WEEKLY CROSSWORD
Across
1 Nickname for 4-armed straplead (4,3) 5 Berks. venue, Lake ___ – wild! (6) 8 Wales’ largest natural lake (4) 9 Reel with optional drag system (*inter-urban) (10) 10 Encounters (5) 11 In one form, they’re wicker lobster pots (7) 13 Bright red like rudd’s fins (7) 15 Small round edible seeds (*net sill) (7) 17 Blot on the landscape (7) 19 Rock-clinging shellfish (7) 21 Thames-side village (*Mac Hook) (7) 23 Large-bodied ray (5) 24 Sea/game fishing term for zig-zag technique on topwater lures (*what old keg) (4,3,3) 26 Contents of mermaids purses (4) 27 Nickname of Derek Richie – Mafia boss? (3,3) 28 In fishing to hand, it’s replaced by a flick-tip (7)
Down
1 ‘Big Fish Off’ co-presenter (*N.E. academy) (4,5) 2 Non-professional – *a mature sort? (7) 3 e.g. blocks of bread or cheese bait (5) 4 North Yorkshire resort – setting for Dracula (6) 5 Knighted man ... in contests, Ireland (3) 6 Twin anglers, Dave and Mick ___ (7) 7 Stillwater canal floats are hardly colourful (5) 12 Stumpy waggler for trotting fast swims (*spice) (5) 14 Soil – in gear then? (5) 16 Sluggish, like fish in cold weather (*light race) (9) 18 Frightened fish (7) 20 Strong-smelling, like Robin Red (7) 21 Instructor e.g. at National School of Angling (5) 22 Small gnat-like fly (5) 23 Hook with inturned eye / swept shank (5) 25 Female salmon in Hythe, now! (3)