Stu Redman gets his super-bright bait dyes out to show you how you can make your maggots and pinkies stand out from the crowd!
Just in case you have been living under a rock or something, the fluoro bait phenomenon is well and truly happening! Those of you who frequent Facebook with any regularity will surely have spied some rather luminous looking maggots and pinkies on various anglers’ side trays. Many anglers have seemingly noticed an opportunity to get a bit of an edge when it comes to the effectiveness of their baits, particularly when the water is still clear and a hi-viz bait will work well.
Just think about how anglers are catching on Method and Hybrid feeders these days, and most of the time they are using super-bright high-visibility hook baits. So the question must be asked, why not take the same theory and apply it to pole fishing?
‘Mad scientist’ Stu Redman is one man who is never afraid to do things a little differently.
Here's your opportunity to win!
What You Can Win
• Worm Fishmeal - £6. 49• F1 StikiMethod Pellets 2mm - £3. 49• F1 StikiMethod Pellets 4mm - £3. 49• Band'um Pellet 5mm - £3.
Dan Webb lets some of the England Feeder team's cats out of the championship bag. . .
There seems to be this idea flying around that this little piece I'm writing each month might not be entirely serious.
As well as providing visitors with some of the very best fishing in the country, for the past few years Weston Pools Fishery has been involved in its fair share of extra-curricular and charity work along the way. Recognising the need to get more youth into angling, that is what the fishery staff set out to do by inviting Marches School of Oswestry to the fishery each year to take part in a fishery-run coaching day. The fishery staff have always done what they could with regards to providing tackle for each of the children wanting to take part in the event but, as many of us may know, that is often easier said than done. Thankfully, when local charity Par 5 Charity Golfing Group was in the fishery’s own clubhouse discussing ways they could help in the local community, owner Mike Philbin was quick to come up with a solution.
Thinking angler Giles Cochrane takes you through a simple yet deadly approach that just keeps on winning him matches!
When tackling any commercial in the winter there are a few basic approaches that work well and have done for years but, due to the popularity of certain methods, ultimately they lose their effectiveness. Perhaps it has more to do with the ease and convenience of the approach and the number of anglers using them that leads to fish wising up and becoming more difficult to catch.
The Method feeder and pole, for example, now result in much lower weights than they did in previous years and consequently, I seldom set up either through the winter. Chucking the Method through the summer does account for some respectable weights of fish but it’s nowhere near as effective as a straight lead and loose-feeding approach, simply because the fish have associated it with danger and have learned to avoid it.
Angler's Name
Weight (lbs/oz)
Peg # / Lake
Rob Wootton (Dynamite Baits)
146-09-00
2 (Lake 1)
Jon Whincup (Frenzee / Bait-Tech)
145-08-00
17 (Lake 1)
Andrew Bailey (Daiwa Dons)
141-07-00
109 (Lake 7)
Keiron Rich (Middy)
127-14-00
1 (Lake 1)
Bryan Travis
119-11-00
105 (Lake 7)
Barry Mason (Guru / Bag 'Em Baits)
116-11-00
98 (Lake 7)
Stephen Rothery
108-13-00
38 (Lake 2)
Simon Fry (Garbolino)
108-09-00
100 (Lake 7)
The 2017 Mega Match This qualifier campaign began on a high with a sell-out event at The Glebe. Conditions on the day were very cold for the first couple of hours with quite a blustery Westerly wind, which eased off during the latter stages of the match. Temperatures, as a result, warmed up a couple of degrees, which saw respectable weights recorded given the time of year.
First to secure his place in the minimum £50,000 Match This Grand Final on Saturday September 2nd was Dynamite Baits rod, Rob Wootton.
Angler's Name
Weight (lbs/oz)
Peg # / Lake
Leigh Hodgkinson (Marukyu)
64-12-00
68 (Adams)
Andrew Bailey (Daiwa Dons)
58-11-00
42 (Island)
Martin Wood (Markham Main)
56-02-00
80 (Adams)
Liam Miller (Barnsley Bait & Tackle / Frenzee)
49-09-00
47 (Adams)
Luke Hawksworth (Colmic Woodlands)
46-11-00
36 (Adams)
Andrew Fulleylove
45-10-00
69 (Adams)
David Burley (Hayfield Lakes)
44-05-00
12 (Island)
Kevin Smith
43-14-00
81 (Adams)
The second Mega Match This qualifier in as many days marked another sell out event at Maver Hayfield Lakes. Conditions on the day were mixed with temperatures overnight dropping as low as 3°C coupled with period of bright warm sunshine later in the afternoon. Fishing on the day was extremely difficult with many anglers catching just odd fish. That said, however, despite the weights being relatively low, it was an incredibly close match which, going into the final hour, anyone could have won.
Last Thursday, I decided to do something a little bit different, and do a feature with the guys from fishing in the northwest. The lads are great and do some great work, helping new anglers gain lots of information and tips on, loads of north-west commercials and natural waters.
After a bit of discussion, we decided to pay Lloyds Meadow Fishery a visit, the lake we fished was Badger, A lake I fished for the first time only a few weeks ago. This time was decided to go for some of bigger carp in the lake on the pole, now the weather had improved.
Lewis Breeze explains how to make the most of your peg, if you are lucky enough to draw opposite the moored boats in a marina.
Words and photos: Steve Martin
The UK’s canal system can be almost as busy as its motorway network during the summer months. However, once the cooler weather arrives, most canal boats are moved to moorings to overwinter in a marina. Once moored, the boats create the perfect sanctuary for fish to use as protection from predators in the clear-water conditions.
UK Championships has new Sponsors
The long-running and highly successful UK Angling Championship has a new sponsor.
Cresta Match / Gamakatsu have recently been announced as the new sponsors in a deal which secures the future and TV coverage of one of the UK’s most credible and highest profile competitions.
The UK Champs has been running since 1984 and has been won by some of the biggest names in history. Dick Clegg, Alan Scotthorne, Tommy Pickering and in more recent years the likes of Jon Arthur, and angling young gun Andy Power who is the current champion.
