Anglers' Net

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY NEWS RELEASE Funding has helped secure new specialist equipment to boost fisheries enforcement patrols in East Anglia. The new kit, which cost over £15,000, consists of a high grade digital SLR camera, night vision monocular and night vision binoculars. It will allow officers to carry out more regular patrols and make night checks for illegal fishing in the Great Ouse and Fenland catchment area more effective. The technology was funded by Defra's Water and Environment Improvement Fund, which is used to enhance fisheries and the environment as part of Defra's 25 Year Environment plan. Alex Thomson, fisheries enforcement officer for the Environment Agency in East Anglia, said: "The new kit will enhance our detection and surveillance capabilities. Combined with our specialist training and specific powers, the tech will allow us to cover more ground, get better evidence, and work more effectively into and through the hours of darkness. "This is invaluable in detecting and preventing illegal poaching activities, and protecting our valuable coarse fish and eel stocks." Fisheries officers have the power to arrest and detain, enter lands, stop and search, seize boats, vessels, vehicles and instruments and require the production of fishing licences. Those caught can be given a range of punishments, including fines of up to £2,500. To report any illegal fishing activity, call our 24-hour Incident Hotline number on 0800 80 70 60. To buy a fishing licence, visit https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence View the full article

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY NEWS RELEASE Funding has helped secure new specialist equipment to boost fisheries enforcement patrols in East Anglia. The new kit, which cost over £15,000, consists of a high grade digital SLR camera, night vision monocular and night vision binoculars. It will allow officers to carry out more regular patrols and make night checks for illegal fishing in the Great Ouse and Fenland catchment area more effective. The technology was funded by Defra's Water and Environment Improvement Fund, which is used to enhance fisheries and the environment as part of Defra's 25 Year Environment plan. Alex Thomson, fisheries enforcement officer for the Environment Agency in East Anglia, said: "The new kit will enhance our detection and surveillance capabilities. Combined with our specialist training and specific powers, the tech will allow us to cover more ground, get better evidence, and work more effectively into and through the hours of darkness. "This is invaluable in detecting and preventing illegal poaching activities, and protecting our valuable coarse fish and eel stocks." Fisheries officers have the power to arrest and detain, enter lands, stop and search, seize boats, vessels, vehicles and instruments and require the production of fishing licences. Those caught can be given a range of punishments, including fines of up to £2,500. To report any illegal fishing activity, call our 24-hour Incident Hotline number on 0800 80 70 60. To buy a fishing licence, visit https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence View the full article

The England Management of the Angling Trust John Weeden will be holding an International Assessment day for Anglers with Disabilities on the River Soar, Soar Lane, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough. LE12 5PH on Wednesday 18th September 2019. This year the England Anglers with Disabilities Angling Team did fantastic to win silver on the Scolmatore Channel near Pisa, Italy from 14th – 15th June. The assessment day will be fished to FIPSed international rules for anyone over 16 years of age. There will be no limit on bait on the day. All competitors will be meeting at 9.00am on Soar Lane LE12 5PH with fishing taking place from 11.00am/11.30am to 3.00pm approximately. Any interested applicants must contact Sandra Johnson at the Angling Trust to confirm their interest to attend by telephone; 0115 822 4519, or email; sandra.johnson@anglingtrust.net with their contact details by no later than Friday 16th August, 2019. You must also have individual membership of the Angling Trust. Anyone selected will have to be prepared to pay their international costs to compete in the World Championships next year and to help with any team fundraising. The World Championship in 2020 will be taking place in Slovenia. View the full article

The England Management of the Angling Trust John Weeden will be holding an International Assessment day for Anglers with Disabilities on the River Soar, Soar Lane, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough. LE12 5PH on Wednesday 18th September 2019. This year the England Anglers with Disabilities Angling Team did fantastic to win silver on the Scolmatore Channel near Pisa, Italy from 14th – 15th June. The assessment day will be fished to FIPSed international rules for anyone over 16 years of age. There will be no limit on bait on the day. All competitors will be meeting at 9.00am on Soar Lane LE12 5PH with fishing taking place from 11.00am/11.30am to 3.00pm approximately. Any interested applicants must contact Sandra Johnson at the Angling Trust to confirm their interest to attend by telephone; 0115 822 4519, or email; sandra.johnson@anglingtrust.net with their contact details by no later than Friday 16th August, 2019. You must also have individual membership of the Angling Trust. Anyone selected will have to be prepared to pay their international costs to compete in the World Championships next year and to help with any team fundraising. The World Championship in 2020 will be taking place in Slovenia. View the full article

The ATTEFF rivers team consisting of Del Spry (Captain), Cameron Craigs, Mark Lynch, Simon Clarke, Paul Fairhurst and Carl Nixon (Manager/Reserve) headed out to the River Agivey in Ireland to compete in the recent Home International, 1st-5th July. England had several new caps in its team of six and beating the home team, and the experienced Welsh and Scottish teams, was always going to be a difficult task. Three of the team went out for a three-day trip in June to practice on the river and this proved valuable as the team prepared on the official practice days before the match. As the week and practice progressed the team worked well to come up with working methods and to identify fish holding areas and access points. However, the big numbers and sizable fish soon made themselves scarce as match day approached. The team settled on a few successful methods, these being; the Duo, double nymph, a Single Plume Tip for the rising fish, and a larger Parker’s Dry in dead water slowly twitched back to get a response. The river conditions all week were ideal, however, agricultural machinery capable of raising and dropping the level 2-4 inches in a matter an hour or so, made the fish a little skittish at times. On match day the Scottish and Welsh teams picked up blanks in the morning session and the Irish and English all caught. Things were close heading into the afternoon session. The afternoon sessions proved difficult and again the Scottish and Welsh teams picked up more blanks, unfortunately so too did the England team. The final scores saw Ireland win on home turf with Scotland taking silver and England bronze. Del Spry Team Captain said, “On the whole the week went very smoothly; the Irish did a fantastic job at organising everything. The team worked well together and worked hard on the water, both during practice and match day. We had an inexperienced team, but they were not lacking in effort and this showed in the results as we were only a few points behind a very experienced and disciplined Scottish team. This was a great England team and with more experience at this level I am sure we can improve on the results next year.” Carl Nixon Manager said, “For an inexperienced team, we pushed a very experienced, circa 50 capped Scottish team hard for Silver. It was not the result we had hoped for but one we are all proud of considering the experience of the other teams. We would like to thank our sponsors Wychwood Game, Pure Fishing, Hunt’s Original and the Duke of Northumberland and Albury Estates for their support” Results: 1st: Ireland 34 points 2nd: Scotland 50 points 3rd: England 54 points 4th: Ireland 63 points View the full article

The ATTEFF rivers team consisting of Del Spry (Captain), Cameron Craigs, Mark Lynch, Simon Clarke, Paul Fairhurst and Carl Nixon (Manager/Reserve) headed out to the River Agivey in Ireland to compete in the recent Home International, 1st-5th July. England had several new caps in its team of six and beating the home team, and the experienced Welsh and Scottish teams, was always going to be a difficult task. Three of the team went out for a three-day trip in June to practice on the river and this proved valuable as the team prepared on the official practice days before the match. As the week and practice progressed the team worked well to come up with working methods and to identify fish holding areas and access points. However, the big numbers and sizable fish soon made themselves scarce as match day approached. The team settled on a few successful methods, these being; the Duo, double nymph, a Single Plume Tip for the rising fish, and a larger Parker’s Dry in dead water slowly twitched back to get a response. The river conditions all week were ideal, however, agricultural machinery capable of raising and dropping the level 2-4 inches in a matter an hour or so, made the fish a little skittish at times. On match day the Scottish and Welsh teams picked up blanks in the morning session and the Irish and English all caught. Things were close heading into the afternoon session. The afternoon sessions proved difficult and again the Scottish and Welsh teams picked up more blanks, unfortunately so too did the England team. The final scores saw Ireland win on home turf with Scotland taking silver and England bronze. Del Spry Team Captain said, “On the whole the week went very smoothly; the Irish did a fantastic job at organising everything. The team worked well together and worked hard on the water, both during practice and match day. We had an inexperienced team, but they were not lacking in effort and this showed in the results as we were only a few points behind a very experienced and disciplined Scottish team. This was a great England team and with more experience at this level I am sure we can improve on the results next year.” Carl Nixon Manager said, “For an inexperienced team, we pushed a very experienced, circa 50 capped Scottish team hard for Silver. It was not the result we had hoped for but one we are all proud of considering the experience of the other teams. We would like to thank our sponsors Wychwood Game, Pure Fishing, Hunt’s Original and the Duke of Northumberland and Albury Estates for their support” Results: 1st: Ireland 34 points 2nd: Scotland 50 points 3rd: England 54 points 4th: Ireland 63 points View the full article

These just in from the Environment Agency: If you are out fishing during hot weather– we’d like you to remember a few tips about fishing in summer. If you catch a fish you need to handle it with extra care during hot weather. Larger fish are more susceptible to the effects of low oxygen levels so please keep the fish in the water while unhooking where possible. Fish that have been handled carefully after being caught are more likely to survive after they are released. For the latest guidance on fishing in hot weather go to bit.ly/31VjBXk During summer we regularly respond to reports of ‘fish in distress’ due to natural processes reducing oxygen levels in the water. Hot, sunny weather can lead to low flows in rivers and still water fisheries (ponds and lakes) start to warm up. Small still waters are particularly susceptible. Fisheries teams are trained to use aeration equipment or hydrogen peroxide to restore dissolved oxygen levels. When necessary, our teams may also rescue fish and transfer them to safety. If you see fish in distress please call our hotline on 0800 80 70 60. View the full article

These just in from the Environment Agency: If you are out fishing during hot weather– we’d like you to remember a few tips about fishing in summer. If you catch a fish you need to handle it with extra care during hot weather. Larger fish are more susceptible to the effects of low oxygen levels so please keep the fish in the water while unhooking where possible. Fish that have been handled carefully after being caught are more likely to survive after they are released. For the latest guidance on fishing in hot weather go to bit.ly/31VjBXk During summer we regularly respond to reports of ‘fish in distress’ due to natural processes reducing oxygen levels in the water. Hot, sunny weather can lead to low flows in rivers and still water fisheries (ponds and lakes) start to warm up. Small still waters are particularly susceptible. Fisheries teams are trained to use aeration equipment or hydrogen peroxide to restore dissolved oxygen levels. When necessary, our teams may also rescue fish and transfer them to safety. If you see fish in distress please call our hotline on 0800 80 70 60. View the full article

England’s Home Nations Shore teams, Men’s, Youth and Juniors, fished the surf less but usually very surfy beaches of Rossbeigh and Inch in the wonderfully beautiful county of Kerry in Ireland from 3rd – 6th July 2019. The fishing was not as expected due to the exceptionally and pretty unheard of calm conditions, meaning the main quarry were mainly small flounders and turbot. A couple of mullet and small plaice also put in an appearance but the anticipated bass fest failed to materialise and none were caught in the matches due to the lack of rolling surf. Luckily this did not deter the England teams who worked their way to victory in all three categories to claim team golds which is a fantastic achievement. SALC Men’s Home Nations Shore Championship The Men’s team consisted of; Ben Arnold, Ian Bowell, Andrew Dugdale, Henry Randell, George Smith, Kenny McCoy (Assistant Manager) and Ian Golds (Manager) who battled back from last place on the first day, although it was very close with only three points between all teams, to win by three points and only dropping two points on the second day. Top England man with a 1st and 2nd in his zone was Ben Arnold who also caught the most fish, 18, and biggest, a flounder of 41cm. Henry Randell was second in the team also with a 1st and 2nd . This was a very hard fought competition, and they all had to work very hard for each and every fish by twitching baits every few minutes to attract the few fish that were there, as at times the local shrimp and crab population did their best to munch every bait leaving empty hooks in no time at all. The team plugged away each and every cast, never gave up and they certainly made the three lions on their shirts and in their hearts, roar. A real battle of a victory and England at last have their hands on the rather large trophy again for the first time in nine barren years. Ireland were 2nd, Champions for the last two years with Scotland in 3rd and Wales 4th. Ian Golds, England Men’s Manager stated “An absolutely brilliant performance and result by all three teams. You have made your managers, country, parents and the Angling Trust proud of each and every one of you. Well done one and all.” SALC Youth Home Nations Shore Championship The England Youth team were; Joe Cook, Ben Eggleton, Adam Howard, Daniel Parker, Owen Strange, Malcolm Stote (Assistant Manager) and Mark Howard (Manager). The England Youth team had a similar result winning both days and also by an impressive eight points overall. Daniel Parker and Owen Strange both won their zones each day with Daniel top rod in the team and overall. Scotland came 2nd and Ireland 3rd. Mark Howard, England Youth Manager said, “This is my first role as a manager for the England Youth Team, after being a parent helping at previous Home Nation Championships I stepped in late with the technical assistance of Malcolm Stote.” “We had three days of hard practice to find the best options for catching fish ready for two days of hard competition fishing. Day one saw the team win four zones and a second, day two the fish did not want to play. The team dug deep and managed two zone wins and three seconds, a quick check on the other team scores and the Gold medal had been won.” “A very big thank you to the IFSA for hosting a smooth and very well-run championship, the stewards who gave up their time to walk miles measuring and recording the fish. A great time was had and new friendships formed. It was a privilege to work with a great team.” SALC Junior Home Nations Shore Championship Huge congratulations also go to the England Junior team who were; Dylan Ballantyne, Samuel James, Riley Price, Tom Ryder, James Slater, Kelly Price (Assistant Manager) and Shane Inman (Manager) on a very strong performance and result winning both days and overall by an impressive eight points. James Slater and Samuel James won their zones on both days with James being top rod of their team and Championships. Young Samuel was a close second overall. Overall results were; Scotland 2nd, Ireland 3rd and Wales 4th. Shane Inman, Junior Manager stated “This being my first Championship in charge of the U16 England Team I couldn't have asked for a better group of talented young anglers, from pre-championship preparations, practice days, to the final seconds of the last match they have given everything. The work rate from them has been truly outstanding and it's been a pleasure and privilege to work with them. They really have done themselves and their country proud.” The Angling Trust would like to offer their appreciation and thanks to the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers for hosting such a well organised SALC Home Nations Shore Championships this year. Congratulations to all the England teams on such a tremendous performance and their superb achievements at winning team gold in all three categories. View the full article

England’s Home Nations Shore teams, Men’s, Youth and Juniors, fished the surf less but usually very surfy beaches of Rossbeigh and Inch in the wonderfully beautiful county of Kerry in Ireland from 3rd – 6th July 2019. The fishing was not as expected due to the exceptionally and pretty unheard of calm conditions, meaning the main quarry were mainly small flounders and turbot. A couple of mullet and small plaice also put in an appearance but the anticipated bass fest failed to materialise and none were caught in the matches due to the lack of rolling surf. Luckily this did not deter the England teams who worked their way to victory in all three categories to claim team golds which is a fantastic achievement. SALC Men’s Home Nations Shore Championship The Men’s team consisted of; Ben Arnold, Ian Bowell, Andrew Dugdale, Henry Randell, George Smith, Kenny McCoy (Assistant Manager) and Ian Golds (Manager) who battled back from last place on the first day, although it was very close with only three points between all teams, to win by three points and only dropping two points on the second day. Top England man with a 1st and 2nd in his zone was Ben Arnold who also caught the most fish, 18, and biggest, a flounder of 41cm. Henry Randell was second in the team also with a 1st and 2nd . This was a very hard fought competition, and they all had to work very hard for each and every fish by twitching baits every few minutes to attract the few fish that were there, as at times the local shrimp and crab population did their best to munch every bait leaving empty hooks in no time at all. The team plugged away each and every cast, never gave up and they certainly made the three lions on their shirts and in their hearts, roar. A real battle of a victory and England at last have their hands on the rather large trophy again for the first time in nine barren years. Ireland were 2nd, Champions for the last two years with Scotland in 3rd and Wales 4th. Ian Golds, England Men’s Manager stated “An absolutely brilliant performance and result by all three teams. You have made your managers, country, parents and the Angling Trust proud of each and every one of you. Well done one and all.” SALC Youth Home Nations Shore Championship The England Youth team were; Joe Cook, Ben Eggleton, Adam Howard, Daniel Parker, Owen Strange, Malcolm Stote (Assistant Manager) and Mark Howard (Manager). The England Youth team had a similar result winning both days and also by an impressive eight points overall. Daniel Parker and Owen Strange both won their zones each day with Daniel top rod in the team and overall. Scotland came 2nd and Ireland 3rd. Mark Howard, England Youth Manager said, “This is my first role as a manager for the England Youth Team, after being a parent helping at previous Home Nation Championships I stepped in late with the technical assistance of Malcolm Stote.” “We had three days of hard practice to find the best options for catching fish ready for two days of hard competition fishing. Day one saw the team win four zones and a second, day two the fish did not want to play. The team dug deep and managed two zone wins and three seconds, a quick check on the other team scores and the Gold medal had been won.” “A very big thank you to the IFSA for hosting a smooth and very well-run championship, the stewards who gave up their time to walk miles measuring and recording the fish. A great time was had and new friendships formed. It was a privilege to work with a great team.” SALC Junior Home Nations Shore Championship Huge congratulations also go to the England Junior team who were; Dylan Ballantyne, Samuel James, Riley Price, Tom Ryder, James Slater, Kelly Price (Assistant Manager) and Shane Inman (Manager) on a very strong performance and result winning both days and overall by an impressive eight points. James Slater and Samuel James won their zones on both days with James being top rod of their team and Championships. Young Samuel was a close second overall. Overall results were; Scotland 2nd, Ireland 3rd and Wales 4th. Shane Inman, Junior Manager stated “This being my first Championship in charge of the U16 England Team I couldn't have asked for a better group of talented young anglers, from pre-championship preparations, practice days, to the final seconds of the last match they have given everything. The work rate from them has been truly outstanding and it's been a pleasure and privilege to work with them. They really have done themselves and their country proud.” The Angling Trust would like to offer their appreciation and thanks to the Irish Federation of Sea Anglers for hosting such a well organised SALC Home Nations Shore Championships this year. Congratulations to all the England teams on such a tremendous performance and their superb achievements at winning team gold in all three categories. View the full article

Environment Agency News Release Another 17,000 fish have been reintroduced into Lincolnshire’s River Witham by Environment Agency teams as part of ongoing efforts to help the river recover from last year’s devastating pollution. It brings the grand total of fish restocked into the river to 91,000 so far, plus around 1.5 million larvae. The restocking will help restore the river to its natural, healthy state, after a serious pollution in March 2018, when ammonia badly affected the river and its ecosystems from Bardney to the Wash. More than 100,000 fish were killed in what’s thought to be the worst river pollution ever recorded in the county. The last round of restocking took place in May, when 34,000 roach and bream were placed back into the river. All the fish were bred at the Environment Agency’s national coarse fish farm in Calverton, Nottinghamshire, before being transported and released into the river by fisheries officers. Darren Randall, fisheries officer at the Environment Agency, said: Last year’s pollution had a devastating impact on the Witham and its wildlife, but we’re doing all we can to help return it to its former glory. A river can take years or even decades to recover from such a serious pollution, but reintroducing these fish will help restore its complex ecosystems and natural balance. It’s just one way we’re working to protect and improve the environment, for people and nature. Strong, healthy fish and larvae from Calverton play an important role in the work of the Environment Agency to restore sustainable fisheries – they replace stocks lost to pollution, improve stocks where natural reproduction is low, and help create fisheries in areas where there is a shortage of angling opportunities. All the fish farm’s work is funded by income from fishing licence fees – you can find out more about fishing licences, including how to buy one, on GOV.UK. Anyone who suspects a pollution incident is urged to report it to the Environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60. View the full article

Environment Agency News Release Another 17,000 fish have been reintroduced into Lincolnshire’s River Witham by Environment Agency teams as part of ongoing efforts to help the river recover from last year’s devastating pollution. It brings the grand total of fish restocked into the river to 91,000 so far, plus around 1.5 million larvae. The restocking will help restore the river to its natural, healthy state, after a serious pollution in March 2018, when ammonia badly affected the river and its ecosystems from Bardney to the Wash. More than 100,000 fish were killed in what’s thought to be the worst river pollution ever recorded in the county. The last round of restocking took place in May, when 34,000 roach and bream were placed back into the river. All the fish were bred at the Environment Agency’s national coarse fish farm in Calverton, Nottinghamshire, before being transported and released into the river by fisheries officers. Darren Randall, fisheries officer at the Environment Agency, said: Last year’s pollution had a devastating impact on the Witham and its wildlife, but we’re doing all we can to help return it to its former glory. A river can take years or even decades to recover from such a serious pollution, but reintroducing these fish will help restore its complex ecosystems and natural balance. It’s just one way we’re working to protect and improve the environment, for people and nature. Strong, healthy fish and larvae from Calverton play an important role in the work of the Environment Agency to restore sustainable fisheries – they replace stocks lost to pollution, improve stocks where natural reproduction is low, and help create fisheries in areas where there is a shortage of angling opportunities. All the fish farm’s work is funded by income from fishing licence fees – you can find out more about fishing licences, including how to buy one, on GOV.UK. Anyone who suspects a pollution incident is urged to report it to the Environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60. View the full article

The Angling Trust's Fisheries Enforcement Support Service has welcomed two new members of staff to its team. Mark Gregory has been appointed as the FESS's Enforcement Communications Manager working closely with Dilip Sarkar MBE, National Enforcement Manager, to help promote the team's partnership work with the Environment Agency, police and other bodies. Mark said: “Having enjoyed a varied career within the police over the past 30 years both within uniform and CID and also being heavily involved in angling and fishery management, I find myself looking forward to combining experience gleaned from both roles within my new position as enforcement communications manager for the Angling Trust. Dilip Sarkar added: “'As both an experienced police officer who has long supported us in the North East and as a lifelong big fish angler, we are delighted to welcome Mark to our team. We will be working closely together on creating and implementing a robust and consistent enforcement message in partnership with the Environment Agency and police, and we all look forward very much to working with Mark and moving things even further forward. Meanwhile, Bogdan 'George' Pascaru has joined the FESS as the Building Bridges' Romanian Officer. Bogdan has been closely involved with fishing in the UK for the past 12 years and joined the Angling Trust's Voluntary Bailiff Service in July 2016, becoming Area Co-ordinator for Kent and South London a year later. Bogdan said: “Joining the VBS was a way to give something back to the angling community and I'm very much looking forward to my new role with Building Bridges. It is not all about catching people doing wrong, for me the reward comes from educating and helping people do things right, not just fishing legally but also looking after our waters and wildlife. Janusz Kansik, Building Bridges Project Manager, added: “Bogdan is a great motivator and has gained valuable experience with the VBS. I'm very pleased to welcome him to the Building Bridges team. In other changes, Szymon Skoczen has switched from Nenescape Project Officer to joining Building Bridges team as Project Officer. A replacement for the Nenescape Project Officer role will be announced soon. Click here to view the full article

Another 113 volunteers have joined the Angling Trust's Voluntary Bailiff Service following the latest round of recruitment across the country. It brings the total number of volunteers in the VBS to 492. The latest recruits received professional training from the Angling Trust, Environment Agency and other partners at six full-day regional inductions held over the past two months and are already filing reports from their patrols. On one recent joint patrol with police in the South East, three people were arrested for allegedly stealing fish. The VBS is part of the Angling Trust's Fisheries Enforcement Support Service which runs in partnership with the Environment Agency and is funded by fishing licence money. This year, funding enabled 20 new volunteer bailiffs to be taken on in each of our six regions so, to make room for new recruits, the Angling Trust canvassed existing volunteers to identify those whose circumstances had changed and were no longer able to continue as a bailiff. “The VBS has been operating for a number of years and, with changing circumstances and commitments, it will not always be possible or convenient for volunteers to contribute, said Dilip Sarkar MBE, Angling Trust's National Enforcement Manager. “We recognised this and factored it into this year's recruitment. Inevitably, on the day a small number were unable to attend but we were still able to induct 113 new volunteers. It now means the VBS has a very healthy ratio of active volunteers. Dilip Sarkar added: “It was particularly pleasing to hear the exclusively positive feedback regarding inductions, in which my team invests great effort, and likewise to see so many volunteers actively patrolling and reporting. I commend all of our volunteers for their positive contribution. After attending an induction day in the Midlands, recruit Mick Rowley, from Stafford, wrote and told us: “What a great day! I'm now a volunteer bailiff with the Angling Trust. Huge thanks to Kevin Pearson [Midlands Regional Enforcement Manager]. Similarly, Paul Moore and Graham McNally from Stoke-on-Trent wrote: “We found the day really good and got a good insight into what needs to be reported and how the Angling Trust and the authorities link together. The information gained will help our club protect its water. Following the induction day held in West Sussex, South East Regional Enforcement Manager Dave Wilkins said: “It is always great to welcome new volunteers to the VBS team. They have already had some excellent results with a huge amount of time recorded from patrols across the region and many incidents reported to the Environment Agency and the police including three arrests for fish theft. Great work! Graeme Storey, Fisheries Manager with the Environment Agency, said: “Voluntary Bailiffs are eyes and ears on waterways across England. This network of anglers, able to provide good information, is valuable in directing our enforcement patrols to catch those who damage the sport through illegal activity. Anyone that suspects illegal fishing is taking place should report the details to the Environment Agency's Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60, or the police on 101. Click here to view the full article

Local organisations seeking to manage land and seabed have now stepped into the final stages of a scheme designed to give communities more say on what happens in their area. The proposals - in Shetland, Orkney, Western Isles and the Forth Salmon Fishery District - will see applicants take responsibility for more decisions relating to seabed, coastline and other land. Crown Estate Scotland launched the Local Pilots Management Scheme in 2018 to create opportunities for communities to get more involved in managing parts of the Scottish Crown Estate. It is part of a wider step-change in how the Estate is managed, ensuring communities and local authorities have more say and influence. Five of the original 13 applications were invited to submit detailed plans and four of these are now being taken forward to the final stages of the scheme. The other project applicants are being assisted by Crown Estate Scotland to help meet their objectives through other avenues. The four projects moving forward in the scheme are from: Comhairle nan Eilean Siar & Galson Estate Trust (joint proposal) Forth District Salmon Fishery Board Orkney Islands Council Shetland Islands Council Summaries of each project including maps of their locations can be found here. A further project with the Tay & Earn Trust will continue to be developed outside the pilots scheme. Crown Estate Scotland Chief Executive Simon Hodge said: “We're excited about the prospect of partnering with these organisations to help progress their proposals and enable them to deliver ambitious local projects. All the applicants have great ideas and we're keen to help make those ideas become reality. “The applications we received contained an array of ideas and proposals, which is yet further evidence of the wide range of local expertise and vision. We'll be building on this scheme to find new ways of managing Scotland's natural assets in a way that benefits all. Land Reform Secretary Roseanna Cunningham MSP said: “This represents a significant step towards opening up the possibility for local authorities and communities to take control of the management of the Scottish Crown Estate assets. The geographical breadth of the projects under consideration shows the reach and importance of these reforms and I look forward to seeing these proposals develop in the months ahead. Click here to view the full article

The second qualifier this year at the popular Partridge Lakes was a triumph for Andy Bennett, who qualified for his first Fish 'O' Mania final after more than 30 attempts over the last 10 years. The 34 year-old angling coach from nearby Hyde in Cheshire landed F1's and carp to 4lb, fishing maggot shallow for 213lb 2oz from fancied peg 173 on Covey 6, giving him an early birthday present of £255 pools, plus a treasured place in the grand final in July. Andy had finished runner up in qualifiers three times, including the earlier one here in April when visiting raider Will Raison travelled north for his first visit to the venue. Will rightly sought out Andy for advice, only to draw next to him on Willow pool and pip him for top spot that day 142-7 to 140-14- just one more fish! Conditions on the morning of the match were grim, with cool winds, and more rain forecast after a couple of days of downpours. Blocked motorways left around 20 anglers stranded, so the decision was made to delay the draw to give them time to make it. Most anglers chose favoured venue tactics of fishing shallow with maggots or casters to tempt the F1's and occasional carp, which local specialist Chris Weeder used to good effect on Covey 3 peg 53. Chris weighed 173-14, but felt he could not have done much more to challenge the winner. H section on Covey 6 was a strong section, including winner Andy, another fancied local Kieran Marsden and well-known Ben Fisk. Kieran finished third overall with 169-02 again on maggot fished shallow, leaving Ben to pick up section money with just over 100lb. Steve Openshaw was on Willow peg 7, and those watching from the nearby café thought he might have a chance as he caught steadily, particularly at the end, but a quiet spell mid match left him finishing fourth with 163-06. All in all, a very good match with a new face for the final and three figure weights on most sections despite the cold, wet conditions. Thanks to Barbara and her staff at Partridge Lakes for their hard work and cheerful disposition on the day and to Mike Storey the match organiser on the day for all his hard work. The next Fish 'O' Mania qualifier takes place at Colemans Cottage on Saturday 15th June. How to Book Tickets Tickets for the Fish'O'Mania XXVI qualifiers will again be sold via the Angling Trust events booking website HERE. Ticket prices have once more remained the same at £25 per qualifier Top 6 Results; 1st Andy Bennett 213-02 2nd Chris Weeder Jnr 173-14 3rd Kieran Marsden 169-02 4th Steve Openshaw 163-06 5th John Jones 130-01 6th Ian Burley 116-04 Click here to view the full article

From the editor of Big Carp, here's a look at the latest issue... River Carping 3 River carping encapsulates many of the attributes of old school carping. It still adheres to the old close season, ending as it does on the 14th of March and reopening on the 'glorious 16th' of June each year. But more importantly to many, river carping offers the angler the element of the unknown, even though, as time goes by, more and more is known of our river stock, and for certain there are monsters swimming in the depths yet to be caught by our enthusiastic river carpers. As we know, virtually all river carp are escapees from lakes in flood or lakes that have been joined to the river system to form marinas. Nick Helleur's Thames record of last year is almost certainly of the Dinton strain, but how many more escaped that year during the flow? In fact there could be some huge surprises still to be uncovered. There was always talk of the Sonning Eye somehow ending up in the Thames, and what of Savay's most famous carp, Sally, and her mates ending up in the Colne the year of the flood? We already know of one or two being caught from the adjoining canal. The fact is, we really don't know where these fish are, and when I say these fish, I mean carp throughout the land that have somehow found a new home in a nearby river. So this month, following on from our highly successful Thames Carping issue, we look at captures from all our rivers. For starters, a handful of new Thames articles from Tony Sweetapple, Jordan Hawkins and Graham Stevens, some awesome creatures amongst them. And quickly, whilst on the subject of the Thames, look out for our new Thames Carping book out later this year. We are currently looking for chapters, so please get in touch if you would like to be part of it. Here's what we have this month… Firstly, some carp of epic proportions, Jurassic escapees and uncaught leviathans from a nature reserve adjoining the River Aire. If it's big forties and even fifties you want, look no further than this piece by Tim Jewitt and friends. Mitch Godfrey returns with a year on the Trent. Phil Newman tackles the Severn while Ollie Seaborn uncovers the secrets of the River Wye. We have two pieces on the River Medway: one from Michael Cutler and a second from Alex Hanson. Jack Pells tackles the River Wey with some incredible results. Add to these catches from the Wandle, Avon, Ouse, Nene, Lea, Lee, Stour, Wensom, Ribble, Witham, Taw and Exe, and this month's issue is a must read for river and non-river anglers alike. If you, like me, have a passion for off the beaten track carping then this is the issue for you. Also this month, we have river catch reports, competitions, carpy news and reviews; in fact everything you need to get you fired up and down to your local river in search of the unknown. Next month, we have an Old School Tribute to the late Roger Smith who sadly passed away this month - an issue every carper will want to own. Why not save money and get a subscription here - www.bigcarpmagazine.co.uk? See details on pages 50 and 51. See you next month, Rob. Click here to view the full article

News Release From Bait-Tech Bait-Tech are delighted to announce a new range of high quality waterproof clothing is now available to order! We've teamed up with clothing manufacturer Reel Elite Apparel to offer Bait-Tech fans the opportunity to obtain waterproof clothing of the highest quality with Bait-Tech branding professionally embroidered to our own design spec and company colours. The range includes: Match Jacket, Windstopper Fleece, Overtrousers, 3/4 Jackets, Bib & Brace and Kagools. All clothing is from the long established Leon Grant brand which has stood the test of time and is among the very best on the market when it comes to waterproof durability. Add to this a bespoke measuring service and fitting which means you can be sure that your clothing will fit perfectly. For more information on the range, pricing and how to order check out the Reel Elite website where a dedicated page for the Bait-Tech clothing has been set up. www.reelelite.co.uk Click here to view the full article

Suzuki is pleased to announce that it has added Silver Boats to the already impressive roster of boat brands that fit its range of ultimate outboard motors. The sole importer of the Finnish boat brand into the UK, River Shack Boats, is based in Christchurch and has been selling Silver Boats since 2016. In the main, the boats are AluTech GRP inside with an Aluminium hull, which results in a beautiful interior and tough exterior. However, Silver has just launched a brand new range - the Tiger Dz and Raptor Dz which are both constructed completely from GRP. This has the benefit of being able to incorporate cabins into the design and build. The Tiger has a 2 berth and the Raptor has a 4 berth. Both of which will be shown at the Poole boat show and Southampton boat show with Suzuki engines The Aluminium range of Silver Boats are from 4.6m up to 6.4m and the range of GRP Silver Boats are from 6m up to 8.2m. Will Eveleigh from Silver Boats UK said, “We are excited to be working with Suzuki and have already sold our first two Suzuki-powered Silver Boats. We chose to fit Suzuki's to our boats because they have a great reputation for performance and reliability. In fact, Silver Boats are marketed as 'quiet boats built by quiet people' which dovetails really nicely with one of the hallmarks of Suzuki outboards, which is the fact that they deliver incredibly quiet running. Fiona Cole, Head of Marketing for Suzuki GB's Motorcycle, ATV & Marine Divisions said, “We are pleased to welcome Silver Boats to the Suzuki family and look forward to long and fruitful partnership. We feel that the Silver range offers something unique to the UK market and we are confident that Suzuki outboards will complement these stylish looking boats nicely. Click here to view the full article

This latest Fish 'O' Mania qualifier was held at the prolific West Midlands Fishery at Tunnel Barn Farm which promised great things. Very warm, humid conditions greeted the anglers on the day; however, it was clear that many of the fish have not yet spawned and whilst very active they were not in a particularly good feeding mood across the whole complex. At the halfway stage many anglers were struggling for a bite. The sport improved through the second half of the day to produce good results at the end with ten 100lbs plus weights spread over a number of pools. England International angler Jordan Holloway (Preston Innovations/Sonubaits) from Bewdley took top honours with an excellent 141lbs 14oz net of F1's and proper carp from peg 31 on Top Pool. He fished maggot over groundbait down the edge for pretty much the whole match. Second spot went to 'Mr Consistent', Andy Power (Preston Innovations), at Extension peg 3. Andy had F1's with carp to 8lbs fishing pellets tight over to put 134lbs 7oz on the scales. Peter Black from Birmingham secured third place with 132lbs 10oz at peg 13 on Extension Pool feeding 6 pints of casters to catch fish to 3lbs shallow. Dale Shepherd almost made his long journey worthwhile fishing at High Pool peg 2 for 128lbs 2 oz. Stephen Luck weighed 113lbs 5oz for fifth and Jon Arthur recorded 108lbs 1oz for sixth spot. The Angling Trust would like to offer a big thank you to Mike and Sarah and the whole team at Tunnel Barn Farm for being such good hosts and to David Kent for all his hard work on the day running the qualifier. The next Fish 'O' Mania qualifier takes place at Monk Lakes, Marden, Kent on Saturday 8th June. Ticket sales close at 15.30 on Wednesday prior to the qualifier so make sure you visit the website HERE to book and secure a ticket. How to Book Tickets Tickets for the Fish'O'Mania XXVI qualifiers will again be sold via the Angling Trust events booking website HERE. Ticket prices have once more remained the same at £25 per qualifier. Results 1st Jordan Holloway 141lbs 14oz 2nd Andy Power 134lb 7oz 3rd Peter Black 132lbs 10oz 4th Dale Shepherd 128lbs 2oz 5th Stephen Luck 113lbs 5oz Click here to view the full article

This third qualifying round for the Boddington Classic Final was a mixed bag for the 43 anglers that fished. The anglers pegged on the Dam wall had to face a strong wind all day whilst those pegged along the main bank had almost mill pool conditions. Peg 2 on the Dam was the favoured draw after it produced over 250lb the day before, and so it proved to be the best peg, but only just. The lucky angler to draw it was Jay Minter (Decoy Lakes) whom tempted 12 carp up to 15lb on pellet fished with bomb and teabag to just take victory on the day with 48.880kg. Also taking 12 carp was Richard Broadway (Reepham Fishery) who caught at distance on the method and wafters at peg 96 for 46.025kg. Geoff Miles (Gold Valley) completed the frame from 3 with 8 carp for 37.580Kg also taken at distance on the method. Individual Results: 1st Jay Minter (Decoy Lakes) 48.880kg 2nd Richard Broadway (Reepham Fishery) 46.025kg 3rd Geoff Miles (Gold Valley) 37.580kg 4th Paul Keal 33.100kg 5th Jason King 32.975kg 6th Mick Dominy 31.420kg The qualifiers going through to the Boddington Classic final on Sunday 28th July are: Jay Minter, Mick Dominy, Paddy McMahon, Jonathan Smith, Carl Henrick, Andrew Ashington, Sean James, Carl Hulley, Richard Broadway and Jason King. How to Book Tickets Ticket sales close at 15.30 on Wednesday prior to the fourth qualifier so make sure you check for availability and visit the booking website HERE to book and secure a ticket. The final Boddington Classic and fourth qualifier takes place on Saturday 22nd June. The Angling Trust would like to thank Dick and Sheila Pilkington, the bailiffs and Andre Grandjean for all their hard work on the day. Click here to view the full article

This fourth Dynamite Baits AT & CRT Canal Pairs qualifier on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal was patchy for the 27 pairs (54 anglers) taking part on the day. The qualifier was fished between Hempsted and Pilot Bridges, with the place to be for the big weights being the old Hempsted Bend, which provided some good weights despite that canal being clear, in fact the top 5 of the 6 weights came from this area. The overall winner didn't come from this stretch however, with Andy Jane (Sensas Lobbys) drawing the straight on peg 24 next to the rowing club where bream, gathered around the trees for spawning to make up his weight of 39lbs 7oz, all taken on groundbait feeder with red maggot hookbait. Shaun Bryan (Daiwa Gordon League) was second from peg 46, fishing the same method for 36lbs 12oz. Sensas Lobbys duo Jon Tocknell and Gary Townsend were the best pair fishing on the day with just 5 penalty points. Pairs results; 1st) Jon Tocknell/Gary Townsend (Sensas Lobbys) = 5 2nd) Shaun Bryan/Mark Gaylard (Daiwa Gordon League) = 9 3rd) Charlie Vallender/Andy Pollard (Daiwa Gordon League) = 10 4th) Andy Jane/Andy Richings (Sensas Lobbys) = 13 5th) Mark Treasure/Mark Brush (Daiwa Gordon League) = 13 6th) Martin Howard/Darren Scott (Daiwa Gordon League) = 17 Top 6 individual results; 1st) Andy Jane (Sensas Lobbys) 39lbs 7oz 2nd) Shaun Bryan (Daiwa Gordon League) 36lbs 12oz 3rd) Tim Frampton (Gloucester) 25lbs 6oz 4th) Jon Tocknell (Sensas Lobbys) 18lbs 14oz 5th) Mark Treasure (Daiwa Gordon League) 16lbs 8oz 6th) Charlie Vallender (Daiwa Gordon League) 10lbs 5oz The Angling Trust would like to thank Mark Treasure and Kevin Fortey for a well run qualifier and for all their hard work on the day. The next AT & CRT Canal Pairs qualifier heads to the Coventry Canal on Sunday 16th June. For booking your ticket/s on the Canal Pairs qualifiers log onto the Angling Trust ticket booking site. Click here to view the full article

Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland, the medical fly-fishing programme for ladies who have, or have had breast cancer is delighted to announce that we are the beneficiaries of a £9,595 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund. The National Lottery grant will enable us to replace fishing tackle (rods and reels etc) along with clothing used by the 80 ladies we take on retreat. We hold six events across England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland each year. Earlier this month we celebrated our 50th retreat, where we invited 12 ladies who have or have had breast cancer on a health-giving weekend of therapy and fly-fishing in Llanelli, South Wales. CfR organiser Sue Shaw said: “This National Lottery grant is so important to us, and for it to come just as we celebrate our 50th retreat is a lovely coincidence. Most of our equipment and clothing is around 12 years old so definitely needs updating. “Many of the ladies who come on our retreats are quite scarred, physically and emotionally by their breast cancer diagnosis. We hope that by spending a weekend with us, where they undergo counselling and medical support whilst learning a new skill in the great outdoors, we can help start the healing process. “A number of them have taken up fly-fishing as a hobby - some even progressing to fish in the Home International Championships. Casting for Recovery UK & Ireland is run by The Countryside Alliance Foundation (TCAF), the charity set up to increase access to the countryside and to use it for education, fun and healing. It works on the simple principle that fly fishing is wonderful therapy for those recovering from breast cancer. The programme takes ladies on a two-day residential retreat where fly fishing tuition is part of a packed itinerary that also includes counselling, relaxation and medical support. The residential retreat aims to help both body and mind, with the medical and counselling aspects complementing the gentle physical therapy of the fly-casting motion. We are extremely grateful to the fly fishing and medical volunteers who take time to ensure that the ladies all enjoy their weekend and to our generous hosts. CfR will run six retreats throughout 2019. Our next takes place at the Mount Falcon Estate in Co Mayo from 21-23 June. Click here to view the full article

The Angling Trust has announced a change of leadership for Team England Fly Fishing's squad that will compete in the 39th FIPS Mouche World Championships which will be held in Tasmania in November. One of England's most recognised and successful anglers, John Horsey was appointed as manager in September 2018 was expected to lead England into the competition. Due to unforeseen personal circumstances John has resigned from the role with immediate effect. Angling Trust moved swiftly to find a replacement and are delighted to appoint another one of England's most successful and experienced anglers in Howard Croston. Howard will combine his role as a team member with that of the manager and will be assisted by fellow team member Lee Bartlett. Croston, 42 from Manchester has extensive experience at the highest level having represented England on 21 occasions. His resume includes caps in bank, boat and river Home Internationals and in addition he has 3 European and 12 World caps to his name. He was part of the gold medal team of 2009 and bronze medal team of 2014 while his best individual performance was in Slovenia 2012 when he finished 4th, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal. Howard said “I have always been very proud to represent England as a competitor and am relishing the challenge of also taking on the role of fishing captain/manager for Tasmania, as with any WFFC it will be fiercely contested and down to the finest of margins. The host nation has made exceptional progress over the last few years in all aspects and will be favourites on their home waters along with the likely suspects of the top European teams and the constantly improving USA. “That being said England's strengths lie in boat fishing and this year's format should suit our skill set well. We have a motivated team of skilled anglers, all bringing something different to the table that should hopefully let us push for a medal at this event. Ben Thompson of the Angling Trust said “The loss of John as manager is undoubtedly a blow, his knowledge and experience of the FIPS Mouche events and in particular Tasmania would certainly have given England an advantage going into the event however, we understand circumstances change and we wish John all the very best in the future. We are delighted to have appointed someone of the calibre of Howard Croston, Howard brings a wealth of experience and we have no doubt that the team are in the best possible hands. We have high hopes that under Howard's leadership the team can head to Tasmania and compete for medals and we wish Howard, Lee and the squad the very best of luck. The World Championships will take place in Tasmania from the 30th November and conclude on the 8th December 2019. The host nation have a dedicated website for the event which can be found at www.wffc2019.com Click here to view the full article

This latest Dynamite Baits AT & CRT Canal Pairs qualifier headed to the Staffordshire & Worcester Canal at Wombourne on the Wolverhampton AA Waters. 29 pairs (58 anglers) lined the canal on a very warm and humid day with some promising weights being caught on the day. The top three individuals on the day all came from B section and leading the way was Peter Kay (Bordon Angling Centre) weighing in 11-2-0. Second place on the day went to Mick Hatchard (Cadence Superteam/Bait Tech) with 9-1-0 and third place went to Neil Turner (Dynamite Maver Midlands) who weighed in 8-10-4. Moving on to the all-important pairs results it was the ever-consistent Richard Guest (Dynamite Maver Midlands) and Dave Lloyd (Preston Innovations) who came out on top with an 8 point winning score on the day. Richard was on A section four pegs below Awbridge Lock. He caught on maggots and casters over and then later worm down the middle to end up with 7lb on the day. Dave meanwhile decided to target the big fish in his peg. He caught in little spells mainly after boat traffic catching on a variety of maggots, casters and worms to end the match with 7lb 13oz. Pairing Barry Jones (Sensas Lifestyle MG) and Mel Wood (Four Ashes AC) were narrowly second on 8 points. Rounding out the top three of pairs were Thomas Sexton (Bordon Angling Centre) and Peter Kay (Bordon Angling Centre) to amass 9 points. Final pair to qualify on the day were Simon Nickless and Stephen Dudley both Sensas Black County who amassed 12 points. Pairs results; 1st Richard Guest/Dave Lloyd - 8 points (Qualified) 2nd Barry Jones /Mel Wood - 8 points (Qualified) 3rd Thomas Sexton/Peter Kay - 9 points (Qualified) 4th Simon Nickless/Stephen Dudley - 12 points (Qualified) Top 6 individual results; 1st Peter Kay (Bordon Angling Centre) 11-2-0 2nd Mick Hatchard (Cadence Superteam/Bait Tech) 9-1-0 3rd Neil Turner (Dynamite Maver Midlands) 8-10-4 4th Simon Nickless (Sensas Black Country) 8-4-0 5th Mel Wood (Four Ashes AC) 8-2-4) 6th Ben Garbett (Dynamite Maver Midlands) 7-14-4 The Angling Trust would like to thank Paul Turner for all his efforts in running the qualifier. The next AT & CRT Canal Pairs qualifier heads to the Coventry Canal on Sunday 16th June. For booking your ticket/s on the Canal Pairs qualifiers log onto the Angling Trust ticket booking site. Click here to view the full article