Carlisle angler Dave Taylor has had a productive months fishing to say the least. Not satisfied with having landed a new personal best chub of 6 lb 6 oz and carp of 20 lb 12 oz and 19 lb 13 oz in recent weeks, Dave set his sights on a big bream from Longtown’s West Pond. After two overnight sessions at the specimen fish venue nine miles north of Carlisle he was not disappointed having landed seven double figure bream including a new venue record at 14 lb 10 oz which beat the waters previous best bream of 14 lb 6 oz caught by Cumbrian carp angler Dave Storey last season. Last year the ultra hard Cumbrian big fish water produced 36 bream in excess of 10 lb, including two 13-pounders, as well as Dave Storey’s former record. This season however, because of the heaviest weed growth for many years, few anglers have fished for the bream. So with the onset of the colder weather and the weed growth dying back at the 20 acre ex gravel pit Dave picked a 10 foot deep swim at the base of a gravel bar that rose to within 3 ft of the surface and baited with a mixture of fish meal groundbait, pellets, Fusion boilies and sweetcorn. Soon after dark on his first session line bites signalled that there were bream moving in Dave’s swim but try as he might he could not get a take until midnight when his popped up Fusion boilie fished in conjunction with a PVA bag of mixed pellets was taken by a two tone bream weighing 11 lb 13 oz. At 1:30 am Dave’s buzzer signalled another take as a 12 lb 15 oz bream accepted his critically balanced sweetcorn tipped with maggots and fished in conjunction with a method feeder. At 6 am Dave added an 8 lb 12 oz fish to the same method feeder and sweetcorn tactics. The following weekend Dave fished the same swim on what turned out to be the coldest night of the year so far and spent much of the night thawing out his rod rings between takes. On this occasion the bream got their heads down over Dave’s groundbait earlier in the night and his first fish of 8 lb 12 oz came at 6:50 pm. This was followed by bream of 10 lb 7 oz, 8 lb 12 oz, then at 9:15 pm came the big slab that Dave wanted which, on the scales proved to be 14 lb 10 oz, a new West Pond record. At 10 pm Dave landed another double at 10 lb 4 oz, followed by an 11 lb 4 oz bream that Dave recognised instantly as a fish that has been caught by other anglers at the West Pond but never over 11 lb before. This bream has no dorsal fin and a scar on one flank. Dave’s final bream of the night came at 03:05 am and weighed 10 lb 13 oz. Later examination of the photographs have shown that Dave’s record breaking bream is the same fish that Dave Storey caught at 14 lb 6 oz in September 2003. That capture won Dave Storey a 2004 – 2005 season ticket for breaking a West Pond record and with only two months of the West pond season left it looks as if it could do the same for Dave Taylor, unless someone catches a bigger bream during January or February. The season at Longtown’s West Pond, now runs from February 26th to February 25th the following year. This came about due to the fishery being closed for 12 months during the foot and mouth outbreak. For further details about the West Pond call Chris on 01228 674519 or view www.bowmanfishman.fsnet.co.uk. REDFA Presentations West Pond fishery manager Chris Bowman is also in the news. The River Eden and District Fisheries Association is a voluntary statutory consultative, which seeks to protect and inform all fishing interests in the Eden catchment. At REDFA’s recent 54th Annual General meeting in the George Hotel, Penrith, two of the regions hard working angling ambassadors received recognition for their work within the Eden catchment. Willie Graham of Carlisle Angling Association received the Eden Cruaich, a specific fishing lifetime achievement award for his tireless work over the years for the CAA, anglers and angling within the area. Willie is 87 years of age, has fished the river Eden all his life and has given a lifetime’s service to the CAA, serving as a committee member for over 40 years from the early 1950’s until 1995, including several years as chairman in the late 50’s early 60’s. He was responsible for introducing free CAA membership for pensioners who had been members for 10 consecutive years. He also represented the Association on the Cumberland and Westmorland Angling Alliance for many years and, always aware of the importance of angling clubs and associations, was instrumental in ensuring that if any C&WAA member clubs fell upon hard times they could be supported by other C&WAA associations. Willie also represented the CAA on REDFA’s general purposes committee for many years and was always supportive of REDFA’s role of representing all angling interests within the catchment.
Both of Willie’s sons Walter and Tommy Graham have served the CAA. Tommy being secretary of the Association for many years. Also receiving recognition for his work was Cumberland News Angling correspondent, fishery management consultant and angling instructor Chris Bowman. Chris received the Peter Ecroyd Trophy from Charles Ecroyd. The trophy, in the memory of Charles’ late father Peter, himself a former chairman and ex president of the River Eden and District Fisheries Association, is awarded annually for services to angling within the Eden catchment. Chris is a committee member and former secretary of the Carlisle and District Coarse Angling Club and represents the club on the general purposes committee of the River Eden and District Fisheries Association. Until recently Chris also represented the area’s coarse anglers on the Environment Agencies Regional Fisheries Ecology Recreation Advisory Committee, however, Chris has recently stood down from RFERAC in order to concentrate on his work and his latest project. He is presently working towards seeking charitable status to assist in bringing the benefits that participation in angling can bring to individuals from all backgrounds and of all abilities, to a wider population free of charge. During his time as a Professional Anglers Association coach it has become apparent to him that those who stand to benefit most from participation in angling are for a variety of reasons not able to easily access the sport. To this end he is in the process of forming a non profit making company and seeking charitable status to achieve the aim of removing as many of the barriers to participation in angling as possible for all groups of the population regardless of age, ability, race, religion or social background with particular emphasis within Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway, Northumberland and the Scottish Borders for disadvantaged and disabled juniors and adults, those at risk of criminal or anti-social behaviour and those undergoing rehabilitation from crime, drugs and alcohol, to introduce them to the sport of angling for free. Encourage and support them to continue to fish on a regular basis (with equipment, water access, club membership, licences). Provide opportunities to expand their interest into associated education (e.g. environmental training) and/or vocation (e.g. angling & fishery management qualifications). In order to provide opportunities for enjoyment and achievement, develop self discipline, confidence, self esteem and a sense of belonging. To build personal life skills – leadership, team work and mentoring. Improve educational levels, particularly literacy and numeracy. Enhance wildlife conservation and biodiversity. All leading to a reduction in crime and anti social behaviour, truancy, first time offending and reoffending. In order to support market research and subsequent business plan for the charity Chris would like to receive expressions of interest from any potential user groups and potential funders / sponsors. You can contact Chris on 01228 674519. |
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