Innholdsfortegnelse for 6 January 2016 i Angling Times

BIG perch don’t come much better looking than this 5lb 4oz specimen caught by Tom Collingridge. He’s been trying to beat his personal best for the species for eight years, and equalled it during a session to remember at a stillwater in the south of England. The 41-year-old Perchfishers member from Exeter, in Devon, float paternostered a livebait, which was taken just an hour after he’d selected his swim and cast out. “I knew the lake held at least one fish over 4lb, but this was a shock, to say the least,” said Tom. “I’ve had many blank sessions here due to its low stocking density, but when this fish took off like a carp my knees tuned to jelly when I realised it was a huge perch.” He sprayed…

COULD a stillwater produce a record-breaking barbel? That’s the question being asked this week after another double-figure fish was taken from a carp lake that produced the biggest stillwater barbel in the UK. Zac Clowsley’s capture of a 14lb specimen from a syndicate water in Warwickshire has once again opened up the controversial debate on whether barbel, which are traditionally river species, belong in stillwater venues. But the personal-best specimen, caught on a boilie by the 21-year-old during a carp fishing session at the members-only Morton Springs Fishery near Alcester, is further proof that this species is thriving at stillwater venues and is growing fast on high protein baits introduced by big-fish anglers. Venue owner Steve Green revealed that this isn’t the first time the fishery has produced a huge…

“To have that image on the front of the rod licence would be the perfect tribute to the great Dick Walker.” ANGLING legend Chris Yates has this week given his support to an Angling Times campaign to have the picture of Dick Walker and his record carp Clarissa on the Environment Agency rod licence. The idea was first suggested late last year, with a view to the iconic image gracing the 2018 licence, and this week we can reveal that it is being considered by the EA. Thousands of anglers have already welcomed the move, which would mark the centenary of the birth of the godfather of modern angling with a portrait of the famous 44lb record carp, caught from Redmire Pool in 1952. “To have that image on the…

HUNGARY The focus of this episode is the biggest lake in Europe, which is so vast that the M25 motorway could wrap around its perimeter. AUSTRIA Not only do the team target a water at the foot of the Alps, but they also progress on to a river. This is an episode not to be missed. ITALY This hour-long instalment sees Danny Fairbrass and Tom Dove join Ali to experience high drama, injuries, floods, the lot. JAPAN ‘Monster Carp’ is all about tackling the unknown, and this episode is the epitome of the ethos behind the series.…

TRADITIONAL techniques still catch their fair share of huge fish, as teenager Oli Harwood proved when he netted this stunning 3lb 8oz perch using a waggler. The 19-year-old from Benfleet, Essex, tempted the huge fish during a guided session with predator expert Rikki Cooper at Sussex’s Stream Valley Lakes. The all-important take came for Oli after he cunningly drifted his whole lobworm hookbait across the lakebed. Rikki offers guiding session to the public both at home and abroad. Visit his site at www. rikki.promotionteamuk.co.uk  or call 07748 553826.…

MY final day’s fishing in 2015 was the Gerrards Cross Christmas match on their secluded stretch of the River Colne in West London. Perch were showing in numbers, and as lures aren’t allowed in matches it had to be lobworms. Incredibly, in the evenings leading up to the match I was able to ‘snitch’ them – creeping around in the dark, grasping the wriggly devils and holding on tight until they let go their burrows and joined their mates in a lovely bait box full of moss and leaves. I had my usual struggle, though. I drew peg 14, probably the best barbel peg on the section, producing fish to 14lb-plus. However, they are caught either when the river is carrying extra water – which it most certainly wasn’t –…

THEY are often ignored by anglers, but Britain’s network of small rivers offer bags of potential. With bankside vegetation long since died back and water levels up, these Crabtree-style tributaries and streams, with their deep holes and winding bends, are tailor-made for a short roving sessions in winter when chub, barbel, roach and perch can be found in abundance. Travel light, move from swim to swim and you can enjoy the glories of the English countryside and prolific fishing in spots which may never have seen a hook and line. Angling Times has put together some of the best small rivers explore this winter. 1 RIVER ARROW, ALCESTER, WARKS Barbel, dace, chub and roach can all be targeted on this winding, narrow stretch located in Studley Park and running for…

1 Everything you need to supersize your baits. 2 First, break a fresh egg into a clean bait box. 3 Add one teaspoon of Ocean Pride Glupe sticky attractant. 4 Use a syringe to add 1ml of Ocean Pride liquid flavouring. 5 Mix everything together with a spoon. 6 Add some boilie base mix – a handful should be enough. 7 Mix again so that everything is properly blended. 8 Knead the mix into a ball with a dough-like consistency. 9 The finished mix all ready to make the supersized boilies and paste.…

Catch carp on sloppy pellets GET on sloppy pellets! If you’re fishing on a stillwater then you’ve got to try this simple pole fishing tactic – it’s perfect for catching carp and F1s from shallow water. In this exclusive Angling Times video Steve reveals how you can make the perfect pellets and the best way to feed them to draw fish into your swim and keep them there. He also shows you why heavier rigs are crucial for success and explains how you can set up such a rig. How to fish Steve’s Hybrid feeders  JOIN Steve at Bishops Bowl Fishery as he puts the new Guru Hybrid feeders through their paces. Learn the best way to set up the feeders – including information on mainlines and the best hooks…

THE keys to achieving perfect running-water waggler presentation are distance, depth and pace. Distance is governed by how far you can get your bait out, depth will determine whether you use a waggler or a top and bottom-fixed float, and pace will dictate what thickness top you use and how much of it you leave above the surface. Different river levels will obviously play a big part too. Add to this equation the variable conditions in terms of weather. A strong downstream wind will demand a bigger float in order to get good control. Never have any preconceived ideas as to how you will fish before you arrive, and always ensure that you have enough different float designs to cope with the various situations that you are likely to encounter…

1 In clear water with suspicious roach try using a fine fluorocarbon hooklength, as this can make a big difference to your catches. 2 Once on the bank keep casters in river water or, better still, the juice from a tin of hemp. 3 For big roach a glass quivertip is better than a carbon one, as it offers less resistance to a taking fish. 4 When legering with a rig that needs striking, use a paternoster so you are not pulling into the weight first but directly into the fish. 5 A paternoster offers minimal resistance to a roach, as does allowing a bow of line to form between the quivertip and the rig.…

WHAT baits should I be putting in a PVA bag for bream? Ian Fielding via e-mail AS you are fishing for bream, not carp, the baits in the bag don’t need to be anywhere near as big so you can leave out broken boilies and larger pellets – in fact, what goes in the bag shouldn’t be too different to what you would put through a feeder. However, PVA will melt, so ‘wet’ baits such as chopped worm should be avoided. Stick to dead maggots, a superb feed that won’t wriggle away once the bag breaks down, plus small pellets (micro and 4mm) and a little dampened groundbait. Corn and hemp are also useful additions, especially when big bream are about, but these will need drying off in kitchen towel…

ONE tactic has taken the angling world by the scruff of the neck over the last few seasons – drop shotting. Who would have believed that UK anglers would suddenly latch on to fishing with short rods, ultra-thin braids and tiny plastic baits? Yet, such is the effectiveness of this tactic that it has captured our imagination. What if I were to tell you that there are many other equally effective plastic baits that can catch our whole set of predators, not just perch? Developed in Europe, Japan and the USA, these baits are just as effective for our home grown predators if you fish them right. JIGGING ONE of the earliest ways of fishing plastic baits, still one of the most effective and my personal favourite, jigging uses a…

KEEPING stealthy helped Roman Buczynski land a brace of commons at Oxfordshire’s Croft Pool. He said: “I have just got back from the exclusive and difficult Croft Pool in Oxfordshire and managed to bag a couple of commons at 22lb and 29lb. Both are old Oxfordshire fish and were caught using New Grange from Mainline while testing some new end gear from Avid Carp. “I fished up against dying pads and kept things quiet on this small old pool.”…

The Big Fish Off floats my boat! I WANTED to write to say a huge ‘congratulations’ to Dean Macey and Ali Hamidi for the awards won by The Big Fish Off in the Christmas issue. Lots of anglers were quick to slag the show off when it first came out on the telly and I have to admit I wasn’t so sure myself. But the more I watched it, the more I realised this is the kind of thing we need on TV. Yes, I know the lads act like lads and have a bit of a laugh and a joke, but we need to make fishing seem less serious and more appealing to the masses. Let’s face it, does the image of an old man sat silently on a…

1 FRANCE  France has an endless choice of lakes with fish to 100lb now possible. The very biggest are in venues such as Abbey and Rainbow Lakes. Angling Times recommends Lac De Premiere. 2 BELGIUM  Belgium’s canals and rivers are home to some fantastic looking carp. Try Kempisch Kanaal, Verbindings Kanaal and Albert Kanaal. Check if your chosen venue is in Flanders or Wallonia as different permits are required. 3 HUNGARY  Home to Euro Aqua, which in May 2015 produced a new world record carp, a mirror of 105lb. Other venues include Paradise Lake, Valley Lake and the colossal Lake Balaton. 4 THAILAND  Thailand is home to the Siamese carp which grows to well over 100lb. Several dedicated destinations are available, including Gillham’s Fishing Resort, Palm Tree Lagoon, Jurassic Fishing…

Unsung hero Keith is a boon to the disabled anglers he coaches AS AN experienced angling coach, Keith Pope knows all about getting people into fishing. But when the ‘pupils’ are restricted by brain injuries and severe disabilities, the challenges can be immense. For the past seven years, Keith, an Angling Trust Volunteer Champion, has been teaching residents from Greenhill House in Somerset all about the art of fishing. Despite the difficulties, Keith says the enjoyment his group of 17 keen anglers derive from trips to nearby lakes makes all the special effort particularly rewarding. After a trip in 2008, Keith volunteered as their fishing coach and since then has been a regular visitor to Greenhill House, a Leonard Cheshire registered care home with nursing for 37 disabled adults. “A…

COLIN FROBISHER, ILKESTON, ASKS: Q When is the best time to try additives and flavours? Do they work in winter and how are they best used?” A First of all there really isn’t a right or wrong time to try additives and flavours on your bait, but be mindful that fish feed far better during the summer than in winter so you will naturally catch more in summer! If you are testing or trialling new flavours try to do this with a perspective of where you are fishing and the conditions. I love really pungent strong fishy or meat smells in the summer such as Bait-Tech Krill and Tuna liquid, which is a fantastic addition to any bait while Polony Oil gives a massive flavour boost to baits, especially when…

Bait-Tech Viaduct Fishery Silverfish Pairs (Mon & Tues) Campbell, Cary, Lodge & Spring Lakes (42 pegs) SCORING six points over the two days, Des Shipp and Mark Harper took the honours ahead of Dick Bull and Roland Lucas. Individually, Day 1 belonged to Andy Power with a super 42-13-0 of big skimmers off Spring Lake peg 4 where he fished waggler and corn and long pole and caster. The weights were just as good on Day 2, with Stu White taking 44-11-0 of skimmers and roach to win from peg 15 on the Spring Lake as he caught on caster over groundbait on the long pole. Monday result: 1 A Power, Preston Innovations, 42-13-0; 2 D Shipp, Preston Innovations, 33-9-0; 3 P Cardwell, Bait-Tech Viaduct, 24-5-0. Tuesday result: 1 S…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Alvechurch Fisheries Winter League Horseshoe Lake (18 pegs) Result: 1 T Keating, Alvechurch Fisheries, 70-1-0; 2 D Tresigne, Colmic, 58-5-0; 3 W Beach, Alvechurch Fisheries, 52-5-0. Barford Lakes (Mon) Rai way & Willow Lakes (24 pegs) Result: 1 C Kelly, Angling Direct, 51-0-0; 2 W Martin, Matrix/Van Den Eynde, 43-7-0; 3 D Jarvis, Daiwa Angling Direct Suffolk, 43-1-0. Castle Ashby Lakes (Mon) Scotland Pond (15 pegs) Result: 1 J Kent, Maver Milton Keynes, 23-8-0; 2 P Patton, Maver Milton Keynes, 22-4-0; 3 K Bishop, Sensas, 17-12-0. Daiwa Hallcroft Fishery Carp/ Silverfish Winter League (rnd 7) Moat Pool (25 pegs) Result: 1 D Boswell, Bryden AC, 85-13-0; 2 B Holmes, Dynamite Baits, 45-3-0; 3 C Greensides, Sensas North, 43-11-0. Daiwa Hallcroft Fishery (Mon) Moat Pool (24 pegs) Result:…

Preston Innovations Boldings Pools (Thurs) Willow, Beech, Larch & Chestnut Pools (43 pegs) MAVER Midlands men Sean Barber and Dave Brown rounded the year off in winning style as they took first and second place. Sean won with 85-6-0 of carp to 4lb from Chestnut Pool peg 36 where he caught on pellet and maggot at 5m and in the edge. Dave was drawn on Willow Pool peg 5 and he used maggot on the feeder to take carp and barbel for second with 66-14-0. Result: 1 S Barber, Maver Midlands, 85-6-0; 2 D Brown, Maver Midlands, 66-14-0; 3 R Griffiths, Oswestry, 56-8-0; 4 G Emlyn, Oakengates Angling Centre, 56-0-0; 5 N Spain, Oswestry, 54-2-0; 6 K Melville, Shrewsbury, 51-3-0.…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Blundell’s Fishery Rover All lakes (38 pegs) A winner 24 hours earlier, Karl Webster made it a repeat performance on Saturday as he picked peg 59 on the Trio Pool and took 59-12-0 of carp and F1s to 3lb on maggot fished in the margins. Lee Clancy opted for Ash Lake’s peg 44 at the draw and picked off carp to 10lb using waggler and pellet to take second place with 57-4-0. Result:1 K Webster, Urmston, 59-12-0; 2 L Clancy, Leigh Tackle & Bait, 57-4-0; 3 B Bush, Bushhats4u.com , 32-10-0; 4 M Stokes, Marukyu, 32-0-0; 5 A Howarth, Leigh Tackle & Bait, 31-8-0; 6 D Swain, Garbolino/Dynamite Baits, 31-1-0. Blundell’s Fishery Rover (Fri) All lakes (15 pegs) Urmston rod Karl Webster took the…

THERE can be few anglers left who can doubt the silverfish potential of commercial fisheries and Thirsk’s Woodland Lakes dished up another healthy example on Sunday as the opening round of the 62-peg Mosella Quaker Silverfish series produced a stunning result! Despite rain and high winds all day, the Partridge, Skylark and Kestrel Lakes saw 48 anglers record over double figures, food for thought for those who spend hours hunched over a quivertip hoping for a pull or two to break the boredom. Andy Simpson led the way with 31-12-0 of skimmers from the Kestrel Lake using maggot and pellet, more than 20lb needed to make the frame with the likes of England men Lee Kerry and James Dent finding their section-winning scores not enough to get in the main…

A PETITION has been created to help save hundreds of fish in a popular park lake in Bristol. Thousands of anglers have already signed up to prevent the killing of fish at St George’s Park Lake after the city council proposed the move in order to discourage anglers from going fishing at the venue. The proposal comes after the local Neighbourhood Partnership banned angling at the lake last year to stop wildlife being harmed by fishing line and hooks. To sign the petition visit: www.change.org and search for the venue.…

DRENNAN International has sponsored its first angling venue – Lake John Fishery in Waltham Abbey, Essex. The top stillwater has produced specimen carp to over 40lb and has a great reputation as one of the finest silverfish venues in the country. It has also featured in The Big Fish Off TV series. Fishery owner Colin Bartlett said that the 23-year-old lake has been visited by some of the top names in the sport and that it was a real ‘landmark’ to be associated with Drennan. For more information go to www.lakejohnfishery.co.uk…

MYSTERY surrounds the weight of this huge perch, caught by schoolboy Ewan Wright from a South Yorkshire Lake. Ewan, who fished a redworm on a 5m whip and loosefed casters, had no scales to weigh the big stripey – but it’s thought to have been over 4lb and came from a water well known for the species. His friend Ricky Mills said: “Nobody fishes this venue except a few young anglers, and once in a blue moon perch to 5lb come out. “Ewan has also had a few carp to nearly 20lb from here. It’s a shame he couldn’t get a weight for this perch!”…

SCIENTISTS have created a hi-tech system which is being used to prevent fish deaths on one of the nation’s most popular fisheries. The Environment Agency has installed special devices called Sondes which give a pre-warning when salt levels get too high on two locations on the River Bure, which is part of the Norfolk Broads system. The devices provide the EA with a pre-warning whenever a tidal surge pushes salt up the river, allowing them enough time to close a barrier installed at Potter Heigham boatyard that protects the fish stocks further upriver.…

SUNDAY JANUARY 10 Bishops Bowl. Tony Doolan: 07889 080087 Dinton Pastures Country Park, Berks. Martin Earl: 07979 038074 Holloways Bridge, Whittlesey (PAIRS). Stewart Leonard: 07748 437166 Mapperley Reservoir, nr Ilkeston, Derbys. W.A. Stevenson: 07505 792484 SUNDAY JANUARY 17 Clough Bridge, Wisbech. Michael Mumby: 01406 363779/ 07749 100145 Englefield Lagoon, Reading, Berks. Steve Parker: 07918 02547 SUNDAY JANUARY 24 Beverley Beck, East Riding of Yorkshire. Dave Hancock: 07811 065835 or John Jenkinson: 07803 983635 Osborns Pond, nr Heanor, Derbys. W.A. Stevenson: 07505 792484 THURSDAY JANUARY 28 Englefield Lagoon, Reading, Berks. Steve Parker: 07918 025472 SATURDAY JANUARY 30 Causeway Lake, Baylham, Suffolk. Bill Davies: 07725 910065 SUNDAY JANUARY 31 Bellwater, Midville, Boston, Lincs. Brian Hunn: 07769 9587775 JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: FACEBOOK/ANGLINGTIMES…

EXACTLY one year ago I wrote about the European Union failing to act on dwindling bass stocks. Nothing changes, because this week sea anglers have been sold down the river yet again by our government over the new regulations I mentioned a few weeks back. The original proposals were for a complete moratorium on bass catches for the first six months of 2016, which was what I suggested 12 months ago, then massively reduced targets for commercial fishers and a one-fish limit for sea anglers. What has actually happened is that gill-netters will only have a two-month ban, then have their quota increased. The Euro ministers responsible for this have caved in, as ever, to the already subsidised commercial sector and ignored the recreational angling division which is far more…

ZANDER WATERS ASHBY CANAL, HINCKLEY, LEICS An 18lb zed was landed on this stretch of canal a couple of years ago, and there could be more out there. Contact: JD Tackle Supplies, 01455 633069 Prices: Part of the £20 a year Waterway Wanderers Scheme, see Canal and River Trust Website BIRMINGHAM-FAZELEY CANAL, CURDWORTH, W MIDS This stretch of canal contains a huge head of silverfish and plenty of zander feeding off them. Contact: Tamworth Tackle, 01827 66701 Prices: £3 a day on the bank, Stirrup Cup AC BURY HILL FISHERY, DORKING, SURREY Old Bury Hill Lake has a huge reputation for big zander – with fish up to 15lb readily caught on deadbaits and lures. At this time of year they tend to sit in areas of cover or deeper…

BAIT Many small rivers that are perfect for roving are home to big stocks of chub and barbel, and both species love pellets – 6mm or 8mm are perfect, fed little and often. Liquidised bread as feed and flake on the hook, as well as maggots and worms, are lethal and easy to feed on small waterways. POLARISED SUNGLASSES When rivers run low and clear, and if you look carefully, you will notice fish moving around. A good pair of polarised specs will help greatly in locating them. HOOKS AND LINE Most small rivers are full of weed and overhanging trees where fish will try to snag you up. Hooks that are fairly thick in the wire, in sizes 10 and 12, will prevent hook-pulls, and hooklengths of 0.20mm or…

ONE series I really look forward to at this time of year is the Winter League at Makins Fishery. This year the Team Guru side I fish with were lucky enough to win the league for the second year running. That takes some doing, given the calibre of the anglers who fish it. The format sees the team of six split across the whole fishery for six matches, and I always choose to fish on Phase 2. For those who aren’t familiar with Makins, this part of the fishery is made up of snake-type lakes with islands well within pole reach. The water on Phase 2 is quite shallow so the carp are very easily spooked, but secretly I really like this. To me it represents a real challenge, with…

WHAT’S THE BEST MAGGOT HOOK TO STOP PERCH DROPPING OFF? Q Can you recommend a good hook for keeping perch on when I’m using maggots? I seem to lose more than half of what I hook, and it’s really frustrating. Chris Stokes A The best hook for keeping perch on, in my opinion, is the Drennan Red Maggot. It’s got a long point and fish losses have been minimal since I’ve started using it. It’s also just about thin enough in the wire to allow it to bend and released from a snag. SHOULD I BALL IN WHEN FISHING THE FEEDER? Q Is it worth throwing balls of groundbait in when I’m trying to catch bream with feeder gear? Mike Rawlings A While ‘balling in’ on the feeder line can…

WHAT are your angling plans for 2016? New waters, different tactics, personal bests? Or perhaps you simply want to carry on doing what you love – fishing! Well, for those of you who perhaps fancy stepping out of your comfort zone, here are no fewer than 50 great ideas to try in 2016… keep an open mind and you may surprise yourself! 1 GET ON THE NED! IF ‘DROP SHOT’ was the buzz word of last year, the Ned looks like being the method of 2016 – but what on earth is it? A way of lure fishing on the bottom, a Ned lure is a buoyant rubber bait to which you add a hook with a small jig head weight. While the weight stays on the bottom, the tail…

HOW many float lines can I fish for chub on rivers? Ross Lockwood, Rugeley THIS depends on the weather and water conditions and the features of your peg. The wind may make fishing across impossible, while too much pace on the river can reduce your options to fishing slacker spots. However, on a standard river, look for features or areas below fast shallow water, weirs and gullies and if there are nearside features like rushes or overhanging trees, don’t ignore them. A bit of bread, a lobworm or even meat fished on a big float or the bomb cast well down the peg can produce a big fish out of the blue. Your standard approach should be to fish two float lines well away from the commotion of the near…

MANY gravel pits have seriously good pike fishing potential, with some big fish available to those who are prepared to put in some effort to find them. Sadly, however, many pits have suffered from cormorants which have decimated silverfish stocks. The subsequent lack of food has seen pike populations plummet, but thankfully there are still plenty of pits that have survived the onslaught and still produce decent pike. It’s just a case of finding them! Gravel pits are difficult places to fish these days – they are moody, and the pike can be difficult to catch, but they can also be very rewarding if you find a little jewel. Here are my seven tips to tipping the pike fishing odds in your favour on gravel pits… 1 Find a pit…

IAN Stott banked his second fifty in three weeks as part of an incredible haul at Wellington Country Park. Returning to the venue that produced his pb of 56lb 4oz less than a month earlier, Ian landed a 51lb 10oz mirror, a 46lb 12oz mirror, a 43lb 8oz ghostie, two 41-pounders and a 33lb 8oz mirror. “It just seems so surreal that I had gone over six years trying to catch a 50lb carp then, in a matter of three weeks, I had managed to land two of them,” said the St Neots angler, who was joined at the Berkshire venue by wife Sam and friend Lianne Bullard. “I don’t think I have ever laughed so much on any session as I did that one,” added Ian. “I had had…

ADAM Honeysett extended his session to make it half-a-dozen forties in 2015 with this 43lb 14oz mirror. The Kent angler was due to fish for 24 hours on a local park lake but saw so many fish he just had to stay on for another night. He said: “It was only going to be 24 hours but I stayed on for 36. “With the number of fish I had been seeing I thought it would be best to stay until the early hours of Monday morning before work to give myself a chance.” In the end, Adam didn’t need too much extra time. He added: “At 6.40pm on the Sunday evening I received a slight drop-back on the hanger and I picked up the rod and leant into the fish.…

Are you a fan of hi-tech gadgets? FEW things in fishing divide opinion more than technology. Some still see fishing gadgets, fish finders, bait boats, even basic bite alarms, weather apps and Method feeders as ‘the dark side’. In some cases their reservations can be justified, especially if that technology hasn’t been used in a sporting manner, or has disrupted another angler’s day on the bank. Some will argue that these gadgets take all the fun out of fishing, but I disagree. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t sit glued to a mobile phone when I’m on the bank, but there are some gadgets that can genuinely enhance your day. If that piece of technology points me in the direction of where the fish are, especially when fishing on big,…

HERE we go at the start of a new year, and I’ve got some good trips planned for the months ahead. I made a pledge with my mate Ray Cutler to do more pleasure fishing, taking in enjoyable tactics like floatfishing on waters with plenty of run-of-the-mill fish rather than a few big ones. There have been times when I have gone on my own to a river or a stillwater where, if you are lucky, you get one bite every two trips and I have sat there thinking: “ I wish I’d gone somewhere else and caught 15 barbel like my guided guests did yesterday.” I think last season I lost the plot a little and avoided too many waters because I got into ‘big fish or bust’ mode.…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Dynamite Baits Oakfield Fishery Red Kite & Woodpecker Lakes (18 pegs) Result: 1 P Alland, Dynamite Oakfield, 50-0-0; 2 S Borer, Acorn Angling, 39-5-0; 3 G Thorpe, GOT Baits, 38-14-0. Gold Valley Lakes Middle Lake (14 pegs) Result: 1 R Beal, Gold Valley, 94-0-0; 2 T Harrison, Daiwa Dorking, 76-0-0; 3 J Attwood, Gold Valley/Rive, 46-0-0. Lake John Bottom Lake (12 pegs) Result: 1 R Makins, GOT Baits, 32-8-0; 2 P Hyde, Browning Wickford Angling, 27-4-0; 3 P Grant, Lake John/Redbridge, 26-8-0.…

Lingmere Fishery Match Lake (18 pegs) A COMBINATION of Method feeder and maggot and the same bait on the long pole at 16m saw Jamie Hughes begin 2016 in winning style as the double Fish O’Mania champion weighed-in 47-2-0 of F1s and skimmers off peg 5. That left Phil Ashdown to settle for second place with 44-4-0 of F1s, skimmers and a few carp. Result: 1 J Hughes, MAP/Bag’em Baits, 47-2-0; 2 P Ashdown, Lingmere, 44-4-0; 3 P Price, Saints, 40-4-0; 4 G Fairhead, Egremont Ferry, 39-10-0.…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Aston Park Fishery Silverfish Only Split Pond (15 pegs) Result: 1 M Ward, Aston Park, 35-0-0; 2 B Bell, Aston Park, 28-4-0; 3 J White, Aston Park, 25-0-0. Blundell’s Fishery Rover (Weds) All lakes (15 pegs) Result: 1 G Whalley, Bait-Tech, 91-4-0; 2 D Edwards, Fisherman’s Way, 82-3-0; 3 S Carroll, Leigh Tackle & Bait, 66-0-0. Lingmere Fishery Over 50s (Weds) Match Lake (14 pegs) Result: 1 C Billing, Cammell Lairds, 61-9-0; 2 I Hughes, Egremont Ferry, 47-8-0; 3 D Warren, Egremont Ferry, 46-4-0. Oaks Lakes (Thurs) Cedar Lake (15 pegs) Result: 1 S Medd, Cleveland Angling Centre, 62-9-0; 2 A Stock, Colmic Woodlands, 46-9-0; 3 M Bailey, Garbolino Elton, 42-11-0. Oaks Lakes Cedar Lake (19 pegs) Result: 1 A Stock, Colmic Woodlands, 35-11-0; 2 D Smith,…

WITH the onset of winter, most of the warm weather anglers will have deserted the UK’s big open waters. However, roach will be happy to pull your float under as long as your approach is spot-on. Just ask Darren Cox, who put together this fantastic bag of redfins while shooting a feature for our sister title, Improve Your Coarse Fishing, at Boddington Reservoir in Northamptonshire. “Big waters are teeming with them,” he said. “They live happily on pellets and leftovers from the carp anglers, who often don’t even notice their presence. “There are many waters up and down the country full of roach like these just waiting to be caught. So why not have a go at your local reservoir this winter–you might just get a nice surprise!” To find…

THIS pristine 3lb 9oz perch was the only fish of a recent river session by all-round big-fish angler Paul Elt. It was a tough day on the southern waterway but he managed to provoke a take when he paternostered a small roach livebait in a bed of dead cabbage and lily pad roots. The Drennan and Dynamite Baits-backed angler beat the specimen on 8lb line and a size 6 hook. “It was a really tough day at the office, but a fish like this makes all the hard work worthwhile,” said Paul.…

THE mild weather has certainly boosted sport on Britain’s rivers, and one of the finest winter waterways in the UK produced a stunning set of match weights before Christmas. Well over half the 78-strong competitiors in a contest held on the Old River Nene running through March returned double figures of roach. The tiny river that runs through the Cambridgeshire market town hit top form, with Dave Cooper winning on 26-15-0, followed by John Taylor with 26-6-0. Pegs around Wigstone’s Bridge are proving particularly productive – so if you’re looking for somewhere to kick off your New Year match fishing campaign, this could be it!…

LURE fishing fans are being invited to enter a competition being held on a popular stretch of canal. The Derby Railway Angling Club Lure Pairs Open will take place on the club’s section of the Trent & Mersey Canal later this month at Weston-on-Trent on Sunday, January 24. Entry fees are £7 per pair for club members and £10 per pair for non-members, with prizes being awarded for longest total length as well as biggest and smallest fish caught. To enter, visit the club’s Facebook page or call: 01332 792807.…

THESE are the exclusive pictures of a groundbreaking TV series that’s set to hit our screens this summer. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better for angling on terrestrial television Ali Hamidi, Danny Fairbrass and the team at Korda are tirelessly keeping up the momentum and have lifted the lid on their new ITV show. ‘Monster Carp’ sees the team travel the world to tackle some of its most awe-inspiring lakes and rivers, overcome injury and push their angling abilities to the limit to create an action-packed four-show series the likes of which has never been seen before. “This will change the way many think about carp fishing because it’s truly opened our eyes, and we’ve done some fishing in our time,” said an excited Ali. “It’s going…

THERE are many ways to skin a cat, so to speak, and this rule can be applied when targeting barbel because many different methods are capable of catching specimens on their day. In the depths of winter, though, it pays to keep the feed down and when the river is up and coloured, as it often is in winter, a big smelly bait like meat or big boilies fished on a bomb can be deadly (see page 20 to read how specimen ace Luke Ayling has been doing it). When rivers run clear, the maggot feeder can work wonders, especially on stretches of the Wye and Trent, for example, which contain lots of smaller specimens. Angling Times regularly runs barbel fishing tactical features throughout the traditional river season. Keep your…

PVA STICK This 6ins PVA mesh stick is filled with Lone Angler Ocean Pride groundbait and crushed pellets, and securely threaded down a short 1ft hooklink. BOILIE These giant hook offerings are made from a boilie base mix, flavourings, eggs and sticky binder. Any leftover mix can be used as a paste to wrap around the boilies. ARE you plagued by nuisance small fish when targeting specimen barbel? The answer is simple – use a supersized hookbait! So says successful specialist angler Luke Ayling, from Oxfordshire. Luke has been making the headlines in recent months with the capture of some huge barbel, including a new River Thame record of 16lb 7oz which he followed up with a 16lb 12oz fish from the River Thames. Both fell to massive baits. Angling…

ONE day last year I was pleasure fishing with my good friend Tony Birt and while sitting behind him, I started to go through his float box. Two of the designs stood out as being very different. They featured thick aluminium stems, and were much heavier in the base than any stick floats I’d seen or used before. I immediately quizzed Tony about them and he told me that he’d come up with the idea essentially to cope with bad downstream winds and also to help with distance casting. “Give them a try and see how you get on,” he said. “I think you’ll like them!” Over the course of the next few weeks we used the floats in a variety of different situations, and after chopping and changing them…

AFTER the initial flurry of chub that had lost their minds to maggots, the float didn’t dip for 30 long minutes of trotting. Had I caught all the fish in front of me? Possibly, but my gut feeling told me that a chub or two remained, probably bigger and undoubtedly smarter than their shoalmates! Every time the hookbait headed towards them they would glide momentarily out of the way like a bullfighter wielding his cape, returning to their station only once the danger had passed. I reckon fish learn by association, however, and sometimes the smallest of tactical changes can make a very big difference to a day’s sport. Among the maggots I had with me, a few had already reached the pupal stage or, if you like, they had…

1 First, tie on a pellet band suitable for the size of pellet you plan to use. 2 Thread line through the back of the eye of hook until the band sits close to the hook. 3 Wind 10-12 turns of line down the shank of the hook, partially trapping the hair. 4 Pass the line back through the back of the eye, moisten the knot and, keeping everything tight, pull all the line through the eye until a knot has formed, . 5 You are left with a hair rig perfect for a banded pellet. Tie the hooklength about 6ins long.…

IF you fancy a New Year bargain without having to battle the crowds of shoppers, let Chapmans Angling take away all the hassle with this week’s brilliant reader offer – a top-notch Daiwa reel for just £15! The Sweepfire range has proved a big hit with anglers demanding quality but without breaking the bank, and the 3500-2B model will be bang on the button for heavy float work or more general feeder fishing on natural and commercial carp waters. Retailing at £29.99, this little beauty will cost you just half that, and there’s even a FREE 300m spool of Shimano’s Aero Super Match line in 8lb breaking strain to get you fishing in double-quick time. An upgraded version from the original Sweepfire range, the 3500-2B boasts two ball-bearings to make…

“It has a more stepped-up action than the Ultra” GUIDES  The stand-off lined SiC guides complement the gunmetal-grey blank perfectly, and are spaced to achieve friction-free casting at around 50m range. PUSH-IN TIPS  The rod comes with a choice of three quality carbon push-in tips of 2oz, 2.5oz and 3oz, but another tip of 1.5oz would have been useful for light feeder work. HANDLE  The long, slim cork handle is pure quality, although some feeder rods, particularly in shorter lengths, have a more abbreviated handle to manoeuvre in ‘parrot cage’ swims. A QUICK flick through the Angling Times tackle pages reveals that Drennan International has had a vintage year. Among many fine new products to be uncorked is arguably the year’s best margin pole – the Acolyte Carp Margin –…

DARREN Knight got the ultimate Christmas presents as he banked two of the UK’s finest day-ticket carp during a festive session. Fishing at Linear St John’s, the 41-year-old caught the Big Common at 46lb 7oz and then the Big Plated at 47lb 8oz. The two sought-after fish fell during a three-night social session with Tom Maker, who banked the lake’s Big Ghostie at 34lb 6oz. The pair, who work together, fished the Social Bank of the Oxfordshire day-ticket water and took full advantage of mild temperatures. Darren told Angling Times: “I’m on a bit of a good run at the moment after having three thirties in a night on here a couple of weeks ago. “We arrived on Sunday morning, found our spots and baited with corn, maggots and a…

THE home nations are set to be represented by two teams at this year’s World Carp Championship. England won the 2015 event in dramatic fashion on Spain’s River Ebro and will now come up against Wales in the 2016 clash. Experienced carp-match angler Tim Jones is in the early stages of putting together Carp Team Wales. The selection process will see three pairs of anglers picked to represent the Principality at the event this summer. Welsh carpers interested in getting involved should search Facebook for Carp Team Wales or email jones. timothy@virgin.net…

OILY particles helped veteran carper Ted Bryan add another forty to his CV just two hours after casting out in a new swim. The Londoner caught this 40lb 8oz mirror alongside a 25-pounder during a two-night session on a local stillwater. Said Ted: “I started fishing in a bay at the far end of the lake and all the time I was there it didn’t stop raining and blowing a gale. On top of that I had the flu, so it was a very trying time for me! “I decided to move to the other end out of the rough weather. The swim I chose was very muddy, but I had a gut feeling that the fish were there. “I put my first rod out about 40 yards to my…

NOW the frost is coming it reminds me of an incident a few years ago when I was fishing a brook that leads out of Pennington Flash, a large lake near Leigh in Greater Manchester. Around December and January each year the roach packed into this little brook and you had to get there early to get one of the 12 swims on it after the Environment agency took away the natural banks and replaced them with numbered pegs. On this particular morning it was so cold that if you put your landing net down on the ground it froze to it. There was ice everywhere! Suddenly there was a shout and a loud splash. A little further down from me a chap had slipped on the ice and taken…

GRAB a copy of the latest Improve Your Coarse Fishing and make sure you are ready for the year ahead. The special issue contains expert predictions from some of the biggest names in the sport on what they think are going to be the most popular tactics, venues and species over the next 12 months, and we also take a look at the up-and-coming anglers set for great things in 2016. ALSO INSIDE: Andy Findlay on corn for winter carp Darren Cox on reservoir roach Adam Kirby’s street fishing masterclass Gary Knowles’ three essential winter pike rigs Steve Ringer reveals his top 10 tricks with maggots 17 pages of big-carp tips Latest tackle: Six of the best drop shot reels under £50 Win: Four pairs of Avid Traction carp rods…

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER  YOU can hear these birds even at this time of year hammering dead wood for hidden insects that will give them the food to last through long cold nights. MOLE  THIS past week the moles really have started to throw the soil up in search of worms. Watch out for them when walking back to the car at dusk after fishing. TAWNY OWL  ON THE Avon the other night a huge tawny owl came swooping over my head and I must admit it gave me a scare, it was that close. How lucky we are to see such marvels of nature.…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Ashford AS (Weds) Nicholls Pit (30 pegs) With Storm Frank just arrived this was a one-method-match on this venue and the bream fed, Charlie Lovell taking 33-0-0 of them to win on Method feeder and pellet from his peg opposite Duck Island. Second from near the bailiff’s hut was Graham Clifford with 22-0-0 of bream on feeder and worm. Result: 1 C Lovell, Preston Innovations Delcac, 33-0-0; 2 G Clifford, APR, 22-0-0; 3 P Hamlyn, Preston Innovations Delcac, 19-0-0; 4 J Daniels, Medway Tackle, 17-0-0; 5 P Udell, Maver Cardinals, 16-0-0. Bait-Tech Viaduct Fishery (Thurs) Cary & Campbell Lakes (28 pegs) Adrian Jeffries was the only man to top the ton on New Year’s Eve as he weighed-in 137-3-0 of carp to 9lb off Campbell Lake peg…

MONDAY TO SATURDAY Alvechurch Fishery (Thurs) Horseshoe & Canal Lakes (24 pegs) Top rod was Rob Gandley who drew peg 13 on the Horseshoe Lake and fished the long pole over to the rushes with caster to take a mixed bag. The highlight of his match being a 7lb barbel to give him a matchwinning 61-1-0. Result: 1 R Gandley, Alvechurch, 61-1-0; 2 P Gartshore, Alvechurch, 56-4-0; 3 L Ayres, Alvechurch, 41-11-0; 4 S Bowen, Alvechurch, 39-8-0; 5 K Saxelby, Alvechurch, 39-2-0; 6 S Smith, Smithy’s Angling, 35-7-0. Barford Lakes Railway & Willow Lakes (30 pegs) Some good weights were taken on both lakes with match winner Phil Walpole putting 54-6-0 on the scales. He drew peg 48 on the Railway Lake and fished a small maggot feeder to the…

Jim Wyatt Memorial (Mon) Packington Somers, Molands Mere & Geary’s Level Pools (60 pegs) MORE than £330 was raised for the Marie Curie charity as anglers met to remember the popular late venue regular. Fishery manager John Burchell led the way with 58-1-0 off peg 12 on the Molands Mere Pool as he fished pellet on the waggler across to the island to net carp to 8lb plus F1s. Runner-up Tony Thorne opted for bomb and bread to the island at Molands Mere peg 44 and he netted carp and F1s for 57-12-0. Result: 1 J Burchell, Packington, 58-1-0; 2 T Thorne, Packington, 57-12-0; 3 D Jarvis, Packington, 43-2-0; 4 K Deaner, Packington, 37-2-0.…

Partridge Lakes Winter League Covey Canal Lakes (40 pegs) THE battle for team places continues at full pace with front runners Garbolino Elton and Daiwa/Guru tying for the top spot on the day as both teams recorded an excellent 12 points. On the individual front Pete Tickle took the honours from peg 59 on Canal 3 where he concentrated on the long pole line working his way along the far bank for most of the day catching steadily on pellet to finish with 73-10-0 of F1s. Second place went to Connor Barlow who drew peg 1 on Canal 1 and fished the long pole down to the bridge with red maggot to record his 64-0-0 weight. Result; 1 P Tickle, St Helen’s Angling, 73-10-0; 2 C Barlow, Daiwa/Guru, 64-6-0; 3…

When you put two anglers of the calibre of Steve Ringer and Adam Wakelin together, you’ve got a pretty handy duo on commercial fisheries whatever the weather, and the two men, part of last year’s gold medal-winning England Feeder team, enjoyed a super post-Christmas win double on two big pairs events – despite the wind and rain! Going up against 35 other pairs on the annual Tunnel Barn Farm Bank Holiday Monday match, Steve and Adam scored four points to get the nod by a point from Pete Rice and Dave James. Adam led them home as the Preston Innovations’ man won the match from peg 21 on the Top Pool with 91-12-0 of F1s and mixed silverfish using maggot at 9m. The two men then moved onto Barston Lakes…

SOME anglers struggle to get one piece of bread to stay on the hook, let alone four, but it’s really easy so long as you use fresh good quality bread I always use Warburton’s orange as this stays together well once punched out and so I know it will still be on the hook when I’ve cast out. 1 First, punch the bread. I use 8mm pieces and will punch four times to create the stack. 2 With a baiting needle handle, I release the bread stack from the punch tool. 3 Gently squeeze to compress the bread. This will help with the casting. 4 Now insert the Quick Stop and needle into the stack of four pieces of punch. 5 The baiting needle is now removed and the bread…