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AN intensive two-year campaign at a large day-only Cheshire park lake lead to the capture of a north west record common carp at a massive 57 lb 4 oz.

Captor Rob Allen finally hooked the monster common carp after countless hours of baiting and fishing without putting a fish on the bank.

The 36-year-old builder from Warrington, Cheshire told Angler’s Mail: “Massive amounts of bait were used over a two-year baiting campaign.

“I mixed my baits using Sticky Baits Manilla and The Krill using a bag a of each one, plus lots of hemp and mixed particle’s from Cheshire Particles.

“Four day sessions the weekend before resulted in my first fish of the entire year, after months and months of silent rods. But what a fish it was, the finest looking common I’d ever seen, tipping the scales to an impressive 32 lb 8 oz.

“It was a season-maker itself but made me believe I was very close to achieving my goal,” said Rob.

“It almost broke me – mentally & physically”

Rob continued: “So, the following weekend couldn’t come quick enough as busy as I was at work, but I had to let the lads down once again, and do another four days session, although it was actually on the first day I hooked the fish of a lifetime.

“What a campaign it was, unexplainable in small words, but it was the toughest challenge you could ever imagine, and almost broke me both mentally and physically.

“But it was worth every minute as now I’ve caught the north west record and the finest looking carp I will ever set my eye on, so incredible it almost brought me to tears.

“I won’t lie, there was a few when it went in the net,” he added.

Rob used a simple hair rig, with a very long hair, to take two 20 mm bottom baits as this allows swapping from bottom only to a snowman presentation.

It was a snowman, the topping being  a 16 mm White Manilla pop-up, that tricked the  stunning common carp.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the brilliant weekly print magazine.

AN American tackle firm, Cadence, is launching itself in the UK market.

Cadence enters the UK market with the promise that for every purchase over £50 they will give a whip to a children’s fishing charity.

The company was created to only sell directly to the angler. This allows them to offer an exceptional product at a great value, whilst committing a portion of profits to get more kids fishing

Cadence company rep James Robbins (pictured above) explained: “We’re committed to using our profits to help kids learn how to fish.

“When you make a purchase from our company, in addition to getting a great product at a great value, you are also helping and encouraging kids to develop the skills needed to learn just how much fun, meaningful, and magical fishing can be.

“We promise to give a kids’ 3-metre elasticated whip to our designated fishing charity – Get Hooked on Fishing, for every purchase of £50 or more,” he revealed.

Initial Cadence tackle range revealed in UK

James continued: “We have developed a range of coarse rods and reels for the UK market.

“The CS10 rod range -covers most UK coarse rod applications and will prove extremely popular for both commercial and natural venues.

“The high quality blanks are constructed from a blend of 40 and 36 ton carbon and this provides rods that are lightweight, slim and strong.

“The components used are of the highest quality including AAA cork, Fuji guides, Fuji reels seats. The rods range in size from 10 to 16 ft and prices from £69.99 to £149.99.

“The action of the rods has been developed to offer varying blank powers at the given lengths and are all progressive with crisp smooth power curves.

“Compare these rods to other higher priced brands with similar specification and quality and you will confirm that Cadence rods display amazing value for money,” he added.

The company have also produced two reels both retailing at £69.99 The lightweight design is a result of using magnesium for the body and carbon composite for the side plate and rotor.

GOT SOME NEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could appear in the brilliant weekly print magazine. Be sure top read it every week for exclusive columnists, tackle, tips, news, views and hotspots.

DEAN ALDRIDGE and his daughter Chelsie both caught PB catfish in the same weekend session on a day ticket Essex water.

Dean, 51 and a Big Cat UK consultant from Bromley, South East London broke the magic ton mark with a 107 lb 9 oz moggie (above).

It was caught on Big Cat RH Hybrids, topped with a Hybrid pop on fished snowman style over Big Cat pellet and carpet feed.

Chelsie, 19, also smashed her PB with this 76 lb 12 oz catfish (above) tempted on oily Hybrids over the same feed.

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SCOTT HAMILTON has been having an amazing time on the River Lea, sharing his success with your No.1 fishing news source, Angler's Mail.

River Lea regular Scott has been putting in plenty of effort over the last year, finding fish, likely spots and pre-baiting. That’s on top of  just spending time by the water and learning.

After an afternoon session managing just one River Lea chub, the 40-year-old support analyst from Hertfordshire decided to bait the spot and return the next morning.

Scott explained: “When I arrived I checked the swim and could clearly see five or six barbel all around 5 lb.

“Watching them in the clear water I noticed they were spooking off my boilies.

“I changed over to pellet hookbait and within the hour hooked a powerful fish that was definitely double figures that I lost.

“After a lull, changing back to the boilies immediately bought me a bite that resulted in the 7 lb 7 oz chub (pictured above). It’s just 3 oz off my PB.

“This is now my fourth 7 lb plus fish from the River Lea this season, which is quite hard to comprehend,” he added.

But the success did not end there…

River Lea giant barbel after downpour

Scott continued: “After 24 hours of downpours I then went at first light back to the same spot that was now high, coloured and very pacey.

“I opted for pellet hookbaits and my first barbel came in just 30 minutes – 8 lb exactly and a new PB, beating my previous by over 3 lb.

“An hour and a half later and I connected to something all together more powerful.

“It took around 15 minutes to finally net the fish and only then did I see the sheer size of the whiskers.

“She went 14 lb 7 oz and is now my new PB,” he concluded.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the brilliant weekly print magazine.

BARBEL SOCIETY chairman Steve Pope (pictured) has welcomed the positive response by the Angling Trust to their appeal for assistance in addressing the problem of declining barbel numbers.

But Steve fears that there could be limits to their possible support on some matters, and to get results more anglers have to stand up to be counted by joining them in the struggle ahead.

Steve recently highlighted the decline of barbel stocks on many rivers,something many fans of the species have reported seeing evidence of.

Angler’s Mail magazine has received many emails and letters on the topic, and the Angling Trust has offered to work with the Barbel Society and others over the issues behind the problems.

In an update to Angler’s Mail, Steve said: “Although the initial response has been encouraging in their offer to meet with us and others to try address the issue, I do believe the Angling Trust is compromised in how far it will go by the source of its funding and their current stance on otters.

“Without doubt the most significant factor in barbel decline on our smaller and medium sized rivers is the exponential growth in the otter population.

“Those that re-introduced them did so without consultation and with scant regard to the devastating impact this apex predator could have on fish and other forms of wildlife.

“Until now the Angling Trust have been unwilling to accept the extent of the damage or believe that anything can be done about it because of the wildlife lobby and public opinion about furry animals.

Barbel need protecting, insists Steve Pope

Steve added: “Never mind the otter being protected, our barbel and other fish need protecting from them or else there will be no legacy of decent river fishing to be left for our children.

“The Trust are prepared to help with otter fencing and to remove otters from within them for still waters but this mainly helps commercial fishery interests, with the trapped otters released on rivers to reap havoc.

“There is also no doubt also that more otters are being released into the wild from certain wild-life enthusiasts.

“They are close to becoming everywhere like foxes and almost tame in a few places.

“The Barbel Society is developing a strategy to tackle this alongside organisations like the Predator Action Group which we will reveal in the near future.”

David Seaman shares his experience of barbel

In the meantime, former England and Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman is someone with personal experience of the decline in barbel numbers on his local River Kennet and elsewhere…

David (pictured above) explained: “When I moved to Berkshire I could stand on a bridge near me, throw some pellets in and watch 30 to 40 barbel underneath but nowadays you are lucky to see one or two.

“I used to live on the banks of the Thames where barbel were once plentiful but I understand this in no longer the case.

“The fishing has become really hard here – last season was a grueller although this one has been a bit better.

“I recently came within a few ounces of my PB with this 13 lb 2 oz specimen (pictured), making two doubles and seven around the 8 lb mark all told in my short sessions.”

“My fishing time is currently a bit limited and I will shortly be taking on an occasional ambassador-type role with the Gunners doing stadium tours.

“I’m hoping for an improvement in the barbel fishing and a higher Premier League place for the Arsenal this campaign.”

CAUGHT A BIG FISH OR GOT SOME VIEWS TO SHARE? Email photos exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – and be sure to read the weekly Angler’s Mail print magazine.

A LEADING environmental scientist and campaigner has called for action to stop tens of thousands of carp anglers from using the practice of discarding lead weights when fish are hooked.

The environmental campaigner’s move has come  over fears that the practice of dropping carp weights is polluting our water environment.

In an open letter to various relevant bodies including the Environment Agency and the Angling Trust, Dr Stuart McLanaghan, who runs an ecological consultancy, highlights the potential size of the problem and the dangers of the practice to fish welfare, fishery health and water quality.

Dr McLanaghan

Dr McLanaghan (pictured), who is an angler, states: “Lead is a heavy metal and toxic even at very low levels of exposure.

“The World Health Organisation has identified lead as one of ten chemicals of major public health concern needing action by EU members.

“When lead fishing weights are discarded, the lead is spread in the wider environment, making retrieval complicated.

“Certain freshwater fisheries are also sources for drinking water abstraction and I am calling for voluntary action before regulations are brought in.

“It is hard to come up with exact figures as to the extent of the problem, but based on the sale of lead weights and the huge number of carp anglers and the extent of the practice, I have conservatively calculated that there could be as many as one million lead weights and 100 tons of lead being dropped in our inland waters each year.

“The practice of lead dropping is defended on fish welfare grounds but it is also heavily promoted by manufacturers as a way of improving the percentage of bites that are hooked and fish landed so that they sell more sinkers.

“There is also a danger of this lead littering giving ammunition to anti-angling groups.

“Denmark has in fact already totally banned the use and import of any fishing product containing lead and the European Commission are conducting a review of the issue to see whether regulation is called for.

“There are good alternatives to lead available that we can use like Pallatrax stone sinkers and Dinsmore’s lead-free versions,” he concludes.

Equally controversially Dr McLanaghan also campaigns for the use of single hooks only for predator fishing , as featured in a previous edition of Angler’s Mail magazine. His move on that front has not received a lot of support to date.

Simon Pomeroy is amongst the anglers backing Dr Lanaghan’s moves – but other prominent figures do not agree.

Reactions to the lead-dropping views

Managing director of Pallatrax, 
Simon Pomeroy, said: “I know I will be accused of wanting to promote our own product but I’ve always been anti dropping any kind of weight, so I’m delighted at seeing such a voice of reason, an independent and accredited voice, campaigning to see the practice banned and efforts made to retrieve the lead as best we can.”

Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust , responded: “Carp anglers should be applauded for their concern for fish welfare, rather than being criticised.

“There is nothing in this letter that constitutes hard evidence of toxicity from lead weights discarded in waters especially as many have protective coverings.

“Whilst lead products remain in legal use in many aspects of our lives anglers should be as free to use them for release when fish are hooked in waters with heavy weed growth.

Derek Stritton of the Carp Society commented: “This practice, developed by carp anglers for use in waters affected by weed, is a sound one based on fish welfare, and to prevent fish loss, or them becoming tethered in weed.

“We would merely suggest discretion in the “dumping of leads” in those waters where it is not necessary.”

GOT A VIEW TO SHARE OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com

THE tidal Trent is surely Britain’s current No.1 barbel venue - and here's more proof of its pedigree.

The tidal Trent is where Charles Snowden has had a fantastic season to land 56 doubles, plus countless others. His run was topped by a 14 lb 8 oz sample on his latest outing.

This was part of a huge weekend haul of big barbel with eight doubles in all, six over 12 lb and an estimated 150 lb of bream.

All were caught on 12 mm glugged pet shop bought low-oil pellets in conjunction with a 5 oz feeder.

The self-employed 53-year-old from Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, explained: “I used to regularly barbel fish 20 years ago and would often have bags between 100 to 150 lb but then had a very long break mainly due to work commitments.

“I’ve returned to it recently but struggled at first before I got my tactics right including fishing much heavier.

“Lots of people fish the tidal river and struggle thinking they can just bung out a load of bait and the fish will come, but I seem to have cracked it.

“I’ve found its best to fish very long hooklinks with the bait up to 7 feet from the feeder and to concentrate on fishing at night.

“The water has been very clear and the fish seem to be spooked by the feeder itself but take confidently if the hookbait is further away,” he advised.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the brilliant weekly print magazine.

THE biggest brace of coarse fish ever caught has fallen to a catfish enthusiast who underwent critical brain surgery earlier this year.

The coarse fish brace record-buster was Tony Corbett, 37, who fished for seven nights on a Midlands day ticket water.

His biggest catfish fell on the same day – scaling a massive 122 lb 14 oz  (picture above) and 119 lb (below).

He also caught several other cats with back up fish of 78 lb, 75 lb, 68 lb and a couple of kittens to 30 lb.

They cats were tempted using a variety of methods and baits including halibut pellets, luncheon meat and leeches.

Tony, from Macclesfield, Cheshire, told Angler’s Mail: “I had open brain surgery at the beginning of the year but still managed a 120 lb cat in April while in recovery, however I wasn’t well enough to pick the cat up for decent pictures.

“So I am over the moon with these captures as I was finally able to pick them up for decent trophy shots.”

Tony continued: “I knew beforehand of the 122 lb fish but the 119-pounder (pictured above) was a cat I thought was either a rumour or was the same fish with a case of mistaken identity.

“I landed the 119 on my own and when I realised it was also over the 100 lb mark I had to wake a pair of carp fishermen from the opposite side of the lake to help with weighing and photos,” he added.

Tony, a consultant for Catmaster Tackle and a member of the Catfish Conservation Group, was testing some new products when he made coarse fish history.

Kit used included 5 lb Catmaster Dominator rods, Shimano Thunnus 12000 reels, Catmaster GFR hooks and 50 kg braided hook link.

CAUGHT A BIG COARSE FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the brilliant weekly print magazine.

The nation's most original fishing print magazine, Angler's Mail, is out now, loaded with exclusive material that will brighten up your week.

This superb print fishing magazine costs just £1.99 and it really delivers with a netful of essential content.

A new series starts in this issue – BILL RUSHMER’S BRILLIANT BAITS. This super series gives exclusive insight into highly effective baits that you can make, based upon Bill’s many years of angling and science experience.

News stories you must read this week:

• Stop the death rigs!
• Night fishing calamity
• Star carper Ian ‘Chilly’ Chillcott battles back
• Record charity weekend
• Your Great Catches
• Match News – including Evesham Festival, UK Championships and Ladies World Champs

Features & advice you must read this week:

• Steve Collett tackles a park lake that others had written off
• John Bailey reveals the truth about river roach
• Andy Browne’s top 10 tackle gizmos
• Dave Coster’s  traditional baits insight
• Dr Ian Welch’s Secret Lives reveals gender bending fish
• Andy ‘Bagger’ Bennett fishes ‘shalla’ in our Catch More series
• Colin Davidson explains how to Spomb carp bait with security
• Jamie Londors explains how he tackled  the Carp Cup Final
• New Gear, Your Letters, The Informant

PLUS the very best Where To Fish section – Angler’s Mail’s mega hotspots guide is exclusively compiled by experts who work hard to help YOU.

A CARP angler has highlighted the risks associated with night fishing after he ended up in agony with a badly broken leg.

Chris Eggison was night fishing at A1 Pits in Nottinghamshire when his calamitous collision with gear cluttered around his swim. It resulted in him being rushed to Lincoln Hospital for surgery to a broken tibia and fibula.

The 48-year old from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, explained: “I arrived at the lakes at around 1pm and, seeing carp moving, started surface fishing with bread flake.

“I soon hooked into a pristine common carp of around 14 lb, and added another three before my pal Glen arrived.

“We intended to spend the night fishing – catching up, having some chill-out time moaning about the pressures of work and wives, what we might do if we became millionaires… and hopefully catching some carp.”

Calm Chris with a carp…before the ‘storm’!

Chris continued: “At around 11pm I was tired so opened up my bedchair and got laid out under the stars thinking I will tidy my peg in a short while – big mistake! It was probably the biggest mistake I have made to date….

“I was awoken at 2am by an absolute belting run. But for some really strange reason I climbed off the opposite side of my bedchair and noticed the gear I had left between me and the rods.

“The fish was really going for it so I panicked and tried to jump over the tackle box and landed next to the rod,” he told Angler’s Mail.

Shin bone ‘cracked and folded’

Chris added: “As I came down on the other side my left foot caught the edge of the box causing me to land at an odd angle, and as my weight came onto that leg I felt my shin bone crack and fold.

“I sat up and looked at my leg and this confirmed my biggest fear, it was pointing in a different direction from halfway down my shin-bone.

“After about five minutes Glen came up and asked me if I was going to strike the run. I told him from being laid on the floor that I had broken my leg and for him to take the fish.

“The fish was on but the hook pulled which although was a shame it was the last thing on my mind.

“While waiting for the ambulance I started shaking uncontrollably with shock, Glen made sure I was warm and kept me focused until they arrived which was around one hour after the incident.

“I was dreading the paramedics even going near my leg due to the pain, but they managed to get an air-cushioned sling under my leg and get me into the ambulance.

“I now have a titanium rod running down through my shin-bone and will have lost a good five months of being able to conduct normal tasks before I recover.

“At the time of the accident I was working as a manufacturing manager but had decided to leave that job anyway so am now unemployed.

“Ten weeks on I sit here and decided to share this story in an effort to drive home the importance of keeping your peg tidy. Sometimes the best lessons in life are the hardest!” he added.

GOT A STORY OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you can trust Angler’s Mail, your top weekly magazine.

TOP carp ace, writer and Sky TV fisherman Ian Chillcott, widely known as Chilly, is recovering at home after major surgery to remove a huge brain tumour.

Aldershot, Hampshire-based Ian Chillcott began to feel unwell earlier in the summer and the tumour was diagnosed in July. His surgery took place in early August at St. George’s Hospital in Tooting, South West London.

The 57-year-old former paratrooper, better known as ‘Chilly’, told Angler’s Mail: “I suddenly realised in June that the vision in my left eye was very blurred, and at Frimley Park, my local hospital, they said I had had a dozen strokes.

“A brain scan revealed the tumour the size of a tennis ball and I was referred onto St. George’s where top neuro-surgeon Mr Stapleton advised an op as soon as they had brought the brain swelling down.

“They initially thought that I would need radiotherapy to clear some of the tumour but because I was able to lie completely still for the whole 14 hours of the operation they managed to cut out all of it even though it was perilously close to several vital veins.

“The past few weeks have been nothing short of unbelievable!!  I have also arrived home, which is something like a fortnight before time,” added Chilly, seen below with one his big carp career’s many highlights.

Chilly now on the mend at home

Chilly continued: “All in all, it is because I am so pig-headed and stubborn that I just wanted to recover in a familiar environment, with my wife beside me.

“My walking and speech should never have returned, along with the ability to read and write, this quickly and I’m about four weeks ahead of schedule.

“Mr Stapleton, along with his brilliant crew at St George’s, were nothing short of astro biblical!!

“It is impossible not to feel so positive about my future that has been made so much more so by all of the wonderful comments I’ve received on-line.

“I had never intended to publicise it on Facebook but there were so many rumours around including that I was dead that I decided to put the record straight.

“I’ve had literally thousands of people send me messages of support in various ways, a lot through social media which has made a vast difference.

“I’d like to thank everyone so much, and, no-one really realises just how much their thoughts and words have meant to me, and of course the only way is up!

“My wife and I have always lead fairly insular lives and she has had a lot of medical issues with cancer and eyesight problems, and the response I have had has changed my whole outlook on the world.

“The bad news is that I’ve been told I won’t legally be able to drive for six months after the op and it will drive me mad not being able to pop down to a lake for that long, but I have already had over 300 offers to drive me to go fishing,” he added.

GOT SOME NEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you can trust Angler’s Mail print magazine, out every Tuesday.

IN-FORM John Mott is having a great season on his beloved River Trent and had a huge hit of whiskers when he was invited onto the Collingham stretch as a guest.

In a two-day session, John recorded an amazing 31 doubles and five smaller barbel topped by a double-take of the best two at 15 lb 4 oz and 14 lb 7 oz.

He even had time to go for predators and winkled out a 21 lb pike on a roach deadbait.

The 44-year-old maintenance engineer from Lincolnshire said: “I set up downstream of the weir in one of the pegs not usually targeted by the hoards.

“I baited on the edge of the gravel just short of half way with crushed 18mm test baits from Dave Mallin and my first Barbel coming at 8.30pm at 11 lb 4 oz – I was quietly confident I might get a couple.

“Daytime was relatively dead apart from four barbel but the night was totally the opposite.

“The two biggest came at once and I added another 14-pounder, three 13s, seven 12s, ten 11s  and eight 10s,” he added.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the brilliant weekly magazine.

BARBARIC illegal multi-hook carp fishing rigs have been found in a park lake featured in Angler’s Mail last May as a hotspot for illegal fishing.

Top angling coach Nick Watkins, who patrols the lake, is calling for the Environment Agency to take more action after Method feeders with multiple hooks were found at Central Park Lake in Chelmsford, Essex.

Poaching was so bad last spring that locals launched a major campaign to tackle the problem – with the local MP taking an interest and patrols being set up to monitor the water.

Nick, who used to work as a development officer for the Angling Trust, told Angler’s Mail: “The problem mainly seems to lie with Eastern European anglers either flouting the rules or not knowing them, particularly when it comes to using multi-hook rigs.

Popular angling coach Nick Wakins, seen here with a sturgeon, has spoken up about illegal goings on in Essex.

Nick revealed: “Someone I know shared the pictures of the rig he caught some anglers using when they were unhooking a fish. In this case they seemed generally unaware that this practice is illegal in this country as it is quite common where they are from, and when he has seen them subsequently they were using correct tackle.

“So it is partly a question of education and I know the Polish Anglers Association, for example, do a lot of work to educate their community about the differences here in fishing practices and rules, even going into schools to give talks, but clearly some Eastern Europeans in particular seem to carry on regardless,” said Nick.

Similar rigs with up to seven hooks were found a couple of years ago at popular carp hauling venue Thorpe Lea in Surrey – but few have emerged since, until now.

Other illegal fishing going on

Nick continued: “There was a lot of fishing going on down there during the close season and I know some anglers were caught with a bucket of goldfish which they were using to livebait for pike on the river nearby, and were taking what they caught.

“I have not been down there recently but also on a stretch of the River Chelmer a couple of miles away there has been an encampment of mainly Romanians staying on the river and eating all they catch, and anyone who has tried to approach them has been responded to aggressively.

“Sadly the EA has only one enforcement officer for a very large area of East Anglia, but more needs to be down to stamp out poaching and illegal fishing,” he concluded.

GOT SOME NEWS OR CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the brilliant weekly Angler’s Mail print magazine.

A CHARITY match has raised a stonking £54,051 in a single weekend – a record for a carp fishing event.

England carp fishing international Wayne Mansford originally wanted to raise £10,000 for his mum Jacqui who a rare form of cancer known as NET but easily surpassed that total.

In a weekend event at the popular day ticket venue Farlows Lake, near Iver in Buckinghamshire, they raised the huge total for treatment that isn’t available on the NHS. Plus 20 per cent went to the NET Patient Foundation.

Maidenhead, Berkshire-based Wayne said: “If you could say a massive thank you on behalf of myself and my family to everyone and especially the boys who ran it so well I’d really appreciate it. “

Co-organiser Robert Greening said: “It was raised by food, drink, raffle and entertainment during the event, and auctions was a major player.

“The winners were Ricky Eason and Mark Bacon who caught the biggest fish which was a 30 lb 2 oz mirror.”

Robert added: “We would like to thank Kev Knight at Mainline Baits, Thomas Duncan-Dunlop, Steve Blow and Ed McDermott (Farlows owner) just to name a few as these guys helped raise the most significant individual sums of money.

“We’ve since found out this event was the largest single fundraiser event so far in carp fishing,” he added.

Richard Austin, who chipped in with three carp to 24 lb 8 oz (pictured), said: “ The theme for the weekend was orange as Wayne is ‘Strawberry Blonde’.

“So I opted for my bright orange CC Moore Acid Pear Pop Ups, renamed for the weekend as ‘Ginger Prince Pop Ups’.

“It was a great weekend and it was brilliant raising so much money for a worthy cause,” he added.

Stoney and Friends reach £542,200!

Elsewhere, an amazing £8,000 was also raised in the 21 st Stoney & Friends charity fish-in on Yateley West Fishery, taking the running total to a whopping £542,200 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Best fish came from the North Lake on the famous complex on the Surrey-Hampshire border with Dan Ibbott taking a 30 Ib mirror (pictured below).

Peter Welford caught his first fish of the event since 2009 with a 27 Ib mirror, and followed that up with an unexpected 12 Ib pike on luncheon meat.

Mark Jarvis, Press officer, said: “Over £1,500 was raised from the raffle alone.

“During the AGM there, we also presented with a certificate from Macmillan Cancer Support, celebrating us winning the 2017 Fundraising Group/Committee Award’ for the London area.

‘We would like to thanks all the sponsors and anglers for taking part in another great fun-filled event,” he added.

GOT SOME NEWS OF CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the brilliant weekly Angler’s Mail print magazine.

STEVE COLLETT (pictured on this week’s Angler’s Mail cover) avoided the crowds at a giant reservoir to work out for himself where he would find a big perch and trick it into taking his lure. And his plan paid off with this huge fish!

BARBEL ace Phil Smith reached a unique landmark when he notched a double-figure barbel from his 30th different UK river with this 10 lb 12 oz sample.

Phil, who has been one of the country’s most successful all-round specimen hunters for many years, caught his historic barbel from the River Arrow in Worcestershire.

Coventry, West Midlands-based Phil explained: “This year I was looking to try the Witham, Kentish Stour and Wandle. But one of the problems is that many of the rivers that offer a reasonable chance of success are getting further and further away and with many trips often needed it gets difficult and expensive.

“I had tried the River Arrow, a tributary of the Warwickshire Avon, about five years ago for a couple of seasons without success in fact I only met one angler who claimed to have caught a double.

“With plenty of fish in the 4-7 lb range and a best of 9 lb 12 oz I gave up for pastures new.

“This season, since the river was only 28 miles away, I decided to try again and a trip to Alcester Tackle soon got me on the trail again.

“One club Trades and Labour AC allowed night fishing. Nights are not essential, but as the evenings draw in, it can be useful to be able to stay on until 10 pm or so, plus the barbel often put in an appearance in those first few hours of dark.

“Upon arrival I used one of Christophe Pelhate’s modified Spomb bait droppers to put out 1 kg of pellets plus ten 14 mm Pandemic boilies broken in half.

“I decided I would pack up at 10 pm but with only minutes to go the rod took off and I was in action. Coming to the net I could see he was big, but how big?

“With the scales zeroed and a slight tremor I lifted up to see a reading of 10 lb 12 oz – I had done it,” he concluded.

PHIL’S FAB 30 BARBEL RIVERS

Great Ouse 17 lb 1 oz

Derbyshire Derwent 16 lb 12 oz

Kennet 15 lb 5 oz

Dove 15 lb 5 oz

Anker 15 lb 4 oz

Ivel 15 lb 3 oz

Lea 14 lb 10 oz

Nene 14 lb 6 oz

Warwickshire Avon 14 lb 10 oz

Thames 13 lb 14 oz

Trent 13 lb 11 oz

Bristol Avon 13 lb 8 oz

Severn 13 lb 1 oz

Hampshire Avon 12 lb 12 oz

St Patricks Stream 12 lb 10 oz

Goyt 12 lb 6 oz

Thame 12 lb 3 oz

Swale 12 lb 2 oz

Dorset Stour 11 lb 15 oz

Taff 11 lb 13 oz

Loddon 11 lb 12 oz

Teme 11 lb 6 oz

Soar 11 lb 1 oz

Mole 10 lb 14 oz

Arrow 10 lb 12 oz

Wey 10 lb 12 oz

Ribble 10 lb 5 oz

Itchen 10 lb 3 oz

Colne 10 lb 2 oz

Wye 10 lb

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could appear in the brilliant weekly print magazine.

SCHOOLGIRL Ruby Wells tempted one of the biggest thin-lipped grey mullet ever when she boated this 7 lb 14 oz giant from her local Christchurch Harbour in Dorset.

The seven-year-old offered a ragworm-baited spoon and ten-year-old sister Macey netted it for her.

Christchurch Harbour, where the Dorset Stour and Hampshire Avon meet and run into the sea, is noted for mullet but has produced few thin-lipped of this calibre.

The current British record for  the thin-lipped variety was caught in 2015 at 8 lb 7 oz 4 dr by Ollie Stenning off Guernsey. Bigger thick-lipped mullet have been caught from several harbours, but even for this species anything over 5 lb is usually considered a specimen.

Mullet can be caught on normal coarse fishing tackle, but they can be very tricky to tempt at times. For top tips, we recommend you read our advice article by Matt Sparkes.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the brilliant weekly print magazine.

CARP TEAM ENGLAND duo Mark Bartlett and Kevin Hewitt retained their British Carp Angling Championships title after blitzing the final at famous Wraysbury.

And the pair scooped another £20,000 as they weighed in two of the sought-after originals in an eight-carp catch for 218 lb 3 oz.

They included The Long Sutton at 42 lb 8 oz (below) and Not Mike’s Pet at 39 lb 11 oz at the Berkshire venue run by RK Leisure.

Mark and Kevin had a better average size of carp than runners-up, fellow England squad-mates, Wayne Mansford and Ryan Need who also shared eight carp. They had to settle for 189 lb 3 oz and £3,000.

Third spot and £2,000 went to another pair of regular framers in these events – Kevin Grout and Luke Church – with five carp for 108 lb 6 oz.

Weekend of pure carp ‘madness’

“What a turn out for the books …. back-to-back British Carp Angling champions with my life-long mate Kev. And a couple of historic Wraysbury originals along the way,” said Bristol-based Mark  after the final.

“This weekend has been pure madness, a complete emotional rollercoaster to say the least but we got there in the end.

“I’ve got to say Kev fished like an absolute Trojan this weekend and pulled it out the bag for us.”

Mark continued: “We found a couple of clear spots in the weed and fished those closest to where they were showing, just feeding a little bit of hemp, corn and broken boilies and trying not to pressure them too much.

“I’d like to thank the Barlow family for running such a brilliant final and bringing the competition back to its former glory.”

The duo followed up their success with a trip away with England at the World Carp Champs in Hungary. Read Angler’s Mail for latest coverage on premium events like this, and top carp fishing advice to help you catch more fish too.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the brilliant weekly print magazine.

CHRIS BARCZAK couldn’t fish for three years but made amends on his return with this PB 16 lb 5 oz barbel from Nottinghamshire’s River Trent.

The Angling Trust voluntary bailiff beat his old best of 13 lb 2 oz with the stunning specimen that fell to his legered meat approach.

Security officer Chris, 32, from Kilnhurst, South Yorkshire, said: “After a 14-hour night shift, me and my missus decided to go fishing for a night.

“I had three hours sleep then packed up my tackle in the car.

“Most of the stretches were already full by other anglers so we decided to find a new place that we’d never fished before.

“I cast into the main flow and about 40 minutes later I had my first bite.

“It looked like a bream when I started playing it but after few seconds the rod bent right over.

“After a long battle, I landed my new PB,” he added.

CAUGHT A BIG FISH? Email photos and details exclusively to: anglersmail@timeinc.com – you could star in the brilliant weekly print magazine.