Etheridge as Ever

Another huge turnout of 86 saw the Kennet & Avon Canal a difficult venue to master on the Kings Arms to Pound Lane sections at Semington, Wiltshire. Some struggled, which is inevitable at this time of the year, whilst some had a cracking day’s sport. Individual winner was Garbolino Blackmore Vale Gold’s Gary Etheridge. Gary was at Pound Lane where he presented single red pinkie over groundbait over to a far bank tree. The two feet deep area produced a glut of skimmers, some going over the one pound mark, in his 20-12-0. Runner-up Nathanial Johnson (PI Thatchers) was opposite rushes on the Kings Arms length where chopped worm and caster accounted for a few bream plus skimmers in his 18-8-0. On the team front Drennan Bordon posted a fantastic return, easily winning on 80 points with PI Thatchers the runners-up on 68 points. Drennan Bordon is the team to catch in this league as they are currently on top with a thirteen points advantage over PI Thatchers.

Bagshaw Bags up!

At the halfway stage in the 56-entry Milton Keynes Spring League on the Manor Fields to Mill Road length of the Grand Union Canal at Milton Keynes Browning Northampton Blue hold a slender lead over Preston Innovations Black Horse White. This latest round saw skimmers galore with Ian Bagshaw including the odd better bream, in his 14-9-0 from the opening peg on the Manor Fields section. The opening peg on the Phelps length also produced the goods for Bryn Wignall (Maver Milton Keynes Green) as he built up his 12-11-0 skimmer haul.

More skimmers for Passmore!

Round Two of the Gloucester Canal Spring League saw the 68 competitors face up to a tricky Gloucester Canal match course from Rea to Pilot. The venue is fishing patchily with the occasional shoal of feeding bream and skimmers accounting for the pick of the weights, - like most canals at this time of the year nets of roach are hard to find. Topping this latest round was Paul Passmore (Devizes White) who found a good head of skimmers scouring around peg 179 at Rea. Paul netted an excellent 24-5-0 to feeder fished maggot, well ahead of the rest including Paul Hemburrow (Sensas Nomads Green) who fished similarly at the next peg to pick up 15-12-0 of fringe skimmers. The best of the rest came from Tanker Bay on the Pilot section and whilst Sensas Thyer’s posted the best team card of the day it is Daiwa Gordon League Veterans that top a very close league table with 8 points.

Frosty Reception on the Newry!

Following four consecutive frosts then torrential rain conditions were pretty dreadful for canal fans on the Newry Canal. The ‘town’ section was tough going but some very decent returns came from the periphery of the town. Matt Crowl (Harrogate) soon had the small roach ‘lined up’ to his pinkie over small nuggets of crumb attack, ending with a very creditable 9-13-0 Exactly 2 lbs behind was Philip Jackson (Lurgan) with more small roach in his 7-13-0 followed by more satisfying scores from the placed anglers.

First Class from Ben Garbett

Dudley, West Midlands based postman delivered a first class effort to top the individual scores in the latest of the Angling Trust/Canal & River Trust qualifying heats on the Grand Union Canal at Stoke Bruerne, Towcester Northamptonshire, on Sunday. Being Bank Holiday the excellent turnout of 80 had a bit more boat traffic than usual but the weights were still good and the expected skimmers certainly ruled the roost. Ben drew not for from the White Hart on A section where he worked with large red maggot and pinkies to net four bream to 2 lb 8 ozs plus skimmers and small roach from his shallow swim for 13-1-0. Runner-up was Daventry’s Tony Hulme with one bream and skimmers, also from A section, in his 8-6-0. Tony Marshall (Shakespeare Superteam) was the best score from B section with his third place skimmer bag of 6-13-0.

The latest Canal & River Trust match results from the weekend……

Angling Trust/Canal & River Trust Pairs Championships, Grand Union Canal, Stoke Bruerne, Towcester, Northamptonshire, Sunday, Individuals: Ben Garbett (Wolverhampton AA Van den Eynde) 13-1-0; Tony Hulme (Woodford Halse AC) 8-6-0; Tony Marshall (Shakespeare Superteam) 6-13-0; Mark Mines (Woodford Halse AC) and Steve Brookes (Bennetts Bait and Tackle) both 6-3-0; Barry Oliver (Maver Image) 6-1-0.

Qualifying Pairs: Tony Hulme/Mark Mines (both Woodford Halse AC) 78 points; Martin Colver/Alan Robinson (both Browning Northants) 72; Peter Laughton/Andrew Webster (both Irthlingborough AC) 71; Ben Garbett/Ian Hingley (both Wolverhampton AA Van den Eynde) 66; Barry Oliver/Steve Clarke (both Maver Image) 66.

Blackfords Progressive, Calf Heath Reservoir, Calf Heath, Gailey, Staffordshire, Saturday, D. Nicholls (Walsall) 64-10-0; Matt Derry (Kamasan Starlets) 45-0-0; C. Hammond (Maver Gold/Old Ghost) 36-5-0.

Canal Kings, Birmingham Navigations Canal, Soho Loop, Winson Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, Saturday, Simon Mottram (Drennan North West/ABC Baits) 6-5-12; P. Whitehouse (Canal Kings) 4-13-0; Tony Bowen (Canal Kings) 4-12-0; Paul Murrin (Browning Lifestyle) 4-11-0.

Canal Kings, Birmingham Navigations Canal, Soho Loop, Winson Green, Birmingham, West Midlands, Sunday, Norman Wilson (Good Intent AS) 7-8-12; Simon Mottram (Drennan North West/ABC Baits) 6-1-0; Gary Owen (Good Intent AS) 5-10-7; Tony Bowen (Canal Kings) 4-11-0.

Gloucester Canal Spring League, Round Two, Gloucester Canal, Rea to Pilot sections, Sunday, Paul Passmore (Devizes White) 24-5-0; Paul Hemburrow (Sensas Nomads Green) 15-12-0; M. Bromsgrove (Sensas Thyer’s) 13-8-0; Adam Carter (Devizes White) 12-5-0; Shaun Bryant (Devizes Red) 11-11-0; Liam Bradell (Thatchers Red) 10-7-0.

Teams: Sensas Thyer’s 15; Devizes Red 26; Maver Lobby’s Black 28; Daiwa Gordon League Veterans 29; Thatchers Red 31; Garbolino Blackmore Vale 33.

League to Date: Daiwa Gordon League Veterans 8; Garbolino Blackmore Vale 9; Sensas WB Clarke 10; Stroud AC12; Thatchers Red 12; Sensas Thyer’s 13.

Newry Canal May Day Festival, Newry, Saturday, Matt Crowl (Harrogate) 9-13-0; Philip Jackson (Lurgan) 7-13-0; Kevin Maguire (Newry) 7-3-0; Johnny McKinley (Lurgan) 6-8-0; Geoff Quinn (South Armagh) 6-3-0.

*Northampton Nene AC, Grand Union Canal, Yardley Gobion, Northamptonshire, Sunday, Chris Howard (Northampton Nene AC) 16-4-0; Tosh Saunders (Northampton Nene AC) 9-0-0; Barry Oliver (Northampton Nene AC) 8-14-0.

Halesowen Royal British Legion, Staffs-Worcs Canal, Castlecroft, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, Sunday, S. Waite (Halesowen RBL) 49-12-0; M. Knight (Halesowen RBL) 21-5-0; P. Whitehouse (Halesowen RBL) 20-8-0.

Izaak Walton (Stafford) Anglers’ Association, Staffs-Worcs Canal, Farmdown Road, Stafford, Saturday, Alan Round (Browning Lifestyle) 4-5-1; Dennis Sumner (Bilston Angling Centre) 2-0-11; Nigel Clayton (Browning Lifestyle) 1-14-8.

*Little Harrowden AC, Grand Union Canal, Heyford, Jim Broadbent (Little Harrowden AC) 19-12-0; Dave Chamberlain (Little Harrowden AC) 14-3-0; Mick Dudley (Little Harrowden AC) 5-6-0.

*Milton Keynes Angling Association Spring League, Round Two, Grand Union Canal, Manor Fields to Mill Road, Milton Keynes, Ian Bagshaw (Maver Milton Keynes Green) 14-9-0; Bryn Wignall (Maver Milton Keynes Green) 12-11-0; Lee Newson (Black Horse Black) 9-5-8; James Mead (Maver Milton Keynes Black) 9-0-8; Tom Boyce (Tackle hub Silver) 8-14-0.

Teams: Preston InnovationsBlack Horse Black 43; Maver Milton Keynes Green 40; Browning Northampton Blue 39; Browning Northampton Black 38; Browning Northampton Gold 38.

League to Date: Browning Northampton Blue 76; Preston Innovations Black Horse White 74; Maver Milton Keynes Green 71; Preston Innovations Black Horse Black 68; GoneFishin’ 68.

*Sensas Kennet and Avon Spring League, Round Two, Kennet and Avon Canal, Kings Arms to Pound Lane, Semington, Wiltshire, Sunday, Gary Etheridge (Garbolino Blackmore Vale Gold) 20-12-0; Nathanial Johnson (PI Thatchers) 18-8-0; Tony Scott (Sensas Wiltshire Angling Green) 15-2-0; Steve Barnett (Drennan Bordon) 13-1-0; Steve Saunders (Sensas Nomads) 13-9-0; Rich Rosinski (Sensas A4) 13-6-0.

Teams: Drennan Bordon 80; PI Thatchers 68; Devizes Black 65; Daiwa Gordon League, PI Blackhorse and Devizes White all 62.

League to Date: Drennan Bordon 144; PI Thatchers 131; Devizes White 122; Garbolino Blackmore Vale Gold 120; Devizes Black 119; Cotswold Matrix Talismen B 116.

Sportsman Angling Club Open, Walsall Canal, Ocker Hill, Tipton, West Midlands, Saturday, Gary Atkins (Sportsman AC) 8-11-0; Dave Arnold (Sportsman AC) 5-11-0; Tony Foster (Middy Dams & Lock) 3-11-0

Stirrup Cup, Birmingham-Fazeley Canal, Curdworth, Birmingham, West Midlands, Sunday, Pete Hatton (ZLT) 6-13-0; Alan Newman (Stirrup Cup) 6-5-2; Sam Lewis (Three Em’s) 3-8-11.

Wolverhampton AA, Staffs-Worcs Canal, Four Ashes, Staffordshire, Sunday, Steve Dudley (Browning Lifestyle) 5-2-5; Simon Nickless (Saints) 4-14-7; Martin Owen (Browning Lifestyle) 4-13-9; Paul Turner (Wolverhampton AA Van den Eynde) 4-10-6.

Wolverhampton Over 60’s Club, Staffs-Worcs Canal, Cross Keys, Penkridge, Staffordshire, Barry Astbury (Pelsall Old Boys) 5-7-6; Tony Keeling (Team Eclipse) 4-6-8; Stuart Brailsford (Bridgtown Social AC) 4-6-2.

*Contest results listed with an asterisk are from the previous week(end).

Round Three of the Sensas Kennet & Avon Spring League will be held on Marlborough’s water at Farmers, Brimslade and Wolfhall on Sunday, May 17th.

Erewash Update……

This week I am more than a bit pleased to bring you a heart warming story from the Erewash Canal, a very important part of the Midlands canal fishing network. This canal is 11.75 miles long and runs from Langley Mill to Trent Lock, passing Cotmanhay, Ilkeston, Sandiacre and Long Eaton through its dozen or so locks.

In 2012 everything changed with a disastrous pollution with a huge fire at a nearby recycling firm at Stanton By Dale. Such was the severity of the incident up to 60 fire fighters were on the site at one time and firemen were there continuously for nine consecutive days. The Environment Agency and the Canal & River Trust spent two weeks at the site. The ‘rescue’ figure stood at around 100,000 fish. However many more perished as the water being used to put the fire out and damping down began to take the oxygen out of the canal. Many more thousands of fish were lost, some lengths were a virtual complete wipeout. The Environment Agency and the Canal & River Trust jumped in with a well thought out plan of action. The canal has had several stockings of new fish introduced as they became available. The last couple of restockings took place in October 2014 and the latest as recent as March this year.

Fish are still being introduced to the Erewash Canal and with a lot of help from the Canal & River Trust, the Environment Agency, the controlling angling clubs and Mother Nature itself the canal is well on the mend and that is fabulous news for the match, pleasure and carp anglers that fish this water course. A prime example of the ‘recovery’ came in a recent contest when over 16 lbs of bream won. We all know one catch will never make a summer but this is hugely encouraging for all concerned. It may not be too long before the Erewash Canal will hold another National Championships, the venue is ideal, very central and has lots of access points.

This Weeks Teasers

When and where was the first ever Division Two National Angling Championship held? It was actually fished on two venues if you need a clue.

Who sponsored the 1989 National Angling Championships on the River Severn?

Teaser Answers

The unanswered Teaser ‘name the angler that has fished in all six divisions of the National Championships?’ This one has stumped everyone, - the answer was the late Keith Ford who used to run matches on the River Yare, Norfolk for many a year.

Angling Nostagia…….

A little bit of nostalgia that also ties up with the National Angling Championships this year on the Gloucester Canal. The first ever time the Gloucester Canal, in fact the first ever time the National was on any canal, was in 1937 when fifty-six teams of twelve contested the event. The team event was won by Groves and Whitnall, their accumulative team weight being 23-15-6. The individual winner of that particular National was H. Jones, fishing for County Palatine; he won with a weight of 9-9-8. How times have changed, I guess most sections will be won with possibly a bit more than that this year.

Wiltshire Next in Line for CRT Pairs…..

Canal anglers all over the country are giving the Angling Trust/Canal & River Trust Pairs competition a massive thumbs up. Following the undoubted success of the River Fest the Pairs event, the brainchild of the Canal & River Trust is not far behind. It is not for me to say but is there a swing back to more natural venues?

Three of the Angling Trust/Canal & River Trust pairs have already been completed and after a short break the next one will be on the Kennet and Avon Canal, at Devizes on Sunday, May 24th.  I am more than pleased to report that the competition is really catching on fast and there is a heavy demand for tickets for this round. There will be 50 pegs on the Devizes Angling Association’s water at Seend Park and 50 on Avon Angling Club’s Semington stretch at Melksham. Day tickets are available but they must be purchased before fishing from the local tackle shops, NOT on the bank. Day tickets can also be purchased, prior to fishing, from the Spar Shop on Bath Road, Devizes. Competitors are also advised that the match sections are closed to competitors from midnight on Sunday 17th May until the date of the competition.

The advice is to get on quick to avoid disappointment; if you have not already booked on, is £20 per person (£40 per pair) with an extra pool on the day of £10 per person. The top five pairs will go through to the October final. Remember, you do not have to be an Angling Trust member to fish any of the qualifiers but membership is essential to fish the Grand Final. Please note that previous qualifiers can enter; in the event of a qualifier being a sell-out (50 pairs) non-qualifiers will have priority when booking on. Entry forms via:

www.anglingtrust.net/competitions or E Mail: sandra.drew@anglingtrust.net

As sure as eggs are eggs skimmers are almost certain to make a large impact in this qualifying round of the Angling Trust/Canal & River Trust pairs competition. Catches are on the up and up and a weight of around 20 lbs of all skimmers from 6 oz to 2 lb, with the occasional bigger bream, is always on the cards at this very popular venue. The venue also offers a good selection of roach plus some very decent perch and tench. There is the odd carp at Seend Park but they are huge solitary fish and anglers are often saying goodbye to them shortly after they have been hooked! Bait wise it could be one of punched bread, pinkie and big maggot or chopped worm and caster, - it could even be a combination of all those baits.

Pairs Final Bound

Current qualifiers in an ever growing list for the Angling Trust/Canal and River Trust pairs final are: Steve Brookes/Dave Mawby (both Drennan Leicester); Dave McCall (Shakespeare Superteam)/Steve Broome (Bilston Angling Centre); Roger Marlow/Dean Guess (both Drennan Leicester), Tony Barker/Mick Hatchard (both Shakespeare Superteam) plus Sam Merry (Bait-Tech)/Rob Wootton (Shimano Dynamite Baits). Simon Mottram (Drennan North West/ABC Baits)/Simon Preece (Browning Lifestyle); Steve Dudley (Browning Lifestyle)/Simon Nickless (Saints); Dave Richards/Carl Westwood (both Four Ashes AC); Dave Lloyd/Richard Guest ( both Maver Midlands); Tony Hulme/Mark Mines (both Woodford Halse AC); Martin Colver/Alan Robinson (both Browning Northants); Peter Laughton/Andrew Webster (both Irthlingborough AC); Ben Garbett/Ian Hingley (both Wolverhampton AA Van den Eynde); Barry Oliver/Steve Clark (both Maver Image).

The entry for the final is already looking very strong and in the weeks leading up to the final you may well see an impartial form guide and a list of starting prices from your anglers friend and top bookmaker Phil Yaboots!!

Stillwater Final Bound

Finalists in the Angling Trust/Canal & River Trust Individual final so far are: Brian Ashley (Telford); Geoff Ringer (Ringer Baits); Andrew Ashington (Birmingham); Stephen Openshaw (Lingmere Fisheries).

Pairs Qualifying Dates

The full list of remaining qualifiers in the Angling Trust/Canal & River Trust pairs  canal competition are: Sunday 24th May Kennet & Avon Canal, Devizes, Wiltshire; Sunday 21st June Gloucester Canal; Saturday 11th July Aire & Calder Canal; Sunday 26th July River Lea Navigation Rammey Marsh Lock to below Enfield Lock; Saturday 15th August Rochdale Canal; Saturday 5th September Staffs-Worcs Canal, Penkridge, Staffordshire; Sunday 20th September Beeston Canal, Nottingham; Sunday 27th September Leeds-Liverpool Canal; Saturday 24th October Grand Final Birmingham-Fazeley Canal, Minworth, Birmingham. A 50-peg Junior Canal Championships will also held on the Birmingham-Fazeley Canal on Saturday 24th October. Entry forms available from: www.anglingtrust.net/competitions or E Mail: sandra.drew@anglingtrust.net

Please note the change of venue, to the original list for the qualifier on Sunday 26th      July.

Please note that the  stretches of canal used in these Angling Trust/Canal & River Trust pairs championship are closed to the competitors for the week (starting Sunday midnight) prior to the event.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Carp Carnival Entries?

Another Angling Trust/Canal & River Trust tournament that might grab your eye is the Stillwater Championships, 2015. Remaining dates and venues are: Sunday 10th May Blythe Waters; Wednesday 20th May Boddington Reservoir; Saturday 30th May Kiveton Waters; Sunday 28th June Earlswood Lakes; Wednesday 15th July Boddington Reservoir; Saturday 25th July Earlswood Lakes; Sunday 2nd August Clattercote Reservoir; Saturday 22nd August Blythe Waters; Saturday 19th September Blythe Waters.

Four anglers qualify from each of the 40-peg qualifiers making for a 40-peg Grand Final at Blythe Waters on Saturday 17th October.

Entry is £25 per qualifier, - there is an Application Form and a check list of entries available on www.anglingtrust.net/competitions The check list, per qualifier can be accessed via the button in the left hand bottom corner on the respective web page.

Battle of Naseby…

We have all heard of the tale about waiting an age for a bus then two come along at once, - the same could apply to Canal & River Trust’s Naseby Reservoir, Northamptonshire with 30 lb carp only this time three have come along in recent weeks. Simon Watkinson and Simon Crowe both had one but the latest was caught by 13 year old schoolboy James Bowskill from Loddington in the same county. Young James is the envy of all his mates as he landed a terrific 32 lb mirror on a squid and octopus boilie with a cranberry pop-up. Day tickets £6 one rod, £10 for two. Longer stays call Harry on 07904 493417.

Source: Canal & River Trust

The winners were Simon Mottram (Drennan North West/ABC Baits) and Simon Preece (Browning) who both achieved a perfect 100 point score, a feat that most observers thought virtually impossible given the strength of the line up.

The Canal Pairs Championship is being organised by the Canal & River Trust, the charity that cares for 2,000 miles of the nation’s historic waterways, together with the Angling Trust and is aimed at encouraging local anglers.

Hosted by the Hodnet Angling Club, the competition took place on the canal between Goldstone and Soudley near Market Drayton. The match is the second of 11 regional heats with the top five pairs from each match going through to the final in October.

Simon Mottram, who was first taught to fish as a youngster on the Llangollen Canal by the Canal & River Trust’s National Fisheries & Angling Manager John Ellis, powered to victory with a weight of 14 lbs 4 oz, with five chub included in the catch.

The battle for the four remaining qualifying places was truly titanic and there was excitement and disappointment in equal measure when the results were announced.

Remaining qualifiers are Steve Dudley / Simon Nickless (81 points), Dave Richard / Carl Westwood (80 points), Dave Lloyd / Richard Guest (80 points) with Tony Foster / Graham Neary taking the final qualifying spot (79 points). Tony and Graham just pipped Steve Cope and Mel Wood who also scored 79 points but with a slightly lower combined weight.

The competition saw pairs of anglers score points based on the weight of fish they caught. As well as being invited to compete in the national final the winning pair received a £200 cash prize. In the national final, pairs will be competing for a top prize of up to £4,000.

John Ellis, national fisheries & angling manager for the Canal And River Trust, said ‘This qualifier summed up what canal match fishing is all about, some brilliant individual performances, desperately close results, plenty of fish caught including a specimen 6 lb chub and the wonderful surroundings of the Shropshire Union Canal.”

Competition and Events Manager for the Angling Trust, Sandra Drew, said: “ This qualifier was a sell out, which is a fantastic response from anglers who continue to support fishing on canals, and it will go from strength to strength.”

The next two qualifying round are on Sunday 3rd May on the Grand Union at Northampton and on the Kennet & Avon on 24th May. There are still a few places available, for more details and to reserve your place call Angling Trust on 0115 9061301

The Championship final will take place on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal in the Midlands on 24th October. 

For more information about fishing on your nearest canal or river go to www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/see-and-do/fishing

Source: Canal & River Trust

The club, which can trace its roots back to 1817, currently has fishing rights on the River Irwell and a few small lakes and reservoirs around Greater Manchester. However from this week their members will now be able to extend their angling activities to a 12 mile stretch of the Rochdale Canal, from the canal’s start in Castlefield, through Manchester city centre to Middleton, near Rochdale.

Anglers will be able to fish for roach, bream, perch, pike, carp, tench and eels which swim between the canal’s many locks.

John Ellis, national fisheries and angling manager with the Canal & River Trust, is delighted the Rochdale Canal will soon become a mecca for anglers. He said: “The canal provides a green corridor of peace and tranquillity through the busy urban streets. The water quality has improved greatly in recent years and we are very pleased to welcome Salford anglers as a friendly presence on our towpaths.”

Mike Duddy, chairman of the Salford Friendly Anglers Society, added: “This new agreement is a fantastic opportunity for the city’s anglers to enjoy excellent fishing, right on their door step.

“The rejuvenation of the Rochdale Canal through Manchester is great for anglers but also for walkers, joggers, boaters and cyclists too. It’s wonderful for people to escape to the canal to enjoy a piece of countryside in the middle of the city. I have recently spotted kingfishers and red shanks flying over the water. It’s a wonderful, peaceful place to enjoy a spot of fishing.

“Anyone wanting to fish on the Rochdale Canal should contact the Salford Friendly Anglers Society via www.salfordfriendlyanglers.co.uk. Membership is available free online, as the Society actively encourages people to take up angling as a pastime in a region where so many of the lakes, rivers and canals were polluted by our industrial past.”

In addition to being a member of the Salford Friendly Anglers Society, any angler also needs an Environment Agency rod licence (if aged 12 or over) available from https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences/when-you-need-a-licence

Source: Canal and River Trust

With only 3 lakes being used, Gold, Middle and Syndicate, and with almost all the pegs being used it was envisaged to be a tough but fair match,  and so it proved with the final result being fairly close and some reasonable back up weights.  It was a slow start though with a cold wind chilling the lakes it took a while for the carp to wake up and feed, and most weights were put together in the last half of the match. 

Steve Botting, the final reserve to get in, took an early lead by taking 7 carp from peg 26 on Gold before they moved off into his neighbours peg.  Perry Stone started to catch at peg 110 on Syndicate and Dave Roberts on peg 43 on Gold also started to catch, and it was thought to be heading for a very close finish.  A couple of carp in the dying minutes of the match finally swung it in Dave Roberts favour and he ended as the match winner with 15 carp all caught on pellet waggler with 103-13-0. 

Perry ‘the bridesmaid’ Stone finished an agonising 2 fish behind with 13 carp for 93-8-0, caught on bomb and pellet, and so he had to settle for 2nd place.  Steve Botting’s fish moved next door to peg 25 where Krzysztof Frackowiak was waiting patiently, after taking advice from Will Raison who told him he would catch late, and he ended up with 11 carp and some bream, caught on bomb and pellet to snatch 3rd place with 85-8-0 from Steve whom finished in 4th place with 70-0-0.

Many thanks to John Raison and his team at Gold Valley for their help and assistance.

The next Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier now moves on to Moorlands Farm on Saturday 25th April.

Top 6 results
1st  Dave Roberts  (Tricast/Bait-tech) 103-13-0
2nd  Perry Stone (Spro) 93-8-0
3rd  Krzysztof Frackowiak(Wembley) 85-8-0
4th Steve Botting (Reading) 70-0-0
5th  Ian McCulloch (Little Milton) 69-8-0
6th Craig Owen  (Mexborough) 67-6-0

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

It soon became apparent that the cold easterly wind and heavy cloud cover was having an effect, with most anglers struggling for early bites in the bitter conditions. There were a few fish to be had on method feeder dropped close tight to the island on Dannies, and early reports of fish on pellet waggler on Little Adams.

As the match progressed, there was a battle building between Matt Hall on Adams 17 and Nathan Watson on 16; both using the advantage of calmer conditions and a back wind to fire a pellet waggler to the aerator in the middle of the small lake. There were lots of fish present but they were reluctant to feed. Matt got off to a good start and soon had a four fish lead over Nathan. Gary Thompson on peg 35 also had these fish in range and started with a few fish to the same method.

Those on Dannies were finding the going tough, with the wind running the full length of the lake putting the fish off the feed. Even those caught early tight to the island seemed to switch off and anglers were forced to switch between pole, pellet waggler and method feeder to keep fish coming.

Best weights on Dannies came from 4th placed Craig Goldstraw with 56-12 from peg 44 and 52-3 from Martin Holmes on 14.

Big Adams was also tough with only pockets of larger carp feeding intermittently.

Meanwhile the battle for the top places was between the 3 anglers on Little Adams lake, with Matt Hall having a good late burst to take the win weighing 79-8 consisting of 13 carp to 9lb on 8mm pellets fished between 18 inches and 4 feet deep.

Gary Thompson caught steadily to finish 2nd with 60-6 for second spot, and Nathan Watson was left rueing his slow start to finish 3rd with 58-7 .

Matt Hall , now of Shakespeare Super Team was delighted the have qualified for the grand final but others will hope for another chance in better conditions.

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

The Canal Pairs Championship is being organised by the Canal & River Trust, the charity that cares for 2000 miles of the nation’s historic waterways, and the Angling Trust.

Hosted by the Loughborough Soar Angling Club on Sunday 12th April, the match is the first of 11 regional heats with the top five pairs from each match going through to the final in October.

The competition will see pairs of anglers score points based on the weight of fish they catch. As well as being invited to compete in the national final the pair with the most points will receive up to £200 cash prize. In the national final, pairs will be competing for a top prize of up to £4000.

John Ellis, national fisheries & angling manager for the Canal & River Trust said; “Angling on the nation’s historic canals and rivers is great, they’re packed with fish and offer wonderful, accessible fishing for people of all ages.

“This is a showpiece event for canal angling and we want to see lots more people following in the competitor’s footsteps and discovering the fantastic fishing that can be enjoyed on their nearest canal or river. There are still places available and I’d encourage anyone interested to sign up fast.”

David Kent, from the Angling Trust said; “Providing a top, national competition for pairs of anglers is something the Angling Trust has been looking to do for many years. To achieve this using many of our fabulous canal fisheries is a significant milestone in our efforts to offer a really comprehensive calendar for our match angling members. Very importantly it also enhances the increasing collaboration between the two organisations.”

Tickets for the match are priced at £20 per angler (£40 per peg). Entry forms are available via the Angling Trust website at www.anglingtrust.net/competitions, or alternatively by emailing sandra.drew@anglingtrust.net.

The Championship final will take place on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal on 24th October. 

Source: Canal & River Trust

Witnessed by Bury Hill bailiff Clive Elson, John Keatley was the lucky angler to catch Nemo on Monday 23rd. The bite came at around 9am and the fish was landed at a record weight of 39lb 8oz to give John a new PB. Fishing to the far margin from peg 9, John used a basic knotless knot hair rig in conjunction with a small inline lead and cell boilies as bait.

The second thirty this week was caught by junior bailiff Eddie Kelly who had a good session up on Temple landing two fish and losing another one. The first fish of his 24-hour session was a lovely 16lb 12oz common, which was followed by a double hook, following which Eddie managed to land one of the fish the result being Friar Tuck which weighed a respectable 33lb 8oz. Tactics used were small pva bags fished with inline leads and blowback rigs. Cell the successful bait.

Lastly, a polite reminder for from Bury Hill Fisheries to members wanting to re- join Temple this year to do so as quickly as possible. They also have a few places available for new members who might wish to join their specimen Carp Club.

Source: Bury Hill Fisheries

The total value of the funded projects, including match funding and in-kind contributions, is nearly £200,000, all of which will contribute to the delivery of the National Angling Strategy.  15 of the projects are coarse angling oriented, including one benefiting canal anglers, with 2 club projects improving access to wild trout streams in North Yorkshire and in Devon.  The funded projects are expected to generate in excess of 17,000 additional fishing visits/ trips per year and 7 projects plan to install accessible pegs for disabled users and families.

Launched in January, the fund received a huge response, with more than 200 applications.  Due to the success of the scheme, plans are now being put in place for another round in the summer of 2015.

Individual highlights include:

• creating an entirely new angling venue in a residential area;
• money to purchase storage facilities for a canal-based club;
• fish refuges and other measures to control cormorant predation;
• otter-proof fencing and gates at a club stillwater;
• restoring a traditional tench fishery;
• opening a disused stretch of the Severn to angling;
• Improving access to brown trout river fishing for elderly, beginners and military veterans.

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust & Fish Legal said:

“The Environment Agency and the Angling Trust hope to be able to repeat the Fund in spring 2015 if there is sufficient rod licence income available to pay for it.  Thank you to all the organisations that applied - it clearly demonstrates the demand across the country for better facilities and the desire of clubs and fisheries to make these happen, through their commitment of match funding.”

Rick Warner, the Angling Trust’s National Angling Strategy Manager said:

“We plan to streamline the process to make it easier to submit an application and will be delivering workshops around the country to help clubs, fisheries and angling projects with their funding bids.  We will contact previous applicants who met all the criteria and invite them to apply again at that time.”

Sarah Chare, Environment Agency Head of Fisheries, said:

"We were delighted with the number of applications the Angling Trust received. There are some really good projects planned, from new fish refuges and revitalising disused stretches of river to improving access and creating new angling venues. This is just one way in which the Environment Agency uses rod licence money for fisheries and it is great to see it go further by working in partnership.”

Buy A Rod Licence Today

You can buy your rod licence online from the Post Office at www.postoffice.co.uk/rod-fishing-licence, at your local Post Office or by phoning 0344 800 5386.

Buying a rod licence online from the Post Office website is easy, and saves both time and administration costs, meaning that more of the income can be spent on improving fish stocks and fishing.

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

The event was the first opportunity for the many Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) present to meet representatives of the European Anglers Alliance (EAA) and the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) to hear about the importance of angling to the economy, environment and rural development. 

The Angling Trust played a lead role at the launch which took place in Brussels on the 25th of March and which follows the publication of the Angling Trust’s Manifesto for Angling, which was sent to all major UK political parties last week.

The event was chaired by the President of the Forum, MEP Norica Nicolai (Romania, ALDE).

Angling Trust Vice-President Mike Heylin, who is a Board Member of EAA said in his speech at the event:

“25 million people regularly fish across the EU, the biggest EU constituency. They must be better taken into consideration by their EU representatives”. 

Mark Owen, Head of Freshwater at the Angling Trust, gave a presentation on the role of anglers as “guardians and protectors of the aquatic environment”, using the Voluntary Bailiff Service as an example of partnership working with the Environment Agency in England.  He also pointed out the social role of fishing organisations through projects such as Get Hooked on Fishing to benefit young people and those with physical and mental disabilities.

Jean-Claude Bel, CEO of EFTTA explained the purpose of the establishment of this informal Forum in the EP and stressed the economic and social importance of angling in the EU.  He highlighted some important economic figures about the sector (1 kg of fish caught by a recreational fisherman brings 200-300 EUR to the economy and the economic ripple effect sees more than 39 billion EUR annually and 800,000 jobs).  Mr. Bel then explained how the development of these low-environmental impact activities can be an important tool for rural development: “Angling tourism brought 280 million EUR into the Irish economy in 2012, more than golf”.

In her presentation, Anna Gueorguieva, senior Advisor at the World Bank presented the World Bank development strategy currently being implemented in the Danube delta region, in which recreational fisheries proved to be a sustainable driving force to tackle the fisheries management and rural desertification problems.

MEP Norica Nicolai concluded the event by insisting on the economic potential of recreational fisheries: “Our passion can also be a key for job creation and economic development”, she declared.

The next event of the Forum, “The European sea bass recreational fisheries and its long term management”, is scheduled on the 14th April. It will be chaired by MEP Alain Cadec and the Angling Trust’s Marine Campaigns Manager David Mitchell will be attending the event.

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

Subject to all tickets being sold, there will be 10 main prizes in the final ranging from £500 for 10th place, up to £12,000 to the winner. Section prizes of £250 will also be paid out every six pegs on both of the final days. A teams of three prize has been introduced for 2015. The teams will be made up of the three anglers who get through from each of the 24 qualifying matches with £450 paid to the winning team.  

There are some major changes in the way tickets will be allocated for this year’s competition. Due to the incredibly high demand in 2014, the Trust has introduced a three-week window for applications which will open 23rd March and close on 12th April. This means no tickets will be allocated until after the closing date and entrants do not make payment when they submit their entry.

A random computerised draw will determine ticket allocation for each of the qualifiers and the Competitions team will publish the list on the website then contact entrants for payment. There is a caveat to this process, to prevent abuse by anglers applying for all tickets with the intention of only fishing a few. The Angling Trust has stipulated that anglers must pay for each successful entry. Failure to do so will result in their full allocation of tickets being withdrawn. Any tickets remaining after the random draw will be sold on a first come first served basis.

TICKET APPLICATION AND ALLOCATION PROCESS
23/03/15 – 12/04/15  Open for entries
13/04/15 – 14/04/15  Random draw and publish list on website
15/04/15 – 25/04/15  AT contact entrants for payment for tickets
27/04/15 – 01/05/15  Tickets issued via post

Angling Trust Ambassador Dave Harrell, the creator of the competition, said, "We are delighted to have been able to increase the size of the competition, giving an additional 240 anglers the chance to qualify for the final. We've got some great new venues as well as established favourites and we'll have an additional 12 anglers in the final this time. It's going to be a great competition!"

Ben Thompson of the Angling Trust said “The demand for tickets for this competition is huge and we have acted to make the process as fair as possible to those who want to enter. We are in the process of developing an online entry system meaning it will be even easier to apply for RiverFest and our other competitions in future.  We expect the online system to be live by the summer of 2015.”

The final will take place on the River Wye at Hereford over the weekend of 14th/15th November and an additional section below the old river bridge will be included for the first time. Spectators will be welcome to watch the final, free of charge and there will be a bookmaker present on both days for competitors and public to have a flutter.

QUALIFIER VENUES AND DATES
1. Sat 20th June – River Calder, Mirfield
2. Sat 27th June – River Swale, Morton
3. Sun 5th July – Bristol Avon, Newbridge to Saltford
4. Sun 12th July – River Trent, Newark Dyke
5. Sun 19th July – River Tyne, Corbridge to Wylam*
6. Sat 25th July – River Trent, Holme Marsh*
7. Sat 1st August – River Weaver, Northwich
8. Sat 15th August – River Soar, Sutton Bonnington
9. Sun 16th August – River Yare, Langley
10. Sat 22nd August – River Tees, Bowsfield to Yarm
11. Sun 23rd August – River Nene, Orton*
12. Sat 29th August – River Don, Sprotborough
13. Sat 5th September – River Severn, Bewdley*
14. Sun 6th September – Great Ouse, Littleport
15. Sun 13th September – River Wye, Breinton to Eign
16. Sat 19th September – River Severn, Bridgnorth
17. Sun 27th September – River Trent, Burton
18. Sat 3rd October – River Thames, Medley
19. Sat 10th October – River Severn, Upton
20. Sun 11th October – River Medway, Barming*
21. Sat 17th October – Warwickshire Avon, Eckington
22. Sun 18th October – River Severn, Shrewsbury*
23. Sat 24th October – Yorkshire Ouse, Hunters Lodge to Linton-on-Ouse
24. Sun 1st November – River Nene, March
 
*NEW VENUES

Final
14th/15th November – River Wye, Hereford
1st Reserve Weekend  21st/22nd November – River Wye, Hereford

The competition is open to Angling Trust members only. Entry fee is £25 per qualifier. Closing date for entries is 12th April 2015, entries received after this date will not be processed in the random draw. To download an entry form and to find out more information visit www.anglingtrust.net/riverfest

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News