Conditions were far from ideal with a band of high pressure to begin with bringing with it very hot and humid weather. Later on in the afternoon, thunderstorms from off the continent rolled in with torrential rain resulting in a very wet finish for competing anglers.

Pairs Result:

Winning pair on the day were Mega Match This finalist, Peter Upperton (Middy) and partner, Rob Taylor (Daiwa Dorking). Both anglers managed to top their respective sections giving them an impressive two point score overall and cumulative weight of 222-05-00 to confirm a comfortable victory. The result was particularly significant for Pete Upperton, who will now go into this year's Mega Match This final having won one of Larford's Premier events, and from off the Match lake to boot!

Finishing in second place with a slim weight advantage over third placed pair were Perry Stone (Spro / Yorkshire Bait) and fellow Yorkshire Baits rod, Rob Hitchins. Perry Stone achieved a single point from peg 4 on the Arena lake weighing in a level 85lbs of carp taken late on to maggot down his edge with partner Rob managing a respectable 4th in section from peg 66 on Specimen lake. This gave the pair a cumulative five point score and a total weight of 124-15-00 to finish narrowly ahead of Aiden Mansfield and Mark Malin.

Aiden and Mark also managed a five point score with Aid picking up three points from end peg 66 on the Match lake coupled with Mark's two point score from peg 80 on the Specimen lake. Aid caught most of his fish down his edge to weigh in 60-04-00 with partner Mark catching well on the pellet waggler. The two ended the day with a cumulative weight of 121-13-00 to secure a main frame finish and £500.
 

Individual Result:

Picking up individual honours on the day was Middy's Kieron Rich. Kieron drew peg 22 on the Speci burr bank and opted to fish the majority of his match with pole and pellet up in the water to end proceedings with an impressive haul tipping the scales a shade over one hundred and thirty pounds at 133-02-00.

Finishing close behind in second place was Daiwa Dorking's Rob Taylor. Rob drew peg 44 on the Speci chalet bank and caught late on down his edge with meat to weigh in 131-01-00.

Third placed individual on the day was Ryan Lidgard. Ryan drew peg 52 on the Speci chalet bank and caught on pole and pellet up in the water for the durtation of the match to weigh in 123-06-00.

Source: Larford Lakes

The finalists will take part in a random draw on Thursday evening to determine their peg for day one of the two day final, drawing chronologically in the order from which they qualified. The draw for day two will take place on Friday evening with anglers drawing randomly in the order in which they finished on day one, the angler finishing in 1st place on day one will draw first down to the angler in 16th place drawing last.

The move follows feedback from anglers who voiced their concerns over the proposed change to the draw system that would have allowed anglers to hand pick their peg for Saturdays all important second day.

Ben Thompson, Angling Trust said:

“the recent announcement detailing the changes to format and structure have been well received on the whole, more opportunities to enter and increased prize money, however feedback highlighted some unease in regards to the draw process and we have acted with our colleagues at Matchroom Sport to address those concerns. With over 2,000 extra tickets available than in previous years, £50,000 to the winner and £10,000 to the runner up, we expect Fish 'O' Mania XXIII to be the biggest and most exciting to date.”

Details of Fish 'O' Mania XXIII including dates and venues will be available at www.anglingtrust.net/fishomania towards the end of 2015. The competition is open to Angling Trust members only and entry will remain at £25 per qualifier. To join the Angling Trust from just £2.50 a month visit www.anglingtrust.net/membership

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

The National Junior Canal Championship is being organised by the Canal & River Trust, the charity that cares for 2,000 miles of the nation’s historic waterways, in partnership with the Angling Trust. The competition is open to anyone aged between 12 and 16 with the winner taking home the top prize and being crowned national champion. 

The match is taking place on 24 October on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal at Curdworth.

The youngsters will be able to gain inspiration from some of the best anglers in the country as the National Canal Pairs Championship is also taking place in Curdworth on the same day.

John Ellis, national fisheries & angling manager for the Canal & River Trust said;

“This is a great opportunity for young anglers to show us what they can do. Canal fishing is the ultimate test of skill and to be crowned the UK’s National Junior Canal Angling Champion will be a fantastic honour for any junior angler.

“Canals are great for young anglers, they’re easily accessible, low cost and full of fish so there’s nowhere better for them to hone their skills. 

“We want to inspire more young people to have a go at angling and competitions like this are a great way of doing that. The match also gives a great opportunity for the competitors to see some of the country’s best senior anglers up close and maybe take a few tips home. With a bit of luck they may be in that position in a few years’ time which is a really exciting prospect.”

David Kent from the Angling Trust said;

“Many of our top international anglers, past and present, cut their teeth on canals. England consistently ranks around No 1 in the world and so it is vital that there is a continuous flow of talented youngsters coming through to ensure that Team England retains and even improves its world ranking. 

“This is a great opportunity for our young anglers to, perhaps, experience fishing in a national competition for the first time and, hopefully, go on to greater things.  However it is vitally important that they enjoy the occasion and I’m sure that they will.”   

The championship is free to enter with 50 spaces available and bookings can be made through the Angling Trust by emailing sandra.drew@anglingtrust.net or telephoning 0115 9061 301 for an entry form

Source: Angling Trust

Venue: River Ouse in Newhaven

Date: Saturday August 29th

Time: 9.00-9.15 until mid-afternoon

Meeting Point: Denton Island in Newhaven

Booking: By email in advance to sussexregion@anglingtrustsussexmarine.net

Different tactics/methods will be discussed and demonstrated to Angling Trust members from all three disciplines of our sport.

You will get expert tuition and will come away having learned more about this hard fighting and elusive species, and the best tackle, tips and tricks to catch them. The Masterclass will be of equal interest to coarse, sea and game anglers because methods and tackle from each discipline can be used. So come along and find out how existing skills and equipment can be put into practice, or learn a completely new approach...

The Masterclass is FREE and open to paid-up Angling Trust individual members only.

This email has been sent to members only in our Sussex Marine Region. If you would like to bring a non-member with you they must join up first by calling 01568 620 447 or online at www.anglingtrust.net/join before you book your place.

There are limited spaces and this is going to be a very popular event so pre-booking your place in advance is essential by emailing sussexregion@anglingtrustsussexmarine.net

Please include your membership number (printed on your Angling Trust membership card) in your booking email.

For more information on the National Mullet Club please go to: www.thenationalmulletclub.org

If you are an Angling Trust club contact: Please forward this email on to your club members and encourage them to join as individual members - thanks.

Source: Angling Trust

This year 17 teams representing various fishing companies put on a great display for their respected sponsors on Saturday 15th August. Although the complex had been fishing brilliantly everyone knew that after the excessive rainfall and atmospheric conditions that now prevailed it was going to be a fishing match and not a catching match. That’s exactly how it turned out and it led to a very close finish.

Almost every team had at least one low section-positioning member including the top three teams and it turned out to be a tie on points for two of the teams. Frenzee Match Catch and Pino’s Pals both tied on 38 points. A count back on weight just gave Pino’s Pals victory for the 2015 Team Title.

It was equally close for the top individuals with only 1lb separating Jase Brown and Warren Martin both next to each other on Uglies Glebe Pool 3. Warren just ahead with 216 lbs 8oz with Jase on 215 lbs 8oz.

After the event everyone had a great meal and possibly the best raffle in the industry with 130 prizes to be won.
Roy Marlow Fishery owner and organiser thanked all the anglers for supporting this fantastic event and the Angling Trust.

Roy commented “Without the Angling Trust and Fish Legal all of us would not have such fantastic fishing everywhere in this country.”

Thank you to Mallory Park Fisheries and Marukyu who provided the trophies to sponsor the event.

TEAM RESULTS
1st PINO’S PALS  38 POINTS
2nd FRENZEE MATCH CATCH 38 POINTS
3RD DAIWA 43 POINTS

SECTION WINNERS
JAMIE HAWKINS PINO’S PALS   160.02
ANDY POWER  S.W MATCH GROUP  119.04
WARREN MARTIN GARBOLINO MATRIX 216.08
JOHN WHINCUP FRENZEE MATCH CATCH 122.04
ANDY OLDHAM  FRENZEE MATCH CATCH 120.08
WAYNE IBBOTSON MARUKYU RED   88.04

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

16 nations descended on the Smederevo Steelworks Canal in Serbia over the 7th & 8th August to fish the 20th FIPS-ed U18 World Championships. England would go head to head with 2014 champions France and the 3rd place Poland and the trio once again found themselves jostling for a podium finish with host nation Serbia also in the running.

Steve Sanders, Sensas U18s Team Manager stated; “England’s performance was a stunning victory after losing most of one of the weeks practice days because of floating weed preventing them practising properly.  The team plan came together on the last practice day on Thursday with a combination of carp early in the match being the target followed by a switch to small fish tactics after the first 30 minutes.

On day one this tactic worked brilliantly with England having 3 carp in the first 30 minutes in different sections.  Switching to small fish cemented their positions and England finished the day with a score of 14 points on the first day with France on 18 in second, Poland on 22 in third and Portugal and Italy in equal 4th place with 24.”

The second day was always going to be a very, very tight match with the French, Polish and Italians fishing an out and out small fish match and Portugal fishing a wholly big fish match, England stuck to fishing the combination match they fished on the first day.  A superb day two performance by host nation Serbia saw them score 6 points and drag themselves into the bronze medal position with a total of 46 points.  The tussle between England and France see-sawed all day with neither side knowing the final result at the end of the match, but England’s tactic of fishing for big fish and being selective when fishing for the small fish resulted in France having 19 points on the second day and England scoring 21 points to give England a 2 point victory over the two day competition.

England’s Sensas U18’s have an incredible record at the World Championship in recent years, since 2011 England have won two team gold and three team silver medals with a number of individual accolades following, the latest of which 17 year old George Organ from Gloucester who’s 7 points over two days was enough to secure individual bronze. 

Top 6 Team Results:

1st England 35 points
2nd France 37 points
3rd Serbia 46 points
4th Poland 46 points
5th Portugal 49 points
6th Italy 50 points

For Drennan Team England’s U23s it was a very difficult match with teams aiming to catch a carp in the first half an hour or fish for the small fish for the full match.  There were few fish between the 10/12gm and carp of 1.5 -3 Kilo.

Mark Downes, Drennan U23s Team Manager said “We elected to take the carp route initially….we only hooked one, it was lost. Belgium took 3 carp in that time and ran out easy winners on day 1 with 19 points . France as usual just fished for small fish and finished 3rd with 22.  After the initial 40 minutes or so it was catch up for our team and being so many small fish behind it was difficult. As the end of the match approached we had to try to catch a carp in the last 30 minutes …again no joy.

Apart from Rory Jones who had 1 carp and 2 kilo of small fish the rest of the team fell between a rock and a hard place!  With England on 40 points and Belgium on 19 we had to be aggressive and we decided to fish for carp on day 2. We needed at least 3 catches and we needed a very low score to secure a medal.  After 1 hour there was just one carp in the first 2 ½ sections and now we were much too far behind to make any difference with small fish.

Hindsight is a great thing but had we concentrated on small fish for the full duration we could have secured a bronze, but this is not our mentality.  We were not as good as the French on the small fish so we needed a combination of both tactics to win and we couldn’t achieve that.  The lads worked tirelessly in the 38 degree heat all week, and it was a shame they did not get the rub of the green they deserved. Full credit must go to the team for their perseverance and dedication, hopefully this will be rewarded next year in Portugal.”

Top 6 Team Results:

1st France 42.5 points
2nd Belgium 45 points
3rd Spain 58 points
4th Italy 58.5 points
5th Czech Republic 65 points
6th Croatia 68 points

10th England 87.5 points

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

The three key overarching priorities of the contract are to increase participation amongst existing and new anglers, tackle illegal angling and manage a fund to improve angling facilities. The contract will run for up to 4 years and is currently worth £1 million a year, although the value of the future contract may vary, depending on rod licence sales.

Key elements of the contract include:

• providing expert advice to clubs and fishery owners on how to identify and secure additional funding
• improving facilities at fisheries and clubs for anglers
• encouraging take-up among junior anglers and address the recent decline in this age group
• retaining and recruiting more anglers to go fishing
• exploring options to develop the voluntary bailiff scheme which has been piloted in the South East
• working with enforcement partners (including the police), club and fishery owners to clamp down on angling-related rural crime.

Sarah Chare, Environment Agency head of fisheries, said:

“This contract marks a new era in how the Environment Agency will deliver our fisheries duties.  By contracting and working with partners we will secure the best future for angling by playing to strengths and making rod licence income go further.  It is what anglers deserve. We are delighted to be working with the Angling Trust on this endeavour.”

Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust, said:

“We are thrilled to have been awarded this contract and our ambition is to go above and beyond the requirements of the contract wherever possible.  Both organisations are committed to protecting and improving freshwater angling by tackling the issues identified by anglers as part of the National Angling Strategy.  The Angling Trust offers a very cost-effective way of delivering this work because of our extensive network and unique access to match funding.”

The contract has match funding clauses meaning that rod licence money goes further and the best possible service and value for anglers is delivered, for example through working with Sport England.

Advertised through the Official Journal of the European Union, interested organisations expressed initial interest earlier this year. Applicants were then asked to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire to ensure they were suitable to be formally invited to tender for the work.

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

ANGLING TRUST INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2015 - GLOUCESTER CANAL

The 172 strong field in Saturday's (1st August) Angling Trust Individual National Championship faced a strong wind that made good pole presentation very difficult so the match was mainly a feeder affair for most.

However, that didn’t put off David Cooper from Cambridge, as an unproductive start to his match on the feeder saw him switch to the pole at 13m and he never looked back as a succession of bream up to 6lb graced his net for the remainder of the match.

Drawn on peg 631, the upstream end peg on the Cambridge Arms stretch, David fished worm over groundbait to amass 16.570Kg and record a narrow victory and the title of National Individual Champion 2015.

Matt Godfrey from Sheffield was hot on his heals with a 15.950Kg net of skimmers and roach taken on maggot and groundbait feeder on peg 178 which was also an upstream end peg above Rea Bridge.  Kevin Lavelle from Kirkby wasn’t far behind either weighing 14.450Kg of bream and eels from peg 47 on Hempstead Bend, fishing worm and groundbait feeder.

Andre Grandjean, Angling Trust Event Manager, said:

"It’s going to be hard going for some fishing next week’s Division 1 National as there were a few barren areas so everyone will be praying to draw on some bream which are feeding well at the moment. We would like to thank Mark Treasure and his team for organising such a smooth running match."

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

Draw: 7.30am Brentford Boating Arch, Kew Bridge, Strand on the Green, W4 3RE

Tides: High 07.15 Low 14.45

Fishing: 9.30am - 2.30pm (depending on tide height)

Rules: Thigh wading permitted, all fish except eels can be weighed

Zones: A) Strand on the Green. B) Barnes

Pegs: As per chalk numbers on wall. A) from Cafe Rouge down to just past the Grove Park Rd Slipway (1 - 25). B) from just below Barnes Railway Bridge down to Leg of Mutton.

Tickets and Prize monies: £500 First Prize then £250, £150 and £100 - split across both zones - and winners trophy. Tickets £5 with proceeds to the angling charity Get Hooked on Fishing

Sections and Pools: Ten 5 peg sections and £10 pools. Pay out top place only (overall match winners excluded)

Parking: A) At Strand on the Green, Thames Rd or Grove Park Rd. B) Barnes High St.

Prize Giving: 4.30pm Brentford Boating Arch, Kew Bridge, Strand on the Green

Organiser:
Will Barnard 07747 647 921

Stewards:
Danny Williams 07854 240 368
Mike Smith 07946 515 352
James Thornhill 07837 980 210

Refreshments: Drinks and BBQ at Strand on the Green Embankment

Access Points to River: See map on the day for location of steps

This annual fishing match is part of the TideFest - a celebration of the recreational importance of London's River. 50 pegs maximum across the two zones at Strand on the Green and Barnes. Both stretches have a good head of roach, dace and bream. The four main prizes will be split alternatively across both zones to give all anglers a chance of making the frame.

Source: Angling Trust

Fishmark is now the recognised angling club accreditation that is awarded to a Club when they achieve the criteria to demonstrate they have achieved nationally recognised standards of Club Management, Child protection and duty of care, sports equality and ethics and Management of Activities.

The main difference between the new Fishmark award and the previous Clubmark award is that Fishmark has been split into two levels, Standard and Advanced. This enables some Clubs that never achieved the strict criteria in Clubmark, such as high levels of fishing activities, to achieve accreditation at a standard level. With these Clubs being able to apply for the Fishmark award it means that they can ensure they are working at the required levels of child protection and club management because the minimum requirement is the same for these categories in both Standard and Advanced levels. The change ensures that ALL member Clubs have the opportunity to ensure they are delivering at a high level of safety and development.

The benefits of being a Fishmark accredited Club are:

• Easier access to Sport England and some local authority funding
• More professional management of your Club
• Support to develop and modernise your Club
• Improved integration between schools, community and your Club
• Increased publicity for your Club
• Increased membership for your Club
• Improved access to coaches and coaching at your Club
• More recognition from your County Sports Partnership(CSP), local authorities and schools
• Higher profile for your Club
• Increased safety for ALL your members
• Improved framework and focus on Club development

Accreditation is only accessible to Angling Trust club members and is FREE of charge.

Read the the new ‘Benefits of Fishmark’ PDF guide HERE to find out more.

If your Club is currently Clubmark accredited then this will continue with no changes at all until the expiry date on your certificate. Once you have passed your expiry date you will be offered reaccreditation under the Fishmark scheme.

If you would like more information or to apply for accreditation please contact your Regional Officer or Dave Evans at dave.evans@anglingtrust.net or for club membership of the Angling Trust please call 01568 620 447 during office hours or read more at www.anglingtrust.net/clubs

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News