ONE of the worrying features of angling in recent years has been the apparent decline in young people taking up fishing, but there is good news this week for angling clubs.

The latest set of figures given by the Environment Agency has shown an increase of 25 per cent in young people fishing in the past year.

The sale of rod licences has increased to 100,916 and the EA believes this may partly be due to the cutting of the cost of licences for juniors by 50 per cent.

With the NFA now investing in coaching with a network of coaches throughout the country this is also good news. Bathampton AA set an excellent example in coaching and encouraging young anglers and have an enthusiastic club coach in Rod Bracey.

Anyone wanting further information on junior angling with Bathampton can contact Rod Bracey on (01225) 338127.

The 2002 gala final of the Embassy Pairs Challenge will again be taking place in sunny Spain. There is good news for local anglers with a qualifying event being staged on the Kennet and Avon canal at Devizes.

Small roach and skimmers made up the bulk of the weights in the Airsprung Junior match fished on Sunday on the canal at Avoncliff.

Fifteen-year-old Miles Gasson, of Trowbridge, carried off top prize with a mixed catch of roach, skimmers and perch weighing 3lb 2oz taken on pole-fished pinkies on a 22 hook. Second prize went to 15-year-old Chris Oliver, of Bradford, with a roach and skimmer catch weighing 2lb 15oz 8dm taken on pole fished punched bread on a 20 hook.

Similar tactics gave third prize to

12-year-old Matthew Oliver, from Bradford, with another roach and skimmer catch weighing 1lb 6oz. Other placings: 4 Craig Yelland, Trowbridge, 15oz 8dm; 5 Faye Sandercott, Bradford, 9oz 8dm; 6 John Collins, Trowbridge, and George Holbrook, Trowbridge, 8oz 8dm.

Roach and skimmers were the main catches in the Airsprung Sweep fished on Saturday on the canal at Tithe Barn.

Kelvin Oliver, of Trowbridge, won with a mixed catch of roach and skimmers weighing 4lb 7oz 8dm for a comfortable win, taking his fish on pole-fished punched bread on a 20 hook.

There was a tie for second place between Trowbridge matchmen Ian Stainer and Tom Ince both with weights of 2lb 7oz 8dm.

Ian took a bag of roach and gudgeon on pole-fished punched bread on a 20 hook, while Tom took a mixed catch of roach and perch on pole-fished chopped worm on an 18 hook.

Competitors enjoyed excellent sport in the Wilts Angling open match fished on Sunday at Shearwater.

Nicky Johns, of Trowbridge, won a hard-fought contest with a mixed catch of skimmer, bream and tench weighing 36lb 12oz, taking his fish alternating with feeder-fished red maggots and worm on an 18 hook.

Ryan Heard, of Trowbridge, was second with a mixed catch of carp and skimmers weighing 34lb 2oz, taken on method feeder fished red maggots on an 18 hook.

He was followed by Paul Bond, of Warminster, with an all-skimmer catch weighing 32lb 9oz, taken alternating with feeder-fished sweetcorn and red maggots on a 16 hook.

Other placings: 4 Howard Carpenter, Trowbridge, 25lb 15oz; 5 Mike Higgins, Westbury, 24lb; 6 Gary Dallimore Frome 21lb 11oz.

By Colin Scull