A WOMAN who has been too unwell to fish for two years landed a monster catfish which weighed 7 lb heavier than she does.
Catfish captor Sharon Allport suffers from anorexia and Addison’s disease but loves to get out on the bank when she can.
She celebrated her 42nd birthday with a four-night session with her husband and friend Tom to Yateley Match Lake in Surrey.
They were after the noted carp water’s catfish… and landed a whopping 68-pounder.
Guildford, Surrey-based Sharon told Angler’s Mail: “Fishing helps me through my illness and I must say it was the best birthday present ever, one I will never forget.
“When my reel screamed off, and I hit into it, I was like ‘wow!’ I could feel my heartbeat in my mouth. It was an amazing fight, like cats do, for the best part of 40 minutes.
“It was such hard work and I was sweating so much that my husband had to yank my hoody off, but I was determined to land the monster even though it was hard to reel her in.”
Delight to land fish 7 lb heavier than herself
Sharon told Angler’s Mail: “When she was in the net I couldn’t believe what I saw, the size of her, I was full of adrenalin and shouted ‘Yes’, I was so happy.
“As the scales went round to 68 lb I couldn’t believe my eyes, the buzz was so unreal, and the size of the cat was 7 lb heavier than me.
“I’ve never seen a freshwater fish so big in my whole life, and I’ve been fishing nearly 20 years,” she added.
Sharon used two 16 mm Northern Nev Liver & Krill boilies on a size 6 SWG Deception hook, 45 lb Ballistic braided hooklink and 30 lb braided main line, and baited with 2 kg 14 mm glugged pellets.
The group also had three other cats going 47 lb, 44 lb and 28 lb during the trip.
CAUGHT A BIG FISH OR GOT SOME NEWS OR VIEWS? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get the weekly Angler’s Mail print magazine.
THE Force is strong with a new set of tackle by top world-wide manufacturers Zebco, as they have launched a range of Star Wars themed fishing gear.
Star Wars starter kits are designed to get children into angling and they include an R2D2 reel and rod.
The Spincast Combo includes a 5 ft 6 in glass lure rod with a Stainless Steel Pick-up Pin reel.
It can currently be bought on Amazon for £13.48 plus £9.24 UK delivery.
The Star Wars Spincast reel.
Caterham, Surrey-based Star Wars fan Bryn Petch, 11, said: “The tackle looks amazing.
“There’s a Light Sabre rod and I’d love one of those. The R2DT reel looks really cute.”
And Birmingham, West Midlands-based Eli Richards, seven, said: “Two of my favourite things, Star Wars and fishing.
“How cool would it be to fish with that? Does the rod have the Force to help catch the fish too?”
She’s hooked on Star Wars fishing gear in the USA.
A Zebco spokesman has advised that unfortunately as yet they are not licensed to sell the kits in Europe, only in the USA.
They hope they may be able to secure European rights in the future.
The Star Wars franchise itself was bought by Disney five years ago for a stonking $4 billion.
The total earnings of the films, merchandising and other sources is estimated to be over $30 billion since the early 1980s.
Top 10 tips for kids fishing sessions…
With the school summer holidays here, here are some top tips if you’re taking kids fishing soon.
These hints, by Angler’s Mail’s Richard Holroyd, a mad keen angler and father, will help make the session memorable. And there is no need for Star Wars tackle!
1. Bites aplenty
Fish waters that hold lots of fish and, therefore, produce plenty of bites. The last thing you want is to be sat behind rods on a rock-hard water waiting for a bite that may never happen, as they’ll be bored to tears.
2. Keep it simple
Keep rigs and tackle simple. A whip with a basic pole rig is a good starter, before moving onto short rods and small reels. There’s no need for the latest chod rig at this stage!
3. Keep it short
Aim to fish for two hours maximum. I often find that interest levels can drop, especially if bites dry up, so aim to fish for a few hours and treat any extra time as a bonus.
4. Size doesn’t matter
Don’t fish a water that has big fish as they will be massively unprepared to deal with them. A water that holds small fish gives them the opportunity to learn how to play, hold and unhook fish in a manageable way.
5. Don’t fish yourself
A whip is an ideal way to get kids into fishing.
Don’t expect to be fishing yourself, as you’ll need to devote your attention solely to them.
6. Let them make mistakes
Kids are going to make lots of mistakes but it’s all part of the learning process. Make light of any errors as fishing is supposed to be fun. The last thing you want to do is be critical, as they’ll soon start losing interest. Sit back, relax and wait until they ask for advice or for you to untangle the inevitable tangles!
7. Encouragement and fun
Give them lots of encouragement and share their joy when they catch fish. You’ll often find that you get more enjoyment watching them catch than when you catch fish yourself.
8. Bring a picnic
Break up the fishing session and enjoy a picnic. A bit of food and drink, and a rest from fishing, can often reinvigorate their enthusiasm.
9. Take a catapult
Who needs games consoles when you’ve got a catapult! Get them firing out freebies, preferably around the float, and it’ll keep them entertained.
10. Seaside sport
If you are planning on a holiday or short break to the seaside, don’t forget to take a travel rod and a few bits of tackle. It can offer kids a couple of hours of entertainment and gives you a welcome break from helping them build sandcastles. Fish a quiet beach – trying to fish a populated beach with holidaymakers is a non-starter for obvious reasons.
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to read the weekly Angler’s Mail print magazine to really stay in touch with the whole angling scene.
FAMOUS trout water Blagdon Lake in Somerset is opening for 14 days of pike fishing for the very first time for two weeks in October.
But anyone wishing to enjoy the unique opportunity at Blagdon (pictured above) will need deep pockets. And it will be restricted to fly fishing only on the 440-acre venue.
Huge pike are expected but the venue controllers and locals are biting their lip exactly how big they could grow.
Like its much larger neighbour, 1,200 acre Chew Valley, the water is controlled by Bristol Water Fisheries.
They report that the demand has already been incredible despite the price of £400 per boat for two anglers.
Applicants are invited to put forward their names for a draw to hire a boat for the day.
Blagdon rated a ‘premium product’
A spokesman said: “We’ve had over 100 individual entries into the draw so far and for this reason we have decided to lower the limit of boats anglers are permitted to have.
“Instead of entering everyone’s name twice into the draw we have decided to enter them just once.
“If customers wish to try for more boats during the 14 days of fishing for pike they may enter one of our auctions on eBay.
“Keep an eye on our eBay, Facebook and website pages for further information.
“It’s expensive but we believe pike fishing at Blagdon Lake will be considered as a premium product.
“Previous surveys carried out by our team have indicated that there are some particularly special pike found in the lake,” he added.
Another large Chew pike puts up a lively scrap… and soon Blagdon could also produce some fantastic sport.
Ace pike fly man John Horsey is in no doubt about Blagdon’s potential. He will be operating one of the two guided boats available at the auction and has caught pike to 40 lb 8 oz on the fly at Chew.
John remarked: “This is a golden opportunity for people to catch some monsters and I’m not surprised there is so much interest.
“I know many pike anglers will be disappointed that lures and deadbaits will not be allowed but this is a much smaller water than Chew and we don’t want to risk the pike getting hammered.”
“There are not many silver bait fish and perch in Blagdon unlike at Chew and even the large pike do feed regularly on flies,” he added
Only five boats will be available during weekdays via the draw, and six at weekends via the auction, including a boat for Bristol Water Guided pike fly fishing days.
The live draw for boats will take place at Woodford Lodge on Friday, August 11, at 7.30pm. The fishery is encouraging interested parties to come and watch this draw in person.
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR AUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
THE BRITISH record carp was found dead just two weeks after the unofficial heaviest fish, Big Rig, also died. And Angler's Mail spoke exclusively to the angler who made the sad discovery.
British record carp, The Parrot, was caught numerous times over 60 lb to a best of 68 lb 1 oz to Dean Fletcher in January 2016. At that all-time high, the fish stays top on the official BRFC list.
The stunning old specimen was caught at least four times this year at Berkshire’s Cranwells Lake on the Wasing Estate, including once to Terry Hearn at 63 lb.
Many anglers have been mourning the loss of The Parrot… but none more than the angler who discovered she was dead. Incredibly, he was on his first session on the water
That angler wants to remain anonymous, but told Angler’s Mail: “It was my first time fishing Cranwells having waited for two years for a ticket, although I was a member on other Wasing Estate lakes.
“It had just re-opened after its short close season of six weeks and I planned a 48-hour session.
“I arrived early and managed to get my second choice swim known as The Woods.
“It seemed a bit strange that there were no real signs of fish movement but soon they were being caught around the lake, and on the first day I had a 26 lb common and a 31 lb mirror.
“On the second morning I woke at 5am and spotted a big lump out in the water about 60 yards to my left which looked like a carp to me but a couple of guys nearby thought could a dead swan.
The Parrot, seen here in perfect health, delighted all anglers to have caught or witnessed her at Wasing Estate’s Cranwells Lake.
“I climbed about 20 foot up a tree and realised it was a huge carp as a fin was sticking up.
“It was motionless but I couldn’t be sure it was dead, so in case it was alive but somehow tethered, I decided to go in after it.
“When I got there I immediately saw it was dead and although I had never seen the Parrot in person I had seen pictures and I could tell by the shape of the mouth and the scales that sadly it was her.
“I netted the carcass and dragged it back to the bank, where bailiffs collected it and took it to a freezer.”
How did British record carp die?
The eye-witness continued: “I have some knowledge of fish biology as I have a diploma in fisheries management and a science degree, and I could see no sign of disease or damage on the fish.
“The gills although pale were fully intact and there were no sores or lesions anywhere.
“I would guess that she had been dead for about a fortnight.
“Obviously I didn’t feel like carrying on fishing after the shock of discovering the British record fish deceased, but I will be back after the other top specimens in the lake,” he concluded.
Wasing fishery manager Mark Hibbs has already had the Parrot autopsied and thinks it died of natural causes. He hopes to have it stuffed.
The news came after Big Rig was found dead a fortnight ago at Shropshire’s The Avenue. That immense fish had been caught twice over the official record weight at 69 lb 3 oz by Tom Doherty in September 2016, then a month later by Robby Harrison at 71 lb 4 oz. The giant had been hand-reared to a high weight and was rejected by the British record Fish Committee.
Carp fishing legend Terry Hearn caught the Parrot at 63 lb, after managing to extract many of the other Cranwells biggies.
Tributes to British record carp, The Parrot
British record carp captor Dean Fletcher, who caught Parrot at its heaviest weight, said: “I was on the neighbouring lake when I heard about it, so there was a sombre atmosphere.
“It is just such a shame. The fish was a freak of nature, it really was, and I just feel sorry for the lads who were still fishing for it and those on the waiting list.
“It will always hold a special place in my heart and I’ll never forget that warm day in January for as long as I live. I honestly don’t know if it would have ever topped 68 lb 1 oz again, as I just happened to catch it at the perfect time.”
Highly respected big carp ace Nigel Sharp said: “For me the highlight of 2017 was getting the call to go and photograph our current record fish and share the moment of my mate Terry Hearn’s capture of the Wasing Estate’s Parrot (pictured above). Today the carp fishing grapevine is buzzing with the sad news that the great fish has passed away.
“I don’t suppose I’d have ever got the chance to fish for it but I’m so pleased I made the effort to brave the storm and breaking trees to see such a fish on the bank. A great loss to British carp fishing.”
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
ANDY CLARK has fished his local River Lea for over 40 years and after a two-year break he returned in style to take this PB 15 lb 12 oz barbel.
The 55-year-old operations director from Waltham Abbey, Essex, told Angler’s Mail all about his impressive barbel catch.
Andy said: “I returned this year after attending a tour with the head bailiff Eric Whorne. It’s to Eric whom I am indebted with this catch – including taking the photos.
“I baited the swim with hemp, pellets and a small amount of boilies around 8pm and did not return to fish until 9.30 pm.
“At 10.15pm I felt the line pull viciously out of my hand whilst touch-legering and I connected with what I immediately realised was a good fish.
“After a five minute battle including negotiating some dangerous snags I netted her.
“I used an original 10 ft Simpson’s barbel stalking rod and with a single Sticky Baits 12 mm Krill boilie wrapped in matching paste on a long hair rig.
“I caught an 8 lb 2 oz chub out of this same swim in 2011 so will be fishing it again in the future,” he added.
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
WEED from bank to bank has destroyed a ten-mile stretch of a fishery rented direct from the Environment Agency, who have failed to fix the problem.
Despite Southport DAA demanding weed action for several years, their stretch of the River Crossens on the Merseyside-Lancashire border remains totally unfishable.
The only solution to the duckweed dilemma put forward by the EA is for the club to sort the weed out themselves. Members are furious, and say they are paying twice for the venue… through rent and rod licences.
The 600-strong club pay around £1,500 a year to the EA in rod licence fees alone.
Club secretary Paul Tabron explained: “The river is really a land drain originally built to take water from a huge mere.
“This used to be a quality water which was never easy to fish but had specimen tench, bream and roach, but no doubt they have all now moved elsewhere.
“Our members are angry because they pay their rod licence money and their club membership part of which goes to rent this water, so they are paying the EA twice over and still not able to fish it.”
Paul Tabron and fellow club members are battling to to be able to fish the venue they rent.
“After several years of trying to get something done about it with no solution being found by the EA, we have now been given their permission to try to tackle the problem ourselves, so are exploring options.
“The local fisheries section of the EA have generally been very helpful to us including restocking when there has been a pollution, but they are grossly underfunded by the overall organisation,” he concluded.
An EA spokesperson told Angler’s Mail: “The River Crossens offers several areas which remain fishable although some areas are restricted by duckweed.
“This is an ongoing issue we have been working with the local angling club to address.
“We have agreed with the angling club to offset any maintenance cost against rent what is used to tackle the issue.
“We will continue to monitor oxygen levels and fish stock and we have processes in place to ensure the environment and fish in our rivers can continue to thrive,” they added.
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
A KEEN angler has tragically collapsed and died at his peg before a match at his favourite venue, Bury Hill Fisheries
Ian Caller of Crawley, West Sussex, (pictured above) began to feel unwell as he walked to his peg at Surrey’s renowned Bury Hill Fisheries. He sat down at the lake while his companion went off to help set up the match.
On his return he found the 58-year-old joiner on the ground and immediately started giving him CPR while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
Fishery owner David de Vere explained: “The first ambulance arrived within eight minutes of the call but despite Ian receiving CPR and the paramedics working for ages, tragically he couldn’t be resuscitated.
“He has been coming hear for a long time fishing in matches organised by his club Faulkners.
“Obviously the match was abandoned and we rescinded the charge, and I’ve offered them a free session on the lake if they wish to have a memorial match.
“It really was a grim day at the fishery, but maybe it is of some consolation to his family that he died doing something he loved.
“We have discussed since whether owning a defibrillator might have made a difference to the outcome, but given how quickly he received medical attention which couldn’t save him then we doubt that it would have helped,” he added.
Bury Hill Fisheries, seen here being tackle by local ace Russ Evans, has long been one of the south’s most popular accessible venues.
Faulkner’s AC secretary Mark Parrot said: “Ian was a keen angler who had been fishing with us for years and also has a brother Andy who fishes but wasn’t at the match that day.
“Ian had been in the on-site tackle shop on the morning to buy a few bits and seemed fine when chatting to Kenny Collings but began to feel ill walking to the peg.
“Several club members performed CPR and the paramedics arrived quickly and worked on him for at least 40 minutes but tragically couldn’t bring him back.
“Ironically he was due a knee transplant operation this week and had passed the pre-op medical assessment to say he was fit to undergo it, so they obviously didn’t pick up on any heart problem.
“We are likely to take up the owner’s offer of a memorial match – in fact we already hold a 50-peg charity match there in September on behalf of Kids For Cancer for one of our members who had prostate cancer.”
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
MOST regular anglers will have had encounters with predators... now check this one out. The pike-bite marks on this chub give it away...
Phil Mapp was shocked when this specimen 6 lb 4 oz chub was grabbed by a huge pike as he was playing it.
Milton Keynes-based Phil’s 6 lb Maxima main line and 5 lb Drennan Supplex hook link held firm… and the pike let go.
The incident happened on the Great Ouse at Wolverton, Buckinghamshire.
Phil said: “The pike must of been big to create that much damage to a 6 lb chub, it wasn’t on for long, seconds if that.
“My guess is the head of the pike must of been huge to create so much damage in such a short space of time,’ added Phil.
The Ouse session also saw Phil add other chub of 5 lb 2 oz and 5 lb, caught using meat hook baits.
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
SWITCHING species at the right time can really pay off, as this mightily impressive zander proves.
Shayne Kearns is a keen barbel angler but decided to go for zander on his favourite River Trent in Nottinghamshire and the move paid off with this 16 lb 10 oz beast.
The 45-year-old from Lincoln said: “The barbel action was very slow which could be down to low clear water so at dusk I set my predator rod out.
“At 9.48 pm the alarm screamed off and the reel spun off like I’ve never known. It just didn’t stop going, was like a freight train.
“It was half ways down the river and I though please don’t break off and was wondering if it was a pike or zander.
“Close in, I saw it was a zander and I knew it was something special so I called my mate from few pegs down and he came to net it for me.
“We both saw the fish in the net and was like ‘yes’!’ added Shayne, who legered a roach deadbait.
The best recorded Trent zander is an 18 lb 10 oz beast caught by Graham Hunt in March, 2011.
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
NOW this is a special golden orfe - giant in size, and from a venue where you might not have expected it!
Golden orfe have become fairly common stillwater residents but there aren’t many in UK rivers.
Phil Timmins caught the largest we’ve heard of from any running water with this golden orfe that weighed in at 7 lb from his local River Aire. It’s pictured above.
The 26-year-old banker from Bingley, West Yorkshire, feeder fished with worm and maggot.
Phil explained: “As far as I’m aware this is the first golden orfe to have ever been caught on the River Aire and a special catch for me.
“It was amongst some chub which is what I was aiming to catch so obviously pulling this up was more than a surprise.
“I have a feeling it escaped from a lake the floods in 2015 and thrived with a family of chub.”
Ide and orfe – they’re the same, basically
Many big golden orfe have been reported to Angler’s Mail in recent years, but all from lakes.
However, last month the captor of a huge ide from a river got in touch with Angler’s Mail to share news of his amazing catch.
Nottinghamshire’s River Trent is full of surprises but a 7 lb 6 oz ide (below) was the last thing Ian Green was expecting during a recent night trip.
Ide are the natural version of the ornamental golden orfe and that same species has an official British record of 8 lb 5 oz.
The golden version was caught from Lymm Vale in Cheshire by Michael Wilkinson in 2000.
Ian, 29, from Nottingham, told Angler’s Mail all about his Trent ide suprise: “I was convinced I had caught a large chub until I was told by others it was an ide, and it is the first one I’ve ever caught.”
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
AN insurance policy is being launched which for the first time ever will allow a fishery to insure some or all of its fish stocks against loss.
The policy insures against loss through things like disease or pollution on a price per pound per species basis and relies on the evidence of deceased fish, so excludes causes like loss through poaching.
The company, Mead Sport and Leisure, is based in Norfolk and has grown over 16 years to be the largest independent provider of insurance to fishing clubs and commercial fisheries in Great Britain and all Ireland with 1,600 customers.
Commercial director Keith Letchford explained: “This kind of policy has never been available before as the issues around it are complex, but we managed to work out a way of doing it and enquiries are starting already.
“We have developed our range of products over the years in response to consumer need, and pride ourselves on personal service, knowing each customer by their first name.
“Until now we have never formally advertised, but grown through word of mouth and personal recommendation.”
Keith added: “Some years back we realised that public liability insurance for fisheries was not in itself enough so we developed a policy for clubs where each member is covered wherever they go fishing, not just on the club’s own waters.
“We also adapted our policies to cover guns when a licence to cull cormorants is involved.”
“Now this new development is the first time a policy to cover fish stocks has ever been available and I am confident that it will prove very popular,” he concluded.
ANGLER'S MAIL magazine this week gets you set for the Bank Holiday weekend and brings you exclusives galore... and at just £1.99 for the print issue, you cannot afford to miss it!
There’s a Special Feature in the magazine this week: Classic mistakes – and how to get it right! Carp and general coarse coach Ian Gemson is your guide, with lots of top tips.
It’s been the best-ever week for UK catfish, and the Mail rounds up the action on this species and many more, with exclusive reports.
Also inside your Angler’s Mail magazine this week:
New tackle firm launches in UK
KHV spreads further
Individual National and World Youth Champs
Darren Cox on why double baits can often be best
Steve Collett bags big bream on the River Aire
Colin Davidson looks at magnetic carpy products
Cover star Jamie Londors, Dave Coster, Andy Browne, Dr Ian Welch & more!
Where To Fish – your big guide for the August Bank Holiday hotspots
The must-read Angler’s Mail print magazine is out now and just £1.99. Accept no substitute. It’s also available digitally.
Get yourself a subscription to Angler’s Mail print magazine at a great price – click HERE to subscribe and SAVE!
BAIT giants Dynamite will host an open match at top midlands complex Makin's in memory of local match fishing legend Anthony King - who was known as the ‘King of Makin’s'.
The leading bait firm’s special match – and you can be there – is on Sunday, September 9, 2017 at Makin’s Fishery, Bazzard Road, Nuneaton CV11 6QJ.
There will be 80 pegs held on Phase 1 & 2 and will be run as a ‘mystery pairs’ match for a bit of fun.
Makin’s Fishery staff will conduct the draw and the pairing on the day. Each mystery pair will have an angler on phase 1 and phase 2.
Phase 1 and 2 of the vast Makin’s site will be used for the special match.
On the day the draw will begin at 9am in the phase 1 car park. Fishing will commence at 11am and finish at 4pm.
Entry is £50 – get your ticket HERE. If the match is sold out the prize fund will be as below with remaining proceeds being gifted to Anthony’s family.
Who was Anthony King?
Talented match angler and nice guy Anthony (pictured above) sadly died at the end of June after a battle with cancer.
Back in July 2007 he set the Makins’ Match Record during one of the regular Nisa matches with 303 lb 12 oz.
Anthony achieved it with carp caught from peg B10 on Lake Two, caught on the Method feeder.
Makin’s King – Anthony King, who died in June.
Almost exactly three years later, again on Lake Two (peg B13) he increased it to 345 lb 8 oz.
That time Anthony started on the Method feeder then switched to pole/paste… caught between his keepnets after he spotted carp swirling there!
Each entrant will receive a Dynamite goodie bag on the day.
Normal fishery rules apply. No Floating baits – see Makin’s website.
Prize fund based on all tickets being sold
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
CHECK this out for a big pike - caught on specialist fly tackle.
Martyn Cattermole has fly fished for pike 30 times this year at Somerset’s prolific Chew Valley and topped over 30 doubles with this 30 lb 4 oz beast.
Chepstow, Monmouthshire-based Martyn is the owner of Wye Valley Adventures.
He runs trips on Chew and also wants to run them at neighbouring Blagdon in October, a venue which could produce pike equally as impressive.
Martyn has caught all his recent predator on a Flashtail Whistlers fly with tungsten head like you see pictured below.
Flashtail Whistler – ideal for big pike
He teams the big flies up with a 3.5 ft leader of 30-50 lb fluorocarbon plus a 12 inch wire trace, with a StayLok size 3 clip with Airflo Sniper Di main line.
Martyn said: “I’ve had 16 over 10 lb in July and five 20-pounders including one of 26 lb.”
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
SOMETIMES it pays to steer away from swims you regularly visit on venues you like - and this barbel catch is perfect proof!
Barbel and chub fan Darren Poole has fished Fishers Green on the River Lea in Hertfordshire for 13 years. He knows it pretty well.
But on one of his latest visits Darren decided on a new spot he’d not fished before… and it produced this stunning 15 lb 4 oz barbel.
Harlow, Essex-based Darren said: “Just before light I put out seven baitdropper of CC Moore Hemp & Krill over the top of a 20mm Pacific Tuna boilie soaked in tuna glug.
“Within 30 minutes, my rod turned into a elastic band and I was in.
“I knew straight away this was a good fish, and after 20 minutes of blood, sweat and tears I had her in the net, one of the big girls,” he added.
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
THERE'S no longer an official British record for catfish, but this super sausage-muncher is one of the very biggest known to be alive in any British water.
Lee Hawkins caught this 110 lb wels catfish from a lake near Billericay in Essex… on a rarely used sausage bait.
The 55-year-old builder from Chelmsford, Essex, offered a lump of Mattessons pork sausage like you see below. He offered his meaty portion over pellets.
Lee said: “My wife Caroline, who accompanies me on most of my fishing trips these days, successfully got the Catfish Pro landing net underneath the beast. It was at that point we knew I had beaten my previous PB.
“I have fished this particular lake for around 18 years now and have been into cat fishing for around five years after I’d caught one whilst carp fishing,” he added.
GOT SOME NEWS, VIEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com Be sure to get Angler’s Mail print magazine for the very latest news, tips and hotspots.
THE Environment Agency are on a major ‘man-hunt’ after two sizeable catfish were illegally put into a popular urban chalkstream.
A Facebook video showed two men putting two cats from 5-12 lb into South London’s River Wandle around Poulter Park in Mitcham.
The EA quickly responded and sent a team of seven fisheries officers to electro-fish the narrow river.
But despite seeing loads of barbel, chub, trout, carp and big roach, failed to find the moggies.
A video the EA released of the netting operation has attracted over many thousands of online views.
An EA spokesman said: “We fished from the small, notched weir downstream of sewage treatment works up to Goat Bridge weir. Lots of other fish were present but no sign of the catfish.
“We won’t do any more electro-fishing as some of the stretches are too deep, plus it can cause stress and even death in other species and this is the last thing we want. One large chub and a couple of dace did perish.
“I would urge any sightings or captures of the catfish to be reported to our incident hotline, 0800 80 70 60 and will look to collect the fish.
“We are carrying out further investigations regarding the identity of those who stocked the cats, obviously though the video online gives nothing away,” he added.
Local anglers have reacted with horror to the news, many claiming that it could decimate the fish stocks.
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THE Barbel Society is calling on angling’s governing body The Angling Trust to help save barbel stocks.
A barbels barbules
In an open letter to the Press, Barbel Society chairman Steve Pope says the Trust must use their close contacts and influence with the Environment Agency to improve stocks.
The letter states: “It is with great concern that I put pen to paper with regard to what we see as the significant, in some cases irreversible, decline of the barbel populations on many rivers in the UK.
“Over the past 20 years the decline has become very evident to barbel anglers, though strong groups of barbel in some areas often masked a barbel population in steady decline.
Steve Pope
Steve continued: “The River Teme, Kennet, Thames, Great Ouse, Cherwell, Wensum, Bristol Avon, Severn, Yorkshire Ouse and Swale to name but a few are now shadows of their former selves due to poor recruitment, predation, pollution, habitat loss, parasite infestation and abstraction.
“I would ask you to influence the EA, various Rivers Trusts, the Canals and Rivers Trust and Natural England into formulating some sort of investigation and action plan.
“The situation is dire and will ultimately result in many rivers being devoid of barbel,” it concluded.
And Steve told Angler’s Mail: “We are focusing on the effects of predation and our first subject is otters. We will be enlisting the help of the whole angling community.
“We are inviting the Trust as our representative body to assist and take up the fight to save our barbel rivers from further decimation.
“Also we are totally aligned to Predator Action Group and we will be doing all we can for the benefit of anglers.
“We have to leave a proper legacy otherwise we will be judged very badly in years to come,” added the specialist group‘s main man.
Martin Salter
‘Significant declines’ in barbel stocks
The Angling Trust has replied to the Barbel Society, and is keen to work jointly to the benefit of fish stocks.
Martin Salter, the Trust’s head of campaigns, noted: “There are multiple reasons for the decline of any species in certain river catchments. Poor recruitment, poor water quality, low flows and predation all play a part.
“However, whilst some barbel populations on some rivers have undoubtedly declined others are doing very well. The upper Lea, the Trent and the Wye are just three such rivers rivers and on the other hand the Kennet, Teme and Bristol Avon have seen significant declines. There are others in both categories.
“I’m glad you (Barbel Society) want to work with us on these issues and we would be happy to convene a meeting with appropriate people from the EA and the Rivers Trust to discuss a way forward,” added Martin, a former Labour MP.
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SIX more fisheries around the country have contracted the Koi Herpes Virus that is usually fatal for infected carp, and have had to introduce special protective measures.
They are:
Bannister House, Lancashire
Cleverley Bridge, Lancashire
Willows Lakes, Hertfordshire
Sam Hosticks Fisheries, East Yorkshire
Newlake, Humberside
Tyersal Hall Fishery, West Yorkshire
Bannister House is a large day ticket complex near Preston that has 250 pegs and a huge head of fish, estimated by owner Tim Edwards at 25 tonne.
Tim told Angler’s Mail: “We are over the outbreak now and were visited by CEFAS (Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) this morning who have given us a clean bill of health.
“All nets have to be dipped before people leave, but otherwise it is business as usual.
“Really our loss of fish was small compared to the volume of fish we have here.
“This Sunday the top seven pegs in our match caught a total of 1,000 lb so you can see the fishing hasn’t been affected.”
The EA are urging anglers to properly dry any wet nets after fishing, and they are using social media messages #checkcleandry and #stopthespread
Tim continued: “The KHV arrived weeks ago when he had very hot weather and the oxygen level dropped, and we were perhaps a bit overstocked.
“We had put in 2.5 tonne of carp not long before but I don’t think that was the actual cause.
“Most of our match anglers fish another local fishery on a Saturday who had an outbreak but haven’t reported the disease, and then they fish us on the Sunday.
“Some tackle dealers have been advising people not to come but everything is fine and the fishing still excellent,” he concluded.
Popular southern venue hit by KHV
Down south, day ticket Willows Lakes near the top of M25 in Hertfordshire has also been affected.
They have decided to close their match lake and keep it shut, probably until October, but their other two lakes are still open and fishing well.
Manager Andy Burton said: “We suffered about 1,500 carp deaths but I would estimate there were 10,000 in the lake.
“We technically could re-open it but the water level is low after little rainfall, and I want to give the fish every chance of a full recovery.”
Andy continued: “We have lost some business through cancelling our regular weekend and Open matches but I’m more interested in the fish’s welfare and profit isn’t everything.
“We will see how it fishes when we re-open and then decide whether to do any re-stocking next year,” he added.
Meanwhile the Environment Agency continues to raise awareness of the issue of the spread of infectious diseases and alien species.
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