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.
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.
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.
Daiwa are pleased to announce that well known and highly popular match angler Cameron Hughes has joined Daiwa UK’s consultancy team. Based in Derby, Cameron has extensive match fishing experience at home and across Europe, having already represented England at International level.
Daiwa UK’s Deputy MD, Robin Morley comments – “We are delighted to bring someone with Cameron’s youth on aboard. He is very well known in the match scene, has an excellent background in the sport and we are looking forward to his input.
Bag’em Matchbaits have joined forces with the prolific Larford Lakes.
The deal was verbally sealed just over a week ago and we feel it will begreatopportunity for both parties involved.
Caroline Reed Bag 'Em Matchbaits manager signed contracts with Phil Briscoe on Thursday and finalised the deal. Bag 'Em's consultant Ian Giddins also played a big partwithinitial negotiations with Phil Briscoe at the lakes.
Garbolino and Dynamite backed ace Alex Dockerty is to join the Garbolino Lindholme team on a permanent basis.
Starting in June, the 21 year old Doncaster ace will become Lindholme’s resident angling coach, as well as offering his expertise to customers in the on-site tackle shop.
Alex said: “ Unlike many sports angling coaching seems to be very limited in terms of the number of people offering their services so hopefully this will be a way to pass on my knowledge of the venue and help others in the way many have helped me over the years.
The plan is to offer a multitude of sessions ranging from group days and evening classes to a full day’s one to one tuition.
England ace smashes Lindholme league.
England International, and MAP backed super-rod James Dent has won the inaugural Lindholme Lakes Natural Baits league, by a comfortable two point margin.
The league – which was contested by some of the UK’s top rods, held its final round in fine conditions last Saturday. Anglers taking part included Alan Scotthorne, Matt Godfrey, John Allerton, Nick Speed, Mick Vials, Tom Scholey, Lee Kerry and Emma Pickering – making it among the most prestigious leagues in the country.
Commercial masters Andy Bennett and Paul Holland have signed a new bait sponsorship deal with the Angling Bait Company.
The duo, who are also sponsored by Tackle Guru, are very excited about the move.
Andy said: “I amdelighted to be joining TheAngling Bait Company. I am looking forward to having a big say in the groundbait development, and knowing exactly what I’ll befeeding, as not a lot of people know what core ingredients make up the groundbaits that they use.
Matt Godfrey smashed his way to victory in the penultimate round of the Lindholme Natural Baits League, winning the match in emphatic style with a 43-4-0 net of F1s. Drawn on peg 9 on Willows Lake, Matt caught quality F1s on maggot tactics.
In second place was Paul Christie. Paul, who also drew on Willows, again caught quality F1s on maggots for 26-1-0.
England ace, and Preston Innovations & Sonubaits backed rod Lee Kerry stormed to victory in the latest round of the Lindholme Natural Baits League with a 42-2-0 net of skimmers and F1s. Drawn on peg 29 on Bonsai Lake, Lee caught skimmers early fishing maggots over groundbait, before adding some quality F1s to his net on maggots later.
Runner up on the day was Lee’s Barnsley teammate, James Dent, who caught 35-13-0 fishing maggots over groundbait from Beeches Pool. In third place was Joe Goulding, also on Bonsai, who caught a lovely 34-10-0 net of F1s again on maggots.
Mick Owen has won the latest round of the Lindholme Natural Baits League, with an impressive 26-12-0 net of F1s, on what turned out to be a very tough day for competitors due to horrendous mid-week weather.
The Garbolino Lindholme ace drew peg 43 on Bonsai, and caught his fish on maggots fished on the long pole.
Second placed Lee Kerry owned Laurels Lake, with his 21-5-8 net almost doubling second place on the pool. Lee caught mainly on maggots at 1m, banking most of his lake winning catch in the first couple of hours of the match.
Mick Owen has won the latest round of the Lindholme Natural Baits League, with an impressive 26-12-0 net of F1s, on what turned out to be a very tough day for competitors due to horrendous mid-week weather.
The Garbolino Lindholme ace drew peg 43 on Bonsai, and caught his fish on maggots fished on the long pole.
Second placed Lee Kerry owned Laurels Lake, with his 21-5-8 net almost doubling second place on the pool. Lee caught mainly on maggots at 1m, banking most of his lake winning catch in the first couple of hours of the match.
Matt Godfrey is to leave his current role as features editor of Match Fishing magazine, to take up a new role at Tackle Guru.
Having worked for David Hall Publishing for over four years on the titles of Pole Fishing and Match Fishing magazines, the England international is very excited about the move, and a buzzing Matt said: “I’m absolutely ready for a new challenge, and I think the move to Guru will be exactly that.
“Guru is a brand that shows powerful leadership on the media front, and I’m hungry to be a part of its continued push forward, learning and developing my own skills with the company in the process. Of course, I’m hoping to keep my own fishing up too, and if anything I can only see the move giving me more focus with this.
Sean steals the win in Round Two Of Lindhome Natural Baits League.
Dynamite ace Sean Cameron has won the second round of the Lindholme Lakes Natural Baits League, with a 43-14-0 net. Drawn on peg 63 on Laurels Lake, Sean found quality F1s on maggot tactics, feeding small balls of Swim Stim to keep fish coming.
In second place was Matrix rod Craig Butterfield, who put a 41-14-0 net together, again on maggots.
