Prebaiting that big swim in the sky

Believe it or not, there are people who request their ashes to be spread on their favourite river when they're ready to sling their hook in that great swim in the sky.

Some pike anglers might even consider the Upper Thurne, Llangdegfedd or even Lomond for their final resting place.

Demand has now increased to the extent where a leaflet has been published on how to carry out the practice without upsetting other river users.

Avoiding areas other anglers have been prebaiting is probably a good idea.

The Inland Waterways Association says on the subject:

"The Environment Agency advises that there is no evidence to suggest that the disposal of human ashes in rivers and streams has a negative impact on the environment.

However, other aspects of these practices, such as casting tributes and other objects into the water could harm the environment or upset other river users.

Individual ceremonies are unlikely to pollute the water but you should comply with Environment Agency guidelines.

A free Environment Agency leaflet offers guidance on completing the practice without causing harm. The leaflet is available by telephoning the Agency's customer contact centre on 08708 506506."

Waterways link could transform Fens

Fenland could be transformed by a new Waterways Link which would increase navigation and allow boats to pass along connected drains and rivers all the way from Lincoln to Cambridge.

That means many more Fen drains could be opened up to boats for the first time, offering pike anglers the opportunity to access remote areas of the system.

Feasibility studies have been doing the rounds of council chambers and committees for more than five years, while the public seem less than enthusiastic about the idea.

As a 90m stretch of moorings opened on the South Forty Foot at Hubberts Bridge, Lincs, South Holland councillors were being urged to do more to promote the benefits of the plans, which would link Lincoln, Boston, King's Lynn, Ely and Cambridge.

An Environment Agency report says:

"The Boston Waterways Link will provide a navigable link for recreational craft between the River Witham and South Forty Foot Drain and is the first key component of the Fens Waterway Link.

The Fens Waterway Link is a partnership project to develop a new navigation link within the Fens, starting in Boston, Lincolnshire and ending on the Great Ouse, Cambridgeshire.

This navigation link will provide a focus for new investment in the East of England and will support leisure and tourism interests.

It will open up 240km of waterway including 80km of additional navigable waterways, creating the largest waterway enhancement scheme in Europe.

The entire strategy will deliver rural regeneration on a major scale through water-based tourism."

The 18,000-strong Inland Waterways Association has this report, which lists the drains and rivers affected:

"Following promotion of the restoration of this waterway by East Anglian Waterways Association, Fens Tourism (a consortium of local authorities) undertook a feasibility study of the route.

This report was encouraging and EA adopted the project as ‘The Fens Waterways Link’, which it launched in 2004 with support from local authorities, EAWA and IWA.

The Link envisages:

(a) connecting the Witham to the South Forty Foot Drain at Boston,

(b) restoring the South Forty Foot,

(c) linking the South Forty Foot to the river Glen at Guthram Gowt,

(d) improving the Glen downstream to the Welland at Surfleet Seas End,

(e) creating a new non-tidal navigation from Surfleet Seas End upstream to Spalding,
(f) improving the Welland from Spalding up to Crowland,

(g) creating a new waterway from Crowland across to the Nene at Padholme Pumping Station,

(h) improving the route through the Middle Level to Salters Lode on the Great Ouse,
(i) improving the alternative Middle Level route via the Forty Foot River to Welches Dam lock,

(j) creating a new navigation, using the Old Bedford and New Bedford rivers southwards from Welches Dam to the Great Ouse at Earith,

(k) creating a landmark structure at Denver, involving flights of locks and an aqueduct over the New Bedford River, to eliminate the current tidal crossing,

and (l) creating a new direct waterway link from Chatteris to Earith."

While pike anglers of the future could be taking to boats to fish the drains and rivers, the plan has already suffered a setback of sorts.

West Norfolk council has scaled back plans for a marina in King's Lynn, which would have been connected to the Ouse at Denver via the Relief Channel and River Nar, because of infrastructure costs of raising bridges, dredging the Nar and and connecting it to the Relief Channel.

A new lock built at Denver Sluice, connecting the Ouse to the Relief Channel has been little-used.

But pioneering pike and zander anglers have been taking advantage of being able to fish the 12-mile channel from boats, which is permitted between June and October.

Did someone say zander..? Connecting drains and rivers linking Norfolk and Lincolnshire could have another consequence as far as the species is concerned.

While they are present in the Welland, zander are not currently found in much of the Lincolnshire drain system. That would doubtless all change once waterways were linked.

Similar plans to link the Ouse with the Grand Union Canal and the rest of the Inland Waterways Network via the proposed Bedford and Milton Keynes Link have been on the table for some years.

Loch Lomond maps for pike anglers

Coloured maps of Loch Lomond have been produced by the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association.

"This map is the only colour angling map ever likely to be needed for those who fish Loch Lomond either for game or coarse species," the blurb on their website says.

"The Coarse section was done by well-known pike experts with input from other leading experts in coarse fish. All the well-known hot spots for pike and other less known parts that produce great pike are all listed."

Make your own planer for pike fishing

Planer boards have been an open secret for years. More and more pike anglers are using these rudder-like bits of kit for trolling and even so-called walk-trolling along rivers, drains and canals .

Some have dabbled with making their own. This US website has plans and instructions for the DIY-minded.

Hat tip the excellent Trollscot for flagging it up, here's an article on using planers. The rest of the site is well worth a look if you're into fishing big waters.

Scottish zander rumours quashed

An interesting post on a scottish angling blog looks at whether zander have been illegally intorduced to a loch. More here.

Dee pike don't like deads, says Dave

Dave Edwards blog features the interesting conundrum of trying to catch pike from a river which has a lot of prey fish. The deads don't work, he's concluded.

The PAC and the Angling Trust

The Pike Anglers Club has not declined to pay for membership of fishing's new governing body the Angling Trust, as the Great Yarmouth Mercury reports.

The PAC - which is also not known as the National Pike Angling Club - belongs to one of the organisations responsible for its formation, the Specialist Anglers Alliance.

Chairman Colin Goodge said: "As a member of the SAA, we automatically became a member of the Angling Trust on January 5 and will be continuing this membership when it becomes due for renewal, as the PAC's national committee believes the unified angling body is a necessary step for the sport."

Follow the Pike Anglers Club on Twitter

The PAC now has a Twitter feed - if you use this phenomenally successful site to keep in touch with family, friends or colleagues why not follow us..?

Follow the link to find us - http://twitter.com/PikeAnglersClub

Gord heads for 100th Windy twenty

Weee Haaah...! Gord Burton's on track for his 100th twenty from Windermere, claims local rag the Formby Times.

"Local angler Gord Burton is almost in the record books with Lake Windermere," writes angling correspondent Ron Anderson.

"Gordon, nicknamed the ‘Piking Pirate’, has caught 99 20lb pike and only needs one more 20lb fish to reach the magical 100.

"This has never been achieved by any angler from one water and the angling press are all waiting for the final 20lb rod-bender."

Angling Trust gets under way

At long last there is a unified body to represent angling. You can read about the formation of the Angling Trust from the merging of the Anglers Conservation Association, Fisheries and Angling Conservation Trust, National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives, National Federation of Anglers, National Federation of Sea Anglers and Specialist Anglers Alliance here.

Visit the Angling Trust website to find out more about it's aims and the benefits of membership. You can also now join on-line.

Spanish catfish are getting bigger

VIVA ESPANA: Catfish Capers customers with a giant cat

Catfish Capers boss Martin Walker has sent us this update on how things have been going down in Sunny Spain.

Don't forget - a trip with Martin's outfit is top prize in this year's PAC Winter Raffle.

While not as many cats were caught in 2008 as there were in 2007, they're getting bigger, writes Martin.

We had three over 180lbs and 4 others over 170. One lucky chap, Percy Anscombe, landed cats of 184, 179 and a 160 a terrific result for the top lake. The carp are also packing on weight 2008 saw us landing over sixty 40lbers topped by Chris Smith's 51lber. I can see a greater number of carp anglers coming out this year.

Catfish Capers bookings are up on last year which must mean we're doing something right, but on the down side the pound has taken a real hammering. When our prices were set at the beginning of 2008 the £ was worth 1.30 Euro.

To raise our prices now would be suicide so I've looked closely at other ways to make saving/sales. Historically August (because of the heat and family beach holidays) and December/ January (too cold??) have been very slow to book but if you take a look at our catch returns the fishing is slower but still a lot better than staying at home in the UK.

Rather than having apartments empty it makes more sense to have them filled - they are already paid for (rented annually). Another reason for the deal I am about to offer is that I now own a Bar "The Jolly Fisherman" (yeah yeah I can hear it now what's a grumpy old git like me doing naming something Jolly ha ha ha).

When I have no clients out the bar is empty and no locals come in (not good) but when the bar looks busy with my clients in it the locals come in as well so hopefully you will eat and drink in the bar and we'll all be Jolly Fishermen!.

So to fill up these quieter months (January, August and December) I have the following offer

£150 for a week part-guided

So what do you get for this:

Free pick up from and drop off to Zaragoza airport;

Shared room in apartment;

Breakfast in the bar (full English);

Packed lunch;

All tackle (please bring your own reels and terminal bits if you wish to fish for carp);

Fishing licence;

Use of boat;

Guides will get you to the river and get you going, and return later to take you home at end of session.


I have already had a good response to this offer (it's been on the web site a week) so don't take too long making your mind up.

As for the rest of the year several months are now nearly full.

For more info click here to go to their website, or tel: 01494 488382 or mob: 07973 230957.

Picture claimed to be 60lbs pike

A French blogger has published pictures of what are claimed to be pike of 30 and 24kg.

Click here to see them.

Freeze-up hits piking latest

ICE BREAKER: Mark McLaughlin clears some water to fish.

Not everyone's bothered by a bit of ice, according to Irish piker Mark McLaughlin.

In an e-mail to the PAC in response to a forum post about frozen waters, he reports: "Here's one of a large irish water and me breaking the ice in the boat - and we still caught...."

Things are looking grim as an unseasonal cold snap descends on much of the British Isles.

Tonight club member Danny Jones told the PAC Forum: "Three quarters of Llyn Brenig and some of Lake Bala were frozen last weekend.

"Some of the large lakes in Snowdonia are totally frozen, there are photos in the local papers of people skating."

Colin Alchin, from Essex, added: "Essex lakes I've seen in the last few days are frozen solid, mates report Thames Valley gravel pits are also frozen and ice in margins of rivers.

"Sea freezing at Padstow according to the weather man just now. Minus-11 at Benson (south of Oxford) currently. Minus 4.5 currently where I am south of Chelmsford (minus 6.5 this morning)."

Chris Bishop, from West Norfolk, said: "Many of the drains and stillwaters in the Fens are frozen. I'd check the weather if you're thinking of fishing in this part of the world at the weekend, and wrap up warm if you're daft enough to be out."

Click here for more.

Accidental angler flosses Thames pike

TV's Accidental Angler, aka Norfolk-based fishing correspondent for The Field Charles Rangeley-Wilson, chronicles a day's pike fly fishing on the Thames on his blog.

Pour yourself a warming glass of something, sit down and click here to enjoy a trip with the Pike Whisperer.

Skaters take to the f-f-frozen Fens

ROCK HARD PIKE FISHING: Ice sets in as temperatures plummet.

Tha'ss a bit hard for pike fishing in the Fens - so get yer skates on...

Ice skaters took to the frozen Welney Washes today for the first time in more than a decade, the Cambridgeshire Times reports today.

The vast wetlands, between the Delph and Hundred Foot River, on the Norfolk/Cambridgeshire border, were once the home of great skating contests, when skaters flocked from across the country to challenge Fen folk to races.

Many anglers are hanging up their rods, as waters up and down the country freeze.

Temperatures are tipped to dip as low as -10C tonight - colder than the Antarctic, as an unseasonal cold snap grips much of the country.

Forecasters predict warmer weather by the weekend. But many pikers are faced with an unexpected break in their winter campaign unless the ice clears.

Click here for a report from the Daily Mail on the cold snap.

***To check the forecast where you're hoping to fish, click here to access the excellent Metcheck service. Just enter your postcode, county or the nearest town and click on the tabs for an advance forecast.

Metcheck also allows you to set up e-mail alerts, to receive the following day's forecast for your chosen location direct to your inbox each afternoon.

RA 31 Change of Speakers

Due to unforeseen circumstances (work commitments) Mark Green has had to cancel his talk for Region 31 this Wednesday, I have replaced him with a two part talk:

Martin Salisbury - Author of the book 'Where to fish in Lancashire', Martin is a very passionate angler, he is an all round specimen hunter and a Committee member of Region 31 PAC. Martin will be talking on his all round exploits fishing for many species including pike and some VERY large continental catfish, this is the first time Martin has presented his slideshow and its one not to be missed

Martin James - Angling legend and BBC Radio DJ, Martin has entertained thousands of anglers over the years with his BBC Radio show 'At The Waters Edge' and has presented slideshows throughout the UK for over two decades, Martin will be presenting a general 'mixed bag' talk including question and answers.

Upstairs function room Caledonian Hotel, 154 Bolton Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, WN4 8PF (next to Tesco garage). Entry £3 for non-Region 31 Members and £2 for region 31 Members. Wednesday 7th January 8pm.


Jon Neafcy
R/O Region 31

A 20lbs fly-caught pike on the radio

A 20lbs fly-caught pike is one of the highlights of BBC Radio Ulster's Days Like This slot, where presenters talk about a memorable day in their lives.

Click here to listen on BBC iPlayer. Hat tip Daniel Cook for posting a link on the PAC Forums.

Ouse lost a boat before Christmas..?

Police are trying to trace the owner of what could be a pike angler's boat found on the River Ouse in Cambridgeshire.

The three-metre craft, with a camouflaged brown and white paint scheme, was found at Eacon Socon on December 19.

Anyone who might know the owner should call PCSO Alan Newman, at St Neots Police Station, on 0845 456 4564.

Mark Green and Peter Green at RA 31

Mark Green & Peter Green are presenting a slide show on Yorkshire Piking at Region 31 South Lancashire on Wednesday 7th January at 8pm.

Pete & Mark have a wealth of Pike fishing experience, Pete has served with the PAC Committee.

The venue is the Caledonian Hotel, 154 Bolton Road, Ashton-In-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN4 8PF.

£2 entry for region members - £3 for those who aren't a member of the region.

Prize raffle - first prize a copy of PAC 30 signed by some of the contributors. All welcome.

Hope to see you there.

Jon Neafcy

R/O Region 31

South Lancashire

A New Year's message from the PAC

Most of the country is suffering from the current cold snap seeing many waters with a lid on them, writes PAC president Phil Wakeford in a New Year's message to pike anglers.

"This means that for many of us any sport to be had is limited to fishing running water. If you are anything like me you feel the pull of the water to get you out for a few hours and wet a line.

"I did that yesterday and even though I was only rewarded with a small pike the effort was extreemly worthwhile in clearing the head and working up even more appetite for the New Years Eve celebrations.

"How many times has it been said that "there is so much more to fishing than catching fish" (I don't expect an answer) but for the vast majority of us it is so true.

"Seeing the waters in their Winter glory, the water fowl and other wildlife, trying your luck and perhaps being rewarded with a decent fish are all enough to get some of us out of the house.

"As far as the PAC is concerned we are alive and kicking. Our membership numbers are healthy and we are financuially sound. We could always do with more on both counts and are always searching for ways to achieve this.

"We can look back at successes during 2008 and indeed never let a serious threat to our species and the sport it can provide go unchallenged. For 2009 there are a number of isues building up that will require our collective attention.

"How will we ensure that pikers get a voice in the potentially mega Angling Unity group? How can we influence the outcome of the revision of The Angling Bill to our benefit, to name a couple of matters that will need our attention.

"Such is our lot and we will not shy away from it, what is more we are able to demonstrate serious strength in depth in the club as will be revealed when we announce the names of the incoming committee around May.

"So my message to the membership is a simple one. Stick with us and support the club. Try to encourage new members especially young ones or others who's membership has lapsed the battle will never be over. And above all, enjoy your pike fishing."