WEEKLY CROSSWORD

(* indicates an anagram) ACROSS 1 Ireland’s second-longest river – gear transporter? (6) 5 Lakeside Cumbrian village (*no tonics) (8)

9 Chevin is another name for this fish (4)

10 Rubbery material part of catapult (5)

11 Flat-bodied fishes related to sharks (4)

12 Snake that crushes ... a White Acres snake lake (6) 14 Used for connecting e.g. spade end to line (4,4)

15 Dry, scented cheese loved by barbel (*near Spam) (8) 17 __ Firth lies between England/Scotland (6) 19 Type of wet fly – eightlegged insect (6) 21 Pungent bait flavouring (*in border) (5,3)

23 Cornish castle linked to King Arthur (*get Latin) (8) 25 See 26dn.

27 Non-metric measure often used for maggots (4)

28 Wire used in e.g. lure fishing (5)

29 Rigs with 3 or more baits on hair: Greedy ___ (4) 30 Boost (*nicer sea) (8) 31 Growls angrily “Knots!” (6)

DOWN

2 ___ Canal in Leics is linked to Coventry canal (5)

3 First name of anglers Hughes and Hales (3) 4 Nine-lake E. Sussex angling centre (*NW sadly) (7)

5 Practice where captured fish is set free, unharmed (5,3,7)

6 Poisonous (7)

7 __ pegging: float fishing working bait down swim (5) 8 Use an aerator (*aye, go next) (9)

13 Warm and damp (5) 16 Cold-blooded creature, e.g. newt (9)

18 Famous strain of carp – in Ribble, NE Yorks! (5) 20 Boating event/festival (7) 22 Another name for corks/ floats (7)

24 Instructor – *sort of trout! (5)

26/25 His record 18lb 3oz River Nene barbel (Aug. 2016) was beaten a few weeks later (5,6)

29 Used in sticks and fishnet, it dissolves in water (3)