Are you covered?

Have you checked if your fishing tackle is insured?
Theft of fishing tackle is sadly becoming more and more common. That is why it is important to know that you are properly covered by insurance. You may be covered by your home contents insurance but that is not guaranteed and is why it is wise to take out a specific policy. Insurance companies now offer some very good deals on fishing tackle insurance that will cover you for most eventualities.

It is a sad fact that anglers are being targeted more and more often by thieves. With some small tackle items costing hundreds of pounds they know they can walk away with a good haul in moments. It has recently been reported that thieves are now stealing to order by staking out commercial fisheries and following anglers back to their homes where they can then steal the specific items they have spotted.

A friend of mine was unfortunate enough to be the victim of such a theft recently. He was fishing on a private syndicate water and was at the end of a three day session. He had hardly seen anyone during those three days and thought he would be safe to leave his rods unattended while he nipped to the nearby toilets to relieve himself. When he returned not five minutes later he found his rods lying on the ground with all three of his bait-runners missing, they had also removed the bank stick which housed his three delkim alarms. He quickly scanned the area but could not see or hear anyone. The lake in question is quite remote and supposedly private property but this didn't deter the thief, In moments they had walked off with a good haul with no care to the feelings of their victim who unfortunately was never to see his prize delkims or bait-runners again. He reported the theft to the police and was told it was just one of a spate of similar thefts in the area. They took all the details but said there was little chance of making an arrest or retrieving his tackle.

After reporting the theft to the police my friend looked into his insurance and found that he was not covered for this eventuality, infact he was only covered by his home insurance if his fishing tackle had been stolen from his home while stored in a locked shed or garage and then there was a maximum he could claim for any one item. He then looked into his car insurance to see what cover that gave him and found that his insurance only covered a fraction of what his tackle actually cost if his car was to be broken into and his tackle was stolen. This was a real eye opener as he was sure he was totally covered. The good news is that he was covered under the syndicates insurance and through them he did indeed receive the full amount of what the reels and alarms cost to replace, but it was more by luck than design that he was covered for his loss. If you are a member of a syndicate or club you may be covered by their insurance while you are fishing at their waters but then again you may not! That is why it is so important to check if you are insured and what you are actually covered for?

When my friend told me about the theft I also looked into my insurance and found that my tackle was not properly covered. My fishing tackle not only cost me thousands of pounds, it is also my pride and joy. It gives me hours of pleasure and has taken me years to attain. If it was stolen I would be distraught. I know that there is no way that I could just go out and replace it all myself, I just don't have that sort of free cash at my disposal. Being a family man with children to support my hobby has to come after their needs. The only way I could hope to replace all of my tackle if it was stolen would be to claim on insurance. I decided that the only way I could have piece of mind would be to insure my fishing tackle on a separate policy that would cover me for any eventuality. I looked into what insurance is available and found a great deal with a company that specialises in insuring fishing tackle. It costs a small monthly premium to insure my tackle against theft and against accidental damage.

I don't want to go into the various policies that are available. I am not trying to sell you insurance. What I am trying to do is open your eyes to what could happen and advise you to check that you are properly covered in case of the worst! We can reduce the risk of theft by storing our tackle in a securely locked shed or garage and by ensuring that we never leave our gear unattended while its in the car or on the bank. I definitely do all of these but I am glad I have the extra protection of my insurance policy .

Try out the UK coarse Fishing Reviews Tackle Store

I am proud to say that there is now a UK Coarse Fishing Reviews online tackle store. The store offers a vast array of quality tackle items that will be delivered right to your door at the click of your mouse.

Check the Tackle store out to see a huge range of great products by all the leading brands. We are stockist of Daiwa, Chub, TF Gear, and Shakespere
products to name just a few.

If you want a top quality seatbox or just a bag of pellets you will find them at the UK Coarse Fishing tackle Store.

Simply click this link to browse the latest quality product range
UK Coarse Fishing Reviews tackle Store

Bream Record Smashed!

Britains Bream record has been smashed this week. The new record Bream weighs a mighty 22lb 9oz and was caught by Baitcraft boss Mike Mckenna during a session at the 160 acre Cambridge gravel pit Ferry Lagoon.

Mark from middlesex is the boss of bait company Baitcraft and caught the massive specimen on one of his own T1 pop-up Boilies. Mark was aiming to catch some of the venues big carp that go in excess of 40lb but instead his bait was picked up by the massive slab. The venue holds only a small head of Bream but some of those fish have grown to massive proportions and in 2005 it hit the headlines when James Rust set a new record at 19lb 10oz. It seems mark has banked the same fish at 22lb 9oz again setting a new record.

A few dedicated specimen hunters have targeted the water in hope of banking a record but due to its size and the small head of fish it is far from easy. Former Drennan cup winner Tony Gibson commented in the Angling Times this week "Ive been on the water for two seasons and not had a bite! I've seen one bream of about 8lb roll in all that time so i know numbers are incredibly low."

The massive Bream was weighed on two sets of scales and witnessed by a bailiff so getting the record excepted should be just a formality. Mark may not have caught the slab by design but it is a fantastic fish and we congratulate him with his new record.

To see an interview with Mark mckenna about his new bream record check out the Go Fishing website

You can find out more about mikes Bait at Baitcrafts main website here Baitcraft

You can follow Baitcraft on Twitter

Roach revival

Reports in the angling press this week suggest that the countries rivers are seeing a Roach revival with match and pleasure catches being the best for 20 years.

The angling times reports that a match on the River Yare in Norfolk was won with a winning weight of 58lb of Roach with three other 40lb nets of Roach and an average of 18lb of Roach per angler for the rest of the field. Match organiser Keith Ford said it was the best match he has seen in over 20 years and that every peg was now producing good weights of silverfish. This is excellent news after it seemed silverfish sport on our rivers was in a continual decline. And its not just on the River Yare that things are improving. Rivers such as the Thames,Trent and Wye are all showing much improved silverfish form as are many others country wide.

It is hard to pinpoint exactly why there are so many silverfish in our Rivers this year. Many Roach experts talk of good year classes. This is when the conditions allow for a large percentage of the fry to survive and to go on to grow to be adult fish. The fact that we have not had the terrible summer floods of recent years could have a lot to do with the upturn in Sport and the huge numbers of silverfish that now seem to be in our rivers. Whatever the cause it would seem the fish are there this year just waiting to be caught.

Roach fishing can be terrific fun. Although many anglers think of the Roach as a winter target they can also provide great autumn sport August and September being great months to target them with a light float outfit. All you need is a match rod and a waggler set up with a pint of maggots and you too could put together a 50lb bag of pristine Redfins.

For all the tackle you would need to fish for Roach this Autumn click on this link

Benson gone but not forgotten

Bluebell lakes Famous common Benson has died. Voted Britain's favourite carp she is sure to be missed.

I was somewhat surprised to see a picture of a huge carp on the front page of 'The Times' newspaper this week and was saddened to see that it was to report the death of Benson the countries biggest common carp. It may have been a slow news day that elevated Benson's death to the front page but it is good to see the national press reporting an angling related story all be it a sad one. You can check out the full 'Times article here http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/article6737929.ece

Benson was resident at Bluebell lakes in Northamptonshire and at 64lbs 2oz she was Britain's largest common carp. The amazing thing about Benson was that she was the monster that anyone could catch. Bluebell lakes is a day ticket venue and in these days of expensive syndicate waters that hold most of the countries giant carp just knowing that you could simply pay your money and fish with the possibility of catching such a record made Bluebell lakes very successful.

And Benson Proved to be very obliging to visiting anglers by visiting the bank 63 times at an average of 4 times a year. Benson became an angling celebrity and her status saw her get voted Britain's favourite carp by readers of the anglers mail. There are many different opinions on naming carp and making them celebrities but it would seem Benson was just that.

Benson may be gone but in the hearts of the nations carp anglers she will never be forgotten.

Its time the close season was Abolished!

I feel without doubt that it is time to Abolish the Close Season. In these days of Commercial fisheries where the lakes are open every day of the year for you to fish for all Coarse species from Carp, Bream and Roach to predators like Pike and Perch it seems both unfair and unnecessary to prevent the countries anglers from also enjoying their sport on the nations rivers.

There was a time when all of the Countries Lakes, Rivers and Canals were subject to the close Season between March 15th-June 15th. But for many years now the majority of lakes and canals have been open to fishing for Coarse species throughout the whole year but the law remains the same on the nations rivers.

Due to the explosion of Commercial fisheries across the country and the economic effect that the close season had on them, a great amount of pressure was put on the government to change the law so that they could allow anglers to fish their lakes all year round. The change in the law not only secured their livelihood but also boosted growth through the hole industry. Carp fishing is now the best participated part of our spot but the flip side is that the countries rivers are now almost deserted.

It is high time the law was changed to give anglers access to the Rivers all year round. It is well known that the best sport on our rivers is to be had during the winter months through to the present seasons end in March. But in recent years the effect of flooding caused by global warming has made many rivers un-fishable throughout a large part of the winter which has had a huge effect. Small clubs who's waters are predominately or solely on rivers are struggling for members as more and more anglers turn to the benefits of year round fishing offered by Commercial fisheries. It is a sad fact that today's young anglers can tie a hair rig but don't know the difference between a stickfloat and a waggler. Infact Float fishing is becoming a forgotten art!

With the recession now being felt throughout the industry a change in the law to abolish the close season would be a real economic boost. Not only creating trade for the tackle industry and the struggling small tackle shops country wide but also by creating a level playing field for small clubs to compete with the commercials.

If you like me feel it is high time the close season went. Please sign this petition
just click on this link http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/river-fishing/ and help put an end to this outdated law.

Have you got your Rod licence?

It is the law in England that any angler over the age of 12 fishing for Salmon, Trout or freshwater fish including Eels MUST have a valid Environment Agency Rod licence.





Having a valid Rod licence is a necessity!

Although some Anglers may resent having to pay a small annual fee to enjoy their sport the majority realise it is the only way to ensure that our Rivers, lakes and other waterways are cared for and maintained!


Although there is some debate as to how much of the licence fee reaches the sport, there is no doubt that it does. The Environment Agency Care for and Maintain our waterways and ensure the survival of our sport. So if you care about your Sport please insure you have a licence.


This year the Environment Agency launched the new look licence. Gone are the old Paper licences that when you carried you were lucky lasted more than a month, to be replaced by a convenient Credit Card licence that fits nicely into your wallet and is totally waterproof. Another bonus of the new Licence is that you can you use the same card each year by just repaying your annual fee. Also the 1-8 day temporary licences now involve just getting a reference number that is all you need to go fishing. The new licence also shows less of your personal details which helps with security in times when identity theft is an ever increasing problem!It Means more money goes into our sport! The main bonus about the new style licence is that means more value for money. by saving on costs by reusing your licence annually the Environment Agency can use the money saved to directly help our sport. That means more fish being stocked,better pollution controls, new Trailways and development projects and many other things we thank the Environment Agency for.

You can buy your new licence in the same way from your local Post office or direct over the phone by ringing 0844 800 5386. A full season Adult licence is only £26.00 which i feel is great value but even better news is that a junior full season licence is only £5. There are temporary licences available and concessions. For full information on both Coarse and Game Rod licences or to purchase yours now go to this link Enviroment agency Rod licence

Remember it is an offence to fish without a valid Rod Licence and when caught you can be fined as much as £2,500. Don't risk it, buy yours now!