ASHFIELD ANGLE Vol 13 Final

The Ashfield Angle Vol 13 AVutouml 1n0 2020. Winter 2020 Inside Your pictures and posts? Brad Pit & Kim Kardashian Bankside Peter Jackson’s bottom interview with Clive Fletcher. Celebrity Fishermen. Latest updates including stockings & usual features. The Warwickshire Avon - more from “On Reflection”. Above – one of our own…. Clive Fletcher with his 26lb 7oz catch on day 2 of Riverfest. 1

Off the top – the chairman’s bit. This quarter has been a very busy one for both myself and the club. The committee has continued to meet albeit via the Zoom video conferencing facility. Member engagement has been carried out regarding issues such as the direction of the club, eg specimen, match or pleasure, plus stocking strategy. Venue improvement continues including at Cauldwell where myself, Terry Howarth and Jim Nash erected a second platform and laid gravel on the path. Several specimen tench have been introduced at Bingham where Wednesday club members and bailiffs strive to make this one of the best tench fisheries around. On the subject of specimens, Terry TSetarrthyaSmtahthaasmlauhnacshleadunacBhiegdFtihshe FBuigndF”ish Fund (BFF), an exciting, innovative initiative. The aim of this is to rVaeisneuseuifmficpireonvtefmunendts,tsotosctokcinkga, BnFumF ibneirtiotifvyeo, uhnogst,iunpgpReirv2er0flebstc,arp into FP & Duffers by winter 2021. These fish will push on to be 30lb plus specimens and are in addition to existing plans for stocking. £1002 had been donated by 27th Oct against a target of £5,500. Donations can be made via this link - BFF Another “comment worthy” matter has to be our hosting of the Riverfest final at Burton Joyce. Opposite – Steve Maher in action at the Riverfest Final, Burton Joyce. Image by kind permission of Catch More Media. 2

This is a highly prestigious competition with prize money to the value of £50,000 paid out to the winners. It is held over 2 days and is the climax of several previous matches on rivers all over the country. To qualify for the final is an achievement in itself. It is organised by Dave Harrell on behalf of the Angling Trust. 72 competitors took part at the weekend including Alan Scotthorne (5x world champion) and several England internationals and top match men. Congratulations to Ashfield member Clive Fletcher, whom despite such a high calibre field, finished in second place - a truly remarkable achievement. Well done Clive. The feedback from both competitors and organisers has been excellent which reflects well on our club. Congratulations are in order to all the members who helped out with weighing and marshalling including Peter Jackson, Vicky Hollingworth, Gary Joynt, Steve Wilfy Williamson, Cliff Ransom, Terry Howarth, Dave \"Shippo\" Shipstone and Colin Taylor. You did us proud. This was acknowledged by the Riverfest organiser and highly regarded river angler Dave Harrell who commented – “My personal thanks go to the Ashfield Angling Club for the use of their waters and I sincerely hope that we can develop the competition together on the same stretch over the next few years.” Well done guys and gals. As for myself, the pike season has finally got underway. I already have plenty of trips lined up. I only hope this winter is kinder to us than the last one when many waters were flooded and the banksides were treacherous. Please remember to treat these magnificent predators with the respect they deserve and go careful…. Finally, keep those comments coming…… we will not get better if we don’t listen and improve. Myself and the committee will continue to run the club on a democratic basis and endeavor to cater for members’ wants and needs wherever possible. We will only know what these are if you tell us. All for now Phil ED’S BIT As always, any views expressed in this magazine are entirely my own (other than from any contributors) and do not necessarily reflect those of the club or committee. As I sit here searching for inspiration, Covid 19 continues to dominate the news and much of what we do and don’t do. At least I can still go fishing but I am conscious our South Yorkshire members may not be so lucky. So far, my season has been all or nothing. I started out with some good catches of carp from Westwoodside, a few tench from a non Ashfield water and a couple of average silver fish sessions but since then, I have struggled. 4 trips to the Trent yielded just one barbel and a good chub, whilst another foray for big carp and bream proved biteless. Despite a good start to the year in pursuit of pike, my 2 trips since 1st Oct have resulted in a blank and one missed “run”. How can a fish drop your drop off, be taking line and still avoid hooking. It’s a bit like when your float buries and you strike into …… well… nothing. Yet another one of fishing’ great mysteries. This is especially demoralising when you have waited hours for some action and you know this may be your only chance of the day. Somebody is having a laugh. But it ain’t me. Ah well. Has anyone else noticed the massive improvement in the quality of our baliff’s reports? I appreciate not everyone has the time to devote to writing these but some of them have been brilliant. Not only are they extremely informative but 3

also quite amusing. For example, Gary Joynt’s report on finding some “weed” in a lay by near one of the swims at Burton Joyce…. Very apt. He stated he was considering keeping it himself and seeing if it would chill one of the cows next time one goes psycho. Love it. On the subject of cows, having suffered with them first hand at Thrumpton, I really appreciate information on them being included in the updates. Here’s another gem from one of Gary’s reports - “Cows are in and have got attitude this morning, so watch your vehicles and rope off”. A big thank you to all our baliffs whose reports continue to help members decide where and where not to fish. Someone posted the picture below recently posing the question, “anyone recognise this chap” seen fishing the road stretch at Burton Joyce? Someone replied “Alan” to which I showed my ignorance by asking “Alan who” as it was implicit that everyone should know. I did suggest “Scotthorne” but genuinely wanted to know who it was. Whilst, some will have heard of Alan Scotthorne, few of us would recognise him and are certainly not on first name turns with him, as nice a guy as I believe he is. It was Alan Scotthorne (pictured) who was practicing for the Riverfest event, something I gather many other “known” anglers did. The thread then went off in several different but interesting directions. Firstly, there was the contention that being 5 x world champion does not necessarily mean they are the best angler around. It was suggested that there are many other anglers, especially in the field of specimen angling, who are arguably better. Interesting. This has been debated many times before. The national angling journals even staged a light hearted competition on one occasion, pitching one against the other. Lets not fall out over this guys. I’m all for friendly banter but at the end of the day we are all just members of the same family aren’t we. Perhaps we could all agree that Alan is the best, if not one of the best, “match anglers” of all time. 4

Peter Jackson then raised the question whether Ashfield should stage internal members only matches and raise its own team to enter other competitions. Opinion was split. Several members expressed an interest in matches whilst others were against this on the basis that matches tie up venues, especially at weekends when most rank and file members want to go pleasure fishing. This in turn raised the issue of the future direction of the club, eg specimen, match or pleasure angling. Reference was made to the fact that originally the club was formed by match anglers but now refers to itself as “probably the best specimen club in the UK”. You may have noticed that I have removed this strapline from the logo I use for this magazine. In truth, why can’t we cater for all? We already have plenty of “specimen” waters for members committed to this branch of fishing as well as “pleasure” venues such as Cauldwell and Westwoodside which are very popular. I don’t believe the club has to be one or the other. This debate links to the Big Fish Fund. Whilst it is clear it is the specimen anglers who will benefit from this, it is not to the exclusion of the rest. The monies are being raised separately from main stream membership fees so should have no effect on those who would prefer us to follow the pleasure or match route. Onceagain, personally I see no reason why we can’t have both. Lee Grime came up with an interesting suggestion – “could we do something similar to the Drennan Cup? Chuck a tenner each in, only for a trophy, getting points based on percentage of record or something? Maybe submit 3 best fish (have to be different species?) over the season”? For those who are not aware, the Drennan Cup is a prize awarded every week in Angling Times for the best specimen fish catches reported to them. There is an annual prize for the overall winner at the end of each season, which is decided by the number of votes given by previous winners. One thing we have to remember is that all of the above suggestions would need people to organize and administer them, not to mention shouldering a considerable amount of responsibility. We must avoid assuming that the current chairman and committee members have the capacity to do this. They already devote a lot of time and energy on behalf of members. So, if you would like to see any of the above implemented, please consider offering your services in setting them up. Moving on…. I previously referred to the issue of excessive baiting and the effect this can have on fisheries. In support of my preferred strategy of avoiding excessive use of freebies etc, I came across this recently on a fishery website. “A fish called Shoulders at a North Yorks specimen lake has sadly passed away due to over baiting/feeding during the winter months when their metabolism is low. The food has stayed in her stomach and killed her from the inside out, as it has gone sour within her, causing lactic acid to build up. On veterinary advice we are asking all anglers to use bait sparingly as fish do not digest food in the winter months when the weather is adverse and the water temperature is near to freezing. Anybody who is seen over baiting will be asked to leave”. Finally, something that made me smile…… Scott Symons posed the question, why don’t we ask Uniper if the club can have the fish that live in the cooling towers at the power station for Thrumpton. It is due to be decommissioned in a few years time .…… Now I don’t think for one minute this was meant literally. Fish don’t live in cooling towers ………. do they ………………. surely not. 5

News & Roundup This is a resume of Facebook postings, actions carried out by club members and minutes from committee meetings. Full details can be found on the club website and Facebook page. Please note, consent for publication is assumed as everything included is already in the Ashfield domain. BAIT DISCOUNT - Thanks to Bryan Ashford, all Ashfield members are now able to receive 20% off bait orders with the Hookbait Company. This applies to boilies, pellets, chops, liquids and glugs ! To order, log on to the Ashfield website, access the members only section and click on the club discount tab. Steve Wilfy Williamson has joined the team of baliffs at Stoke Bardolph. Phil Turton is now venue lead at Winthorpe (missed last time). Cliff Ranson – a big thanks to the Westwood family for donating the Lee Westwood signed cap and shirt and for the £150 donation to the maintenance fund by Mick Herbert (pictured) who won the auction. Mick also donated a quality rod and 2 reels to our junior section. Top man. For those of you who are not aware, Lee Westwood is one of the top professional golfers in the UK and in his time, has been ranked “world no 1” ahead of the likes of Tiger Woods. Another post that made me smile was this one from Robert Hazard who reported a – “party of EU people on ferry field at Burton Joyce, approx 6 to 8 of them having a bj”. Well, you can imagine the comments. Was this a cheap marketing trick to boost day ticket sales ? Unfortunately, our baliffs first aid training did not cover lockjaw or grazed knees. It was of course a typing error and should have read bbq! The rest of the above was made up. Go on….. you have to laugh. 6

REMINDERS - Be vigilant – there have been a few instances of illegal lines being set on our fisheries. These consist of a baited line/ hook or hooks secured to the bank with a stick. They are left for some time to be collected later. Not only do they result in fish being tethered which is grossly un-ethical, but it is illegal. Keep your eyes open for suspicious activity and report anything to the baliffs. Contact details are on the club website Pack it in – please do not try adding non members to the Ashfield facebook page. “We spend a considerable amount of time declining people who send a request or have been invited to the page. The facebook page is for members only. If in need of information, non members can access the appropriate part of the website (Peter Jackson). Cliff Ranson announced that 44 tench have been stocked in Bingham. This included 24 above 6 lb and 2 at 8lb. The aim is to make Bingham one of the best tench fisheries in the UK. Massive improvements to the swims and car parks have already been carried out. Cliff thanked everyone who helped source the fish. More are to follow. Opposite – Cliff with one of the 44. Interestingly, the post that received the most likes this quarter was Gary Joynt’s of 21st Sept who wrote - Just given an angler a day ticket on the disabled pegs on Road Stretch. He wasn't a native of these parts if you get my drift. One rod after barbel, he claims to have had a 16lbr out last year, and he was jigging for predators. Whilst I was there he caught a 5lb pike on a single hook 4 inch shad with wire trace, unhooking mat, forceps, hooks removed and pike recovered before he let it swim off. The pike had an old injury and its jaw was dislocated. His son said 'I had that one out last year dad'. Point of my post is we are quick to condemn some anglers for taking fish. This little family had come down for a couple of hours. The dad was showing the young one the right way to do things. He showed me some of the predators he'd had caught at the outfall. The perch he showed me was massive. Just checking the woods one last time bottom of road stretch then it's off home for a beer. Nice one. I hope you enjoyed the beer Gary. Last but not least, spawning from the discussion about the Big Fish Fund, it was suggested that an Otter Fence fund could be set up and installed at our fisheries. I have no doubt the committee will consider this but please note, this would only be feasible at the waters we own, i.e. Cauldwell and Winthorpe. 7

Junior Corner Here are some of the pictures featuring our junior members that have been posted this quarter together with information relating to them. “Just wanna say a thank you to the club for allowing juniors to have a ticket with their parents. I’ve had a proper memorable weekend with my step daughter, catching loads of bream to a good stamp in size. She was over the moon with all of them. At least 14-15 caught with her biggest estimated at least 7-8 lb. Top angling”. (Aiden Gent, 31st Aug, Winthorpe). Opposite – Craig, Sam & Tom Radford enjoyed an incredible 36 hour session on C2 at the end of August. I should know, I was one peg upstream from them and blanked! After the first night Craig reported “Headache this morning through lack of sleep. 8 barbel in the night. 6 doubles, biggest 13lb 6 for Tom, 11lb 4 for me. Sam got his first barbel experience and squealed like a pig all the way through the battle. Ha. Had to hold the back of his trousers like he was shark fishing from a boat. But he managed to get in a nice 10lb 4oz. Also Tom had a few hours with maggot feeder catching quite a few gudgeon and dace and one big perch that amazed him. He didn’t stop talking about it until catching his first barbel” (cont). 8

(cont) “Sam took over my rods in the daytime. At night, Above – barbel machine Tom Radford I pulled my rods in to try and get some rest. Didn't demonstrates his versatility. really work as Tom is a barbel machine. I’d say he's had a good first real taste of barbel fishing. “Reminded me how much fun I used to have as a kid with a box of maggots. Something I forget when I'm always after the bigger fish. All in all, a session they won't forget in a hurry” Craig Radford. Their final tally included 21 barbel, more than most of us catch all season! Well done chaps. Opposite – looking rather pleased with himself is Lee Grime’ son Jack, seen here at Cauldwell with a good bream. He also caught an excellent carp on pole fished floating crust. Excellent young man. Opposite – Chris Flanaghan had this 20lb 6oz fish from Westwoodside in late August. It is believed to be the biggest in the lake. Fantastic fella. 9

Nature Watch. There was an interesting feature in Anglers Mail on Aug 4th about cormorants. The author claimed the notion that they are driven inland by a lack of fish in the sea and that if there were more fish in the sea they would not come inland in the first place, is no longer true. They will not return to the sea if the numbers of sea fish return to those of years gone by. This is allegedly because the inland birds have now evolved into a separate species, entirely dependant on freshwater fish. If true, this means our lakes and rivers are now their habitat of choice rather than necessity. Equally concerning is the fact that the “inland species” have to eat up to 3 x more freshwater fish than their sea counterparts to gain the equivalent nutritional value. Thus, re-stocking new fish just feeds them. The author concludes the only solution is culling. I am not comfortable with this but cannot offer an alternative. It would seem Frankenstein has created its own monster that we have now inherited and don’t know what to do with. Yet another example of us as a species mucking things up. I note with interest that beavers are being re- introduced in Devon, ironically into the River Otter. It will be the first time they have been present on these shores for over 400 years. Unlike otters, I don’t think they eat fish so we should be OK on that front. They prefer to knaw at saplings and vegetation which I suppose is why they have funny teeth. There are an estimated 15 family groups now in residence following “trial” stockings elsewhere. But wait a minute. Aren’t these the fellas that build ddaammss?and block small rivers and streams. If so, what are the implications for flooding. I suppose it could either reduce this downstream by delaying the flow of water or make matters worse by inhibiting the flow. I presume the boffins have done their homework. Whatever, I wouldn’t want one of these in my bivvy at night. Now I don’t know about you but I thought our rivers were in the most healthy state they have been for decades. This is fuelled by tales of salmon returning to rivers such as the Mersey and Don. The Mersey use to be the subject of many jokes, eg changing colour more frequently than the traffic lights. Most pollution was related to heavy industry, ineffective water treatment and chemical/ oil spillages. One of the few benefits of the decline in manufacturing industry is that our rivers are much cleaner. Or so I thought. It seems the factories of the industrial revolution are no longer responsible for declining water quality………. Farmers and the water companies have taken up the mantle. Ashfield member Patrick Whalley shared an excellent feature on the state of our rivers that appeared in the Guardian on 12th August. The author, George Monbiot, was on holiday in the Welsh borders and reported that - “the rivers here are dying before my eyes. When I last saw it, four years ago, the Monnow, a lovely tributary of the River Wye, had a mostly clean, stony bed. Now the bottom is smothered in slime and filamentous algae. In the back eddies, the rotting weed floats to the surface, carrying the stench of cow slurry”. He goes onto refer to the Wye itself as stinking of chicken shit from the 10 million birds being reared in the catchment. Nowhere in Britain is immune from this rising tide of pollution. Water extraction, particularly in the east, manure and slurry from livestock farming in the west and un-treated sewage discharged just about everywhere are referred to as examples. Monbiot goes onto cite anecdotal evidence of farmers deliberately dumping excess slurry into our waterways under the cover of darkness so as not to be seen and of others “deliberately spreading muck before high rainfall, so that it washes off their fields and into the rivers”. The reason for all of this………. according to the author it is a combination of factors including inadequate monitoring, absence of enforcement and a failure of the governments voluntary approach towards agricultural practice and a complete regulatory collapse which places10the interest of shareholders above all else.

This relaxed and laissez-faire approach (the belief that the government should intervene as little as possible in economic affairs) is reflected in many other aspects of government such as planning. He concludes that “the economic power of the water companies and the cultural power of the farmers both translate into political power. Special interests rule. The public and the living world come last”. Opposite – a typically polluted waterway, as evidenced by the thin, scum like grey film. Now I am aware that the stance taken by Mr Monbiot is very left wing and that there is another side to his argument but it does make you think doesn’t it. If it doesn’t, it should. After all, we do not need to look very far for evidence of algal blooms and scum weed, arguably the result of fertiliser leakage from farmland into the water course, on our own doorstep do we. As with the cormorant problem, diagnosis is the easy part. Coming up with a solution that is acceptable to all parties who have their own agendas is the real trick. Meanwhile, mitten crabs continue to be a problem on our tidal stretch of the Trent, though their numbers appear to be declining. The main problem is their habit of removing hair rigged baits by snipping through the hair with their sharp pincers. I believe this year has been the worst on record in terms of both numbers and the distance they have ventured up stream. We are not alone though. I understand the Yorkshire Ouse and Thames has also been infested with these “orrible” little things. On the sightings front, a seal has been spotted at Torksey. “Not good news for Littleborough. How long before it pops up at C1? (Bob Copsey). Karl Newbould states he has also seen a dolphin there. Finally, Gary Joynt spotted a Red Kite from the Hawthornes stretch at Burton Joyce. These magnificent hawks are becoming increasingly common thanks to the success of a breeding programme and their re-introduction into the wild. I like them as they are quite easy to recognise due to the shape of their tail. Well spotted Gary. 11

From The Bankside. I was lucky enough to catch up with star of the moment, Clive Fletcher recently. In case you have been hiding under a stone or have not read the first part of this edition, Clive finished 2nd in the Riverfest final at Burton Joyce recently, finishing ahead of the likes of Alan Scotthorne (5x world champion), Wayne Swinscoe, James Robbins and many other top class matchmen. Clive kindly agreed to feature in this edition of “Ashfield Angle” and provides a fantastic insight into how he got involved in match fishing and what it takes to win one of the top matches on the circuit. All in ……. Q : What attracted you into match fishing ? A : \"I enjoy pleasure fishing but match fishing completely drew me in from about the age of 16. Perhaps because of the social side, the bacon roll and coffee, chatting to mates at the draw, having to pick your peg at random, the competitive element and the stories afterwards. The matches I tend to fish generally have forty or more competitors so the banter and camaraderie afterwards can be great. I also find that among river matchmen at least, the thirst for understanding species and habitat is relentless. You won’t find more accomplished catchers of fish anywhere. There is a perception that match fishing is just about tiddler snatching. It can be but you need to catch what’s in front of you, whether it’s 4dr bleak or double figure barbel. On the Trent and some other rivers it’s frequently several big fish that win”. Q : What was the first fish you caught? A : I think I caught my first fish, a perch, on the Birmingham Worcester Canal at Perdiswell. I was 7 and I went with my uncle and cousins who were my angling heroes. We went early, the mist was rising off the water, and there were dense reeds. I used a 6ft Shakespeare solid glass rod and a perch bob with about 10lb line! I moved on to my local river Severn with friends from school and then to chub and barbel fishing on the Teme. We cycled there with our rods strapped to our crossbars. We just fished with luncheon meat or hemp and caster usually and generally caught a few using a variety of techniques. A good fish was six pounds. It was the time of the barbel explosion. My love of streamy water has stemmed from then. I’d rather be fishing even a flooded river than the best stillwater, although Irish lochs are an exception! Q : What was the first match you ever fished ? A : I joined a club, Wards 84 (a works club), while still at school and they had the rights on the Teme at Bransford. The Teme valley was like a throwback to another time in the 1980’s, a place of hop yards and orchards. Our club matches always ended with several pints at The Fox on Bransford bridge. It was before the commercialisation of fishing and we were a distinctly amateur bunch with a variable collection of gear and generally quite sparse luggage. No one wore branded clothing, and the lsWutagengdhaaagrded.toNouowtfoailntkewuwapsotroae abwrmaaxnilededetdojactclhoketehtbienasgntdapnewdgastd.heOerssn.tandard outfit was a waxed jacket and waders. We had to wmaylkfiruspt mtoatachm,ialegetdo 1th5e, Ibemsat npaeggesd. Otonlomsey sfeirvsetnmatch, aged 15, I managed to lose seven barbel on float gbeaarbr,elwhoinchflwooatuldgehaarv, ewwhoicnh, hwavoiunlgdinhaadvveerwteonntl,y thrown my landing net in with my keepnet! having inadvertently thrown my landing net in with my keepnet! 12

Just emerging were the top sponsored teams in match fishing, the DAM Starlets, Shakespeare Superteam and Daiwa Barnsley Blacks. To us kids that were into fishing they were as close to rock stars as anyone else in our world. That was the heyday of natural water match fishing, tragically to end with the privatisation of the water companies and the decline of most of our rivers to the point where the match scene changed to stillwaters. Q: I gather you are not a native of this part of the country. What brought you “here”? A: “I had my head turned by college and competitive rowing, a sport I did for over a decade before injury and over-training led me to turn my attention again to fishing. I moved to Nottingham for work and the rowing. The Trent was a river that that had been a place of legend to my “junior matchman self”. I was in for a shock though! It’s just a “big fish river” or worse “the Trent is dead” was the news and when I asked about river matches, I was told there were none. I tried fishing a few commercials but trying to catch someone’s pet fish never appealed. The idea of giving peg fees to a company rather than a club seemed against the grain. Why pay £7 a session when for £80 a year you could fish a load of waters and actually have a hand in the running them? Madness. “…..trying to catch someones pet fish never appealed….” The atmosphere was different too. No one gave you any information! I soon found out though that there were strongholds of river fishing and I started to attend the Newark matches organised by Colin Walton. I also made trips to the Wye at Belmont for the January matches. On these circuits I met anglers who had been legends to my younger self. Dave Harrell, Wayne Swinscoe, Stan Piecha, Jan Porter, and Don Slaymaker to name a few. It seemed they all eschewed the charms of commercials and had stuck with what they loved. I started to research the river match scene nationally and found that there were small but well established match circuits the length and breadth of the country. The next few years saw me on the Don, Severn, Warwickshire Avon, Calder, Bristol Avon, Swale, Tyne, Thames, Wye, as well as the Trent. I even put together a web page, “River Match Diary” giving the dates and contact details for all the matches, as the Angling Times seemed to have lost interest Q: What was the first “big” match you won? A: I can remember my first proper open win - 28lb of roach on the waggler. It was on the first day of the Burton Festival at Shardlow. For me and for many others, that festival heralded the return of the Trent as a silver fish river. Ironic really, as it followed a massive pollution the year before. Since then I’ve been lucky enough to draw pegs that have yielded good catches of almost every species, some of which have been good enough to win matches. Q: How do you rate the Trent at Burton Joyce as a match venue? A: As many of you will know, the Trent at Burton Joyce is a place of match fishing legend, as well as being an outstanding barbel fishery. So when Dave Harrell and the Angling Trust moved the final of Riverfest there I was as pleased as punch. Burton Joyce is the best venue by far on the best summer match river in the country IMO. It has everything : chub, big barbel, massive bream, huge perch and millions of quality roach and dace, giving everyone options and a chance. Also, there are fish all the way through that 13

can be caught on a variety of methods, making it very interesting fishing with the potential for a very dramatic final. Q : Right, the bit everyone wants to know about, talk us through the weekend of the final. A : My membership of Ashfield had come through the year before, so the stars were obviously in alignment! I qualified for the final this year at the first attempt I’m happy to say. Just beating some matchmen I have the highest respect for including Wayne Swinscoe and James Robbins was an honour in itself. I’d drawn just down from the wires on the Rack and had a 20lb bag that included some big perch on worm, a 5lb bream and a load of dace on feeder. To qualify in itself felt special. It was seen by Dave Harrell as possibly the strongest line-up ever seen on the venue, so to be one of four qualifiers on the day pleased me beyond measure. Ever since the announcement of dates I had been concerned that the odds were loaded against us with an October final as the Trent is famed for switching off with the cold weather. In the end we managed to get away with it but only just. A few mild nights and a rising river mixed things up sufficiently to give a very interesting final where a great many fish were caught but the conditions also upset the plot. All the practice had suggested that feeder for small fish could be critical but in the end it hardly figured for most. So much for preparation! I had however noticed one or two of the changes that were happening… the move from caster, worm and groundbait, to maggots and the preference for a moving bait. Anyway, back to peg A6…. I was convinced that not only was it a poor peg but also the wrong rotation - I thought the Road on day 2 could throw up some bream weights with a rising river. Wrong and wrong! The weather was vile but not as bad as expected. My hope prior to the match was that I might catch a chub or two and my opening gambit was a bread feeder to the far bank tree. A minute after the all in a drop back gave me a chub of about a pound. A switch to maggot feeder brought another ten minutes later but no more. I had a lovely day fishing a big stick and waggler 3 rods out after that, catching more small chub, the odd dace and two 12oz barbel, feeding about 6 pints of maggots. Above : Tom Noton swings in a silver during the Riverfest final. Picture courtesy of Catch More Media. 14

Tom Noton had a lovely tree lined bank opposite him on the next peg down and half way through the match, he wisely chucked his dace feeder gear up the bank and threw across to the trees with barbel gear, never looking back after catching the first of several good chub. At the end chub were boshing on the far bank below him. At the weigh in I was surprised to put 15-11 on the scales, a few pounds behind Tom but top of my 6 pegs, so the weekend was paid for at any rate. Rob Casterton the other side of me was ragged off by a barbel on light gear after performing some manual acrobatics getting his line clip off. Looking back, the upper sections were out and out chub and barbel pegs and I’m convinced that if everyone had fed more maggots, more would have been caught. I had a 2lb chub at the death, landed after the whistle. Had I known how important that fish was I’d have probably lost it. The Saturday evening draw - I quite like the drama of watching the pegs being called out online. I’d rather it was done in a pub full of competitors but knowing dozens of other blokes were also sitting in their homes and guesthouses riveted to their screens’ was quite heartening. All the info was online too - who’d caught what and where. Not the same as a live draw but by no means without its charms. Phone chats and Facebook made up to an extent for the lack of face to face contact. Peg 72, the end peg on the inside of a bend on a rising river was my destination. I have to say I was reasonably happy but I was worried that Hadrian Whittle might have flattened it with his 24lb the day before. I knew I’d need a big weight and probably needed to catch more than Hadrian to do well. This, I felt was a tall order. The river at the far end of The Rack is a place I’ve been lucky enough to draw twice - a beautiful stretch with Shelford church tower just visible over the trees and a big sweeping bend with cattle drinks and a sandy gravel beach. Just further down are the famous bream pegs and beyond that the High Hawthornes before Gunthorpe Bridge. My peg was a lovely glide close in with the depth and current increasing further out. Tony Marshall set up above me, with Steve Clarke above him. The end peg was always going to be an advantage though, so I was Above : “if the bream showed up it would be game over anyway”. JohcnoSnmfidaellnwt, istehttainfginuepe7xammwphleip(,Caatch More Media). hemp rig and a DH 3g olivette rig on top fives, heavy and light feeder rigs, heavy and light sticks and a waggler. 15

advantage though so I was confident, setting up a 7m whip, Above – Steve Rowen with a a hemp rig and a DH 3g olivette rig on top fives, heavy and belting brace of Burton Joyce light feeder rigs, heavy and light sticks and a waggler. It barbel. (Catch More Media). plumbed up beautifully and was steady at 7m, so I decided to fish this line only with everything, apart from the waggler which was set up for chasing fish if required. I had a bucket of Black Turbo, G5, Secret and leam mixed up, a load of casters, worm and hemp, and a gallon of maggots. My hope was to feed most if not all of it to make the end peg advantage pay. Luckily I did and it did. Eight big balls went in at the start with everything in and I started on stick float, getting a roach first run down. An hour in I’d got 25 fish, but they were smallish and I felt I was going nowhere. A handful of maggots every chuck and a ball of groundbait slightly down the peg steadily brought more and more fish into the peg. I chopped and changed until I settled on the 3g rig set up with the new Preston slip elastic in 6-8 (this stuff is brilliant) adding two sections to run it through the peg. The 3g rig also did best here earlier in the season in similar conditions, beating 2g hands down. Every now and again the fish would back off and I used the heavy stick (20 no.4) with strung 8s which also seemed to work better than the lighter (8 no4) one. I began bait droppering maggots dead in front which nailed them down and I finished strongly on the pole rig, having put 160(ish) fish in the net. By the end I was in so much pain with my back I could hardly move. It seemed that everything ached. I think perhaps I was more stressed than I thought by the occasion. I felt however that I may have done enough for a place. The scales arrived and 26lb 7oz was my weight. Good enough to give me an aggregate weight of 42lb 2oz, a match win, a section win and 2nd overall in the final, ahead of Darren Frost by 1lb 14oz. That last chub on day 1 was critical! I take my hat off to Yorkshireman Paul Cannon, the right man on the right peg on the right day, who caught some right slabs on feeder for the win. I was never going to beat that! Being a member of Ashfield enabled me to spend a bit of time practicing. I got a couple of sessions on the Nelson Field and one on the High Hawthornes and took mates who had also qualified on each occasion using a guest ticket. As it happened, I never drew the Nelson Field and the High Hawthornes weren’t in! I have to say though it’s been a privilege to have access to the water and it is fantastic that it’s now being managed by such a strong bailiffing team who were also such a great help on the final weekend. If we can get some sort of access for next summers qualifiers, that would be brilliant. I’m already looking forward to next year but for now I’m going to content myself with finding out about the venue in the winter months. See you on the bank!\" A massive well done and thanks for agreeing to feature in the magazine Clive. 16

Above : the Riverfest top 3, Clive is on the left. Courtesy of Catch More Media. Words of wisdom ………. Confuseus says - “women who put on weight during lockdown are likely to live longer than men who mention it”. 17

Gallery. Above : bottoms up! 20 tons of stone were delivered to Cauldwell Dam recently which have been put in place to support the dam wall. Roland Jarman placed his thanks on record to the following who helped shift it and put it in place - Vicki Hollingworth, Peter Jackson, Jamie and Richard, Chris, Shane, Kev, Gary, “Wilfy” (Steve Williamson), Terry Howarth (the human JCB), one guy who turned up to fish whose name was not known and lastly, our hands on chairman Phil Turton who ordered the stone. Left : a beautiful evening sky at Gunthorpe captured by Colin Taylor. 18

Above : another stunner, this one from Gary Levers. Left : The pike season is upon us …..Nigel.... the guy who goes round Gunthorpe & Burton Joyce on his push bike, took this is amazing “picture of a life time” action shot of a pike caught by Steve Wilfy Williamson. Above : “Not the biggest by a long way but it's what I came for. Happy days”. The man himself, Steve. Ed – looks like a good un to me. Is this the same fish? 19

Above : “Come on guys guess the weight….. now for a celebration cuppa. By the way, she was on the thin side and I’m 7’2” , 32 stone” Stephen Perry. WWS. 19th Oct. Above – I love these night shots. This is another from Gary Levers. 20

Above : Mick Weatherer with a typical Trent barbel. “One of 11 so far, still no doubles”. Above : Mick Weatherer with a typical tidal Trent barbel back in the days when you could still wear a T shirt and be warm enough. Above : Joe Coote with 2 of the 4 carp he had to low 20’s from FP. Nice to see a different pose. 21

Above – Nigel Barker looks to have been having some sensational sport with the silvers at Burton Joyce. Here he is with a couple of the many catches he has posted. Well done Nigel. Keep it up. Left – Phil Blackburn, Right – Peter Jackson. You can make up your own captions for these 2. 22

Above –and people wonder why we go fishing. Well, experiences such as this are just one of the reasons. Sami Buca, Dollar. Beautiful. Above – view of FP from the bivvy, Mick Jolly. 23

On Reflection. On Reflection is a descriptive account of fishing before the development of commercials. It is aimed at the casual angler in an era when the capture of a 20lb carp or 8 lb bream would have been regarded as sensational. It is largely autobiographical and is not just about fishing. It’s about growing up in 1970s suburbia and adolescence. Although it features waters in Preston, Yorkshire Worcestershire and Norfolk, it could be anywhere. I think most people will be able to relate to the experiences described. Things have moved on massively since this was written both personally and in the world of fishing. I hope to serialise edited extracts from this in future editions of Ashfield Angle. I hope you enjoy them. Cynthia’s River Following my sisters move to Pensham in Worcestershire in 1973, I enjoyed some of the happiest times of my life, staying with her during the long school holidays. In this edition I recall my first visit there when I made acquaintance with the Warwickshire Avon, affectionately referred to as “Cynthia's River”. I had been ticking the weeks off in excited anticipation and noted several reports of matches being won on the river with 20 - 30 lb nets of roach, dace and chub. By the time we were due to go I could think of nothing else. An obsessive tendency is part of any anglers make up, even at the tender age of 14. Myself and mum travelled down by car on the Friday evening. Dad also set off on Friday, catching the train from Preston to Warrington before cycling the remaining 120 miles to Pensham. He arrived on the Saturday having stayed overnight near Wellington, Shropshire. My first sight of the Avon was when we drove over the bridge at Pershore, about a mile and a half from Pensham. It looked so different from the Ribble. Pensham was a tiny hamlet at the end of a road to nowhere. Much to my intrigue, there was no road name in her address, just a number followed by the name of the village. Beyond her garden were fields and the flood plain of the river. The night before my first session, I went through my tackle for the umpteenth time, checking everything, then checking that I had checked it. As soon as everyone had retired upstairs I snuggled down in my sleeping bag on the floor of the front room and tried to get to sleep. Not surprisingly, this proved easier said than done. I lay awake long after the noises from upstairs had faded into the silence of night. Eventually, I drifted off into that half world which is neither wakefulness nor sleep. After what seemed like an eternity, a sliver of silver grey light illuminated the window signifying the arrival of morning. I quickly got dressed, gathered my tackle from the porch and opened the front door. Hoisting my holdall and basket over my shoulders, I quietly closed the 24

front door and crunched off down the gravel path. It was only a short walk to the river. Past the Above – Pensham, near Pershore in 1976, where I house where the baliff lived, along a farm spent some of the happiest days of my life fishing on track, underneath a large chestnut tree, past the Warwickshire Avon. some derelict out buildings and along the edge of a field. I had been warned that the bailiff’s dogs were likely to bark so I trod as lightly as I could past his house. Unfortunately, I could do nothing about my basket strap that chaffed on the wicker making a rhythmic creaking noise as I walked. Sure enough the dogs took exception to this and voiced their disapproval. I hurried on leaving the disturbance behind. There were no cars parked. I had the river to myself. In the distance the bells of Pershore Abbey chimed. The earth smelled damp and I noticed my footprints were visible in the dew soaked grass. As I broke the skyline, a moorhen paddled hastily away clucking as it went. A thin veil of mist lay suspended above the waters surface. Several hefty splats sounded from rising fish. Great stuff...... I started out ledgering with a half ounce arsley bomb and 3 lb line straight through to a size 16 hook. Typically for this era, a swing rather than quiver tip was used for bite indication. First cast the tip pulled almost straight due to the current. I added a few swan shot to the link and cast closer in until the swing tip settled at a more acceptable angle. After missing several nibbles, I finally managed to connect. Disappointingly, the maggot mashing culprit turned out to be a gudgeon rather than a 2 lb roach. An hour or so later some more fishermen arrived, enquiring in their \"alien\" Birmingham accents whether I had caught anything. For some reason I felt embarrassed by my lack of success. Nevertheless, I persevered and tried cheese, bread and worm. I had a brilliant pull on cheese, then caught a small dace on maggot which perked me up a little. Sadly, the bulging net of chub and roach that I was hoping for failed to materialise. The excitement of the magical dawn steadily receded until it may as well have been a figment of my imagination. I recall feeling bitterly disappointed. In truth, I had whipped myself into such a frenzy that anticlimax was inevitable. Even by the age of 14 I should have known that dreams hardly ever come true. Left : reverse view of the previous picture My sisters house is second on the left. The barn appears unchanged from all those years ago and can clearly be made out on both pictures. @ Dave Bushell. 25

Even though I did not catch much, the river had felt as if it was my very own. I was there both before and after the Saturday anglers had arrived in their droves from Birmingham. I felt smug in only having a ten minute walk “home” whilst they had to leave in good time to make the journey back up the M5. Moreover, I could always go again the next day whereas they would probably have to wait at least a week. Catching fish was no problem but as the end of this first holiday approached, the biggest I had managed was a chub of just 1 lb 5 oz. I had hoped for much better. As if sensing my waning enthusiasm, the river finally yielded on my last day and provided me with the biggest fish I had caught at that time. Whilst busily entertaining myself catching rough and gudgeon, I noticed a disturbance in the water just downstream of where another angler was fishing. I stood up to get a better view. He was playing a good sized fish and after a few minutes I glimpsed its bronze flanks as he drew it towards his net. Excited by this, I began to fish more seriously and dispatched some groundbait into my swim. Ten minutes later a hefty splosh told me he had hooked another. After the third I could contain myself no longer and paid him a visit on the pretense of asking the time. The chap was float ledgering using a sliding float, a technique I had read about but never seen being used. The fish were big, beautiful bronze bream. I interrogated him with as much subtlety as the Gestapo, establishing that bread fished on a size 10 hook was bringing about their downfall. Just one problem. I didn't have any. So, I hid my tackle in the undergrowth and sprinted back to my sisters, returning with half a loaf. Meanwhile, the chap continued to land a fish every 10 minutes or so and was building up a fair weight. After half an hour of inactivity, the rush of adrenaline began to wear off. I stared intently at the swing tip willing it to move. Instead, it just dangled there motionless. All the usual negative messages began to pass through my mind such as \"it’s not fair” and \"I never have any luck\". I then noticed the chap was packing up. I gathered my gear together and prepared for a move. Anxious to claim the swim, I sat nearby whilst he returned his catch which was tremendously impressive as it thrashed around in his net. Unable to contain my eagerness, I nearly knocked him over as we passed on the steep banking. Place assured, I positioned my rod rest and cast to the spot he had been fishing. The sense of anticipation was fantastic especially after a bream rolled nearby. Ten minutes later I got a medium paced pull which straightened the swing tip. I swung the rod back and failed to connect. After missing two more sail aways, I finally met with a heavy but hardly spirited resistance. The rod bent with a satisfying curve and the clutch slipped when I tried to gain some line. This was one fish I did not want to lose. It surfaced about ten yards out and appeared massive. Although it felt heavy, it did not put up much of a fight and it was just a case of easing it gently towards the waiting net. Yes! After unhooking, the fish was gently lowered into the keepnet before I re-cast eager to catch another. All the previous disappointments didn't matter anymore. The river was forgiven. It was fair after all. I had got what I came for even if it was on the very last day. In typical boyish fashion I wanted to show off my catch and knew that if I stayed long enough, someone would come looking for me fearing that I had fallen in and drowned. Sure enough, at about 6.45 my sister turned up most concerned for my well being. It may also have had something to do with the fact that I was due to baby sit whilst everyone else went to the pub. Excitedly, I told her about my capture and got her to hold the carrier bag open whilst I slipped the fish inside for weighing. She recoiled in horror when its tail touched her wrist and no doubt for my benefit, sounded enthusiastic over its “huge” size. On that subject, I cannot help but feel a little apologetic to those of you expecting a monster slab of dustbin lid proportions. I know I referred to it as being massive but at the time it seemed it. It weighed 2 lbs 5 oz. I could have lied but I am concerned only with the truth. I big! 26

know some would consider this as a skimmer but I care not. It was the biggest fish I had caught at the time and I was thrilled to bits. I needed two hands to hold it so it must have been big! My fading dream had been re-kindled at the death. Plans were already being made on the long journey back to Lancashire. Understandably, the next visit to \"Cynthia’s” river\" could not come soon enough. Right – off down the river… when denim ruled and I was just 16. I still have the wicker basket. *** LATE/ ADDITIONAL ENTRIES *** I was very sad to see Terry Statham’s post of the 14th Oct in which he announced the club had been forced to admit defeat in their attempt to transform the Tench lake into a Tench/Crucian lake. Several crucians had been put into the lake which were obtained free of charge on the basis that predator preventive measures were put in place. Despite compliance with this requirement by installing ropes and chains overhead, cormorants still managed to plunder the stock. “I've even heard of them landing in trees and dropping vertically into the water, walking out and taking off into the wind”! Terry. So, the plan now is to turn the Tench lake into a carp runs water like Westwoodside. Some smaller carp will be introduced next year and when they reach sufficient size, they will be transferred into other lakes (see further below). This should save the club money in future years. Meanwhile, they should provide excellent sport for the none specimen brigade. To cater for crucian lovers such as me, more will be going into Cauldwell Dam this winter. Credit to Terry and all involved for at least having a go. Wayne Prince informed everyone on 22nd Sept that Severn-Trent Water (STW) have agreed to us reinstating a pipe between FP and Duffers. This will allow fish movement between both lakes and water levels to match while maintaining access on foot to the picnic and tunnel swims etc when the ground is too soft to drive over the bank. 27

Baliffs reported that dredging work had been carried out just below the lock/ weir at Stoke Bardolph. The dredge has made a lovely gravel bar downstream of the lock entrance with a nice deep channel leading into the lock. Despite marker buoys being put in place, some boats have failed to navigate this stretch properly and have run aground on the bar (pictured). Above : OMG……. what the *@^k.... This picture taken in 1802 was posted by Phil Blackburn/ Mark Lambert. It’s a 250 lb, 8ft long sturgeon caught by a Lincolnshire farmer at Holme, near Winthorpe. The successful method was to shoot the poor thing and haul it in with a rope normally used for towing barges. Thank goodness some things have changed. Watchout when fishing Winthorpe though. Its predecessor could be that one that got away. Left – Thunderbird 6, The Reed Muncher ….. Ebsford Services have been allowed to try out their new machine and train their staff in operating it on the lake at Nostell. In return we gained free reed clearance and will hopefully get the rest trimmed back at a reasonable cost. This will enable the baliffs to keep them in check in future. It has to be acknowledged that not everyone is in favour of this but I think the idea is to make them more manageable rather than remove them altogether. 28

14 x C5 carp from 15lb 8oz to 18lb 8oz have been stocked into Dollar. 25th Oct. Right - here’s one of them. Left - 10 more C5s from 16lb 8oz to 18lb 4oz have been placed in the Upper Lake at Nostell. Right – Terry Statham reported that we have stocked 45 x C3 carp from VS fisheries into the small lake at Gunthorpe (Tench Lake) . The aim is to turn this lake into a runs water / growing on lake, with the bigger fish being moved around the complex when they get to a good size. These averaged 7 lb and will be fed regularly. 29

Left - this sensational shot of either a salmon or sea trout jumping the weir at Stoke Bardolph was taken by Rob Brooks on 22nd Oct. Rob saw at least 14 of these. Right – Mick Hunt collected this little lot from one of the lawn swims at Winthorpe. The culprits were successfully traced and have been banned from the club. Words fail me with issues such as this. I honestly just cannot begin to understand why some people do this. Ashfield are the only club I am aware of who have actually implemented the no litter rule. Massive credit has to be given to Mick and everyone who helped “catch” those responsible. There should be no place for people like this in our club. Standards……. Just a reminder though, please pm a member of the committee or bailiff with any pictures or evidence of contravention of club rules rather than posting it on Facebook. Left – Colin Taylor has been enjoying some excellent night time bream action at Gunthorpe. 30

Last Cast I read an article in the paper recently about the Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith who had just published his first book “Monsters Of River & Rock: My Life As Iron Maiden’s Compulsive Angler”. Well I never. Who would have thought that this hair swishing, head banging icon of heavy metal could enjoy such a peaceful and relaxing hobby such as fishing. Come to think of it, it makes perfect sense. What better way to escape from the noise and madness that is the music industry. Adrian goes onto explain how after the rigors of touring and performing he would be “burnt out” and would take off fishing into the Canadian mountains with his girlfriend (now wife) and just chill out. “I went up to the mountains and fished for trout and it restored my energy again…. it’s healthy mentally, just to get away. And you can sort your perspective on life out on the riverbank”. I wonder if this was what inspired the song “Run for the hills” or should it have been “Run for the gills”! As a boy he would go down the local canal, The Gasworks Stretch in East London which is as grim as it sounds and fish with his brother and dad. “It was like a religion. He’d wake me up at five in the morning and say, come on son and we’d go fishing”. Adrian has remained hooked and still goes out three nights a week when he can, to fish the Thames. Apparently, he once caught a 7 lb 14 oz chub that at the time was only a few ounces short of the British record. A quick trawl of the internet revealed that Adrian is not the only “celebrity angler”. There are loads, some of whom might surprise you. For example, comedian Billy Connelly, who described fishing as “medication with a punchline” adding - “You’re sat there, completely absorbed, and if you get a fish it’s a bonus, almost.” David Seaman, former Arsenal and England goal keeper is Above : Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden fame another who is quoted as saying “I have been passionate taking a break from fishing. about fishing for a long time. I find it a great way of relaxing and enjoying the great outdoors”. TV presenter, former host of ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’ Chris Tarrant, is yet another. The list is endless. For the record, here are some more ….. Jack Charlton, Harrison Ford, Christiano Ronaldo, Brad Pitt, Tiger Woods, Avril Lavigne, Rihanna, President Barack Obama, Kim Kardashian, Scott Maslen (Jack Branning in EastEnders), Nick Hancock (actor and former TV presenter of They Think It’s All Over and Room 101), Barry Hearn (former snooker and boxing promoter, chairman of Leyton Orient FC, founder of FishOMania, and currently Chairman of the Professional Darts Corporation), Anthony Joshua (Boxer), David Beckham, John Terry and Rita Ora (singer and actress). So, next time you are out on the bankside, don’t assume that the quiet, unassuming person in the next peg is Mr or Mrs Nobody. It might be Brad Pit or Kim Kardashian. You never know. Finally, drop me a line if you think any of our members warrant “celebrity status” and your reasons for believing so. I have a couple in mind already ……… And you? 31

In your dreams ….. above left - Brad Pit waits for a bite on the Trent, centre - Kim Kardasahian models her latest carpy camouflage gear at Dollar and finally, another one for the ladies (or whatever takes your fancy), …… the real thing – Darren Frost displays his splendid roach at Riverfest (right) – courtesy of Catch More Media). DON’T FORGET.  please display your membership card on your dash board so our bailiffs can check and adhere to social distancing. Where this is not possible, place your card somewhere safe and back away whilst this is checked.  Be careful when driving around our fisheries in the following months. They are likely to be wet and slippery. Consider walking around first to check they are OK. It’s a nightmare if you get stuck and you should not rely on the baliffs to get you out.  It’s your club. If you have any suggestions for improvement, please contact any member of the committee or complete a feedback form available on the website.  Next edition – February 2021. If you would like to contribute a feature for the magazine, provide feedback or make a suggestion, please message me (Mark Bates) via Facebook or email me at [email protected] 32

Oh no …… the cows have found me………….. I’m out a here……………… All the best. Mark 33