Marshall's £2,000 carp haul

Wayne Thomas

ADE MARSHALL won £2,000 with an amazing haul in the Fish O Maniac final at Stafford Moor Fisheries.

He caught 48 carp, to a total weight of 194lb 9oz.

The fish were tempted using shallow waggler tactics.

Billy Dent, Dave Wallsgrove and Paul Tidball all managed to top the magic ton, but none got close to Marshall, who was in a league of his own that day.

Stafford Moor is holding a junior competition next Thursday, August 26.

The popular event is well worth attending. For full details, call Andy Seery on 01805 804360.

Ilfracombe Match Group's Peter Nash memorial competition at Riverton's Pampas Lake saw members struggle to tempt the residents.

Nielson Jeffery won with three carp at a weight of 24lb 2oz. Martin Hawker was runner-up with 13lb 13oz and Barry Lee third with 12lb 13oz. Andy Gray took the silvers bag with five roach for 5oz.

Anglers have been enjoying exciting sport with quality carp at Furzebray Lakes, near South Molton.

Liam Vanstone landed a very plump common carp, affectionately known as Gut Bucket, which weighed in at an impressive 25lb 3oz.

That was part of a three-fish catch with a 17lb 3oz leather and 16lb 4oz mirror.

Adam Langabeer set a new personal best, landing Peanut the carp at 27lb.

Carp are falling to a variety of tactics, including float-fished particles and the more conventional boilies.

I now find myself referring to boilies as the conventional method. When I first started carp fishing in the early Eighties, boilies and hair rigs had burst on to the scene following the publication of the book Carp Fever by Kevin Maddocks.

Since that revolution in carp fishing, there has been a commercialisation of the sport that has resulted in a once difficult to catch fish becoming comparatively easy.

Advances in carp fishing have filtered into the wider world of angling, with many benefits.

The biggest lesson from the carp angler's hair rig is the importance of an unimpeded hook point.

There is little benefit in burying the hook in a bait to disguise it from the fish. It is far more important to ensure there is plenty of hook point available to lodge within the quarry's mouth.

Next time you bait up, give the hook size and bait careful consideration — your catch rate will improve.

Sea anglers are enjoying mixed fortunes, with mackerel abundant all along the coast.

Bass catches have not generally been up to that of recent seasons, although several big fish have been lost.

I have spoken to many anglers who have ventured forth in near-perfect conditions and not received a single bite.

I feel certain the sport will dramatically improve before long and those anglers who persevere will reap the rewards.

There is every chance of tope if anglers set out their stall with big baits and wire traces.

The weekend's North Devon League match saw competitors hampered by that angler's nightmare, the easterly wind.

Despite this, several fish were brought to the scales.

Andy Joslin secured top points for Rod 'n' Reelers A with a bull huss scaling 9lb 2oz.

Julian Stainer was second for Triple Hook with a dogfish of 2lb 12oz, and Mickey Metters third for Rod 'n' Reelers A with a doggie of 2lb 7½oz.

Combe Martin SAC member Paul Widlake travelled to Christchurch in search of grey mullet and was rewarded with some fine specimens, including fish of 4lb 10oz, 4lb 11oz, 4lb 12oz and 5lb 2oz.

Debate is continuing on proposals to introduce a sea angling licence.

There will have to be a vast change in fisheries policy before anglers readily embrace licensing.

Some in the sport believe a licence would give anglers a louder voice.

Perhaps they are right, for to progress we will have to accept protective legislation and restrictions on our fishing.

In return, the commercial vandalism of the sea must stop.

Trout anglers at Wimbleball have enjoyed a rod average of 3.8 fish per rod day.

Top flies have been diawl bachs, nymphs, montana, poodles and cat's whiskers.

Notable fish included a 4lb rainbow to D Ridgeway on a black and green poodle and a 3lb 8oz rainbow to Mr Symonds.

If there is no substantial rainfall within the next few weeks this is likely to go down on record as one of the worst salmon seasons on record.

We need several days of heavy and prolonged rain if salmon are to ascend the rivers in numbers.

Diary dates

Sunday: Triple Hook Club John Vaughan Coarse Cup, Riverton, 9am to 3pm.