Famous river’s roach boost
ONE of the sport’s most famous rivers has been stocked with thousands of roach.
The Hampshire Avon – a mecca for specimen hunters – had seen silver fish numbers slump through poor spawning and cormorant activity.
But thanks to the endeavours of Trevor Harrop, of the Avon Roach Project, the species is now recovering on the waterway. Angling is joining the war on plastic and litter after the sport’s governing body launched the Take 5 campaign.
The Angling Trust is calling on fishermen to help clear rivers, lakes, canals and coastline by spending five minutes after fishing to remove five items of litter.
Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Trust, said: “Anglers are an army of volunteers who respect the environment and can play a huge role in keeping our waterways clear of plastic.” A Midlands angling club has been awarded a government grant to transform a lake into a top fishery.
Nottingham Federation of Anglers has landed over £60,000 from Sport England to renovate Finger Ponds.
The venue will celebrate its restoration with a Spring Into Fishing open day on June 16 – the traditional opening day of the fishing season. Non anglers can try their luck for free. Ross Harold has booked his place in the Golden Reel Final after winning the Monk’s Lake qualifier with 171lb 4oz of carp.
Fishing a far bank reed margin with pole tactics at 16 metres, he used 6mm pellets on the hook to take fish to 12lb.