Hook, Line and Sinker - Angling, with Gareth Purnell

Sep 24 2008 by Paul Castles, Birmingham Mail

I WAS listening to Keith Arthur’s Talk Sport radio show on Sunday when a caller rang in about Buzzards Valley Fishery at Drayton Bassett – a venue I’d never heard of.

I could find no website but a few phone calls led me to fishery manager Peter Shingler, who revealed all.

Eleven lakes have been dug at the Buzzards Valley vineyard and the plan was to open them next year. However, the owners have decided to open up sooner and there’s something for the coarse, carp and fly angler. The trout lake is especially unusual in that Peter has scoured the country for special fish.

As well as the usual brown and rainbow trout (the latter running to 20lb) there are blue, tiger and American brook trout and even arctic char to go at.

The general coarse angler can fish either the Silver Pool holding anything but carp, or the Osprey (Match) pool which has a mixture of species including carp to 10lb.

So far it’s produced bag to well over 60lb and club bookings are being taken. Peter points out that the venue is a work in progress and that platforms are not in yet. However, it’s proving very popular with day tickets from £5. Peter can be contacted on 0121 308 1951.

n WAYNE Sharman enjoyed one of the biggest wins of his match fishing career when he walked away with the Midland Matchman of the Year title.

But it was the tightest of finishes, with the Lane’s Tackle employee getting the verdict by just an ounce over Garbolino’s Darren Cox – the third time he’s been runner-up!

This was the sixth running of the event which I set up myself when editor of Midland Angler magazine, taking place at the Barston Lakes complex. The match is split into two three-hour events on the Big Lake, which has been in great form lately with up to 60lb of skimmers needed to win club events.

Darren put himself in the pound seats by winning his section in the morning, and then finished second in section in the afternoon. Wayne did it the other way around and it all went to a weight countback, Wayne getting the nod by the thinnest of margins with 43lb 10oz to Darren’s 43lb 9oz. Matt Hall finished third with four points and Andy Neal, who finished second in this year’s Fish O Mania final to Mick Bull, also had four points to finish fourth.