. It was one of his wishes and he was cremated in a wicker fishing basket coffin. 2 So many anglers turned out for the funeral of the iconic Ivan Marks in 2004 that the ceremony had to be relocated to a bigger venue! It was held at Leicester Cathedral, which had room for 650 seats, and there were crowds standing too. 3 It’s not just anglers who are remembered, record carp are too! At Yateley, Bazil has…

ONCE again I am indebted to the BBC News website. This time it’s for a story involving canal-dwellers. I have frequently been up in arms regarding boats used as permanent dwellings on moorings where they are only allowed 14 days maximum, often 24 hours. Many good swims are denied to paying anglers by these craft and, thankfully, the Canal and River Trust has started to play hardball and demand that these craft adhere to the terms of their licence – a cruising licence – and do just that... cruise. The hard-luck stories came out about people with jobs and kids with schools, but I have absolutely no sympathy because these people know what they signed up for and flagrantly break their contract for what amounts to cheap, tax-free housing. There…

BRAFFERTON FISHERY, BRAFFERTON, N YORKS The Island Lake at Thirsk’s Brafferton Carp Lakes is stuffed with chub to 8lb! The swims opposite the main island are the hotspots and a large worm, double caster or single maggot hookbait will easily produce. Contact: 01423 360402 Postcode: YO61 2PD LAWN FARM FISHERY, ELSWORTH, CAMBS Crab Tree, Cherry Tree and Honeysuckle Lakes all have an impressive stock of chub and you can catch 30lb bags of them by fishing the wag and mag tight to the islands. Contact: 01954 718269 Postcode: CB23 4JX PAUNTLEY LAKES, BRAND GREEN, GLOS The mysterious Quabs Pool boasts a substantial head of stillwater chub to 6lb. Fish a waggler and breadflake combination close to a reed bed or overhanging tree. Contact: Angling Dreams, 01874 712 074 or email…

BARSTON LAKES, SOLIHULL, WEST MIDS Fish a large Method feeder out in open water with a mini boilie for carp to 8lb as well as skimmers and F1s. Switch between groundbait and softened micro pellets around your feeder to see which tactic attracts the more bites. Contact: 01675 444890 Postcode: B92 0LB IZAAK WALTON FISHERY, CHEBSEY, STAFFS The best lake to head to at present is the venue’s 40-peg Bottom Pool where 80lb plus nets are being taken. Fish corn over micros on the deck off any peg to catch carp between 6lb and 8lb. Contact: 077790 75956 Postcode: ST21 6JU OCKERIDGE FISHING LAKES, LITTLE WITLEY, WORCS Meadow, Oak and Apple lakes are all fishing their socks off. Fish corn or pellet over micros down your edge line and out…

CHURCHGATE LAKES, BATTLESBRIDGE, ESSEX The Bottom Lake has a substantial head of bream. Cast a mini groundbait feeder with corn or worm just shy of the island for slabs to 7lb. Contact: 01245 325289 Location: SS11 7QR FRAMFIELD PARK FISHERIES, UCKFIELD, E SUSSEX Carp to 8lb on Brookhouse Lake to anglers fishing pole and pellet. For the bigger fish try Burywood Lake, which holds perch to 3lb, tench to 8lb and carp. Contact: 01825 890948 Postcode: TN22 5QJ HARTLEYLANDS FISHERY, CRANBROOK, KENT Nick’s Lake is stuffed with small common and ghost carp plus roach, perch, bream, barbel to 14lb and tench. Contact: 01580 720319 Location: TN17 3PS ROYAL BERKSHIRE FISHERY, WINDSOR, BERKS On all three lakes 25lb bags of these roach are possible. Contact: 07976 967976 Postcode: SL4 4TE TRINITY…

PVA BAG TRICKS Get the best out of PVA bags for carp. Steve reveals the secrets you need for bigger catches as he takes us through a bagging session at Boddington Reservoir. HYBRID HEAVEN This is probably the most deadly tactic for carp right now, and in this video you’ll learn how to fish a Hybrid feeder the right way by following Steve’s expert advice. MATCH SECRETS Follow Steve as he takes us through the essential tricks which won him the last round of the Winter League at Meadowlands. See the whole series at GoFishingOnline…

STRAIGHT bomb fishing isn’t necessarily a method reserved for lethargic fish holed up in the depths of winter. It’s a winner in spring and even summer too! There are several instances when a bomb can outscore a feeder of any description. It often means an instant take as fish follow pellets down to the bottom, and it will cast further than a feeder. On some venues cagey fish won’t always accept a feeder ‘boshing’ on their heads and a bomb is a more subtle alternative. There are lots of different things you can do with a bomb, whether or not you want feed around the hookbait. Here are my top four ways of fishing this brilliant technique. 1 POPPED-UP AND BALANCED BAITS A POPPED-up bait is a floating bait which…

LAST year on the river I was plagued by eels when after bream. Any tips on avoiding them? Iain Swann, Great Barr EELS are pests – they will quickly descend on feed and not leave in a hurry! What’s worse is that when they’re small, they don’t limit themselves to feeding at dawn and dusk as their larger relatives do – you’ll even catch them at lunchtime on a baking hot day. To stack the odds in your favour, steer well clear of feed such as maggots, casters, worms and pinkies as eels love these. The same goes for fishing these baits on the hook. Corn makes a very good feed and bait for bream, as do pellets on big rivers.…

THIS 32lb 2oz common gave Darren Smith a new pb at Festival Lake, Somerset, to fake corn over mixed particles. NORTHEY Park, Cambs, threw up this beautiful 23lb 12oz linear, and a 35lb mirror, for Lewis Jones on a Sticky Krill pop-up. KNOTFORD Lagoon on the Bradford No1 AA ticket produced this 26lb 10oz mirror known as Sunkeny Eyes to John Leyland. ADAM Blackman caught this 31lb 15oz common from Hampshire’s River Farm Fishery on a sausage-flavoured boilie. A WALSALL stillwater gave local rod Neil Beesley this 16lb common on Garlic Krillers boilies from Northern Baits. MATT Rhodes bagged Cuttle Mill’s 28lb 14oz Peaches in a seven-fish hit at the Solihull venue on Nashbait Cappuccino boilies.…

THE inaugural Anglo-Welsh Carp Cup saw England’s women beat their Celtic rivals. The Three Lions triumphed by three section wins to nil in the 45-hour match at Barston Lakes in the West Midlands. Tania Williams and Sam Hoskins starred for England from permanent peg 19 with 92 fish for 863lb 11oz, while Bev Clifford and Kellie Margerisson netted 48 carp for 519lb 4oz. Angling Trust Carp Team England boss Rob Hughes said: “The girls were magnificent. They are technically capable and immensely competitive. “To produce the weights that they did in conditions that would have slowed a lot of anglers down shows grit, determination and the courage of a lion.” Sam Roberts, Team Wales manager, said: “As a young squad it was great to come into the lions’ den and…

WHAT a fantastic welcome you gave our new magazine this week, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you! This was the biggest change in Angling Times’ long history, but it was obviously well received by you all. The changes were made after lengthy consultation with thousands of readers, and we listened carefully to what you wanted from your favourite fishing weekly. Our mix of new columnists, entertaining features, bigger Where to Fish and Tips & Tactics sections, and your favourite regulars all proved to be a huge hit. This week’s issue is even better with some great tricks to help you catch more fish. The weather has really picked up and that can mean only one thing – it’s time for tench!…

THE capture of your very first tench is always special, but for young Elliot Knowles it was one to never forget – because his weighed 7lb on the nose! The nine-year-old visited a Staffordshire stillwater with his dad and fished 12mm Sticky Baits Krill pop-up boilies in hope of a few tincas. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the fish was banked and smiling for the camera. Well done Elliot!…

BLUNDELL’S FISHERY ROVER (SAT) All lakes (41 pegs) Picking peg 59 on the Pine Pool, Alan Howarth scored another win at the Rixton water with 119-6-0 of carp to 8lb as the Leigh Tackle & Bait man fished pellet on the deck at 16m and 10m. Stuart Carroll ended up just a few fish off the pace in second, with 107-9-0 of carp to 4lb and F1s taken on pellet at 4m from Trio Pool peg 9. Result: 1 A Howarth, Leigh Tackle & Bait, 119-6-0; 2 S Carroll, Matrix Leigh Tackle & Bait, 107-9-0; 3 R Parker, Warrington Guns & Tackle, 95-6-0; 4 S Boyd, Mersey Dockers AC, 95-2-0; 5 K Marler, Tight Lines Shaw, 87-6-0; jt6 G Whalley, Bait-Tech and A Musgrove, Edgeley Sports, both 83-14-0. BROOKSIDE FISHERY…

PRESTON INNOVATIONS FEEDERMASTERS QUALIFIER (SUN) Barston Lakes, Main Lake (58 pegs) THIS eagerly-awaited series got under way on a cold Barston but, with four final places to be claimed, there was all to fish for. The big two-day match in September will already have a sprinkling of international talent after England feeder man Eddie Bridon and float team star Lee Kerry made it through, alongside John Driscoll and Andrew Jupp, to the Bough Beech weekender. Eddie won the day from peg 14 on the riverbank, the Maver/Dynamite Baits man fishing long range Method feeder with pellet and mini boilies to take 87-0-0 of carp including a 19lb beast. Fellow feeder team-mate Steve Ringer was on next door peg 12. He finished second – also using Method at long range with…

BAIT-TECH FESTIVAL (MON-FRI) White Acres Holiday Park (140 pegs) ANDY Geldart has quite a record on these Cornish festivals, having won three plus the Parkdean Masters down the years but the Leeds angler had never been victorious in the Bait-Tech, the opening festival of the season at White Acres – until now. Scoring 32 points after dropped section scores were taken into account, the Matrix/ Dynamite Baits angler and former Fish O’ champ ended in front to take the £1,600 top prize ahead of a cluster of anglers on 31 points. England man Callum Dicks proved the best of them to finish second by virtue of a better dropped score. Andy’s week began on peg 6 of Trelawney Lake, where he weighed in 97-8-0 for a section win. He took…

THERE are moments in fishing when everything comes together. If your own red-letter day seems a long time ago, or even tantalisingly imminent, Gary Denniss’s recent exploits will remind you just how good carp fishing can be when the stars align. The Tuesday after Easter Monday was scheduled to be a busy but routine day of tackle testing at Bluebell Lakes for UKCarp and photographer Mick Rouse. It was Mick’s final week in the job before retirement, and a howling wind was making the legendary lensman earn every penny of his last pay packet. While tackle was assembled beside Mallard Lake, across the popular Northamptonshire day-ticket complex Gary Denniss was halfway through the session of his life on the ultra-pressured Kingfisher Lake. He had arrived on the Sunday of the…

LIVING in the South West, fishing for big fish is difficult and I’ve tried most of the lakes in the area. A few years ago I decided to look farther afield and began travelling up to Oxfordshire for my carping. The fish are big, stunning and not easy to catch. Linch Hill could satisfy you for years, and having started on Christchurch and moved to Stoneacres, this winter I returned to Christchurch. There are so many things that you need to consider on these busy, pressured waters. You have to remember that these carp are being fished for pretty much every day. On the plus side, they are big fish and they rely almost exclusively on anglers’ baits. What you do have to consider is what you put out and…