Fell lands top job in coarse fishing

Fell, 59, will be at the head of the 300 plus clubs and 23,000 members of the National Federation of Anglers after winning 60 per cent of the votes for president at the organisation's annual conference in Wakefield.

Fell, a local magistrate and senior convener for the Transport and General Workers' union at Cooper-Avon-Tyres at Melksham, has spent the last two years as vice-president but is relishing the extra responsibility.

He said: "It is a great honour to have been given the position as it is something I have always been interested in doing. I will be representing a lot of people so it will be busy but hopefully I can help to make a difference.

"After being vice-president for two years it was a natural progression for me to become president and I am grateful to everyone who supported me."

"It is still early days but my main task has to be to make sure the interests of anglers are represented.

"Fishing is still the largest participant sport in England but with all the pressure there is on our water from environment agencies the worries of anglers need to be heard.

"We take issues on the environment very carefully and it is important we work with the various organisations.

"The standard of the water and the protection of the habitat are regular concerns but we are also interested in protecting these things."

A Devizes resident all his life, Fell's love affair with the sport began as a seven-year-old. He believes part of the sport's appeal is its accessibility for all, particularly in towns like Devizes, where a canal is prominent.

Fell, who is also the secretary of Devizes Angling Association, said: "Fishing is my great love. It is such a therapeutic sport and it gives a lot of enjoyment to a lot of people.

"It takes people out into the countryside where they can enjoy their beautiful surroundings. Fishing is very rewarding and as you are by the riverbank all your troubles seem to fade away."

Swindon Tribe didn't need spears to win the North Wessex Winter Grand team final, it came down to skill using poles.

The match held at Devizes AC's Crookwood Lake was a little patchy but there was some really good weights, the best coming from Swindon Tribe's Richard Baston who scorched home with a cracking 50-4-0 of tench and bream.

Dave Kirk (Turners) took second spot with 33-7-8 ahead of Ray Carter (Lobbies) 28-15-0.

Out of a possible 36pts the Tribe accumulated 27pts to fend off hot favourites on their own water Devizes Red 24pts, followed by Turners 23pts, Lobbies 20pts, Talisman and Devizes White both with 16pts.

Section winners: A: Brian Haigh 17-15-0 Devizes Red; B: Gary Williamson 24-0-8 Devizes Red; C: T Gilbert 25-10-0 Devizes Red; D: Graham Godwin 18-14-0 Turners; E: Dave Wilson 21-7-0 Turners; F: Robin Guy 18-15-8 Lobbies.

Kevin Bamford won his second successive Coleview Rover match in the second of a series of five matches, when he took 80-11-0 of carp at Bourton on the Water on Sunday. He again beat into second place John Jarman 72-15-0 and was followed by Andy Bright 66-10-0 and Keith Harris 48-8-0.

Greenhill Fishery Open: 1, Alan Clarke 16-4-0; 2, Alan Scully 12-12-0; 3, Cliff Brown 8-8-0.

There were some cracking weights in the Peatmoor and Three Counties match won by Peatmoor 105lb 2oz ti 78lb 8.5oz.

Top individual was Bryan Jackson of Peatmoor with 41lb of bream and tench on the pole. Runner up with 32lb 15oz of bream on the pole was young Nathan Reeves of Peatmoor. In third place was John Gaylard of Three Counties with 19lb 2oz and in fourth place with 14lb 8oz was Mark Wooldridge of Three Counties.

Weights were good and close in the BCA match on the big lake at Ivy House, where Ian Barker won from peg 22 with 40-4-0. Second was Sid Webb (peg 15) 40-2-0. Third Derek Hillier (peg 10) 40lb and fourth Terry Arnold 33-8-0.

Plaums AC's first match of the season: 1, Robert Keeping 44lb 4oz of tench/bream/roach; 2, Denis Mulholland 34-12-0 of tench and bream; 3, Dale Byrne 32-13-0 of bream.

Ivy House lakes match results: Wed Apr 21: 1, Simon Jones (40) 39-2-0; 2, Pete Sivell (38) 25-4-0; 3, Gary Etheridge (450 22-8-0; 4, Jon Andres (3) 4-0-0.

Friday Veterans: 1, Mick Robins (39) 29-10-0; 2, Derek Hillier (41) 20-4-0; 3, Jo Warner (35) 17-10-0.

Saturday: 1. Ray Russell (24) 78-0-0; 2. Simon Collins (38) 58-8-0; 3. Mark Baston (8) 40-14-0; 4. Mick Gale (23) 37-0-0; 5. Simon Jones (19) 30-8-0; Phil Powell (16) 30-8-0.

Sunday: Old Canal. 1, Allan Mitchell (13) 66-8-0; 2, Mick Gale (17) 53-8-0; 3, Jo Warner (7) 49-8-0; 4, Joe Thomson (19) 47-6-0.

Ridgeway Fisheries are holding three separate five series matches dates as shown below.

Match Series 1: Saturday May 15, May 29, June 19, July 3, July 17. Match Series 2: Sunday May 23, June 6, June 13, June 27, July 11. Match Series 3: Tuesday evening May 25, June 1, June 8, June 15, June 22. Saturday and Sunday matches: Draw 10am, fish 11am to 4pm.

Tuesday matches: Draw 5pm, fish 6pm to 9pm.

All matches £5 peg, £10 pool, £2.50 accumulative pool; first and last peg fees payable at first match; weekly pools: 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes; accumulative pool: 1st and 2nd prizes; Maximum of 36 pegs. Booking advised. Phone Emma on (01793) 434344.