All alone in wild, remote places... obsessively pursuing their quarry in the fading light... is it any wonder so many anglers claim to have witnessed ghosts?

In a change from the usual haunted houses and gothic go-to’s, these original tales of tragedy, redemption and the unexpected feature a variety of watery realms, including a Highland river, an Irish lough, a North American wilderness, a Cornish seascape, long-lost carp lakes, and a Ukrainian water source with magical properties.

There are echoes of real history thrown in for good measure, including the English Civil War, the Second World War, and even a Victorian serial killer. So prepare for some chills at the water’s edge… and beyond it.

Review:

As a lifelong angler and someone who loves a good ghost story, Disturbing The Water by Petr Wise appealed to me on both counts. You certainly don't have to be an angler to enjoy these stories but it's without doubt an added bonus if you are.

Easy to read and incredibly engrossing, this collection of short stories will certainly have you hooked from start to finish. Whilst there is a general theme of fishing and water running throughout the stores, the main theme is the ghostly stores so if you like these, you will really enjoy this book.

I liked the fact that the book was split into 13 different short stories which means you can easily read one story if you have an hour to spare. If you don't have an enormous amount of time to read, you can pick up the book whenever you have time, read a story, and not have to worry about where you left off last time.

Peter has an easy style of writing which leads to an easy style of reading. Each story will have you gripped from start to finish.

Conclusion:

We thoroughly enjoyed reading this book here at UK Fisherman and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this wonderful sport of ours or who just enjoys a thoroughly good read.

Information:

For more information about the author, the book and where it can be purchased, please visit:

www.cranthorpemillner.com

Score:

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As fishing enthusiasts, we take great care in picking our favorite spots. But sometimes it can be exciting to experience a new place.

Whether you’re looking to relax in nature or you’re after that trophy fish, lakes can offer a unique experience.

Here are eight hidden gems found throughout the UK which are guaranteed to give you a great fishing experience and maybe even become your new favorite spot.

1. Linear Fisheries

The reed-whiskered lakes of Linear Fisheries in Oxford are an impressive sight in terms of both their surface area and contents.

Brasenose One is the main venue, its 32 acres having spawned over 100 mirror carps over the 13.6kg (30lb) mark. Hardwick-Smith is another popular choice for the ultimate fishing experience and even hosts some ghost carp.

If you are aiming for catch goals and have the patience to wait for the big game, pick Manor Farm or St. John’s Lake.

The current record stands at a hefty 23.6kg (52lbs). With that kind of weight in hand, if you’re one of the many people who’ve abandoned the gym, it might be a good idea to lift some weights before you get out on the water and wrestle with the goliaths of the lakes.

The cluster of nine lakes requires an E.A. license for a day pass. It’s dog-friendly and allows anglers to bring up to three rods.

Amenities include disabled access, a bait and tackle shop, and the occasional pike match.

2. Bluebell Lakes

Situated in Peterborough, Bluebell offers some serious angling action.

A number of sizable carps have been caught there, including the late 229kg (64lb) Benson, a national legend in the world of carp fishing. Mallard Lake is the biggest with 20 acres and 40 pegs where you can set up your bivvy. The lushness of the surrounding greenery may not be allergy-friendly, but it’s definitely beautiful to look at.

The venue includes toilet facilities, a tackle shop, and an eatery.

3. Wyreside Lakes

Wyre Lake is one of the most prominent carp fishing waters in northwest England. Located in Lancaster above Manchester, it measures 18 acres and boasts a poundage record of 16.8kg (37lbs).

Pike anglers will also do well here, and some even occasionally catch a chub or tench, a smaller member of the sazan family.

Count a tackle shop and café into the equation, and anglers of all sorts will be drawn to install their carp fishing rods on the grassy banks of Wyreside.

4. Sandhurst Lake

Sandhurst is a smaller pearl in the world of day ticket carp fishing. Interspersed around the overgrown rim are 31 pegs, each one ideal for setting up your rod pod rig.

There are dedicated short-range swims, a barbecue area, and a tackle shop. The lake holds some sizable specimens.

The average weight is 11.8kg (26lbs) with the current record standing at 20kg (45lbs). More than 10 carp are known to be over the elusive 18kg (40lb) barrier.

While carp fishing in France or Hungary can be a rewarding experience, if you live near London, you can leave your passport in the drawer and visit Sandhurst Lake.

5. Caerphilly Castle

Catapult your boilie pre-bait right against the foundations of a 13th century Norman castle as you set your lines out in its moat.

This idyllic location in South Wales contains a stock of 300 crucian carp, of which 60 are over 9kg (20lbs).

A carp fishing hotspot, Caerphilly is free for all and everyone is encouraged to throw out a line. Anglers can also fish for pike, eels, perch, and tench. And in case something is missing from your pack list, Tony’s Tackle Shop is right next door.

6. Loch Morar

There’s a reason why the Scots call a lake a loch, for we are entering an entirely different league here.

If you’re hauling a boat, make sure it’s suitable for freshwater, as Loch Morar is the second largest freshwater lake in Scotland (after Loch Ness), and it is as imposing as it sounds. This monster-size loch roughly measures 26 square kilometers (10 square miles) and can be fished for carp, trout, salmon, pike, and perch.

The bulk of the catch will be under 7kg (15lbs), but on the upside, most will be unscathed for that superb shot with a scale-perfect specimen. So if you don’t mind globetrotting, you’ll be rewarded with a spectacular fishing spot right in the middle of the Scottish Highlands.

You can even cruise around to see what the world looked like in Jurassic times.

7. Wellington Country Park

Wellington Country Park is an all-time favorite for those hooked on fishing.

Parents might especially want to spend a day or two in this sought-after location near London, since it’s paired with an amusement park with a playground, animal farm, and dino forest that the rest of the family can enjoy. Situated in Reading near London, the 35-acre lake holds a good number of 40-pounder mirrors in pristine condition. Some even tip the scales at over 23kg (50lbs).

The only catch is that Welly Park is a syndicate, meaning that you need to sign up for membership before being put on the waiting list.

8. Cherry Lakes

This is the last one on the list and offers a family-friendly fishing vacation in a luxury cottage with a private peg in the Cotswold Water Park near Bristol.

At 5 acres, the lake is large enough for some genuine carp fishing, as its largest inhabitant came in at 20kg (44lbs).

During the off season, there is plenty to do in the Cotswold area, such as shopping, fine dining, and paying a visit to the old Roman town of Cirencester.

The Different Types Of Carp Fishing Rod Modern day carp fishing can be a minefield at times. I mean the theory is simple right? You cast a boilie out to the horizon, set your rod down to your alarms, and daydream until you hear that glorious screaming run.

If only it was that simple!

Theres so many technical aspects to carp fishing nowadays that we could literally write a novel on all the ifs, buts and maybes. We’ll save all that for another day, instead in this short article we will focus on one (very important) part of a carp anglers itinerary… The carp rod.

Does it matter what carp fishing rod you use?

So, again, the question has to be asked… Does it matter what rod you use? I mean as long as it’s fairly strong and casts okay surely that’s all you need? Well yes, these are important attributes but I could quite easily tie some line so a broom stick and chuck it out 40 yards. Id guess I wouldn’t be very successful in landing any fish though. It’s important that you match your carp fishing rod to the fishing situation you are faced with if you are going to see any success.

The different types of carp fishing rod

So onto the main point of the article and that is the different types of carp fishing rod. So here are some examples of different carp fishing situations, all of which will require a different type of carp fishing rod…

• Distance fishing – casting in excess of 120 yards
  
• Float fishing for carp
  
• Margin fishing
  
• Surface fishing
  
• Stalking
  
• Spodding
  
• Marking your swim out

Depending on what carp fishing rod you are looking at there are further consideration to have in mind. These include:

• Carp rod materials
  
• Rod handles
  
• The reel seat
  
• The number of eyes
  
• Rod weight
  
• Rod power
  
• The test curve of the carp rod
  
• The action of the carp rod

So when we said carp fishing can be a minefield, you can hopefully see what we mean!

What carp rod should I choose?

The carp rod you should choose depends on the factors listed above. For example, if you wanted a long-distance rod fishing for large carp on a big pit then we would suggest the following attributes:

• 12 foot in length
  
• A minimum test curve of 3.25lb
  
• A reduced diameter blank
  
• A Fuji DPS reel seat
  
• A through action rod with fast tip recovery

If you were stalking for carp on the surface at close-quarters we would recommend the following attributes in your carp rod:

• 10 foot in length
  
• A maximum test curve of 2.5lb
  
• A progressive rod action
  
• A matte finish on the blank so as to not spook fish with glare

In terms of what specific rods to buy and indeed for more information on rod attributes for further fishing situations you can check out a full guide on the best fishing rods for carp fishing here.

Final Thoughts

We hope you have enjoyed our whistle stop tour on the different types of carp fishing rods. Hopefully, if anything, it has provided some food for thought that there is a lot of consideration required before parting with your hard-earned money.

Tight Lines!

Royal Berkshire Fisheries has a fantastic feel to it and everyone there is friendly.

Brad is such a nice guy and the guys that work there are always happy to help. Another mention is Kev who was really helpful in setting me up after not fishing for over 40 years.

Prime example of this place is I lost my sunglasses while fishing & Brad found them andlooked after them for me until I next came.

I catch great fish there (26 caught one day after only my third week).

The cafe along with the tackle shop makes it an all round success.

I travel up from South London and highly recommend this place. Thank you for making me so welcome.

View submitted by Bob Burrage, July 2020

View venue details

View venue website

Angling Cymru update: 13th May 2020
Angling is now a permitted form of exercise but please remember to observe the following regulations:

Stay local:
You can drive to go fishing but only locally - the shortest distance you can. If you live in Newport, you fish in Newport. Use common sense.

Stay Safe:
Maintain social distancing. Sanitise hands regularly. Avoid dangerous fishing venues or those where you cannot maintain social distancing.

Stay Legal
Fish alone or with one other person from your household. No fishing in closed areas of land or property. No boat fishing. No overnight fishing.

Please remember this is just the first stage of a return to angling. STAY LEGAL and don't be the one responsible for getting angling stopped in Wales.

Source: Angling Cymru

Kilnsey Park Fly Fishery is situated in spectacular surroundings. The two spring fed lakes are both approximately 1 acre in size and are open all year round, fishing well throughout the winter. The lakes are well stocked with hard fighting Rainbow, Blue, Brown and Golden trout from 2lb to 20lb+, all from our own Trout Farm. They are a TROUTMASTER water.

The car parks, shop and cafe are adjacent to the lake, with lakeside fishing access for all abilities. They hold various fishing courses and events during the year (please note that these are suspended whilst coronavirus restrictions are in place).

Kilnsey fly fishing lakes will reopen to anglers from Monday 18th May 2020.

They appreciate that everyone is eager to start fishing again as soon as possible, but they need a few extra days to prepare properly for safe opening. They're going to need to do certain things differently to make sure they comply with the new Angling Trust guidance and support the national effort to defeat coronavirus.

You are advised to book your fishing ticket before travelling here if you can. To enable this they will be launching a new online booking system in the next few days. In the meantime please email fishing@kilnseypark.co.uk if you want to reserve a place next week.

Revised opening hours for the fishing lakes will be 8.30am - 5pm. Please note that the café, family fishing and nature trail will remain closed for the time being. Thy look forward to welcoming everyone back here very soon.

Source: Kilnsey Fishing

ANGLERS AND PUBLIC ASKED TO HELP SUPPORT CANAL & RIVER TRUST AS CHARITY ACTS ON 300% INCREASE IN FISH DISTRESS CALLOUTS DURING LOCKDOWN

Today, anglers across England will be able to fish once again on their local canal, reservoir or other stillwater, following changes to government guidance during the current coronavirus pandemic.

As the guardians of 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales, the largest owner of fishing rights in the UK, Canal & River Trust is welcoming back anglers to its waterways for the first time in seven weeks.  It is also calling upon their help, following an unusually high level of callouts to help fish in distress during the last seven weeks.

Anglers are only permitted to visit the waterway if they are either alone, with members of their household, or with one other non-household member and importantly they can only fish where strict social distancing can be maintained.  This applies in England but not yet in Wales.  

The announcement of changes to government advice is welcomed by the waterway and wellbeing charity as it reports a staggering 300% increase in the number of fish distress callouts compared to this time last year due to decreased levels of oxygen in the water.

Fish in the canals, rivers and reservoirs looked after by the Trust are estimated to be worth around £40 million.  They are protected under law and some species are critically endangered . Thanks to calls from alert members of the public, Canal & River Trust have helped to save at least 100,000 fish in the past seven weeks.

Peter Birch, national environment policy advisor at Canal & River Trust explained: “Fish are sometimes overlooked by visitors to our canals, but they are integral to the ecosystem and a vital part of the wider food chain on our waterways. The joy of spotting a kingfisher, otter or heron is very much down to what’s going on below the water level.  Fish are a great indicator of good water quality – if the fish are thriving, so will other waterway wildlife.  The canals are generally healthier than ever and we’re keeping a close eye on the particular circumstances that are causing problems right now and taking action to support the fish.”

Instances of fish distress and fatalities (known as fish kills) occur when oxygen levels in the water decrease.  The Trust is aware of two key factors causing this in the waterways at present.

1. High levels of sunlight during April helped algae blooms to flourish much earlier in the year than usual. These naturally occurring organisms grow in nutrient rich waters and are encouraged by warm weather and increased sunlight. Algae can cause water quality issues by reducing the amount of oxygen in the water during the night which, if left to its own devices, can impact on fish and other aquatic creatures.

2. A rise in pollutants in the waterways, from accidental spills or even deliberate illegal disposal of pollutants.

As these conditions could persist throughout lockdown as we move into the summer, the Trust is asking anglers returning to enjoy fishing on their local waterways as well as members of the public who are already visiting their local canal to enjoy their daily exercise, to help support the Trust’s frontline operational teams and report any instances of fish in distress or any other unsociable behaviour on their towpaths or waterways.

John Ellis, national fisheries and angling manager at Canal & River Trust said: “Thanks to the public getting in touch we’ve been able to prevent two major incidents from escalating any further.  With oxygen levels in the water on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and the Lancaster Canal close to zero before we intervened, around 50,000 fish were estimated to be at risk of dying on each waterway.  Thankfully we lost only 200 fish in total because we were able to intervene in time and increase oxygen levels in the water with aerators and pumps. 

“Our fisheries and angling experts, ecologists and environmental scientists are all working closely with operational teams to look after our precious canals and rivers during this difficult time. With reduced staffing on the canals at present, the Trust’s operational teams are helping to monitor oxygen levels in some locations as a precaution, but we need the public and the angling community to help. 

“We know how much people enjoy spending time by water, it helps us to relax, unwind and boost our happiness levels.  If you are taking a short walk to your local waterway as part of your daily exercise, please keep an eye out and, if you see something unusual, then please contact our customer service team on 0303 040 4040.

“Fish gulping for air at the surface and not moving away with great haste when you approach them is a classic sign of serious distress.  This is occasionally confused with fish gasping at the surface or basking close to the surface on warm sunny days but scattering when you approach.”

The charity is also asking people to limit their use of canal towpaths and stay local.  Everyone should abide by the government guidelines, share the space along the narrow towpaths, respect social distancing and reduce speed if cycling.

Source: Canal and River Trust

If you are looking to benefit from the fact that not as many anglers bother during the winter months, you will find it a lot harder to tempt carp. Not only are they lazier, but the fact is that their metabolism slows down to compensate for the lower temperatures under the water.

As a result, they need less food, but although it is trickier to land fish at this time of the year, it is not impossible. It does require that you take a different approach to feeding and you need to choose the best bait.

In the following post we will look at 6 of the best fishing baits for landing carp during winter.

Maggots

Let's start with one of the ultimate cold-water carp baits - maggots. By far the most reliable way to ensure you still land carp when the temperature drops is to have a PVA mesh bag of maggots and some grubs on a hair-rig or maggot clip. Carp absolutely love maggots, because they are incredibly easy to digest. The best approach is to cast often and tightly to create an area and make sure you use some grubs on your rig to balance the hook's weight better.

Salt

Adding salt to your baits is a great way to attract fish throughout the year. It is especially effective though, when the conditions are much cooler and you are trying to build up a small and tight area of attraction. Rather than using salt full of chemicals, use a good quality rock or sea salt. This can easily be mixed into ground baits and pastes and can even be sprinkled over corn, hemp, pellets, casters and maggots.

Spices

Winter fishing and spices mix well together. Thanks to there being many Asian stores up and down the country, you have the option of a wide variety of spices to try. Try Garam masala on ground bait, turmeric with maggots and even chilli-flavoured hemp to get those all-too elusive carp.

Corn

Highly visible and incredibly easy for carp to digest, corn is one of the best baits. We'd say it's even better than maggots, because it is resistant against small silvers that can easily steal maggots.

Peperami

Odd choice for many, but you simply can't knock its effectiveness. Even though it is a tad on the oily side, this is attractive to barbell, chub and crucially, carp. It's easy to work with as it can be cut down to small chunks.

Liquids

Those solid PVA bags you might be using can be filled with liquids. Liquids are a great way to produce a high level of attraction without using any of your precious feed. You need to trial and error with liquids to get a mix that works, but chocolate malt and condensed milk is a great one to start with for carp.

There you have it, 6 great baits to try when you are out there fishing in the winter and trying to land those carp. There are many others you can use, but the 6 above are along our favourites.

If you want some more carp fishing tips check out https://www.carpnbait.co.uk

Conservation groups give hope for endangered eels by providing them a new home at Cyfarthfa Park Lake, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales

S&TC Cymru and South East Wales Rivers Trust, as joint lead partners for the European eel in the Wales Environment Link (WEL) species champion initiative, have come together with National Resources Wales to help protect critically endangered eels in Merthyr.

As part of the initiative - which also involves removing barriers to migration - an abundance of young eels (known as elvers) are being released into Cyfarthfa Park Lake. Witnessing the release of the first 15 on Thursday 26th July were Dawn Bowden (Welsh Labour Assembly Member), Gerald Lewis (of Merthyr Borough Council) and the Trustees of Cyfarthfa Park.

Richard Garner Willams of S&TC Cymru says:

"Initiatives such as this play a crucial part in conveying the concept of protecting the welfare of future generations, and leaving the natural world in a better state than we currently find it."

Why is the European eel important?

Historically the European eel constituted 50% of the total freshwater fish biomass in Europe, though recently their numbers have declined by 90 - 95%.

Small eels, such as those released at Cyfarthfa Park, feed mainly on insect larvae, molluscs, worms, and crustaceans, but as they grow larger they will also predate other fishes and scavenge on fish carcasses, helping to recycle nutrients.

They are also important food for otters and birds such as herons, egrets and bitterns, and the consequences of their decline will be felt at all levels of the freshwater food chain. The loss of this key species will undoubtedly have a direct impact on the ecological integrity of entire rivers and the survival of many of our precious wild fish.

Aside from their role in the ecology of freshwater, European eels are a fascinating species with an extraordinary life cycle. They start as eggs in the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda and spend 18 months floating on ocean currents towards the coasts of Europe and North Africa. They enter rivers and lakes and spend anything from 5 to 20 years feeding and growing into adult eels. They then return to sea and swim 3000 miles for over a year, back to spawn in the Sargasso Sea.

Just like our beloved salmon and trout, they undertake an immense journey and depend heavily on having a clear route to make their migration. Sadly, their routes have been blocked; the implications of which are also suffered by many other freshwater creatures.

Barriers to migration = critically endangered

The lake, and other waters off the upper Taff, have had no eel population for over a hundred years, since multiple weirs were constructed along the length of the river during the industrial revolution, blocking their upstream migration from the sea.

1.3 million similar barriers across rivers in Europe mean that the eel can only access 10% of the habitats it used to. Numbers of the once common eel have been reduced by 90 – 95%, meaning the species is now classified as ‘critically endangered’.

Barriers to migration have severe consequences for all migratory species, and those that rely on them as a food source.

New eels in a new home

As part of this new initiative eels were sourced by the South East Wales Rivers Trust. They were part of a programme of placing batches of 50 baby eels in fish tanks in 8 schools and 2 education centres – the Welsh Water Education Centre, Cilfynydd and the Millennium Centre, Taf Bargoed, where the eels for Cyfarthfa Park were raised.

At the schools and centres, the pupils fed and looked after the eels for 3 months and learnt about the eel’s fascinating life cycle. Now bigger and stronger, the eels are ready to be stocked into their new home.

This is part of a huge programme of work which is underway across Europe to help restore eel populations by restoring wetlands and removing barriers to the eels’ traditional migration routes.

Cyfarthfa Park is ideal habitat for eels. They will grow there, become part of the ecosystem and will migrate in 5 – 20 years to sea to spawn and continue the species.

Dawn Bowden, Labour AM for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, said:

“The eel is a fascinating fish that needs our help. I am delighted to see how local conservation groups have worked together to educate our children and give eels a new home in Merthyr.”

Dawn Bowden AM, was made European Eel Champion this year, as part of the Species Champion project run by Wales Environment Link (WEL).

WEL members – including Salmon & Trout Conservation Cymru – pair AMs up with endangered species in Wales so they can help recover and safeguard them. Dawn is part of a group of 37 other AMs in the project.

Above, from left to right: Tony Rees (South East Wales Rivers Trust); Dawn Bowden (AM, species champion for European eel, Wales Assembly Member); Richard Garner Williams (Salmon & Trout Cymru); David Bunt (Sustainable Eel Group).

Richard of S&TC Cymru says:

"We are facing the very real prospect of our rivers and lakes becoming totally devoid of European eels and it is therefore incumbent upon us to act with urgency if we are to reverse their catastrophic decline.

One means of achieving this is to highlight their plight via the Wales Environment Link Species Champions initiative, which takes the cause of our many threatened species to the very heart of government.

I am delighted that Dawn has agreed to act as Species Champion for this fascinating yet little understood creature and am grateful for her enthusiasm and support."

Source: Salmon and Trout Conservation