Carp fits as Laurence goes big

LAURENCE BURCHALL has taken one of the finest carp catches of the year – from a canal!

The Camberley-based angler banked a stunning 36lb 7oz common, together with a number of big twenties, after a pre-season pre-baiting campaign concentrated the fish in one area.

Targeting a boat-turning bay on his local Basingstoke Canal, Laurence took to a dingy to introduce hemp and boilies before presenting his boilie hookbait over the top. He caught a mid-twenty on his first trip, a 28lb

12oz mirror on the second and added the

36lb 7oz common and two further twenties on subsequent visits. A NUMBER of the UK’s biggest fishing clubs have banned angling on river stretches as Britain endures its longest heatwave for decades.

Hereford DAA and Ross AC, both of which have water on the River Wye, have issued a ‘No fishing’ ban, while Scunthorpe AA announced its sections of the River Trent have been closed.

Meanwhile, the Barbel Society has also acted, shutting the doors on the two stretches it owns on the rivers Trent and Severn.

With river levels continuing to run dangerously low on a number of waterways, other clubs and associations are expected to follow suit. DRENNAN Team England picked up a creditable bronze medal in the European Championships.

The two-day event was on Slovenia’s River Sava, a fast-flowing, deep river where bream, barbel and carp were the target.

Led by Steve Sanders and Mark Downes, England’s mix of youth and experience scored well on both days to finish behind Italy and Hungary.

SWEET BREAM: John Miles enjoyed a successful trip to a Fenland Drain, this impressive bream the best of a 40lb bag taken on waggler tactics. He used a worm and maggot cocktail on the hook.