Team GB regained the International Pike Challenge trophy in a thrilling display last weekend against Ireland on the Fens around Peterborough. The British squad amassed a total on Saturday of 63 pike for 150 lbs 11oz, against that of Ireland's 53 pike for 97lbs 3oz. A lead of 53lbs 8oz to take into the second day of competition.

Sunday saw a spirited fight back from the Irish which at one stage threatened to overhaul the impressive Day 1 lead held by Great Britain. However, the British soon started to match the Irish and to maintain a catch rate throughout the remainder of the day.

At the end of the day, Great Britain had but for a few ounces matched the weight of that of Saturday, whilst Ireland had managed a very creditable 139lbs 6oz. Team GB taking the honours again with a lead on the day of just over 9 lbs.

Overall the British had a two-day total of 300lbs 13oz against that of Ireland's 238 lbs 9oz. A win for Great Britain by 62 lbs 4oz.

The Two teams were:

Great Britain:
Jaub Potrykus (captain), Andrew Waller, Paul Danby, Mark Groom, Derek Lowe, Mark Lloyd, John Currie, Adam Holmes, Gary Edwards & Wayne Lees.

Ireland:
Paul Dennis (captain), Jimmy Clarke, Eugene McCabe, Andrej Duran, Brendan Jarvis, Joe Coleman, Robbie McShane, Ibar Condron, Gary Quinn & Eddie McGurk.

The International saw the first ever non-nationals representing Britain and Ireland in Jakub Potrykus (Poland) as captain for Great Britain, and Andrej Duran (Slovakia) for the Irish.

Next year will see the 21st International meeting between the two nations held somewhere in Ireland at the beginning of October.

Source: Pile Anglers Club of Great Britain

Sailing Lake
Predator fishing has again been nothing short of breathtaking with countless double figure Zander and Pike hitting the banks. Biggest fish of the week was a 12lb 14oz specimen that fell to visiting angler Ian Howell of Oldham. Ian took the new personal best fish on a kebab rigged Roach cast within a foot of the Island near the 50’s bay. Steven Layburn of Reading also took a personal best fish of 12lb 4oz. Steven took the fish on a dead Roach cast to open water from peg 51 where he also took a further 3 fish between 8lb and 9lb. Sticking to the personal best theme Collin Redmond of Loughborough managed to put his new PB on the bank in the shape of an 11lb 12oz Zed, again small dead Roach fished in the open water from in front of the clubhouse did the trick. Lots of Pike are being caught with countless fish between 8lb and 15lb being taken on deadbaits and lures with the biggest fish of the week being an 18lb fish taken by Colin Clay of Rotherham on a legered mackerel.

Bream fishing has started to pick up with anglers reporting catches of between 10 and 15 fish in the 2-5lb bracket, the pellet method feeder again outscoring most other tactics, in front of the clubhouse and the road bank being the better areas at the moment.

Boys Pit
Fishing has been excellent this week with some cracking Roach catches. Matt Morris of Leicester fished the pole with chopped worm and caster to take a fine bag of Roach to 14oz, Bream to 3lb and a bonus Carp of carp of 11lb. Matt fished close to a marginal reed bed in 8’ of water.

Chris Lewis of Leicester fished the waggler close in to a reed bed to take 4 Tench of around 4lb, Roach and a bonus Crucian of 3lb on maggots fished over pellet and hemp.

Pike fishing has been excellent with lots of Pike between 6-16lb. Lure angler Bert Roberts of Melton Mowbray took 7 fish with his biggest being a 16lb specimen.

River Wreake
Fishery manager Chay Jackson spent a couple of hours in the evening in pursuit of the resident big Chub and was rewarded with 3 Chub of 4lb+ and a cracking 5lb 7oz specimen. Chay legered a halibut pellet under a weed raft to take his fish.

Celtic Lakes Predator Open 2011
Celtic Lakes Resort Frisby will be holding predator open matches over the winter of 2011 / 2012. Entry is £20 per angler and with pike, perch and zander all counting towards the final weights, a winner takes all prize of £350 as well as runner up tackle prizes, this is sure to be "the predator match that doesn’t lack bite!"

First match is on 26th November 2011

The match is being covered by Pike and Predator Magazine. Booking is essential; you can book online or by calling in at the fishery and picking up a booking form.

An evening with Martin Bowler
We are very proud to announce that on Friday December 2nd professional angler, writer and TV star Martin Bowler will be appearing in the clubhouse. Martin will be talking about his angling life, TV programmes and much more. Tickets are £20 and include a free buffet, a licenced bar will also be available.

For more information, call Chay Jackson on 07791104984

Source: Celtic Lakes Resort Frisby

Celtic Lakes Resort Frisby Presents an evening with MARTIN BOWLER

Join the team at Celtic Lakes Resort Frisby in Leicestershire for an evening with professional angler and TV presenter Martin Bowler. Martin will be showing previously unseen footage from his hit TV series 'Catching the Impossible' and talking about his experiences as a professional angler. It is sure to be a fabulous night!

Tickets are £20.00 which includes a free buffet! The bar will also be open on the night!

Friday 2nd December 2011 - 1900
Celtic Lakes Frisby Clubhouse, Leicestershire

Tickets are limited and sure to sell fast so get in quick by calling Chay Jackson on 07791 104984

Source: Celtic Lakes Resort Frisby

The transition trustees of the new charity being established to tend 2,000 miles of canals and rivers in England and Wales from April 2012 have today (6 October) announced that it will be called the Canal & River Trust (or Glandwr Cymru in Wales) and have unveiled its new symbol.

The decision has been taken following extensive public and internal consultation and market research into the replacement for the name and symbol of “British Waterways.” They reflect the important step the Government is taking in creating a new successor organisation to hold the waterways in trust for the nation in perpetuity. The change also offers an opportunity to attract the attention of, and to appeal to, the wider public.

Multi-award winning design agency Pentagram provided free design consultancy to develop the new national charity's name, symbol and imagery. The worldwide agency has a long history with the waterways, creating the British Waterways symbol over 20 years ago. To make maximum impact at minimum cost, the Canal & River Trust will be working with waterway organisations to plan a phased change to signage on the waterways perhaps by providing a signing kit for local groups.

Tony Hales, chairman of the transition trustees, said: “Our canals and rivers have been part of the fabric of the country's landscape for 250 years and putting them in trust for the nation is the start of a new chapter in the renaissance of the waterways. People have told us that the waterways are important to them as a local haven, for themselves and for nature. Stepping onto a towpath is like entering a different world, where the stress of daily life can be escaped. The Canal & River Trust and our new symbol represent what our waterways mean to so many people.”

John Rushworth, partner at Pentagram, said: “I was immediately interested when I heard about the new waterways charity. I helped create British Waterways' logo in the 1980s and I was keen to get involved in developing the Canal & River Trust brand. The nation's canals and rivers are inspirational and I'm delighted that Pentagram's work will help spread the word to an even greater audience.”

The Welsh name for the new charity, Glandwr Cymru, translates literally as "Waterside Wales" and reflects a determination by transition trustees that the trust has a distinctly Welsh character and focus for its waterways in Wales.

The Canal & River Trust is expected to launch in April 2012 and will hold 2,000 miles of canals and rivers in England and Wales, including the third largest estate of listed structures, in trust for the nation. Britain's waterways also provide a unique haven for wildlife, offering distinctive local tranquillity to some 13 million visitors every year.

The “British Waterways” brand will stay alive in Scotland, where the waterways currently managed by British Waterways Scotland will be kept in the public sector and will not form part of the Canal & River Trust.

Source: British Waterways, Waterscape

Bury Hill Fisheries predator season opens October 1st

With water temperatures starting to drop, the predator season looks all set to get off to a record breaking start with carp anglers already reporting the odd zander to 10lb plus caught on boilies.

Bury Hill are also offering a special winter deal, with anglers who buy a second rod ticket able to use a third rod free of charge.

Single Hook Rigs!

Following our move to ban treble hooks last season in favour of barbless single hook rigs, catch rates increased with many anglers catching their first zander using smaller baits and single hook rigs. More importantly, we saw virtually no deep hooked pike or zander, which at the end of the day, was what it was all about!

The Success of Jelly Baits!

Increasing numbers of fish were caught last winter using new jelly baits which are fished the same as a plug or spinner. Whilst Bury Hill has never been ideal for spinning, possibly due to the coloured water, these new baits, some of which are infused with fish oils, are adding a new dimension to our predator fishing with a number of dedicated anglers reporting excellent catches which included specimen sized pike and zander. Such is the success of this new form of fishing that we are now stocking a proven range of jelly baits in our tackle shop, although please ensure that all hooks are fully de-barbed. We also stock a selection of good quality 'budget priced' spinning rods and reels starting at just £29.99 for a rod and reel combo.

Predator Matches!

Bury Hill has always been renowned for its predator matches and following a rest last winter, I am pleased to announce that we will be resuming matches this winter running a ‘Super Pools’ series on the following dates culminating in a final on March 11th.

Cost of entry per match will be £27, to include pools of £12 and a super pools of £5, which will be carried forward to the final on March 11th. The fishing charge for each match will be just £10 for two rods, a reduction of £8 over our normal day ticket prices.

Predator Match Dates for 2011/12:

• November 6th
• December 18th
• January 15th & 29th
• February 19th
• March 11th (Final)

For further information or to book a place, please contact Eric Bailey on (07802) 877575 or call Jane in the office on (01306) 877540.

Angling Tuition

We have always been noted for our angling tuition and in particular our Big fish Predator angling courses, which run each month costing just £40 per angler. In addition to these courses, we will be offering a special promotion for private tuitions this winter, which start at just £65 for 4 hours for one person or £85 for two people with a 6 hour course costing £90 for one and £120 for two.

Tuitions, which include tackle and bait, include instruction in both bait fishing using the new single hook rigs with instructor Eric Bailey showing the benefits of smaller baits and why they catch more fish, as well as how to fish the new soft jelly baits. Anglers will also be given the opportunity to fish on into dark when the fishery has closed, which is known as the ‘witching hour’ giving anglers the very best chance to catch a Big zander.

Source: Bury Hill Fisheries

Esthwaite Water Trout Fishery, situated in the beautiful Lake District, will be hosting the inaugural Esthwaite Kayak Predator Grand Slam competition on Sunday 30th October. There will also be a practice day on Saturday 29th October.

The competition is open to all kayak anglers. It is run jointly with the Angling Trust and Esthwaite Water Trout Fishery and the total cost of entry, including practice day is £40.

The general format for the competition will include catching three predatory species from the lake, Trout, Perch and Pike which must be photographed and measured. The winner of the grand slam will be the longest combined length of all the target species. Fishery rules of fly, spin and worm will apply!

The competition will run from first light until 4pm, with the presentation taking place shortly after and will include a pint and a pie for each competitor.

This will be a superb opportunity for kayak anglers to fish this prolific venue and meet other like minded kayak anglers from around the country.

The event is sponsored by Savage Gear, Okuma, Baitbox and Coarse Angling Today, who are donating some fabulous prizes for what promises to be a fantastic weekend of camaraderie.

Please contact the fishery for registration and to find out more details, telephone 015394 36541 or email trout@hawkshead.demon.co.uk.

Source: Angling Trust Fishing News

From a week’s fishing on the Ponoi in July to “money can’t buy” fishing on private beats; from a copy of “A River Runs Through It” signed by Brad Pitt to original works of art; the annual S&TA auction, its major fund-raising event, is now open for commission bidding online. And, because all the lots are donated, every penny raised goes directly to the S&TA.

The 42 (and counting!) lots are aimed to entice anglers, it is true, but within that remit there is plenty to placate the significant others in the family – such as, for example, a lunch party for six hosted by celebrity chef Prue Leith at her Cotswold home, or an overnight stay at Limewood House Hotel, recently listed in the Daily Telegraph among its choice of best country house hotels.

There is an eclectic and mouth-watering selection on offer with guide prices that start at just £30!  The auction itself takes place during the annual Dinner on October 6th – but you don’t have to attend the dinner in order to bid:  just click here to view the lots and place your commission bids online, by post or by telephone.   It is that simple.

And please don’t keep this to yourself.  The more bids we receive – the more money we raise.  Please send this link on to friends who you think may be interested in putting in their own bid or two – and help us make this our best auction ever!      

Source: Salmon & Trout Association

Wood Lane Farm Fishery is based in Iver, Buckinghamshire and consists of two coarse and carp fishing lakes. We've been hearing some pretty good thinks about the fishery lately including this reader review that was submitted recently.

Wood Lane Farm Fishery Review: Chris Millar, August 2011

Top day out at Wood Lane Farm

Went to Wood Lane on Friday 02/08/2011 with a friend who's never been fishing before and had a great day off, avoiding going to work.

The staff were all very friendly and helpful, the surroundings were tidy and the water looked clean. Even though it was a week day the match lake was almost packed and in the short time it took us to walk round to a free swim almost everyone we could see was into a fish. We spent the first part of the day dangling maggots nice and high in the water and bagging loads of small roach and tiny perch until my mate hooked into the biggest roach I have ever seen. We didn't get a chance to weigh it but it was at least 2lbs if not nearer 3lb.

I switched methods to try and catch my first carp and tried all sorts of methods both on the bottom and mid water. They turned their noses up at 5 maggots on a hook, slices of peperarmi, sweetcorn and bread. As soon as I went and bought some pellets, within 30 seconds of casting out with a feeder and ground bait I was straight into a 2.5lb common carp.

Very happy but very sun burnt.

Score:

Environment Agency announces rod licence price freeze for three years. Anglers are celebrating this week following the news that rod licence prices will be frozen for the next two years.

The Environment Agency has confirmed that the cost of a rod licence purchased between April 1 2012 and March 31 2014 will remain the same as this seasons prices, with an individual adult coarse license remaining at £27.

The news follows last years similar price freeze, meaning anglers will have not seen an increase in the cost of rod licence for a total of three years.

Richard Whiteman, the EA’s Angling Participation Manager said:

The rod licence price freeze demonstrates the EA’s determination to offer anglers a balance between providing the service they want and expect, and value for money. It also shows that the EA recognises that everyone is finding it financially difficult at the moment so it is our intention to keep the rod licence price frozen for the next few years. I will say however, that things may change for example if licence sales drop or inflation rises significantly as we still need to deliver the service that is expected of the agency.

Rod Licence Prices until April 2014

Category	Non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels	Salmon and migratory trout (sea trout), non-migratory trout, char, freshwater fish (coarse fish) and eels
Full season	£27.00	£72.00
Senior Concession	£18.00	£48.00
Disabled Concession	£18.00	£48.00
Junior Concession	£5.00	£5.00
Senior Concession	£18.00	£48.00
8 Day	£10.00	£23.00
1 Day	£3.75	£8.00

A salmon and sea trout licence covers you to fish for non-migratory trout and coarse fish as well. Failure to have a licence is an offence.

Remember: If you are fishing with 3 or 4 rods then you will need to purchase a second licence.

Concessionary licences

• junior concession is available to anglers aged 12 and under
• senior concession is available to anglers aged 65 and over
• you have a Blue Badge parking concession, or are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance. You will need to provide your Blue Badge Number or National Insurance Number when buying your licence

Important information

• Anglers under the age of 12 do not need a rod licence to go fishing
• Full and concessionary rod licences expire on the 31st March each year
• 1-day rod licence is valid for 24 consecutive hours
• 8-day rod licence is valid for 192 consecutive hours from the start time and date

Be warned!

If you fish without a rod licence you are cheating other anglers, it is an offence to fish for freshwater fish and eels without a valid rod licence and if you are caught you may be fined up to £2,500.

The money raised through rod licence sales is invested directly in fisheries work that benefits all anglers.

Buy a rod licence online now >>

Following last years de-silting and restocking of Bonds Lake, this summer has seen some incredible action with the past week or so seeing anglers of all ages and abilities reporting arm aching action! Below are just a couple of the most recent catch reports.

Ollie tames the Bonds carp with feeder tactics

Young Ollie Thorn from Surrey is learning new fish catching tactics each time he goes fishing and when he is not fishing his local part of the Basingstoke Canal for roach and perch, he visits Bury Hill quite regular with his brother Nick to sample the mixed fishing on offer. On his recent visit accompanied by his grandfather, Ollie caught some cracking looking carp on peg 8 and this is what he had to say when he emailed details of his catch report and photos.

“I fished a 17gram cage feeder filled with super G green groundbait. For the hook bait I lasso rigged 8mm Cotswold carp pellets. I also hair-rigged white shellfish mini boilies and corn. I fished Peg 8 casting tight to the Island. I caught 13 carp for a weight of around 70lb, I was casting really well yesterday really tight to the island. Thank you Russ for all the help and advice which was the reason I caught all those carp and one of the best sessions ever.”

Josh and Richard go carp crazy on Bonds Lake

Joss Mitchison and Richard Burton had a simply carp crazy session on Bonds Lake recently catching well over 200lbs plus between the two young anglers from Surrey. Fishing from pegs 4 and 5 with two rods each, both anglers caught on 8mm lassoed carp Skretting pellets casting a ledger tight over to a bush on the far side of the island with small pva bags of pellets and groundbait as feed.

With 50 fish in total including three 11 pounders, the average size of the fish ranged between 5 and 9lbs giving the two fishing buddy’s some fantastic sport.

“We were catching so many fish at one time that we had to pop back to the onsite tackle shop for more bait as the fish we really in a feeding mood” reported the lads to our tackle shop manager Russ Evans.

Source: Bury Hill Fisheries