Angling round-up: Read comes close to grass carp record...

Local angler Malcolm Read has been targeting this big fish since the start of the current season in June.

During this period Malcolm has landed a phenomenal 31 doubles, weighing in excess of 530lb - the largest being a common of 27lb.

All of his fish were taken on bait with Knash flavoured liver amino sense appeal, but still the grass carp eluded him.

However, a change of bait to whisky and liver boilies and a five-hour session saw Malcolm's rod bend into yet another big fish.

Eight powerful runs later Malcolm had the fish he had been waiting for on the bank.

Assisted by a bailiff the fish was carefully weighed, photographed and returned.

It is thought that this is probably the largest of the grass carp in the lake and was caught during October 1997 at 25lb.

Thirty something - Malcolm Read displays his massive 30lb 8oz grass carp taken at Hadleigh reservoir. The big fish was only 2lb off the British record at the time of capture

Big Boy reward for Nick

Basildon's Nick Lickfold has achieved one of his angling ambitions, landing the famed Lake Meadows carp "Big Boy" at a weight of 23lb 15oz.

The fish came during a week which saw at least eight 20lb plus carp taken at Lake Meadows. This included four 20 pounders taken in one night, and Nick very nearly missed out on the action!

After spending two days in bed nursing a stomach ulcer Nick was not feeling at his best, but still decided to spend an evening at the lake.

Not long after setting up at the point he perked up tremendously when an 18lb mirror carp picked up his homemade mainline boilie. This was followed shortly after a smaller carp of 13lb.

Later in the session he hooked the near 24lb fish, with his stomach problems completely forgotten when he realised that he had "Big Boy" safely in his net.

The biggest common of the week fell to Basildon angler Chris Kolwe who landed a superb 22lb fish from the houses bank.

Chris took the fish, his first ever twenty, on an activate boilie fished in the margins.

Three other anglers took personal best 20lb plus carp at Lake Meadows during the week. Mark Harris fished the point to land a mirror of 21lb 14oz.

The fish, his first ever twenty pounder, fell to a shop bought boilie fished under his rod tip. Gordon Richards fished alongside the boathouse hedge to land a personal best mirror carp of 21lb 8oz.

Gordon, who had fished for carp for seven years without catching an elusive twenty, took the fish on freelined luncheon meat.

The fourth personal best carp taken at Lake Meadows during the week fell to Jason Read who landed a mirror of 20lb 1oz from the houses bank.

Youngster braves the elements at Doggetts

Doggett's carp anglers braving the torrential conditions have been well rewarded this week although the float fishermen were conspicuous by their absence during the worst of the storms.

Junior Martin Banks landed an excellent mixed bag of bream and roach, on a feeder from the east bank, totalling 25lb.

The size of the bag wouldn't break any records but 12-year-old Martin's determination deserved a prize as he fished through storms and gales without a brolly or waterproofs.

Haul of the week at the Rochford water goes to Leigh angler Lee Jackson who fished for a day on the long arm to land mirrors of 13lb, 15lb plus a superb common of 20lb 8oz . . . although it didn't rain at all when he was fishing!

Southend angler Kevin Horn fished a night session on the south bank and landed two mirrors of 8.25lb and 15.25lb.

Friend Alan Turner also got amongst the carp with two specimens weighing 11.5lb plus a near 18lb fish.

Adam Nod, from Leigh, also fished the south bank to take some good sized tench along with an 8lb common.

Junior member Jamie Green had a 13lb mirror from the north bank and lost two decent fish.

Canal stretch comes up trumps for Steve at Gloucester Park Carp have been producing tremendous sport at Basildon's Gloucester Park lake, with Steve Bailey taking eleven fish from a swim on the canal stretch.

The first two hours of his session were especially hectic, producing seven fish.

At one stage he had two fish on at once! Fortunately the angler in the next swim came to help with the netting and Steve was able to land both fish. One weighed 13lb 2oz, and the other 8lb!

Later in the session he was to take an even better fish of 13lb 12oz, to follow the specimen of 15lb 6oz he had landed at the venue the previous day.

Fourteen-year-old Adam Clark had one of the biggest carp of the week from Gloucester Park when he landed an 18lb mirror from the Little Bay.

He also landed a common of 12lb. Both Adam and his companion Nick Gregory lost tackle to a number of big fish.

The two biggest pole catches of the week fell to Gloucester Park regular Dave Hemmings who took hauls of 103lb and 106lb from the little bay.

The 106lb catch consisted of 27 fish, including carp of 12lb 4oz, 12lb 5oz and 14lb 1oz! On both occasions he fished luncheon meat, pellet and sweetcorn.

Richard Wells and his son Chris shared an estimated 140lb plus catch when they fished the Gloucester Park Cockle Bank.

They started of their session float fishing with cockles, pellet and sweetcorn baits, before switching to boilies.

Their catch consisted of carp into double figures, bream, tench, barbel, and some big roach.

As well as the eight 20lb plus fish there have been a host of double figure specimens taken at Lake Meadows over the past week.

Paul Walden and his nine year old son Marcus are in the news for the second week running, both having taken double figure fish.

This time Paul set the ball rolling with a mirror of 18lb 10oz, tempting the fish from the point with a mainline boilie.

A couple of hours later it was the turn of nine year old Marcus who landed a common of 12lb. Last week Marcus netted a 20lb plus common from the same swim.

Society suffer in Suffolk

Basildon and District Angling Society faced a tough day's fishing when they travelled to Pecks Meadow, on the Suffolk Stour, Sudbury.

The club coach took the 20 anglers to the venue to find the river really pushing through due to the heavy rain during the week.

The travelling party were not helped by the local rowing club who also chose to make use of the fast flowing water.

It was the pole method that proved the most successful on the day with the winner's spoils going to John Bell.

John landed 5lb 15oz of roach using pinkies and worms as his bait.

He also hooked a big bream during the session only to see a rower go straight through his line causing him to lose both the fish and his rig.

Runner-up was Dave Peck who chose to fish with the pole and feeder rod.

He caught several roach, perch, gudgeon and a bream for a weight of 4lb 15oz - all with maggot.

Third place went to Pete Lovett with a mixed bag of roach, perch and gudgeon weighing 2lb 13oz, all caught on the pole using maggot tempter.

13 lucky for Terry

A haul of 13 fish proved lucky for Terry Pritlove in the Lobster Smack Sea Angling Club's latest monthly contest.

He was on David M when he landed his winning catch, weighing 4.22kg, of two cod, nine eels and two dabs.

Second and third places went to anglers aboard Haven Lad.

Runner-up Paul Sanders caught a 2.5kg total, comprising a cod, a flounder, an eel and two whiting.

He just pipped Mick Clark, whose 2.30kg haul included an eel and four whiting.

The biggest fish caught was a cod of 1.50kg, netted by Angie Anderson on Coral Mist.

Eight boats and 35 anglers took part in the event.

Next up for the Lobster Smack club is an Open Boat competition on November 28.

You can get entry forms from Graham Jefferys on 01268 695704 or John Anderson on 01375 643376

Codling join ever-increasing shoals

The shoals of whiting are now thickening every day, with several codling also mingling amongst them.

The best reported colding from Southend is an encouraging 6lb. Let's hope this a sign of things to come.

Conditions round-up

Southend boats

Still summer fish left with the best falling to Roy Thompson on his boat the Marlin of an 8lb bass.

There are also eels and dogfish to be had, while increasing numbers of whiting, codling, pouting and dabs ensure that you have an active day.

Southend Pier

Very soon the whiting fishing from the head of the pier should improve, together with the last of the mackerel and a few flounders inshore.

Southend Beaches

Very little action at the moment but in a week or two there should be more whiting on the night tides.

River Crouch

Alan from the Tartar reports increasing numbers of whiting and also plenty of eels still left.

In another week or two the fishing from the shore should dramatically improve.

River Blackwater

Terry Batt on the Vicky Emma reports that the whiting are becoming very thick especially on the north side of the river towards Clacton.

Last week they were getting only a few fish, however numbers are now up to over 100 per boat.

Codling to 2lb, dogfish, roker, eels and a few bass can also be expected. The best bait for action being lugworm, squid and mackerel.

Canvey

The first few whiting have been turning up on the night tides.

Things will continue to improve over the next few weeks.

Sea round-up

Contact Bait and Tackle's Ray Power on 01702 617764.

Results

On Monday night the Bait and Tackle Centre held their evening match on Wescliff beach with very poor results.

The winner's pot went to Rollo Rollings with a top weight of 11 1/4oz which included the heaviest flat specimen.

He won £130 for his efforts, but the preacher of pools did not enter the super pool of £70 which the second placed man, Dennis Hales, took along with £62.50 for a 6 1/2oz flounder.

In third spot was Martin Grossman with 5oz and the heaviest round fish went to Ian Reynolds - a 2 1/2oz eel.

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