Event: Fishing for Heroes Countryside Event
Date: 18th June 2012
Venue: Meon Springs, Whitewool Farm, East Meon, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 1HW

It will be attended by a number of both well known celebrities and corporate sponsors, as well as by 2 teams of veterans. Celebrities will include Sir Ian Botham, Robson Green, Mike Atherton, David Lloyd, Adam Henson, Chris De Margary and others.

Corporate sponsors include Waitrose, Hunter, Jeep, Eley Cartridges and Hardy Greys.

There will be 15 teams. Each team will consist of 4 members, being made up from 3 plus 1 celebrity.

The ‘Cast and Blast’ competition will include both fly fishing and a sporting clay shoot. There will be excellent prizes for the winning teams, an auction held by Philip Serrell with some fantastic lots and a raffle.

The Angling Trust have been offered some fabulous private fishing, hospitality and accommodation specifically for the veterans by sponsors such as Waitrose who have very kindly donated a day at Leckford on the Test.

In July the Angling Trust are providing the instructors for 16 people in Scotland from a regiment recently returned from Afghanistan and we have one veteran who did his initial Fishing for Heroes program in January 2012 who is now approaching his Level 2 coaching qualification via the Angling Trust which is funded by Sport England.

The purpose of the day is to raise funds and awareness for Fishing for Heroes whist making it an enjoyable and very memorable day for everyone there. The organisers will be hoping to raise in excess of £20,000.

Fishing For Heroes Website

Eleven of the thirteen sections were won with over 60 lbs and a quick calculation showed that the average weight per angler was over 26 lbs, even including 46 anglers who did not bother to weigh.

Top rod was Surrey angler, Ben Emery (Marukyu/Garbolino), a previous Fish ‘O’ Mania grand finalist in 2010. The 31 year old cabinet maker drew Peg 16 on the Holbar 2 pool and caught carp to 12 lbs to put 123 lbs 5 ozs on the scales. Early on he caught fishing shallow with 6 mm pellet, but as the day went on he switched to his left hand margin to take some real “lumps”. Ben’s wife sat behind keeping score and at the weigh in she was less than 10 lbs adrift.

Runner up on Holbar 1 pool peg 9 was accountant, Peter Plant, from Stone in Staffordshire. Peter fished caster shallow all day to take 81 lbs 11 ozs of carp to 8 lbs to the scales. Third spot went to Grant Albutt fishing Covey 48. Grant weighed 78 lbs 10 ozs of F1’s and mirrors to 5 lbs taken shallow on caster and also on a short meat line. Simon Skelton took fourth place with 78 lbs 3 ozs. He was three pegs away from Grant on Covey 51 and caught a mixture of ide, F1’s and carp to 5 lbs on pellet. In fifth place was Rob Pelling on Willow 19. Rob caught carp, ide and roach for a total of 76 lbs 6 ozs on soft hook pellet.

The 14th Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier action moves to Preston Innovations Boldings Fishery, Bridgnorth, Shropshire on Saturday 9th June 2012. With only three more qualifiers to go for this year it will be interesting to see who joins the grand final line up for one of the most prestigious matches in angling for a chance to win the coveted title of Fish ‘O’ Mania Champion 2012, and the major prize pot of £30,000 on Saturday 14th July.

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

The fishery can be found on Coole Lane, off the A530 near Nantwich and will open its doors for a fun packed day of fishing demonstrations, refreshment and family fun.

The 20-acre site, surrounded by the beautiful Cheshire landscape boasts a number of lakes with the three-acre specimen Carp Lake well stocked with carp up to 27lb in weight, and three smaller one-acre fishing lakes. The fish have been carefully selected and have had time to grow on for the past two years.

The new fishery represents a professional, yet friendly face of modern angling, with modern luxuries such as the soon to be completed custom designed Anglers lodge, which will provide refreshments and an eating area, a comfortable lounge area with TV, a bait and tackle store, showers and even a dryer for fishing kit for those more typical English summer days! Brian and Bianca look forward to welcoming you to their fishery.

For more information on the fishery and its grand opening, please visit http://www.cooleacresfishery.co.uk or telephone 01270 446553.

Product Description:

Review:

The weather decided not to play fair on the day we chose to try out Duck Sentinel with wind and rain making fishing uncomfortable at best. Despite the weather, the Duck Sentinel certainly seemed to live up to the manufacturer's claims. The wind didn't seem to trouble us and we were able to be pretty accurate with casting. Also, our surface baits were never troubled by the occasional passing duck and we were able to leave our bait in the water whenever one appeared.

Unfortunately we didn't catch any fish using the Duck Sentinel. In fact we caught very little using any method that day. That's fishing I guess. The following reviewers (taken from the Linjazro website) had more luck:

I saw Duck Sentinel on eBay and thought it would be a great accessory – why had no body ever thought of this before!! November is not the ideal time to catch on the top but gave it a go.  The carp seem to be attracted to the Sentinel which was a good start and I managed to catch three in an afternoon session on a rod, close in the margins.  The ducks came after my free offerings as usual but were unable to get at my bait.  Like all great inventions – simple but effective.
Fred from Uxbridge (London)

I was told about Duck Sentinel by a fishing buddy as I had not seen it advertised.  I obtained one on eBay and tried it on my local lake.  I fished initially in open water and managed to cast it with a controller float filled with water to where I saw fish feeding on the surface about 75 yards.  There were some ducks around, but they did not get my bait.  I managed to land a 6lb mirror, which was great for late November.  Good bit of kit – Mr Inventor.
Keith from Bedfordshire

The sentinel is a fantastic piece of kit that I must say I was a bit sceptical about it but believe me - it works! I used mine for margin fishing on my pole and had 20 carp over a 4 day period in the evenings mostly. I caught carp from 8 lbs to 14 lbs and had no trouble with the ducks, coots and swans getting to my bait-they picked off my freebies but were 100% unable to take my bait-I was using bread and oily floaters. I also found that the carp were interested in the flotation foam and this appeared to encourage them to keep coming back for more!
The other anglers were not happy with me - a mere female catching far better than they were!!
Tina from Nottingham

Score:

Prices and where to buy:

Duck Sentinel is available to buy online at linjazro.co.uk/prices

• Duck Sentinel ready assembled with 8 x 16mm flotation Kiwi colour boilies, a bag of 8 x 16mm Pineapple coloured flotation pellets, a metre length of PVA string and 10 dumbbell stops:
  Price: £7.95
• Duck Sentinel THE COMPLETE SYSTEM comes with all seven sets of coloured boilies and seven sets of coloured pellets, including dumbbell stops and PVA string
  Price: £19.95

Though weights had held up over recent matches, it was felt by the locals that if the carp could be persuaded to get their heads down and feed that some good weights could come from anywhere on the complex. As it turned out the top five anglers had nearly 800 lb of fish between them. With four of the top weights coming from the Swan Lake it was down to Warren Martin (Barford Tackle/Sensas), a 36 year old Quantity Surveyor from Lyng in Norfolk on peg 9 on Merry’s Lake, (the smallest lake used in the qualifier) who took the winning qualifier lead. Warren fished 8mm banded pellet shallow on a pellet waggler and caught over 120 small carp and ide to finish the day with 178 lb 10 oz.

A Fish ‘O’ Mania atmosphere surrounded second placed angler, Robert Morris from Lincoln, on corner peg 1 on Swan, and a number of spectators watched as he put together his weight of 168 lb 10 oz carp all on the pellet waggler and fished shallow up to the corner vegetation.

Third place angler was Fish ‘O’ Mania regular Steve Rothery pegged 3 on Swan, who fished 8mm banded pellet on bomb and pellet waggler to finish with 150 lb 9 oz, with his biggest carp coming in at 14lbs. Fourth place went to Huddersfield’s based Colin Wood, pegged 57 on Swan fishing long pole shallow down the margin on 11 mm pellet and pellet waggler into the corner bay, and took nearly all his weight of 122 lb 8 oz in the last two and a half hours of the match.

The match was tinged with sadness as the original organiser for the Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier at Messingham, and a regular Messingham angler, and match organiser Brian Turner passed away after a short illness just a few weeks before the event. The Angling Trusts’ Competitions Committee, staff and Board of Directors would like to express their condolences to Brian’s family and friends at this sad time, and Brian will be remembered by everyone that knew him.

The next Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier moves to Partridge Lakes, Culcheth, Nr Warrington on Saturday 2nd June 2012.

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

Shimano Dynamite star Rob Wootton came top of the bunch with 135 lbs 14 ozs. Rob an Angling Consultant from Leicestershire fished long pole with worms across to the island at peg 10 on Canal pool to take a mixed net of F1’s, carp and barbel to 2 lbs.

Runner up Luke Bamford fom Sawley, Nottinghamshire drew peg 19 on Club pool where he fished corn down the side to land a succession of carp to 7 lbs for his 129 lbs 11 ozs. Third place fell to Andrew Morley from Sheffield who fished pellet shallow and corn down the edge for his net of carp and barbel weighing in at 114 lbs 5 ozs with his biggest fish at 8lbs. In fourth place was Kieron Rich a Fishing Coach from Manchester who weighed 113 lbs 11 ozs from peg 8 on Jennys pool, and Adam Richards from Billingham finished in fifth place with 105 lbs 1 oz from peg 4 on Canal pool.

With only five Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifiers remaining for 2012 the venue to watch on Wednesday 30th May will be Messingham Sands, Messingham, Nr Scunthorpe to see who will be the 12th qualifier winner to book their place in the Fish 'O' Mania grand final on 14th July 2012.

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

The induction day training was led by Mike Heylin Chairman of the Angling Trust and Adrian Saunders who is The Environment Agencies Fisheries Enforcement Campaigns Manager. The event was a great success with anglers from right across the South East volunteering to take part.

Mike Heylin was enthused by what the scheme hopes to achieve "We know that anglers are on waters more than anyone else and can see what is happening. If they join this scheme and work with the Angling Trust and the Environment Agency we can all look forward to more and better enforcement and protection of our fish and fisheries. The pioneers who joined us this week will help us develop a fully functioning system of volunteer bailiffs across the South East and we hope to roll the scheme out nationwide as soon as we have proved how effective it is."

Adrian Saunders was also full of praise for the volunteers and the full time EA staff who will help to train them "The Environment Agency can achieve so much more when it works with enthusiastic partners such as this. With so many miles of rivers and thousands of stillwater fisheries, ensuring they are regularly patrolled can be difficult. Every extra recruit will be playing a part in protecting our waters from illegal activity"

The Angling Trust are now busy recruiting the second intake of volunteers, so anyone based in the South East of England who would like to get involved, or anyone who would like further details of the scheme should contact Angling Trust by email via bailiffs@anglingtrust.net

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

Weather improves catches at Witton Castle Lakes

What a beautiful week its been for anglers at Witton Castle Lakes, welcoming 92 anglers who enjoyed exciting sport on the fly. With the warmer weather, the rod average has increased to 4.68. Again, regular visitors to the lakes have enjoyed catching their bag limits. David Todd and Barry Nicholson on East Lake had full bags including specimen fish of 11lb 8oz and 8lb respectively using dry flies.

Jack Pollard, 14, landed a 7lb 12oz rainbow on an orange blob on the junior day, Saturday. All juniors caught fish and enjoyed a coaching session from AAPGAI Master Paul Little. The club would like to thank Brian Russell who has donated two junior rods for the bait lake.

With warmer weather the fish are feeding on or just below the surface. Must-have flies in your box this week surely have to be: Black and olive buzzers, CDC Shuttlecocks and Black Hawthorns.

Northern heat of Greys TEFF National Bank championships will be held at Witton Castle Lakes Sunday 1st July. To book your place please contact the fishery officers.

The tagged fish still remains elusive and the prize total stands at £185, for the lucky angler who slips his net underneath it.

The lakes new website can be visited at www.wittoncastlelakes.com. It has links to Facebook, Twitter and new for 2012 Witton's rainbow action on Youtube.

Fishery officers John and Stewart can be contacted on the following Tel: 01388 48869

Chris Kendall (Yorkshire Anglers), a Recruitment Consultant from Ilkley, West Yorkshire secured the 10th Fish ‘O’ Mania qualifier place into the grand final for 2012. Chris who is better known as ‘Hatman’ to his fellow anglers drew peg 20 on Railway lake where he fished method feeder with 6 mm pellets on a hair rig to net a winning weight of 153 lbs 7 ozs.

Chris Kendall said “I have never fished at Barford before and did not have much information to go on, only that Railway lake was not considered one of the ‘big fish’ lakes at the complex, but Tommy Pickering did mention to me that he thought it could produce a winning weight. A local angler told me that peg 20 was in an unfancied bit of the lake, and that was why fewer pegs were being used in the area, so I didn’t feel very optimistic. At first I caught several small F1 carp, but the average size went up, and overall the catch was mostly F1’s and small mirror and common carp, but far more larger carp from 3lb to 8lb than I thought I’d catch. Afterwards I found out that the bigger fish sometimes show in the area, but at the start of the match I didn’t even know there were many in the lake."

“I used a method feeder with both micro pellets and groundbait on the feeder, and initially the hookbait was dead maggots, but a switch to a hair rigged pellet brought me more bites. Although, I’d set up to also fish pellet shallow and the margins I fished the method feeder for all but a few minutes. The peg was hard to fish owing to trees and brambles in the area, and casting was also difficult. I only lost a single hook length casting, but lost several method feeders when hooked fish found the submerged roots and branches. By the end of the match I was using my last suitable hook length and feeder. I think if a world class feeder angler had drawn the peg, and managed to cast to the small ‘sweet spot’ in the peg more often an even bigger weight would have been on the cards. I thought I was very lucky to qualify once into the Fish ‘O’ Mania grand final in 2011, but feel so incredibly lucky now. I was very nervous about last year’s final, but this now being my second time I’ll be a bit calmer, but only a bit."

Runner up was Suffolk angler Alan Tuck (VDE Angling Direct), a painter and decorator. Alan drew Peg 17 on the Match lake where he fished corn and pellet on the pole to net 97 lbs 7 ozs of carp the largest 9 lbs. Third place fell to Matthew Greening (Woodys Angling Centre) from Hereford on peg 13 on Top lake where he took carp to 16 lbs on pellet fished shallow on the pole for his 95 lb weight. In fourth place local angler Lee Carver (VA Plastics) weighed in 92 lbs of carp from peg 16 on Pleasure lake. Fifth place went to Andy May with 89 lbs 4 ozs from peg 2 on Match lake.

On Saturday 26th May 2012 the Fish ‘O’ Mania action continues at Tunnel Barn Farm Fishery in Shrewley, in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside.

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

DELCAC angler Geoff Vallance, a builder from Crawley, became the 8th angler to qualify for the Fish O Mania final at Cudmore. Geoff drew peg 143 on Lake 4 where he fished shallow using 16metres of pole with 6ml pellets to land a haul of 172lbs 8ozs for a comfortable win over the other 129 competitors.

Dull damp conditions greeted anglers taking part in the 8th Qualifier of the 16 match series, which is managed by the Angling Trust. Weights were pretty good, given the conditions, with 7 over the magic ton and only one of the 13 x 10peg sections was won with less than 50lbs.

Runner up Danny Grimsey, a British Gas Heating Engineer from Hadleigh in Suffolk, fished peg 112 on Lake 3. Danny, who fishes for Maver Image, alternated between long and short pole using luncheon meat as bait to take a net of carp and barbel for a very good weight of 152lbs 10ozs.

3rd placed Wayne Shepherd from March in Cambridgeshire fished B32 on Bridges Lake where he fed pellets in a cage feeder with sweetcorn on the hook for a net of carp and skimmers for 124lbs 6ozs. Wayne’s biggest fish was a carp weighing 12lbs 2ozs.

4th Tony Wynnick of Maver Image with 121 lbs 4ozs from peg 141 on Lake 4

5th Dan Hull Ratby AC 116lbs 14ozs from peg 135 on lake 3

6th Perry Stone 105lbs 12ozs Peg110 Lake 3

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News