A PETITION to parliament calling for the introduction of ‘non-lethal means of control’ of otters attracted over 5,000 signatures within its first 24 hours on the Government website... and has kept growing since.

Devised by the Barbel Society, the petition explains: “Since its assisted re-introduction to the freshwater waterways of the UK, the otter has reached levels of increased population where its presence has become a detriment to the environment affecting most fish species, birds and mammals.”

Barbel Society chairman Steve Pope said: “We are calling on all anglers to get behind the petition demanding action so that something is finally done to control the menace and ensure that we can leave a legacy of decent river fishing for our children.

“We know that otters are not the only reason for the decline in our fish stocks, but the introduction and spread of an apex predator with no natural enemies has proved a tipping point in many places already under pressure.

“There is no doubt the otter can reap havoc to waters. It took stillwaters 20 years to get the protection of otter fencing and our rivers just can’t wait that long for action to be taken to control numbers,” said Steve.

‘General appeal rather than call for specific actions’

Steve continued: “In launching the petition we decided to make it a general appeal rather than call for specific actions to ensure that as many anglers as possible would get behind it and show the strength of feeling on the issue, and the numbers signing initially seems to vindicate this approach.

“We believe the otter should no longer be a protected species but we know that with its false Bambi-like image following the Tarka film, calling for an actual cull might provoke strong opposition, so we stopped short of that,” he added.

Petitions are listed for six months and require 10,000 signatures to receive a written response from the Government and 100,000 to trigger a debate in Parliament. At the time of this story going onto this website, that 10,000 figure had just been reached.

The petition is at: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/209735

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A BRITISH RECORD roach is on the cards in the next couple of months after the venue tipped to do one recently produced another giant of 3 lb 15 oz.

Homersfield Lake in Norfolk produced a redfin just one ounce off the record at 4 lb 3 oz in March.

And it was the venue for Angling Direct’s Phil Spinks to land one of the best specimen roach hauls ever recorded.

Boss Martin Symonds said: “Our member Ken Fuller landed a great fish of 4 lb 3 oz last year and plenty not far off 4 lb have been recorded in recent times.

“I have been very busy of late so not recording everything but I heard of a fish of 3 lb 15 oz coming out recently so a record is a strong possibility especially as the weather warms a little.

“Although most members fish for the carp some also target the roach, and fishing guests in the holiday lodge can also give it a go,” he added.

March could be critical time for record

Last March Phil Spinks had the fantastic catch of six Homersfield roach over 3 lb topped by a 3 lb 12 oz specimen. It’s pictured above.

Phil said: “I haven’t fished the lake since August, concentrating instead on my river fishing, but when the season closes in March I will be dusting off the roach rods again and giving it a crack.

“I am confident that there is a good chance of the record falling given the catches last year, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to give it a good try,” enthused the Angling Direct ace.

Although Homersfield is a syndicate water with a long waiting list, non-members can book the one holiday lodge which has fishing from its own swim.

It is well booked by carpers from spring to autumn but vacancies often exist in winter and is currently available in late February and the first week of March when it offers the best possible chance of a record roach. It is priced at £468 per week, plus the cost of fishing.

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NICK MARSH bagged himself this new personal best perch of 3 lb 15 oz during a successful quickfire lure session with pal Callum McInerney-Riley.

They tackled a local Lea Valley water on the Essex-Hertfordshire borders with soft lures… and talked some business at the same time.

Harlow, Essex-based photographer Callum explained: “We only fished for 45 minutes and most of that time was spent landing, weighing and unhooking fish!

“I had just been for a meeting with a client and we used our time on the bank to discuss an upcoming project – a much better way to talk business than over a coffee!”

In between assisting his pal and celebrating that new PB, Callum winkled out a fantastic 3 lb 4 oz stripy (below). It was tempted using a 4 in. Rocket Craw on a Jika rig.

Callum shows his latest impressive lure-caught perch.

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THE latest Environment Agency annual report has shown rod licence sales have fallen slightly but the organisation is in good financial shape.

Sales for 2016-17 fell by 19,059 licences – or 1.47 per cent – as the Environment Agency sold them to 961,714 individual anglers.

But the EA generated £1,227,738 more than predicted and put an extra £1,977,917 to invest in fisheries.

Environment Agency deputy director Kevin Austin, who controls Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, said: “During the 2016 to 2017 financial year we listened to anglers and from April 2017 introduced the biggest shake up to the rod licensing system since the single national licence was introduced in the early 1990s.

“We have also proposed a new pricing structure, the first for seven years, which we believe will both make it easier for new anglers to get into the sport and give anglers more flexibility in their sport.

“Across the country hundreds of improvement projects have been delivered supported by an army of unpaid volunteers and we have helped fund training for over 150 new Angling Trust licensed coaches to help more people get into fishing.

“I would like to pay tribute to each and every person who has worked with us to help deliver quality fishing opportunities. Long may we continue to work in this way,” he added.

Largest rod licence buying region was Yorkshire with 120,961 sales, creating £2,100,844 of income.

Key Environment Agency statistics for 2016-17

• £670,000 invested in 153 angling improvement projects, matched by £870,000 from other sources.
• Nearly £150,000 given to 26 projects for disability access.
• £128,00 given to tackling predation to 28 project.
• £950,000 given to 107 fisheries improvement projects with £1,834,000 of additional funding from grants.
• Stocked 393,884 fish from Calverton.
• Responded to 590 fisheries incidents.

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FISHING and the chance of a potential British record pike have been saved at top predator and trout waters Chew Valley and Blagdon Lake.

Bristol Water sparked major concern when they did a review last year of all their activities but emergency talks look like fishing has been saved at the Somerset meccas.

Both venues are tipped to officially break the long-standing 46 lb 13 oz British record, and Chew has its latest pike sessions happening this month.

The Angling Support Group was created by Bristol Water fisheries manager John Harris after major concerns about the future of fishing at Chew prompted the intervention of the Angling Trust.

An initial meeting between the Trust and the fishery owners brought a commitment to keep the fishery open for 2018 – but now the longer-term future looks resolved.

Pike ace Carl Garrett, who was appointed as the pike fishing rep on the group, said: “The main news to come out of the first meeting is that the BW board have said that they wish to retain the fishery as it is.

“And they said monies are to be invested which is some very positive news for the future pike fishing and BW Fisheries.”

‘The angling future looks rosy’

Fisheries manager John Harris told Angler’s Mail: “There were many ill-founded rumours last year that the fishing at Chew was in jeopardy and the water might have to close.

“This was all because Bristol Water decided to conduct a review of its operations but this applied to all their sectors and not just the fishing.

“The angling future looks rosy with a commitment to continue to operate with extra funding put in, including some extra staffing.

“We will have a couple of new posts for rangers, and we will be looking at better ways to engage with our customers and the local community and also maximise our income.

“The Angling Support Group I have set up has 12 appointed members chosen to represent the various angling interests at all our waters, and includes the Angling Trust.

“The aims of the group are broadly to offer suggestions on how BW can improve the visitor experience on all our waters and to monitor progress on changes which are implemented.

“We introduced a new online system this year for applying for places on the pike trial days which was generally well received, reducing the hours that people previously had to wait hanging on the phone to try to get through.

“Our auction of tickets on eBay has also gone well as have the sale of predator season tickets.

“The pike fishing last year was brilliant at Chew and I feel very positive about the future.

“No decision has yet been reached on whether last year’s first ever fly-only pike trials at Blagdon, which produced some amazing fish, will be repeated and if so what the format will be,” he concluded.

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ISLE of Man could become a new fishing destination after its first ever coarse fishery opened up.

Isle of Man now has a quality coarse venue. After a decade in the making, the five lake complex called Sunset Lakes, is located in the town of Peel …and it is creating history.

The fishery has an on-site restaurant, tackle shop and four holiday lodges, that sleep four people in two bedrooms.

Isle of Man is a self-governing British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland and already offers great sea fishing.

It is 32 miles long and 14 miles wide and visitors can either fly or catch a ferry from Liverpool.

Fishery manager Tim Russell explained: “The project has taken over a decade to come to completion, and we have worked closely with the Isle of Man Government to make this happen.

“Coarse fish are not native to the island and there are a few small ponds with roach and rudd which were actually brought over in buckets by airman who were based here during the war.

“And there are some perch in a few of the trout reservoirs. Previously only salmon, trout and sea fishing has been readily available.

“The lakes are stocked with carp, tench, roach and rudd. We have a carp lake with fish to over 20 lb, a tench lake and three mixed species pools including a match lake.”

Isle of Man potential

Tim continued: “There is already some interest in coarse fishing on the island and the match lake has been booked for the day we open, and we have sold some advance tickets for the ten peg carp lake.

“Apart from local trade, we are hoping to attract tourists who want some coarse fishing but also might want to enjoy many of the other attractions on the island, including the motorbike racing and the sites of historical interest,” he added.

Day tickets for the carp lake are £15 for two rods, £8 on the other lakes, £5 for 12-16 year olds, with younger children free.

The lodges at this Isle of Man venue cost £950 per week in the height of summer but cheaper off peak.

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ALAN BLAIR, best known for carp, caught this personal best 30 lb 4 oz pike after snatching a quick trip after a tackle show - despite not having the baits he wanted.

Alan Blair, who is Nash Tackle operations director, wasn’t even sure about fishing after the Brentwood Carp Show in Essex …but he was persuaded by colleagues Carl and Alex Smith.

Alan explained: “Without doubt this is one of the greatest fish I’ve ever had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with.

“I went to the Brentwood show and what a great day it was. I had always planned to have a quick go for some pike after the show, just a couple of hours.

“But what with going to Sainsbury’s earlier that morning only to find everything on the deli already filleted and the fact I enjoyed the show so much I didn’t leave till gone 3pm I was in two minds.

“As I headed back towards home I did question on many occasions ‘would it really be worth it?’ – with at best only 45 minutes fishing before it was dark.

“With my lamprey sections cast out, as that’s all I had, I sat there on the laptop working away and the weather was dreadful.

“And I sat there keeping busy trying not to think how cold and miserable it was when at 5.10pm I had a series of bleeps.”

“Fish of a lifetime” says Alan Blair

Alan, star of the hugely popular Urban Banx series on YouTube, continued: “The rest is history.

“I set the trebles with my heavy duty Scope curving over with this absolute crocodile giving a true big fish battle, attempting multiple times to spit the bait back at me.

“It was as tense of a fight as could be imagined as when it hit the surface for the first time I knew it was a fish of a lifetime.

“Massive thanks to Carl and Alex not only giving me the motivation to go but for then coming to share the moment with me and do the pictures,” Alan concluded.

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PRESSURE from anglers has diminished the likelihood of a controversial section of the new Animal Welfare Bill being passed by Parliament.

The Bill seeks to increase the maximum sentences for animal cruelty and also to write into law the concept of animals as ‘sentient beings.’

But experts have warned that this broad definition including all animals could open the door for endless legal challenges by animal rights extremists who want to see angling and other field sports banned.

The Angling Trust has campaigned to amend this draft and encouraged members to copy a letter they devised calling for changes, including the exclusion of fish and fishing from the law, and to send it to their MP.

The Angling Trades Association also threw its own weight behind the campaign.

Dr Bruno Broughton, their chief executive, explained: “Good fish welfare is at the very heart of angling because the sport relies on healthy fish and sustainable fish populations.

“But, as currently drafted, the Bill would be a hostage to fortune and enshrine in law what would amount to animal rights legislation.

“This could be disastrous for millions of citizens and for huge sections of British industry, commerce and recreation, including our own,” he concluded.

But all legislation is considered by a select committee of MPs before being passed into law and this powerful group have listened to the concerns and now come out strongly against this broad definition.

Neil Parish MP, chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee, said: “It is important that the Government considers the full implications of a bill before publishing it.

“It has failed to do so in this case. The bill has been rushed and the legislation has suffered as a result.

“I am strongly in favour of the increased sentencing provisions in the Bill, but if the UK wants to set a ‘gold standard’ in animal welfare then the punitive measures for crimes against animals must include a greater range of offences.

“The UK urgently needs a new law focused on animal sentience but this law must be properly thought through and worked out. This legislation is not that,” he added.

Martin Salter, campaigns manager of the Angling Trust, said: “I’m delighted to see that the report from MPs on the Select Committee has come out strongly against the animal sentience section of this poorly drafted Bill that could have opened up angling to legal challenge from animal rights extremists.

“The Government has been told to drop this aspect of bill or re-write it completely.

“This is good news for our sport and follows some intense lobbying by the Angling Trust and other organisations.

“We are not out of the woods yet, and anglers should keep writing to their MPs, but it’s clear that a rethink may be on the cards,” he added.

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CRITICAL salmon stocks have meant the Environment Agency taking drastic measures to curb the number of migratory fish being removed from English rivers.

The measures include a complete ban on anglers taking salmon in those rivers considered most at risk.

There are also new restrictions on type of terminal tackle used, and for the first time ever banning all netting of returning salmon in our coastal waters.

The new measures will be in place for ten years, with a review in five years’ time, subject to the outcome of a formal four-week consultation to be announced at the end of February.

EA deputy director of fisheries Kevin Austin said: “We are not suggesting these proposals lightly and have consulted widely. But we need to take action now in order to give as many of the salmon that make it back to our rivers as possible a chance to spawn successfully.”

Angling Trust’s chief executive Mark Lloyd explained: “On most rivers in the country, the EA has accepted the Angling Trust’s argument that it should adopt a voluntary rather than mandatory approach to achieving catch and release targets.

“Closure of unsustainable net fisheries was a key part of the Angling Trust’s Save Our Salmon campaign, launched two years ago.

“We are delighted to have won this important campaign to save more than 20,000 salmon from being killed in nets every year and to have protected many anglers from draconian regulations.

“But we now need to see urgent action to tackle the root causes of declining stocks which are water quality, predation, poor marine survival and degraded habitats,” he added.

Across the border in Wales, anglers have reacted in dismay after the Board of Natural Resources supported its executive’s proposals for imposition of mandatory 100 per cent catch and release for salmon anglers throughout the country.

The decision ignores the 83 per cent of respondents to the public consultation who did not agree with the catch and release proposals.

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CARPER Ron Russell was struggling at a syndicate lake near Dorrington in Lincolnshire so switched species and ended up with this 34 lb 10 oz monster pike.

Helpringham, Lincolnshire-based Ron explained: “I was on a 24 hour session for carp. There was  only an hour to go and I’d not had a sniff (of a bite) so I decided to set a pike rig up and have a go as the lake holds some good predators but they’re rarely get fished for.

“I mounted a headless herring on two size 6 barbless trebles and a short cast out stopped me blanking and getting a new PB and a new lake record.

“The delight on my face says it all – what a moment and a fish of a lifetime.

“I would also like to say a big thank you for the help from Jim watt the head bailiff for helping me with the fish and getting it back safely,” added Ron.

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BAIT wizard Leighton McDonnell came up with a new paste after missing chub bites while pike fishing and he was rewarded with this 7 lb 1 oz specimen.

The Tring, Hertfordshire-based specialist landed his latest jumbo chub on the Great Ouse.

His magic chub bait involved moulding the pulled pork and mackerel paste around two 13 mm hair-rigged corks.

Leighton, a chartered surveyor, explained: “I had been pike fishing recently and missed several bites from chub when using whole sardine.

“Also I had been thinking of using pulled pork but was put off because it takes six hours to slow cook, and that is to much three times a week.

“I spotted this unusual tin in the world food section of a supermarket in Old Kent Road and it smelt just right and so I combined both baits – liquidised – in a new paste.

“After ten minutes I had a chub of 3 lb 14 oz, so I moved swim and now fished a slack adjacent a long powerful crease.

“Then after just three minutes there was a couple of trembles then a brief pull, before the fish sought refuge in a near bank row of trees.

“The net got caught in some thick brambles and refused to release, but after a bit of a drama managed to land the big one,”  added Leighton, who wrote Pulling Against Fish published by Little Egret Press.

Leighton’s Ouse bait mix recipe

Try making up this paste mix in a blender at home. It was created by Leighton McDonnell and has been proving itself with big chub…

• 2 oz wheat gluten
• 4 oz soya flour (Holland & Barrett)
• 14 oz ground trout pellet powder
• Then add to five fresh free range organic eggs (organic make a huge difference, says Leighton).
• Half a liquidised mackerel
• Half a tin of Can Cook Pulled Pork

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GLAMOUR girls are in danger of being excluded from angling's showpiece Fishomania event after being dropped from televised darts and motor-racing.

Sky Sports’ Fishomania final, with its £50,000 jackpot, is the most notable angling event to have had models at its presentation.

But the decision to ban them at other major televised sports means their future in fishing is extremely uncertain.

Fishomania is owned by ace sports promoters Matchroom, who are also behind the Professional Darts Corporation which made its controversial decision recently.

F1 motor-racing has gone a similar route, and is expected to replace ‘grid girls’ with ‘grid kids.’ Boxing is under pressure to red-card its ‘card girls’.

Luke Riches, commercial manager at Matchroom, told Angler’s Mail: “We don’t actually recruit the girls for this event (Fishomania) – it is up to the sponsors to have what they want, and sometimes they have girls and sometimes they don’t.

“This year we don’t yet have a sponsor, but at the moment I would doubt that any company would want to risk using glamour girls for promotional purposes given the current climate of opinion,” he added.

Charlotte Wood (right) and Daniella Allfree (left) were noted for regular appearances at PDC darts events. They’re seen here with World No.1, Michael Van Gerwen, who had predicted the PDC would drop walk-on girls in order to be taken more seriously as a sport.

Fisho Girl lost 60% of her income

Daniella Allfree and Charlotte Wood are the two regular walk-on girls at the PDC darts events. They have attended Fishomania and were looking forward to being there this summer.

Charlotte told Angler’s Mail: “Losing our work has lost us 60 per cent of our annual income, as well as the prestige coming from such a major sporting event.

“The Professional Darts Corporation has no problem with us appearing and indeed have welcomed our presence and always treated us very well.

“It is the TV company that has decided to pull the plug possibly in response to the adverse publicity around the Presidents Club charity event a few weeks ago.

“But our events are nothing like that. There is nothing wrong in adding a bit of glamour and an attractive female presence to the stage.

“We earn a good living from what we do, are very happy to do it and there is nothing seedy about it.”

“Feminists say that they want women to have choices yet our choice, and that of many others like us, to work in a field we want to, has been taken away from us, and our livelihoods threatened.

“Me and Daniella did the Fishomania event the year before last and looked very attractive in pretty dresses.

“Much of what we do and wear is linked to the brand that is promoting the event and we do lots of stuff behind the scenes like socialising with people and handing out information.

“Daniella herself is keen on fishing and has appeared before on the front cover of Angler’s Mail, and we both have fished at the pro-celebrity darts fishing event.

“What we do is all good fun and totally harmless, and many of the female spectators enjoy us being there, and we really do not see why it should be banned,” added the 29-year-old from Leicester.

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THE venue hosting this year's big money Fishomania final have spoken up in favour of glamour girls being at the event.

As Angler’s Mail revealed, Fishomania organisers Matchroom confirmed there is a big doubt that glamour girls would be present this year.

The contest is a massive draw for anglers, and is covered by Sky Sports each year with all-day coverage of the finals.

But like Sky’s darts and motor-racing, and indeed other sports, the chance of glamour girls gracing the main angling stage is now unlikely.

There is currently a ticket rush for Fishomania qualifiers held around the country, starting on March 14.

The 2018 Fishomania final will be hosted by Hayfield Lakes in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on July 14.

Noelie Goforth, who co-owns Hayfield with her husband Robin, told Angler’s Mail: “We would be more than happy to have the girls walking round our fishery again this year.

“I used to be a model working in PR and enjoyed it immensely. There is nothing wrong with a woman or a man for that matter using their attractiveness to earn a good living.

“The models aren’t exploited and aren’t stupid – look at me, I have gone on to run one of the best commercial fisheries in the country.”

Hayfield Lakes hosts angling two richest annual finals.

Noelie continued: “Even older women like me appreciate how lovely the girls are and how they add some glamour to a largely male event.

“It’s not at all distracting to the anglers – to be honest we could be stood there stark naked and they wouldn’t even bat an eye-lid as they are so focussed on the fish.

“I don’t know where all this political correctness is going to end, perhaps they will ban cheerleaders next,” she added.

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PIKE FANS, check this catch out by one of the sport's most dedicated big fish men... five giant predators for over 151 lb!

Pike ace Dave Horton made the mega catch with five giant crocs that had a combined weight of 151 lb 4 oz. The biggest specimen scaled 36 lb 4 oz.

It’s one of the UK’s best ever pike hauls ever. Possibly THE greatest ever seeing as it come out on the exact same rod in just a couple of hours to a bank angler.

The fireman explained his epic catch the massive Chew Valley Lake in Somerset, where the future of pike fishing was recently secured.

Dave told Angler’s Mail magazine, which was again first with the news: “It was just one of those days when everything just went right.

“Usually when the bobbin goes and you wind down into a fish, only once in a while are you blessed with a big ‘un, but this time every bite came from a whopper.

“I don’t like boat fishing and always fish the bank however big the water.

“On this day there was a strong north westerly and I was tempted to fish with the wind on my back for comfort.

“But I sensed the wind may have influenced where the fish were holding up so I opted to fish into the teeth of it.

“The water at Chew is high at the moment which helps the bank fishing and I chose a very inaccessible flooded swim where chest waders were needed as I thought no other anglers would be tempted.

“I fished a plateau with a 12 ft drop off at 80 yards, casting there for the first two fish and then using the bait boat as the wind strengthened.

“The first one was after about an hour and was the smallest at 23 lb 4 oz, then an hour or so later came the biggest at 36 lb 4 oz. Both these fish were tempted by smelts from Online Baits UK.

“I would have been delighted with these two alone but I switched to mackerel, and in the next half hour I was amazed to have two more going 29 lb 4 oz and 29 lb 8 oz, followed an hour or so later by another giant of 32 lb 8 oz.

“Amazingly they had all been on my right-hand rod, ambushing the fish as they came out from a bay into more open water.

“I didn’t have a touch on the other rod nor did my angling partner Simon Langan who blanked but was nearly as delighted as me to witness such a catch.

“I have caught 30 pike over 30 lb over the years but have never had so many big fish in one go, so it really was the catch of a lifetime.

“Pike author and statistician Neville Fickling (a columunist in Angler’s Mail magazine) was present.

“He told me he’d never heard of five fish being caught in one session weighing so much,” added the 53-year-old from Waltham Abbey, Essex.

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CARP ANGLER Billy Matthews enjoyed the session of his life when his latest trip was interrupted by a shoal of hungry catfish.

Billy had never caught a catfish before the trip to Chigboro fisheries in Essex but soon changed that with three big fish to an estimated 100 lb.

The 21-year-old from Coggeshall explained: “I had a bit of a crazy season at the weekend.

“I didn’t have a sniff for the first night but next morning I rechucked my rods on 2 ft zig rigs and within half an hour the left hand rod was off but I lost it.

“I was gutted but rechucked on the same spot and again within five minutes it was off again.

“I realized it was not a carp but I’d never had a catfish before. I’ve had carp to over 40 lb but this blew that right out of the water.

“After 50 minutes with a 9 lb hook link I finally landed the monster catfish that I can only estimate to around the 100 lb mark.

“I could not believe it – it was bigger then me.

“Later that evening I had another catfish around the 80-90 lb mark I could only estimate as my scales only go up to 60 lb.

“I then had one the next morning that I could weigh and it was 56 lb and by far the smallest of the three.

“I spodded mixed particle and pellet over the top with yellow foam on a size 10 hook,” concluded the trainee bricklayer.

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FINLAY SPEAKMAN broke his catfish duck with some style when he landed this 113 lb 14 oz beast.

The giant day ticket catfish fell during a night session at Chigboro Fisheries in Essex.

Great Wakering-based Finlay, 21, who works at Pete’s Tackle, legered double boilie.

There’s no official British catfish record despite a recent request from Zyg Gregorek, owner of Anglers Paradise in Devon, that the catfish record be re-instated.

The British Record Fish Committee discussed the issue but turned down the proposal.

Zyg hadn’t put in a official claim for a fish of 82 lb 4 oz that was caught in the summer after officially stocking them at under 1 lb back in 1994.

But he had asked could the species go back on the list.

A BRFC statement said: “The catfish record listing was closed to future claims in 2007 because, at the time, large catfish were being imported illegally from Europe with the deliberate intention of increasing the record weight.

“This undermined the legitimacy of the record and was providing a key pressure for the illegal importation of Wels catfish.

“Communications with CEFAS and the Environment Agency suggest that the suspension of the record may be contributing to a reduction in import activity.

“The wels catfish record listing will therefore remain closed.”

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TOM KINSELLA tempted one of the biggest pike of the season away from the trout meccas of Chew and Blagdon when he pioneered his way to this 35 lb 6 oz beast.

The burly ground-worker had been desperate to beat his old PB of 17 lb that he caught four years ago.

And he did it on a grim day, striking as snow began to blow hard into his face, as you can see in the picture above.

Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire-based Tom explained: “I was fishing a reservoir in the North West I would rather not name it as it’s not very well known for pike and I worked hard to find info on it.

“The reservoir used to be a trout water many years ago but hasn’t been stocked in 15 years and I had a hunch it could do a big pike.

“The weather was grim, with rain and snow blowing sideways about 30 miles per hour.

“I walked around with a fish-finder to find a decent depth with a good drop-off within casting distance.

“I had the fish on a float legered joey mackerel a couple of rod lengths out

“I have been trying hard to break my PB for four years and this one completely smashed it.

“I took a few different angles of the fish, as when you look at pictures I’m 6 ft 6 in. and 21 stone which always makes the fish look smaller,” concluded Tom, 34.

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THE Environment Agency have finally revealed to Angler’s Mail details on their review of the river fishing Close Season.

Close Season questions arose after news leaked out about the review that has been taking place.

Current the Close Season for coarse fish on rivers in England and Wales runs from March 15 to June 15 inclusive.

The official Close Season review was explained to Angler’s Mail by Kevin Austin, EA deputy director for Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment.

Kevin (pictured below) said: “We know that the Close Season is an issue anglers care deeply about and that’s why we are currently looking at evidence and options for the future.

“The coarse fishing Close Season helps protect vulnerable spawning fish – this is why it’s in place. It is still possible for anglers to fish during this time on many stillwaters and canals, which are open all year round,” he added.

Key Close Season questions to Kevin

1. Is an official review of the current coarse Close Season taking place?

“The aim is to better improve our understanding of the evidence around the close season possible impacts.

The England Fisheries Group, comprising the Environment Agency, Angling Trust and Institute of Fisheries Management reported its findings to England Fisheries Group in July 2017.”

2. When will the outcome be known?

“The review of the evidence findings will be published in spring 2018.”

3. When will it be complete?

“The first phase of the work, which has examined the evidence around the close season, is complete.

We are currently reviewing options for future arrangements and assessing if evidence and opinion supports a case for change.

This will take place during 2018.”

4. Will it have recommendations or just a discussion document?

“This phase of work will examine the various options for future changes.

The EA is considering the findings and deciding whether there is a case to change.

At this point we would then review byelaws and consult with anglers and stakeholders.”

5. Will it go out for public consultation?

“If proposed changes were to take place we would consult on them.”

6.  If change is proposed is there any idea when this will take place?

“If changes are proposed to the current arrangement, this will not come into effect until 2019 at the earliest.”

GOT A VIEW ON THIS STORY – OR ON ANYTHING TO DO WITH MODERN ANGLING? Email to amletters@timeinc.com – your views could be published in Angler’s Mail print magazine, the place for the very latest of this and all major stories.

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CHECK OUT this freshwater colossus, around 286 lb of hard-fighting catfish, caught from a river this winter!

Catfish fans around the world have been admiring online pictures of the  beast, and Angler’s Mail is delighted to share the full story with you here.

It fell to the rod of Markus Brock when he was guided for a mission on the mighty River Po in Italy. And, as you can see in the picture above, it was something far more than spectacular!

The measuring tape recorded a length of 268 cm. The scales were dispensed with for the sake of the catfish’s well-being but its weight was estimated at 130 kilograms (around 286 lb)!

For over a year, ace angling guide Benjamin Gründer had been repeatedly noticing a very big catfish on his fishfinder during his tours.

He had spotted the fish no fewer than 21 times on a stretch of five kilometers of river.

Benjamin explained: “Initially, I always thought it was obstacles on the bottom, like sunken trees, that would produce such a signal.

“But at a certain point, I realized it had to be a fish of monstrous proportions!”

Disaster when behemoth first hooked

He had his first chance to land the behemoth in December but, unfortunately, he lost the fish during the fight.

After taking the bait at a depth of just 3.5 meters, the fish took off against the current like a steam train.

Then disaster struck, the hook pulled out and the chance was lost.

But Benjamin  returned to the Heiner family’s ‘Wels Camp’ on the Po with two guiding guests, Kai Weber and Markus Brock, which he uses as a starting point for his vertical fishing tours.

In his luggage for the return visit were the new Cat Balls from Black Cat (pictured above). Cat Balls have been designed to allow silent and inconspicuous bait presentation.

The big catfish on the Po are now familiar with vertical fishing and the noises a normal weight head makes on the bottom.

As expected, at a water temperature of seven degrees, the fish were extremely passive.

The anglers found most catfish in areas of slack water with a depth of three to five meters.

On the second day of their vertical tour, Benjamin detected the presumed giant specimen yet again but all attempts to convince it to take the bait were in vain.

Another chance to tempt the giant cat

The anglers were given another chance. They spotted the giant on the fishfinder, around 600 meters away from its location the previous day.

A hand-sized crucian carp on a size 6 rigging hook and a size 3 ghost hook through the 130-gram Cat Ball were presented floating off the bottom. Markus Brock got his chance. The fish took his bait and the make-or-break battle commenced…

The first 25 minutes proceeded according to plan.

Wow – what an immense specimen! The huge catfish was caught from the powerful River Po.

However, Markus was unable to gain the upper hand in the fight and the fish remained stubbornly on the bottom.

Then it swam, rather unhelpfully, through a sunken tree in six meters of water. This called for teamwork and creativity.

Kai  had to try to hold the boat in the current while guide Markus  maintained pressure on the fish with the Black Cat Vertikal LS rod and Benjamin  tried to free the line from the tree using the anchor.

In the event, the professional guide managed to use the anchor to haul the entire tree to the surface.

Since nobody knew exactly how the line was tangled around the tree, Benjamin decided to take drastic action. He wound the line around his arm and Kai cut it free from the tree.

The two guests were then able to untangle the line from the tree and tie it back onto the end wrapped around their guide’s arm.

Thankfully, that concluded the drama and, 20 minutes later, the fish made its first visit to the surface.

Markus  and Benjamin  finally dragged the fish into the boat with their last vestiges of strength and everybody immediately realized that this was a fish of exceptional dimensions.

Check out the huge paddle-like fins of the giant catfish.

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FISHING tackle inventor John Roberts has sadly passed away at the age of 77.

Fishing tackle inventor John Roberts’ original fishing tackle items included leger stops, run clips, reel fittings, pike disgorgers, butt grips, feeder booms, link leger beads, bait bands to name but a few.

His products appeared largely under his own John Roberts label and he was probably the most copied angling inventor ever.

He was also president of the Pike Anglers Club from 1991 to 1994 and he is pictured above with one of his fine pike catches. He was co-founder of the River Stour Conservation Group, an honorary member of the Red Spinners and wrote a series of tips for Angler’s Mail magazine from 1991 to 2000.

Born May 16, 1940, in Walthamstow, North East London, much-liked John lived out his retirement at Birchington-on-Sea, Kent.

Daughter Lucy Bedford said: “As a kid he was always interested in nature and wildlife but his love for fishing started when his dad took him newt fishing with a worm tied to a piece of cotton and a matchstick for a float.

“When he got his first rod aged eight he didn’t look back.

“After making his first product in 1966, he finally started his own business in 1982 and his previous jobs as a sales rep and a toolmaker stood him in good stead to get it up and running.

“He was a successful fishing tackle designer and manufacturer, resisting the urge to copy or improve the designs of others, for 30 years until he retired in 2011 due to ill health and sold the company to Hopkins & Holloway.

“His passion for freshwater fishing – stalking big fish in clear water, freeline fishing, fly fishing for trout, spey casting for salmon – and his love for new adventures took him all over the world, from Hampshire and Northumberland to Tierra del Fuego, Canada and Cuba,” added Lucy.

Personal bests for John Roberts included pike to 28 lb 10 oz, 11 lb 2 oz barbel, 34 lb carp, 5 lb 3oz chub, 1 lb dace, 2 lb 4 oz grayling, 2 lb 6 oz perch, 2 lb 5 oz roach, 200 lb white sturgeon, 26 lb Atlantic salmon, 15 lb sea trout, 14 lb rainbow trout and 11 lb 3 oz brown trout.

John is survived by his widow Jeanie, daughter Lucy, son Scott and three grandchildren and a stack of fishing diaries.

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