Avon Angling "WhiteBait" Award 2009

Tony Rixon ask me to present this years "Whitebait - Rip Off"" award to Darren Gillman for his catch at Sedges Tile Lake on 28/06/2009. So last night I present Darren (pictured left - receiving his prize - not looking to pleased if you ask me) with a new Sensas landing net. Tony made the following comment (in his own words):

“I have just worked out how he manages to catch all those blips, they must have an excess of energy cos they ain't getting none at home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” PS: – Real men use these as pole pots!

On a sadder note anglers are mourning the death of Britain's biggest common carp after the famous fish was found poisoned in a lake.The 25-year-old, dubbed Benson, weighed a staggering 64lb (29kg) - and was worth £20,000.But the carp was found floating on the surface of Kingfisher Lake in the Bluebell Lakes complex near Tansor in Peterborough last Wednesday.A quantity of uncooked nuts, which are toxic to fish that swell up because they cannot process them, were found nearby on the bank.Tony Bridgefoot, 53, the owner of BluebellLakes, said that the angling community was stunned by Benson's death. He said: "This looks like the work of some very irresponsible anglers. We are all rocked by Benson's death. He was an iconic carp. "Large quantities of nuts have been found on the bank and in the margins, empty bags have also been found in the skips."It seems his demise was caused by the introduction of foods that are harmful to fish." Tony described Benson as a "stunning" fish who would leave a long legacy behind. "Benson was the biggest common carp in the country and I certainly believe him to be the most famous," he continued. Now you see why nuts are banned on most waters.

But more worrying still is the spin that the BBC have put on the death of Benson, see article link :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8183547.stm

I have made a comment to the BBC - which I think is unlikely to get published. "If 45% of all fish hooked die the there would be very few fish left in UK commercial fisheries - and Benson should have died before or on her third capture!"