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Search forNew Trust should give anglers a powerful voice
Thursday, October 30, 2008, 07:00
The National Federation of Sea Anglers, the National Federation of Anglers, the National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives, Anglers Conservation Association and the Specialist Anglers Alliance will pool their resources to create a new organisation called the Angling Trust.
It is hoped it will be up and running from early January.
The new organisation should be a powerful voice, influencing the authorities in the many issues that could affect the angler in salt and freshwater.
I have long believed angling needs a powerful representative body. But I am concerned there appears to be no representation for game fishing, as the Salmon and Trout Association withdrew from the process.
Individual membership will be £20, with juniors paying £5. Club affiliation is on a sliding scale, with clubs of fewer than 50 members paying £50 and clubs of more than 1,000 paying £250.
Stafford Moor Fisheries' stature as the region's top specimen carp fishery has been bolstered by the delivery of five new carp ranging between 21lb 8oz and 23lb 8oz. Beattie's Lake now holds 25 20lb carp and about 400 doubles.
Joseph's Lake has also received a boost with five 20lb-plus carp introduced. Anglers can book to fish the lake on weekdays on a 24-hour ticket.
Ben Harvey fished Beattie's Lake recently to take an amazing tally of more than 60 doubles and six 20s to 25lb 8oz.
The match lakes also continue to give some astounding hauls, with Perry Stone winning the Dynamite Festival having amassed 326lb over five days. His top weight was 143lb from Woody's Lake using sweetcorn. Seventy anglers took part in the event.
At Angler's Paradise, Paul Sharp from Essex celebrated his birthday by landing fine mirror carp of 30lb 3oz and 24lb from the Specimen Lake. Adrian Mason also got among the specimens with a 24lb 6oz mirror. Octopussy Lake gave John Dearnley some exciting sport with 18 double-figure carp to 20lb 2oz.
Bideford Angling Club's Coarse Section Match at Clawford Vineyard saw Nielson Jeffery secure top spot with a fine net of 61lb 4oz. Runner-up spot went to John Lisle with 49lb 11oz, and third to Graham Curnow with 48lb 6oz. Best fish of the day was a handsome common carp of 13lb 12oz to Thomas Downing.
Blakewell Fishery is providing trout anglers with some splendid sport, with numerous rainbows being caught in the 5lb to 8lb range.
Jim Ayley of Weston-super-Mare landed a fine 12lb rainbow and Jim Grant of Berrynarbor a rainbow of 11lb 2oz.
A wide variety of flies are working well at the fishery, with buzzers and nymphs scoring well. Top fly over the past month has been the daddy longlegs.
Blakewell's Christmas Competition on December 7 is already generating plenty of interest and places should be booked soon.
The coast is giving sea anglers good catches of whiting — a species that has been noticeable in its absence over recent seasons. It is hoped greater numbers of whiting will lead to an influx of predators such as conger, tope and maybe even cod.
I have caught several good specimens in past seasons by using freshly-caught whiting on a second rod with a big hook and heavy trace.
Barnstaple Triple Hook Club's Croyde to Foreland mixed brace rover saw John Passmore take first prize with a bull huss of 9lb 3¾oz and a dogfish of 2lb 14½oz. Dennis Toleman took second with a huss of 7lb 7¾oz and a doggie of 2lb ½oz.
Hugh Miles and Martin Bowlers have joined forces on Catching The Impossible, an eight-part DVD series to be released over the next year plus an accompanying book.
Diary Dates
Sunday: Barnstaple Triple Hook Club RBL Shield flounder match. Fishing 8am to 1pm. Weigh in at Royal British Legion 1.45pm.
Sunday: Bideford Angling Club Monthly Rover.
Sunday: Appledore Shipbuilders Rover.
November 11: Barnstaple and District Anglers annual meeting, at the Corner House, 7.30pm.
FAMOUS FIVE: The five 20lb mirror carp introduced to Stafford Moor Fisheries.
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