Total-Fishing So Close To Promotion
Well would you Adam and Eve it? Total-FishingClub came within an ace of being promoted to Division One at the weekend, despite most of us never having even seen the Erewash Canal before.
Under the guidance of Jon and including a section win from Carpcruncher, we were only 16 points off promotion in 13th place of the 55 teams – the top 10 all go up.
We had plenty of hard luck stories too – one of our anglers lost a carp that would have won him the whole match, another lost a perch in the weed that would have gained us promotion and another had eight hemp roach in a row taken by a pike – if he’d landed two of them we’d be in Division One!
Obviously to be so close leaves us a little gutted, but overall we were really proud of the performance and in the main were only beaten by out-and-out canal teams.
It’s long been my dream to put together a group of anglers from Total-Fishing that gets into Division One, rather than draft in a load of ringers (which I could have done) and the best thing was this really did feel like a ‘team’ which trusted each other’s ability to get the best from their pegs. It really was that kind of match too.
Sure we had a plan but we had to adapt - Lee won his section by fishing punch, a technique no-one really expected to work on the day. We didn't expect to get a bite on the short line, but I had bite a chuck for a pound in the first half hour there before it died on the way to 14th in section.
I hope we can keep the team together and have another crack on the Basingstoke Canal next year.
You’ll find links to the full results here: http://www.total-fishing.com/forum.aspx?g=posts&t=30828
Passing of Jackie Dupuis
It was with great sadness that I learnt about the death of Jackie Dupuis. His won’t be a name known to most UK anglers, but he was at the forefront of driving the French match fishing federation and international match fishing forward for many years, and as general secretary of the world governing body of match fishing, FIPS, he was vital to the growth and organisation of the world match fishing championships. Moreover, although I didn’t know him well, when we talked over the years at world championships Jackie was a real gentleman. I know Team USA captain Mick Thill will be upset about the news, they were close, as was Dick Clegg. If you knew Jackie and wish to send condolences to his family, you will find details here: http://www.total-fishing.com/forum.aspx?g=posts&t=30897
Freeplayer TackleZone On OnlineFishing.tv
I’ve been busy filming a two-hour loop of programming for OnlineFishing.tv which will be completely free to view to anyone with broadband Internet access.
We are creating ‘buyer’s guide’ to major tackle items such as bivvies, carp reels, match rods etc, using advice from the top angling journalists who see more tackle than anyone else, but are not hamstrung by sponsorship.
This is part of something called TackleZone in which we are also including a look at new tackle hitting the market, and doing tackle-based technique guides. We’re also creating a fortnightly angling news section, plus the schedule will include some of OnlineFishing.tv’s programmes, out-takes and fishing related commercial style TV adverts. BY the way, we have just started filming on a new match series called Inside Match.
It’s a brave new world out there and all this will also hopefully soon be available on so-called smart phones like i-phones, and on what are known as ‘connected TVs’, which give you the option of watching your lounge TV programmes via the Internet. All TVs sold by the end of this year will be ‘connected’ so these are exciting times to be part of the angling media...
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Incidentally, OnlineFishing.tv is also making the Freeplayer content available free of charge to tackle shops – drop me a line at gareth.purnell@onlinefishing.tv if you are interested.
Note To Advertisers
We’ve been getting a few people coming onto the forums who think they can use the Total-Fishing community to drive business without any contribution to the site.
Please note that Total-Fishing survives entirely on income from advertisers. It’s not fair on us, or on those advertisers who do contribute, to come onto the site, which is getting over 34,000 unique users a month (June 2010), and expect to be able to promote your product for free.
There are many advertisers who will confirm that if you do come on board, we can do a great job for you with regards to advertising, editorial, competitions and even the use of our newsletter which goes out to over 15,000 anglers. Google, the only search engine that really matters, picks up stories on Total-Fishing.com within a matter of hours and that alone is very, very valuable and will bring you a lot of new customers...
My wife Julie does a great job on this front, so please, if you want to bring your product, service or shop to the attention of the fantastic Total-Fishing community, just drop Julie a line at advertising@total-fishing.com .
Des Takes the ‘Lead’ Over Swans Claim
Claims made by the owner of a swan sanctuary on the River Severn at Bewdley that anglers’ lead shot is poisoning the birds have been rubbished by a new study. An investigation by the Environment Agency shows that the sediment holds a very high quantity of lead pieces which have either broken off the river wall or are left over from when the town was a centre from Pewter manufacture. Less than 2% of the lead found came from anglers’ shot. Des Taylor led the battle against Jan Harrigan of the Wychbold Swan Rescue and even marched through the town with fellow anglers over the issue in 2008. Des says that the survey shows not only that anglers have virtually nothing to do with the high levels of lead in the stretch, but that Bewdley town centre is a very poor choice for a swan sanctuary. He is now calling for the Wychbold swan sanctuary to be closed.
Ladies Championship cancelled
The Shakespeare-backed Evesham Angling Festival Ladies Championship, due to take place on August 22nd, has been cancelled, due to lack of interest.... and I can't say I'm falling over with shock.
Despite extensive media promotion the organisers are disappointed that the competition has not been supported and with only 20 entries confirmed have pulled the plug on the event after five years.
Festival co-organiser Dave Harrell said: “It’s very disappointing but clearly there aren’t enough ladies out there who want to compete in competitions like this.”
The organisers have confirmed that the invitation to the main final will now be extended to Sam Perkins, winner of the Ladies National. On a positive note, the Veterans Championship, for anglers over 60 years of age, is a complete 75-peg sell-out again and most places have also been snapped up for the Shakespeare Championship and Abu Garcia Wychavon Championship qualifiers. For bookings contact Diana Raphael on 01386 442458.
Licence Sales Down, Licence Dodging Up
It seems that one of the knock-on effects of the recession is that fewer anglers are buying the required Environment Agency rod licence. Fisheries officers who conducted a recent check at venues in the area found that 11% didn’t have a valid rod licence – that’s around three times higher that the number they would expect. It tallies with figures showing that rod licence sales are down around 7% year-on-year. A long, cold winter, the recession and the world cup have all had an effect. Meanwhile the EA has launched a new online river levels service which can be accessed at www.environment-agency.gov.ukj/riverlevels .
Fish O Mania Weekend
It’s the Fish O Mania final this weekend with the Midlands represented by Neil McKinnon and Kieran Rich. The only live televised fishing match of the year takes place at Cudmore Fisheries on Saturday and will be screened as always by Sky Sports. The winner will walk away with a cheque for £25,000. The two-day Go Fishing show is run alongside the big match. Last year hardly anyone turned up on the day the Fish O Mania final wasn’t being fished, so this year the organisers have arranged a new £10,000 Champion of Champions Fish O Mania final on Sunday.
Evesham Hitting Form
Evesham's encouraging return to form continued with species of various types making up the first five places in Sunday’s 55-peg Shakespeare Championship Qualifier.
Mark Bowerman (Sensas A4) led the way on Peg 13 with 10-2-0. His catch comprised a 6lb barbel, caught at 11 metres on a 1g rig, plus 2lb of bleak, a large eel and a few small perch.
Hot on Mark's heels with 10lb was in-form Rich Reynolds, who banged out 8lb of hemp roach in the last two hours of the match, adding to a few perch for a 10-0-0 total from shallow Peg 24.
Darren Davies (Drennan) on Peg 26 got off to a good start with a succession of maggot feeder caught perch and he topped these up with hemp roach late on, enough for third with 8-0-0.
Colin Perry drew Peg 64 again and finished fourth, this time with 8-2-8, consisting of two decent margin-caught tench, plus eels and perch.
In fifth place was Wayne Swinscoe (Maver Bait Tech) with 7-11-0 of quality hemp roach from Peg 30.
Stevens Banks On It
Local angler Mick Stevens has got the measure of catching good quality trout off the bank at Ravensthorpe. Mick took seven fish in a short session - he has been fishing mainly in the evenings from around 8pm onwards, using a floating line with an orange Hopper on the point and two slim dressed nymphs. The trick is not to fish on the top but just under the surface. Mick has been using standard mono rather than flouro carbon.
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Garbolino Tunnel Barn Farm, Shrewley, Warks
Mon, House Pool 2: Rob Swain (Tackle Box) 150-2-0, F1s, roach and skimmers, pole and red maggot fished high at 10m, peg 28; Brian Edwards (Youngs Tunnel Barn Farm) 116-8-0; Pete Hancox (Birmingham) 116-7-0; John Berry (White Hart Coventry) 107-12-0; Chris Constable (Tunnel Barn Farm) 91-15-0; Roy Winferdale (Stirrup Cup) 91-11-0.
Sun, Jennys Pool: Alan Quarmby (Garbolino Elton) 140-15-0, F1s, banded pellet fished high, peg 10; Chris Neale (Rutlanders) 122-2-0; Kevin Adderley (Sensas Dams and Lock) 111-11-0; Paul Caswell (Shakespeare) 98-7-0; Jason Neath (Daiwa Gordon League) 96-15-0; Paul Bick (Shakespeare) 96-14-0.
Packington Somers, Meriden, Warks
Wed, Molands Mere: Mick Bull (Dynamite Baits/Guru/Shimano) 69-5-0, complete mixture of species, pellet feeder, peg 2; John Burchell (Sensas Packington) 61-8-0; Dean Young (Tornadoes Angling Club) 51-0-0.
Sat, Gearys Level: Matt Derry (Kamasan Starlets) 70-2-0, carp, Method and pellet, peg 31; Pete Brown (Maypole Angling Club) 52-9-0; Phil Hull (Lanes Baits) 49-11-0.
Sun, Molands Mere: Dean Young (Tornadoes Angling Club) 53-4-0, complete mixture of species, Method and pellet, peg 29; Ms Suzi Smith (Kobra Feeders) 42-3-0; Bob James (Packington) 38-12-0.
Garbolino Tunnel Barn Farm, Top, House Pool 2 and the Club Pool (55 fished)
Paul Bick (Shakespeare) 139-11-0, F1s, carp and bream, pole and pellet, peg 25, House Pool 2; Pete Hancox (Birmingham) 138-11-0; Richard Knowles (MCM) 133-2-0; Alan Quamby (Garbolino Elton) 128-6-0; Kevin Adderley (Sensas Dams and lock) 124-8-0; Stu Atkins (Broad Oak) 123-12-0; Ken Kirkwood (St Helens) 112-4-0.
Bridgnorth AA, Linley Bank, River Severn (55 fished)
Dave George (Wolverhampton) 58-6-0, barbel, feeder, peg 93, on the channel; Phil Williams (Tipton Van den Eynde) 40-12-0; Martin Taylor (Bromsgrove) 37-10-0; Ian Winter (Tipton Van den Eynde) 33-6-0; Simon Henshall (Northwich) 31-14-0; Kelvin Hughes (Deeside Tackle) 31-7-0.
Sonu Bait Championships Qualifiers, Preston Innovations Woodland View, Hadley, Worcestershire, Sun. Deans and High Pools (50 fished)
Mark Taylor (Shakespeare) 161-13-0, carp to 10lb, pole and pellet, peg Deans 59; Ian Wood (Peg One Woodlands) 156-1-0; Chris Hill (Mosella) 140-9-0; Carl Hopps (Maver Tipton Van den Eynde) 128-2-0; Chris Cameron (Mosella South West) 125-14-0.
Qualifiers: Chris Hill (Mosella); Steve Ayres (Wales); Jon Arthur (Shakespeare); Steve Pearce (Woodlands); George Reynolds (Woodlands); Pete Butler (Woodlands); Danny Ludgate (Peg One, Woodlands); M. Saunders (Woodlands); John Powys jr (Peg One Woodlands); Tony Boss (Woodlands).
Maver Pairs qualifier, Preston Innovations Woodland View Fishery, Hadley, Worcestershire, Sat. Deans, High and Arles Pools (94 fished)
Klaus Fix (Nuneaton) 128-2-0, carp to 10lb, pole and pellet, peg 59 Deans Pool; Paul Wedge (Alan’s Tackle, Worcester) 106-6-0; Steve Ford (Daiwa Gordon League) 103-7-0; Kian Wardle (Kamasan Starlets) 98-9-0; Mark Jones (Tredegar Angling) 92-9-0.
Qualifiers: Klaus Fix (Nuneaton) / Les Thompson (Preston Innovations) 2 points (215-6-0); Steve Ford (Daiwa Gordon League) / Chris Cameron (Mosella South West) 2 points (195-9-0) also qualified.
geepster
