Tight Lines 04-18-09 || Toby Bags Prize Catfish at the Valley

A keen Norfolk teenager has heaved out a specimen fish that most adults can only dream of - a massive 43lb 11oz catfish.

Toby Long, 14, was fishing the Yew Tree Lake - one of several prolific waters in the Waveney Valley Lakes complex near his home - during his Easter holiday.

Altogether he bagged three cats over 30lbs plus his career best, all of them tempted by halibut boilies on a size 4 hook to 15lb bs reel line.

"My previous best catfish came in at 38lb last year, but this Easter I beat that figure twice, first with a 39-pounder and then the big one that kept me busy for about 20 minutes before it was in the landing net," said the happy Bungay High School pupil who is actually doing a spell of work experience on the famous fishery.

"I love it here and do anything asked of me … in between the fishing of course," he grinned.

So does he want to become involved in fishery management when he completes his education? "It's a possibility but I want to go on to university and see what happens after that," he said.

Ü The delighted angler to go through to the mega rich Fish-O-Mania extravaganza where the winner will walk away with £25,000 from the 16 man showdown at the Cudmore Pool in July is Chris Vandervliet of the Maver/Image/VDE sponsors group.

The Essex ace emerged triumphant from peg number two on the Barford Match Lake on Wednesday where he amassed a splendid total of 138lb 6oz by fishing pellet up in the water.

Lee Thornton (Cambridge) ran in close, finishing with 130lb 9oz and the top local performer was Dave Reeve (Carp Vader) with 11lb 15oz.

Barford's next important event is the Angling Trust Team Challenge tomorrow between squads of five skippered by well-known angling celebrities.

This competition is designed to acquaint match anglers with the perceived benefits of joining the Trust and £13 of the entry fee is topped up with £7 comprising the Barford pegging fee. That sum will automatically be the annual subscription to the Trust for each competitor, or if already paid up for an angling friend or acquaintance.

Ü On the commercial pleasure lakes three North Norfolk teenagers have made a name for themselves.

They are John Bywaters, aged 16, from East Runton, Sam Walsh, 15, from Cromer and Miles Hughes, 15, North Walsham. This trio together reeled in 44 carp up to 13½lbs with their aggregate estimated in the region of 300lbs or more of hard fighting mirror and common carp.

Taswood relinquished the usual crop of various carp species to over 30lbs with the leader of the pack ardent enthusiast Ryan Hammond of Oulton Broad with a 32lb 14oz mirror. Other 30s, all of them commons, fell to Darren Stamp of Caister who had two others in the high 20s, Geoff Benson, Stalham, and Eddie Atkinson of Thorpe Market.

Other 20s were noted by Matthew Cox of Norwich, Jason Lowe of Tasburgh and Suffolk duo Stacey Bond and Rob Bubb.

Carp to the mid-20s featured at Waveney Valley where Peter Charles of Blofield and Dave Martin of Lowestoft had the best of them.

Taverham Lake fish require more sunshine on their backs and the only catch of note was a brace of mirrors around the 20lb mark for Martin Hicks of Thorpe.

At Swangey Lakes there were numerous fish just on the high side of 20lbs, the best of them taken by Tony Bowes and Richie Smith of Attleborough, Simon Atkins of Norwich and the Allen brothers of Diss.

Hall Farm Burgh Castle came into form for Herbie Patz of Gorleston who put in a three day marathon to land 58 carp, the best a 16lb common.

Ü More good news for sea anglers from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea which forecasts a healthy recovery of cod stocks in the North Sea this year.

This splendid news comes on top of a report that Caister on Sea commercial fisherman Paul Dyble hooked a massive 41lb cod on one of his long lines.

Now recent surveys indicate that local breeding cod stock could top the critical 75,000 tonne mark for the first time in more than 10 years and that was the vital number that had to remain stable if cod were ever to be taken off the seriously threatened fish list.

Norwich sea angler and tackle dealer John Lambert said: "Three pieces of good news in as many months. No sea rod licence, no catch quotas and now more cod for us. It cannot get much better than this so let's hope it all comes true."

Source: http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/sport/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=Sport&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=Sport&itemid=NOED17%20Apr%202009%2011%3A53%3A45%3A853

Article by Roy Webster
17 April 2009 07:00