Angling round-up: Outstanding trout at Chew

After Craig Barr’s 15 lb 12 oz specimen Martin Cottis took another great brown weighing about 12 lb.

The fish measured nearly 32 inches and Martin sportingly returned the fish to the water to fight another day.

Last week the International Fly Fishing Championships were fished at Chew for the fourth time and on the three previous occasions the weather had been poor with very strong winds making fishing difficult.

Last week started in the same vein with strong NE winds and most teams practicing for the four days prior to the match found the fishing extremely difficult.

On the last day of practice Gregg White fishing for Ireland landed a superb brown estimated at 11 lb which he returned to the water.

On Friday when the competition started the wind turned to the south and increased and by the end of the day was near gale force and was accompanied by some heavy showers.

At the weigh in most of the 56 competitors managed to catch fish including several who had managed to take limit bags of 8 fish.

Top rod was Gareth Dixon of Wales and his weight helped his team to first place and International Champions.

Their 44 fish weighed 101 lb 4 oz beating England into second place by just 1 lb 5 oz even though the England team took three more fish.

Scotland were again third with 44 fish weighing 94 lb 6 oz and Ireland claimed the wooden spoon with 38 fish weighing 78 lb 3 oz.

Around 5000 fish were stocked into the fisheries at Chew and Blagdon this week and the forecast is for more settled conditions with less wind and warmer days.

Fishing should soon improve with the weather and there is the possibility of even more huge brownies in the coming weeks.

Chew produced a total catch last week of 605 fish averaging 2 lb 3 oz topped by a brown of 15 lb 12 oz and rainbow 4 lb 3 oz with 15 limits.

At Blagdon 301 fish averaging 2 lb 7 oz were taken topped by a brown of 5 lb 10 oz and rainbow 5 lb 12 oz with 19 limits.

The Barrows yielded 186 fish averaging 1 lb 10 oz topped by a brown of 2 lb 8 oz and rainbow 3 lb 0 oz.

______________________

Despite last week’s lousy weather fishing was good on the Wessex Water trout fisheries. At Clatworthy 273 fish were taken with most fish coming from the lodge bank down towards the bay.

Small black flies and orange lures are doing well.

Wild browns are taking surface flies at Tripp and Dudderidge. Dave Mansell took s fine rainbow of 4 lb 7 oz.

At Hawkridge 143 fish were taken with a rod average of 2.3.

Paul Edwards to a five fish limit bag for 13 lb 8 oz while Andy Gill took the best fish of the week weighing 5 lb 6 oz. Brian Wilson had a nice rainbow of 4 lb 6 oz.

Fish are being caught on Black or Olive Buzzers, Connemara Black, Cats Whiskers or Damsels.

At Sutton Bingham 295 fish were taken with a rod average of 2.4. For those anglers who braved the storms good fishing was found on the North bank at the start of the week and by the weekend the South bank was the hotspot.

Paul Hood took s five fish limit for 13 lb 8 oz and Mike Burton took s nice 4 lb 6 oz rainbow.

____________________

Viaduct Fishery hosted an Angling Times Maver pairs qualifier last week where once again their were some excellent catches.

Ian Hudson and Simon Jones of Maver Veals turned in a perfect score with both winning their sections to qualify for the grand final together with the runners up Andy Murray of Mosella SW and Matt Parsons of Preston Innovation Thatchers.

Individual honours on the day went to Andy Murray of Mosella SW with a carp catch weighing 105 lb 12 oz taken alternating with waggler and legered pellets.

Mike Nicholls of Carps AC took runner spot with a carp catch weighing 94 lb 3 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

He was followed by Martin Wright of Haines Angling with carp catch weighing 91 lb 4 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

The top silver fish catch was taken by Simon Jones with a roach and perch catch weighing 24 lb 6 oz.

Other placings: 4. Gary Wall Landsend 90 lb 3 oz; 5. Nick Ewers Preston Innovation Thatchers 84 lb 14 oz; 6. Clive Davies Frampton RBL 82 lb 14 oz.

The Wednesday Open match at Landsend Fishery produced some excellent weights with carp feeding well. Top honours on the day went to Dean Malin of Dynamite Baits with a carp catch weighing 168 lb 10 oz taken on pole fished soft pellets fished deep.

Gary Wall of Landsend took runner up prize with a carp catch weighing 142 lb 12 oz taken on pole fished paste.

He was followed by Chris Edmunds of Avon Angling with a carp catch weighing 124 lb 4 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

John Bradford of Avon Angling took the silverfish prize with a weight of 47 lb 0 oz.

Other placings: 4. John Dyte Landsend 107 lb 0 oz; 5. Tony Whitcombe Mosella 90 lb 8 oz; 6. Tony Rixon Mosella 78 lb 4 oz.

The Dynamite baits match fished at Avalon Fishery produced some good catches. Top honours went to Chris Wills of Daiwa BAC with a carp catch weighing 78 lb 2 oz taken on pole fished paste for an easy win.

Pete Sivell of Dynamite Baits took runner up spot with a carp catch weighing 51 lb 10 oz taken alternating with long and short pole fished pellets and paste.

John Macey of Dynamite Frys MG finished in third place with a carp catch weighing 40 lb 12 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Other placings: 4. Steve Preece Dynamite Frys MG 37 lb 0 oz; 5. Paul Cooper Dynamite Frys MG 33 lb 12 oz; 6. Dave Harvey Dynamite Frys MG 33 lb 10 oz.

The Dynamite Baits Starlite Open match fished at Bristol City Docks on Thursday produced mixed catches.

Top honours went to Mervyn Sivell of Dynamite Frys Mg with a mixed bag of bream and skimmers weighing 14 lb 15 oz taken on pole fished red maggots for an easy victory.

Andrew Crawley of Jewsons took runner up spot with a skimmer catch weighing 6 lb 8 oz taken on pole fished red maggots.

Pete Sivell of Dynamite Baits took third prize with a skimmer catch weighing 6 lb 3 oz with Paul Ellis of Dynamite Docks fourth with 4 lb 12 oz.

A combination of Cold water temperature and fish getting ready to spawn made it hard work for the competitors in the Bathampton Over 55s/disabled match at Withy Pool on Thursday.

However, Mike Smith from Midsomer Norton was the exception and carried off top prize with an all carp catch weighing 66 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished paste for a runaway win.

Mike Jones from Bristol who recently returned to the match scene after being away for some years clinched runner prize with a carp catch weighing 33 lb 4 oz taken on waggler fished red maggots.

He was followed by Pete Phillips from Keynsham with a carp catch weighing 22 lb 7 oz taken on pole fished pellets.

Stoke St. Michael star Terry Bruton took the silver fish award with a roach and skimmer catch weighing 9 lb 7 oz.

Other placings: 4. Bob Price Bristol 21 lb 15 oz; 5. John Bennett Bristol 20 lb 12 oz; 6. Bob Warren Oldland 14 lb 10 oz.

Weights were fairly even in the Wilts Angling Open evening match fished at Rood Ashton on Thursday.

Top honours went to Dave Bancroft of Trowbridge with a carp catch weighing 85 lb 0 oz taken on pole fished paste.

Jamie Smith from Frome carried off second prize with another carp catch weighing 72 lb 8 oz taken on pole fished paste.

He was followed by in form Pete Neate from Holt with another carp catch weighing 71 lb 6 oz also taken on pole fished paste.

Other placings: 4. Sean Rhodes Trowbridge 66 lb 0 oz; 5. John Atkins Trowbridge 48 lb 0 oz; 6. Ian Willetts Bradford 46 lb 0 oz.

Competitors enjoyed good sport in the Airsprung evening match fished on Friday on the Claypit stretch of the Kennet & Avon Canal.

Dean Adams of Bradford took top spot with a mixed catch of roach and skimmers weighing 8 lb 3 oz taken on pole fished red maggots.

John Atkins from Trowbridge took runner up spot with another roach and skimmer catch weighing 5 lb 0 oz also taken on pole fished red maggots.

Mike Withy from Westbury clinched third prize with a roach and skimmer catch weighing 3 lb 10 oz 8 dm with Bill Turner of Trowbridge in fourth spot with a roach and skimmer catch weighing 3 lb 2 oz.

The Kennet & Avon Canal at Whaddon was in sparkling form for the Avon Open match fished on Sunday.

Kevin Rowles from Devizes turned in a great performance to take top honours with a mixed catch of skimmers and hybrids weighing 22 lb 3 oz taken alternating with pole fished red maggots and casters.

Graham Pearce from Lavington carried off runner up prize with another skimmers and hybrid catch weighing 17 lb 6 oz taken on pole fished red maggots.

Adrian McTiffin from Melksham was a close third with a skimmer catch weighing 16 lb 9 oz also taken on pole fished red maggots.

Other placings: 4. Paul Andrews Calne 14 lb 12 oz; 5. Robin Guy Melksham 12 lb 10 oz; 6. Kevin Abigail Westbury 11 lb 2 oz.

Competitors in the Airsprung match enjoyed good sport on the Kennet & Avon Canal at the Beehive on Sunday.

In-form Dean Adams chalked up his second win in three day with an all skimmer catch weighing 11 lb 7 oz 8 dm taken on pole fished punched bread.

John Atkins from Trowbridge had to settle for runner up spot again with a mixed catch of roach and skimmers weighing 8 lb 10 oz taken on pole fished red maggots.

He was followed by Wayne Henley from Trowbridge with a roach and skimmer catch weighing 6 lb 14 oz taken on pole fished red maggots.

Other placings: 4. Luke Scott Bradford 4 lb 0 oz 8 dm; 5. Bill Turner Trowbridge 3 lb 9 oz 8 dm.

Competitors enjoyed mixed sport in the Frome Victorians match on the Taunton Bridgwater Canal on Sunday.

Top honours went to Clive Glisson from Bristol with a mixed catch of tench, roach and skimmers weighing 9 lb 12 oz taken on pole fished worm. Chris White from Bridgwater took second prize with a mixed catch of roach, skimmers and rudd weighing 5 lb 2 oz taken on whip fished red maggots.

He was followed by Dave Allen from Frome with a roach and skimmer catch weighing 4 lb 7 oz taken on pole fished punched bread.

Other placings: 4. Gerry Miller Frome 4 lb 0 oz; 5. Derek Jack Shepton Mallet 2 lb 14 oz; 6. Phil Baskerville Frome & Martin Western Shepton Mallet 2 lb 6 oz.

______________________

Future events:

Friday May 29: Airsprung Evening match K & A Canal Beehive

Saturday May 30: Frome Victorians match at Landsend Fishery

Sunday May 31: Frys match Airsprung v Waterside match K & A canal Airsprung Bathampton Junior match at Withy Pool Ridgeway match at Pawlett Ponds