ANGLING

By Colin Scull

AFTER many discussions over several years, angling has moved forward with the launch of a National Anglers' Alliance.

The Alliance is made up of the National Federation of Anglers, Salmon and Trout Association, National Federation of Sea Anglers, Angling Trade Association, Specialist Anglers Conservation Group and National Association of Fisheries, and Angling Consultatives and has laid down nine objectives.

They are:

l To raise the status of freshwater and sea fisheries in the perception of the public, government and agencies;

l To secure the improvement of all recreational fisheries;

l To secure more funds for freshwater and sea fisheries work;

l To improve water quality and safeguard water resources;

l To establish the socio-economic importance of angling;

l To improve participation in angling;

l To generate more support for constituent organisations;

l To obtain better funding for angling for Sport England and all other possible sources;

l To protect and promote the sport of angling.

For many years angling has been among the poor relations when grant aid was handed out and it hoped that one of the first benefits of the new body will be better support for the sport from government sources such as Sport England and the Lottery.

The government has recently announced a £50 million fund to promote health, education and environmental projects throughout the UK and the NFA is bidding for a £1 million share.

President Ken Ball said: "Angling is the perfect sport to get children off the streets and into the countryside and I can't see why the application will be denied."

There were some reasonable weights in the Lavington match on Sunday at Merritt's Lake. Lavington junior angler Gareth Cooper showed a clean pair of heels to all his seniors with a fine winning catch of carp weighing 56lb, taken on pole fished red maggots on a 10 hook.

Mick Dean, of Melksham, was second with another carp catch weighing 35lb 6oz, taken on pole fished sweet corn on a 12 hook. Oliver Keats, of Bradford, was third with another carp catch weighing 31lb 8oz, taken alternating with pole fished red maggots and casters on a 16 hook.

Other placings: 4 Graham Pearce, Lavington, 28lb 8oz; 5 Tony Weeks, Lavington, 21lb 4oz; 6 Robert Hiscocks, Trowbridge, 20lb 14oz.

Despite an overnight frost the Kennet and Avon Canal at Avoncliff fished well on Sunday for the Airsprung Sweepstake event.

Ian Stainer, of Trowbridge, won with a mixed catch of tench, roach and skimmers weighing 8lb 4oz, taken on pole fished squats and pinkies on a 22 hook.

Richard Merritt, of Trowbridge, was second with another tench, roach and skimmer catch weighing 6lb 12oz taking his tench on pole fished chopped worm and casters and the remainder of his catch on squat and pinkies. Dean Bird, of Bradford, was third with an all roach catch weighing 6lb 5oz, taken on pole fished squats and pinkies on a 22 hook.

Other placings: 4 Kelvin Oliver, Bradford, 5lb 4oz; 5 Richard Stainer, Trowbridge, and Jonathon Yelland, Trowbridge, 4lb 3oz.

There was a good entry for the Bradford Open match on Sunday on the Avon at Barton Farm.

Brian Hague, of Melksham, won with an all roach catch weighing 14lb 2oz taking his fish on pole fished bronze maggots on an 18 hook. Howard Carpenter, of Trowbridge, was second with a mixed catch of bream and tench weighing 12lb 13oz, taken on feeder fished red maggots on an 18 hook.

Mike Withey, of Westbury, was third with a bream and roach net weighing 8lb 3oz, taken on feeder fished red maggots on an 18 hook.

Other placings: 4 Geoff Matthews, Trowbridge, 7lb 15oz; 5 Keith Lucas, Melksham, 7lb 13oz; 6 Jim Escott, Melksham, 7lb 12oz.

Roach made up the bulk of the weights in the Chippenham match on Sunday on the Avon.

Mick Ash, Chippenham, took top prize with an all roach 8lb 2oz 8dm, taking his catch on pole fished casters on an 18 hook.

Mark Wooldridge, of Chippenham, was second place with another all roach catch weighing 7lb 7oz 8dm taken on Avon floated bronze maggots on an 18 hook. Trevor Payne ,of Chippenham, was third with another roach catch weighing 6lb 9oz.