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The Angling Trust has learned that the Environment Agency has granted licences to the Small Hydro Company, working with British Waterways, for two hydropower plants on the river Trent at Sawley and Gunthorpe which allow up to 100 fish – including eels – to be killed at each of two plants in any 24 hour period.

Angling Trust fishing newsWhile this doesn’t suggest that the Environment Agency (EA) is directly licensing the killing of fish, it appears to allow the developers to keep generating even where fish are being killed – except where they exceed the 100 mark in 24 hours. The licence also allows up to 10 game fish to be killed in a 24 hour period before the turbines are stopped. Eels are particularly vulnerable to turbines because of their length and their ability to get through screens designed to protect fish (see picture).

European eel stocks are at an all time low. In response, the Environment Agency has recently banned anglers and commercial eel fishermen from taking eels, and on the Trent there is a ban on any eels being taken above the tidal limit at any time. In this context, the Angling Trust finds this decision to allow so many fish to be sliced up in hydropower turbines in a year perverse. In 2005, only 140 Kg of silver eel were caught in the lower Trent for the whole year; these turbines could legally destroy a far greater number.

The hydro schemes also sit uneasily with the UK government’s obligations under various EU laws which require the EA to protect and enhance fisheries, including the Water Framework Directive.

Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust said “We have a situation here where one EA Department has introduced measures to protect the eel, which we support, and another department has given permission for a development which could see eels and other fish slaughtered in massive numbers. Could government be any less joined-up? Hydropower developments should not be licensed to kill; they must be designed so that they don’t damage fish and their habitats.”

Alan Butterworth, technical director at the Angling Trust added: “Current research, and a Europe-wide working group on eels, recommends a screen gap of no more than 15mm to safeguard migrating silver eels, and the Agency's own hydropower Good Practice Guide stipulates 12.5mm for the type of turbine to be used at Gunthorpe and Sawley. The screens proposed have a 20mm wide gap, which would allow eels to enter the turbine channel where they are at risk of being mutilated or killed.”

Fish Legal – the legal arm of the Angling Trust – is now considering a case against the EA on behalf of a member club whose fishing will be damaged by the scheme. The Angling Trust has recently made a series of detailed proposals to change the EA’s guidelines to developers of hydropower schemes.





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Published in Latest UK fishing news

Fishprints.org :: quality handprinted limited edition fish prints, hand signed by the artist, beautifully reproduced from hand painted originals. These prints would grace the wall of any angler or non-angler alike.

About Fishprints.org:

Hand Printed Limited Edition Fish PrintsFishprints.org is aimed at fish lovers who want to take the image of their fish further than the river side. They sell and promote various limited edition fish prints, all originally handprinted. Their current range inlcudes some stunning prints of carp, pike, game and predators as well as some gold embossed fishing photo albums, all available to purchase online at their website www.fishprints.org

Hand Printed Limited Edition Fish Prints

Approximately 6.5 inches x 6.5 inches, they would best fit into a mount (not supplied) of approximately 12.25 inches by 12.25 inches.

Each print is limited to 350 copies worldwide and signed by the artist and so are not going to be found anywhere else except at Fishprints.org. Each print has been beautifully reproduced from a hand painted original in light-fast inks on ACID-FREE Huntsman velvet board by one of the UK's leading fine art printers.  

The print will be supplied in a cellophane envelope and shipped in an hard-back card envelope to ensure its protection.

Review:

UK Fisherman were thrilled to receive some samples of these limited edition hand prints to review. As promised, the prints arrived well protected in sturdy carboard envelopes and were in mint condition when opened.

Allthough we had seen pictures of these prints advertised on Fishprints.org's website, you really have to see them in the flesh to appreciate how beautifully painted they are. The detail is really quite excellent. The fish really seem to come to life as they swim magestically in their underwater environments.

These prints won't just appeal to anglers. Even though for me as an angler, they did bring back all sorts of memories of fish caught in the past, these stunning prints would be a magnificent addition to any fish lovers wall. We will certainly be proudly hanging them on ours!

Score:

Prices and where to Buy:

Exclusively available to purchase securely online from Fishprints.org. The print will be shipped by Royal Mail Special Delivery (Next Working Day) after receiving cleared payment.

Price: All prints are priced at £9.99

For more information or to purchase these stunning fish prints, call 07891 244046 or visit their website at:


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In a ground-breaking Decision, over three years in the making, the Information Commissioner has overwhelmingly endorsed Fish Legal’s case that hitherto secret and redacted Environmental Risk Assessments of pyrethroid sheep dip must be disclosed in full.

Fish Legal Fishing NewsAlthough currently suspended from the market, pyrethroid sheep dips have been responsible for huge damage to invertebrate and fisheries in upland streams and rivers across the UK.

In his Decision (FER0137609), the Commissioner has ruled that the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA):

- did not deal with Fish Legal’s request for information according to the law;
- did not deal with Fish Legal’s request within legal time limits;
- unlawfully withheld information relating to emissions to the environment;
- unlawfully refused to disclose information in order to protect the commercial confidentiality of sheep dip manufacturers;
- was not entitled to refuse to disclose information to protect manufacturers’ intellectual property rights;
- was not entitled to refuse to disclose information on grounds that it was the subject of internal communications

Guy Linley-Adams, Head of Legal at Fish Legal said:
“We believe this decision now drives a coach and horses straight through the cosy licensing procedure for all veterinary medicines and pesticides in the UK.

If residues of these or any other pesticides can find their way into the wider environment, they are to be considered as ‘emissions’ under European law. This has the effect of lifting the cloak of commercial confidentiality that has for so long shrouded the licensing of pesticides in the UK.

Public authorities cannot by law keep secret environmental information relating to emissions to protect manufacturers’ commercial confidentiality.

Over the three years this has taken, we have always believed that this would be the Commissioner’s decision.”

Fish Legal, acting on behalf of anglers across the UK, believes that the risk to the aquatic environment of the use of synthetic pyrethroid dips in real farm situations is just too great and now calls on the Government to make the current temporary suspension permanent.

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of Fish Legal and the Angling Trust said:
“Fish Legal, and the Anglers’ Conservation Association before it, has battled for years on behalf of our members to win access to this information, which is vitally important to the investigation and assessment of environmental damage from these pesticides.”

A full copy of the Decision is available from guy.linleyadams@fishlegal.net


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Published in Latest UK fishing news

The Angling Trust and Fish Legal have reacted with dismay to news that the Government has decided that “implementation of the Free Passage of Fish Order should be postponed until at least May 2011”

Angling Trust Fishing NewsThis Order would have enabled the UK to meet the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC, establishing a framework for the Community action in the field of water policy) and Council Regulation (EC) No 1100/2007, of 18 September 2007, establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel.

The decision has apparently been taken in light of the current economic climate; the Better Regulation Executive felt that the Order would have a significant impact on businesses. Angling’s representative body believes that the Executive has failed to take into account the long term economic benefits that such an order would have by protecting and improving fish stocks which are essential for the multi-billion pound angling industry.
It’s not just salmon, sea trout and eels which migrate up and down rivers; most coarse fish travel many miles from spawning to feeding habitats. By kicking this order into the long grass, the Government has prevented action being taken to protect all fish stocks, and has shown that it is not committed to delivering the ambitious and visionary aims of the Water Framework Directive.

Salmon and sea trout are the only fish that are currently protected by legislation. Yet even these are prevented from re-colonising rivers and river reaches in which they were formerly present because of the inadequacy of the current legislation.
Important threatened conservation species, such as lampreys and shad, which move from the sea to our rivers have no protection, and neither have the many indigenous fish, including many important to angling such as trout, grayling, barbel, dace and chub. These all may need to access different stretches of river for spawning, feeding or over-wintering but are prevented from doing so by impassable obstructions. Many millions of young fish are lost from our rivers every year by being drawn into inadequately screened abstractions.

The delay will also allow hydropower schemes which damage fisheries greater chance of being implemented. Thousands of these schemes, most of which have a questionable cost benefit ratio, are proposed across the UK.

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal, said:
“these regulations were proposed by the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review which was submitted to the then Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in June 2000, nearly a decade ago. The delay in implementation is a shocking example of the Government’s failure to commit to real action to protect fish stocks. We need urgent action now, not a further delay.”

The Environment Agency’s Statement of Intent, published in January 2009, stated: “We must improve the natural passage of fish in order to meet the needs of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), implement the European Eel Regulations and protect our fisheries. The measures proposed in the Passage of Fish Regulations are crucial to our ability to improve fish passage.”

This begs the question: “given that these regulations were ‘crucial’ and that we ‘must’ improve the passage of fish to meet the WFD, how does the Government plan to do this without them?”

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Published in Latest UK fishing news

Fish Legal has successfully settled a civil action against a poacher on behalf of its member club the King's Lynn Angling Association.

Fish Legal fishing newsFish Legal issued proceedings against Mr Chirokov, who was one of three men arrested by police on 25th May 2008 at a makeshift camp set up on the banks of the Wissey from where they took fish illegally from the river over a number of days.

When apprehended by the police, the group had in their possession an assortment of fishing paraphernalia including a commercial-type gill net, a crayfish trap, several baited rods, two dinghies and a large number of live fish threaded through the gills onto a washing line and submerged in the water in an attempt to keep them fresh.

During a hearing at King's Lynn County Court on 7th October 2009, the defendant gave an undertaking – or sealed promise – to the judge that he would not trespass or fish on the club’s waters at any time in the future. If found in breach of this undertaking, the defendant could face a charge of contempt of court which carries with it the possibility of a prison sentence.

Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of Fish Legal said:
“Poaching is not simply an irritation for anglers but, as in this case, it can have a detrimental impact on fish populations. There are also welfare issues to consider, as the fish had been threaded onto a line to keep them alive for hours”.

He added:
“Although two other poachers were successfully prosecuted by the police, there was insufficient evidence to prosecute this defendant, which is why Fish Legal pressed forward with a civil action to ensure that he didn't go back to the waters”.

Ashley Brown of the King's Lynn Angling Association said:
“There clearly is a problem with poachers taking fish so we hope this sends out a clear message that King’s Lynn AA will take legal action against anyone caught taking fish from their waters. It is unfortunate that we have to resort to this but we have spent over £2000 with help from the EA on signage warning no fish can be taken and these are being ignored. I would like to thank Fish Legal for taking on our case."


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Published in Latest UK fishing news

Any angler aged 12 years or over, fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels in England (except the River Tweed), Wales or the Border Esk and its tributaries in Scotland must have an Environment Agency rod licence.

Environment Agency Rod LicenceRod licences are available from Post Office outlets throughout England and Wales, online, by direct debit and over the telephone on 0844 800 5386. The phone line is open from 8.30am to 8.00pm daily from March to September and 8.30am to 6.00pm from October to February.

How much does it cost?

Prices for 2009/10 Rod Licences - valid from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010

Category Non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels Salmon and migratory trout (sea trout), non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels
Full season (expires 31st March 2010)  £26.00 £70.00
Junior Concession £5.00 £5.00
Senior Concession £17.25 £46.50
Disabled Concession £17.25 £46.50
8 Day £9.50  £22.50
1 Day £3.50 £7.75

A salmon and sea trout licence covers you to fish for non-migratory trout and coarse fish as well. Failure to have a licence is an offence.

Remember: If you are fishing with 3 or 4 rods then you will need to purchase a second licence.

Concessionary licences

  • junior concession is available to anglers aged 12 to 16 years inclusive
  • senior concession is available to anglers aged 65 years and over
  • disabled concession is available to anglers in receipt of a Blue Badge or Disability Living Allowance. You will need to provide your Blue Badge Number or National Insurance Number when buying your licence
Important information
  • Anglers under the age of 12 do not need a rod licence to go fishing
  • Full and concessionary rod licences expire on the 31st March each year
  • 1-day rod licence is valid for 24 consecutive hours
  • 8-day rod licence is valid for 192 consecutive hours from the start time and date
Be warned!
If you fish without a rod licence you are cheating other anglers, it is an offence to fish for freshwater fish and eels without a valid rod licence and if you are caught you may be fined up to £2,500.

The money raised through rod licence sales is invested directly in fisheries work that benefits all anglers.

** Buy a rod licence online now >>

Source: Environment Agency Rod Licence >>

Published in Latest UK fishing news

Anglers of all disciplines have reacted furiously to comments by actor Robson Green about releasing fish. While publicising his new TV series, he reportedly said that he can’t understand anglers who release fish and incorrectly claimed that up to 9 out of 10 of them die.

Angling TrustThe Angling Trust strongly disagrees with Robson Green’s views on this matter. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that fish can be caught and returned alive to the water without them suffering any significant stress or damage. In his latest series, we note that he himself returned most of the fish he caught.

If every angler followed Mr. Green’s advice, fish stocks would be decimated. Most coarse fish are not regarded as good to eat in any case, but many sea and game anglers now return most of their catch alive. Commercial fishing, illegal netting, pollution, over-abstraction and habitat damage have reduced many fish populations to critical levels and anglers do everything they can to try and protect stocks, investing millions each year on conservation initiatives.

The Angling Trust would advise all responsible anglers to release the fish they catch. We would also point out that all responsible anglers always treat their quarry with great respect, whatever they choose to do with them.

We know he has a television series to promote, but these comments are highly irresponsible, misinformed and damaging to angling. As the voice of angling, the Angling Trust is keen to ensure that the general public do not get the wrong impression about a pursuit in which millions of people participate responsibly.

Source: Angling Trust

Published in Latest UK fishing news

The Environment Agency is reminding anglers in Lincolnshire that the closed season for fishing has begun. This warning is issued as the closed season begins.

Environment Agency fishing newsClosed season, which protects spawning fish, started on March 15 and runs until June 15 inclusive making it illegal to fish in any river, stream or drain during this period. Environment Agency fisheries bailiffs will be on patrol and anyone caught breaking the law faces a potential fine of up to £2,500.

The first few days of the closed season saw several reports of illegal activity, especially in urban areas such as Spalding, Lincoln and Northampton. On the first day there were several reports of illegal activity, with the Spalding area – the Rivers Glen and Welland, Vernatts Drain and Coronation Channel - proving to be hotspots, along with other urban areas.

In the Grimsby area Environment Agency officers are focusing on the River Freshney, and in particular the stretch between the Riverhead and Laceby Acres.

Roger Ferguson, Environment Officer at the Environment Agency, Lincoln, said awareness needed raising about the closed season, a legal requirement under the Salmon And Freshwater Fisheries Act.

He said: ‘Nobody admits they know about closed season, they know there is one but not when the dates are. We have put signs up at waters where we have had offences in the past and work with fishing tackle suppliers to educate people.’

And he warned anglers who flout the law they would be caught: ‘If you do fish illegally, you will get reeled in by the bailiffs.’

Members of the public are asked to report all illegal fishing between these dates by calling the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60.

Source: Environment Agency Fishing News

Published in Latest UK fishing news
By Marc Gough

Part One

A year ago two fishermen & I embarked on a quest into the unknown! Our mission, to winkle a few large carp & some of the resident Cats out of Manor Farm fisheries in Headcorn, Kent.

With very little knowledge of the complex consisting of a match lake with a few carp up to the 20lb mark, a specimen carp lake with carp to the low thirties & specimen carp/catfish Lake with fish up to 40lb we unloaded two cars & one trailer crammed full of tackle & bait.

Day One

After several walks around the Carp/Catfish Lake I decided upon a narrow swim adjacent to the island. With only about 40 metres casting distance to the island accurate baiting was easy for the three rods. The island was fringed with overhanging trees, a scattering of duckweed & reed beds, sexy & carpy or what?

Down to my right I had a lovely looking overhanging willow tree & with the marker rod I found the depth dropped considerable, a likely place to find a cat!

Wheel barrowing a week loads of tackle, bait, food, clothes & of course beer up to the swim in sunny midsummer conditions was torture, I really struggled to replace the loss of liquid in my body with lager quick enough! Not only being a fully fledged tackle tart, any excuse getting my kit off & strip down to shorts is a must!

Three hopefully areas were explored & plotted with the marker rod, an extra area was selected just in case.

Marc Tip: I like to have an alternative fishing spot primed to drop a bait onto just in case one of the other spots fails to produce or just dries up.

I decided on different approaches to each fishing spot, one would just have a pva stocking of goodies attached to the hook link, the second spot would have spodded particles, pellets & boilies over it, forming a dining table of about 2 metres square, the third of which I was dropping under the willow tree was dedicated to Mr Catfish. A bucket consisting of stinking pellets, mixed fishy boilies, tins of tuna, lambs liver & a generous amount of fish oil was mixed into balls around the size of a tennis ball; six were deposited loosely around the willow tree. In the heat of the sun, sweat of my labours & lager influenced state I was in, the smell from the bucket was unreal, nearly chuck up city.

I decided to rest the swim to enable me to get the bivvy up, sleeping quarters sorted & a general tidy up of the tackle around the swim. Bearing in mind I arrived at my chosen swim at eleven am & by 4pm not a baited rig had touched the water yet! I believe quiet, careful preparation is vital in any type of fishing you do, whether it be for a day, 24 hours or a week, a stealthy approach pays off every time!

A quick natter & lager with my companions, of whom were only fishing days during the week’s trip & I was ready for the first cast. Lines clipped to the required markers, baits in place, lines left slack to enable sinking, bobbins attached I was sorted as the sun set slowly over the island trees & stunning Kent countryside.

Life really doesn’t get much better than this?

Lager & cigarette in hand, listening to the birds sing, occasional fish flop out of the water & a very unusual noise? Unusual wasn’t strictly true, I recognised it as a frogs call but it was so loud, so near & very repetitive! Curiosity got the better of me & I just had to investigate more! I couldn’t see, locate a frog of any description around the bank side within the swim? The occasional rustle in nearby reeds & grass but that was it, not a Kermit in sight? I was starting to wonder if my ears were playing tricks on me or one of my colleagues was having a joke.

After a hot, exhausting, rare summers day in southern England I decided to hit the sack as the last rays of sunlight burnt away. Sleep wasn’t exactly easy with a good dose of sunburn, over tiredness & Kermit’s chorus echoing out!

I am not sure if my surroundings went totally quiet or I passed out? Probably the later because the next thing I remember was the delkim screaming at me, the middle rod was lurching to my left as a fish sped off down the lake, kiting hard to gain more line towards the island snags. My 3 ½ tc rod soon had the angry fish subdued & looking sorry for its self in the bottom of the landing net. Not a massive carp but 15lb of hard fighting common carp was very welcomed.

A few pictures later, rod back in position & little trickle of loose feed over the bait I was all set again.

Time for a beer, lager at just gone mid night?

Yeah too right, im on holiday, celebrating my first fish from an unknown venue, do I need to say more?

An hour quickly passed as a sat on my spod bucket taking in the atmosphere, savouring the memory of my first carp from Manor, hoping for many more during my weeks stay.

Two fifteen am & the right hand rod nestled under the willow is off, talk about clutch stripping, line ripping; what ever was on the end wasn’t happy. Lifting the rod & engaging the bait runner I really didn’t know what to expect? The rod hooped over, line still poured from spool, this had to be my first catfish?

Ten minutes in & I am still not making much head way with this fish! As you maybe aware I have successfully landed some very respectable carp from France & here in the UK but none have compared to this! I am really concerned about tackle, from the rods, reels right down to hook! The 18lb bs fluorocarbon main line is absolutely singing through the early morning breeze, rod butt resting upon my thigh to take some of the strain from my aching forearm & shoulder when suddenly I have won! The fish has giving up after some twenty five minutes & ready for the waiting landing net, this is when the fun really started!

I have never caught a cat fish in my career so this was all new to me & in total darkness. With the cats head up against the spreader block the headlight torch picked out two foot of tail overhanging the draw string, “Dam, that isn’t going in there” echoed across the night sky. Plan B? & it had to be a quick plan too! With eighty percent of the fish in the net, raise the net & slacken off at the same time hoping the fish will slide in, went thru my head?

“Woohoo, I love it when a plan comes together”

At this point proceedings became a bit blurred! I remember calling my colleagues on the walkie & saying “Bob I have got one, its massive, what do I do with it next”? I don’t remember if Bob & Gary came to assist or not?

I do remember lifting four & half foot of fish on to the mat, looking at it in amazement, nervously extracting the hook from it’s a massive mouth, sliding its bulky length into the weigh sling expecting thirty pounds plus as the scales swung round to a mere eighteen pounds, totally amazed again, I checked & rechecked the scales! Eighteen pound eight ounces from two different sets of scales. Self portrait photographs safely taken & my first catfish disappeared back into the depths of Manor Farm fisheries.

Marc Tip: Cat fish will test your tackle to the utter most limits & beyond, so be prepared!

Re-positioning the rod as quickly as possible & a few unhealthy scoops of the delightful ground bait dropped under the bush I was back in the doss bag gagging for some decent shut eye.

Day Two

After a restless but fruitful first night I began to unload Bob’s gear from the trailer behind me, gentle placing his equipment in his desired swim I noticed a row or should I say large stream of bubbles travelling up the lake, followed by another & another. These aint no carp feeding patterns unless they are huge! I thought to myself.

I watched the activity for an hour or two noting the positions, times, weather & temperature conditions. When all had ceased out with the marker rod to have a feel around! What ever the culprits were (Catfish) seem to be following a small channel that ran directly thru the middle of my swim down to the deep end of the lake, what a find.

Depths carefully taken & noted I decided upon a plan of attack! Of which I would employ late afternoon.

Marc Tip: I had over looked this channel when mapping the swim out yesterday; despite it only being a metre wide, six to eight inches deeper I had missed it! This is why it’s vital when using the marker to log, note everything from where the lead & float lands right up to the margin. An hour or so later Bob & Gary joined me; excitedly I began

to narrate my catfish battle with them, accompanied by photographs. Neither Bob nor Gary could believe the length of this fish.

After a brew, few fags the guys started fishing & the lake started filling up rapidly with day ticket anglers, great time to reel in, wonder down to the wash room for spruce up.

Bearing in mind I had only been gone thirty to forty five minutes, the lake was packed, really packed, non fishing swims now had anglers fighting to wet a line, my margin rod was now unusable as an angler had set up on my door step. With this much activity I opted to only fish with two rods, so a hopeful bait was cast to the channel I had been watching earlier. My new neighbour watched shaking his head & smiling as I let the line sink & drop some spod mix over the top.

Bob wondered up the bank around ten o’clock, “Busy init Bro”? I could only reply with a “Hhhhmmmm”.

We sat there chatting tactics, bait placements etc when one of my rods burst into life, a short tussle later & a carp of around 12lb was safely in the net. This activity continued right up until late afternoon, literally loads of carp around the ten pound stamp were coming out, I don’t think anyone failed to catch! I started to prepare for the coming nights fishing as the day anglers started to pack up & disappear leaving just Bob, Gary & myself to enjoy the lakes beauty once again.

With the sun setting, birds settling for the night, Bob & Gary safely back at their apartment, leaving myself & one other angler on the lake (Nathan). Things had returned back to tranquillity of the night past.

Before setting the rods for the night, I took a wonder around the lake via the toilets. I paused for a good half hour chatting to Nathan, picking his brains for any information, tactics he could give about the lakes & their inhabitants? Safely back to my bivvy, settled for the night & thought it was a good idea to catch a few hours sleep hoping for some action during the night. As I dosed I wondered if I was to be woken by a catfish or a really lumpy carp in the early hours. I still had my plan of attack at daylight! Presuming the culprits that travelled up the channel would return tomorrow?

All these things bounced around within my head as I listened to the recently started rain fall on top of the bivvy.

Marc Tip: It is always a good idea to politely ask other anglers for any information, background knowledge they know of the venue.

Day Three

The night passed uneventful but come first light the bubbles started at the far end of the channel, I quickly repositioned two rods, one baited for carp the other baited with four 25mm halibut pellets for cats. I dropped half a dozen spods of the smelly bucket mixture around the pellets & patiently watched as the bubbles came closer & closer.

To my amazement it was the carp rod that ripped off first but it was no carp pulling my arm from its socket, a cat had picked up a single 14mm KG1 boilie & was now tearing down the lake at a ridiculous speed! Being as cautious as I could I played & wore out the 16lb cat on a size 8 korda hook attached to 12lb braided hook link.

After photographing, weighing & returning the fish I carefully inspected the hook link, as I expected it was shredded with at least half of its fibres torn in half! Marc Tip: After many years of fishing I always replace the hook & hook link after every fish with the exception if I am pasty bashing.

Before I could the rod back in position the halibut pellet rod was lurching angrily to the right, spool spilling off line as another cat sped off down the lake, my arm hadn’t recovered from the last battle & I was into another straight away!

“Jeez, these fish can fight” I thought to myself, its unbelievable how they fight! This cat again tipped the scales round to a healthy 16lb; one thing I did notice was just how much the fish differ between each other! Every catfish’s skin had a totally individual mottled pattern upon it. Has to be the perfect camouflage? By the time Bob & Gary had turned up for their daily fish I had banked three cats within around an hour, with a fantastic 22lb being the biggest. With this sort of action & excitement at 6am in the morning I was enjoying a can of lager, mug of black coffee & bacon frying in the bivvies porch. “Life, what a life” I muttered to myself!

I had all most one hundred percent decided to move lakes today but I was now in two minds after my recent successes. Weighing the options up I decided upon a good look around the specimen carp lake as no real big carp were showing on the lake I was fishing.

The specimen carp lake only being around 3 acres had some lovely features, over hanging trees, marginal shelves & a gravel bar stretching across one very secluded swim. I watched & watched looking for the slightest sign of a carp when I was rewarded with some bull rushes twitching to & fro several times, as I got closer a huge common carp rolled in front of the reeds followed by a mirror of equal proportions. I all most ran back to my current swim! Excited about what I had seen & the prospect of hooking into one of the beasts I had seen earlier.

As quiet as possible I set up the three rods, carefully thinking what sort of bait, loose feed to introduce into the new swim? With activity still constant around the reed stems I gentle lowered 2 grains of glugged natural maize popped up with the plastic version as close as I dare to the reeds. Before I could get the line sunk, rod onto the delkim I was receiving liners, things looked really promising as I crouched close to the rod.

I was in two minds whether or not to bait the area, would this spook the carp off, make them search for food?

I decided to give it thirty minutes before taking any actions & went about setting up, casting out the other 2 rods. One was cast to a likely patrol route along side another reed bed, the other just off a gravel patch I had found on the first cast near to the point of the swim. I constantly watched the other rod as the line picked up & then dropped down again; it had to go soon as clouds of debris rose to the surface just inches from where I had lowered my hook bait.

Marc Tip: When carp are this active I prefer to fish slackish lines as possible & do not get the marker rod out!

My wait was over as the delkim bleeped a few times & the fish kited fast to my right into open water, I was on the rod in a flash, feeling the steady, heavy plod of a sizable fish searching for haven. After a few hair raising moments of the line pinging across the carps dorsal fin & could now see the carp just beneath the surface. Safely netted & photographed the mirror carp certainly looked a mid twenty, the scales settled at 24lb 4oz, “Result” I thought to myself.

Bob soon joined me to take a look at this stunning fish & helped me celebrate with a can of lager in the afternoon sun.

Three days still to go, what else would Manor farm fisheries have in store for me?

Author: Marc Gough

Zander go on feeding frenzy with ten doubles reported in 7 days!

Zander go on feeding frenzy

Is Bury Hill the BEST stillwater zander fishery in the country?

This weeks catches would certainly beg the question with ten big zeds banked with conditions near perfect.

As reported at the start of last week, young Bradley Gibbons aged 11 was the first to catch a fish of a lifetime, a stonking 13lb 12oz zander which was his first ever Zed. Fishing with his dad John, Bradley and John had opted for a days private tuition with Big Fish tutor Eric Bailey. Fishing swims 46 and 47, Eric tackled the pair up with a light ledger rig and single size 4 hooks and following recent successes opted to fish a Mackerel fillet to the lily beds, as well as the big Zed the pair also caught 3 smaller fish but also lost 2 or 3 as the fish were in a finicky mood.

Zander go on feeding frenzyAnother young lad to catch a fish of a lifetime this week was Sam Dodd, Sam fished peg 38 along the long bank catching a cracking 12lb 3oz zander on a ledgered mackerel tail, which he popped up just off the bottom.

Regular Anthony Townsey also had a blinding day with the zed’s catching a brace of doubles. Fishing peg 39 Anthony ledgered a small roach dead bait over the dead lilies catching zed’s weighing 10lb and 14lb 4oz.

Another angler to catch a double figure zander was Chris Roots, having just returned to angling after a big operation 2 years ago, Chris was delighted to catch a 10lb 4oz zed. Fishing peg 42, Chris fished a mackerel section laced with Nash Lobster oil mounted on a size 10 single hook rig which he fished half way across the lake.

Gary Newman from the Anglers Mail also grabbed a quick session in the week catching 6 zander, which included a 12lb 15oz specimen. Gary fished a sea dead bait on a single size 4 hook 10mts out to a snag tree.

Clive Jenkins also cashed in on the action with a new PB Zed weighing 12lb 13oz. Fishing peg 4 at the end of the front bank, Clive fished a small roach dead bait to the margins catching 3 zander which included his new PB.

Source: Bury Hill Fisheries

Published in Latest UK fishing news
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