Total-fishing Blog Grant Albutt Pulls No Punches As He Quits England Feeder Set-Up

Summary: Birmingham match angler Grant Albutt has withdrawn from the England Feeder Team set-up after being over-looked for this year's event in IrelandImage: Birmingham match angler Grant Albutt has withdrawn from the England Feeder Team set-up after being over-looked for this year's event in Ireland. Grant was selected for the 2013 squad for the championships fished in South Africa, but did not make the team with manager Tommy Pickering sticking with the same five-man set up both days. It's normal for the lowest placed angler to make way for the reserve.Grant did pick up a bronze medal, but has told magazine Match Fishing that he has simply shoved that in a draw never to see the light of day again, as felt 'stitched up' from the start.Despite this he has been practising hard on Irish style venues in the lead up to this year's event, only to be told this week that his services are not required. And he's not pulling any punches, after telling Match Fishing: "My decision to opt out isn't a case of sour grapes; my mind was all but made up about detaching myself from it after the disgraceful way I felt I was treated by the England management out in South Africa. So far England's team results have been disappointing at full world level, yet English feeder anglers are considered the finest in the world. The reason we're not winning is simple; you cannot manage and fish successfully, yet Tommy Pickering is intent on doing both and costing the team glory in the process."There are anglers in the setup who fish to win individual medals, none more so than the leader of the pack himself. And, while that remains the case, it's highly unlikely the team will win gold."Also pulling the plug on future involvement in the England Feeder set up is Darren Cox, who said: "My face doesn't fit anymore. I just don't know what I would have needed to do to get in the team this year to be honest. If this is the way that teams are selected, then there is a call in my eyes for a return to a good old fashioned trial system."No doubt the Angling Trust and Dick Clegg in particular will be taking a close look at how the squad is selected in future.Evesham Festival Online Booking System Introduced?The UK's biggest river fishing event - the Evesham Festival - has introduced a new online booking system, allowing anglers to reserve tickets for this year's qualifying matches. In a change from previous form, this year's bloodworm qualifiers are spaced out - with one weekend in July and another in August. There will also be two qualifying matches for the Evesham Team Championship this year, with one team qualifying from each. The event - which last year saw over £21,000 paid out in prize money over the three days of competition has attracted a string of high profile sponsors since it first ran 29 years ago. The organising committee is on the lookout for a headline sponsor to join Wychavon District Council and Match Fishing Magazine in backing this year's event, but has pledged that the event will go ahead regardless of whether or not one is found. The list of dates can be found online at http://www.hamptonferry.co.uk/festival.html or on the Total-Fishing.com website.Big Winter Weight To Pellet Waggler At Manor FarmA mild snap at the weekend got anglers dusting their tackle down and fish on the feed. Best match weight of the weekend came at Mosella Manor Farm Leisure where Phil Hardwick drew peg 26 on Island Pool and found the carp prepared to come to pellet waggler tactics. He also added F1s and skimmers on pole and pellet for a 184-10-0 winning weight. There was also a nice weight at Boldings Pools on Sunday where Adam Jones from Willenhall had carp to 7lb in his 117-15-0 winning bag. Phil drew Oak lake peg 31 where he fished pellet on the pole at five metres and down the edge.Packington Charity EventsPackington Somers Fishery is staging a special sponsored charity match to raise money for the cancer charity, The Little Princess Trust. The charity, whose main work revolves around supplying real hair wigs to children undergoing cancer treatment, has received the Queens Award for Voluntary Service. John Birchall, who runs the Meriden, Warks day ticket fishery, said "My family has a strong affiliation with this charity, and we are hoping to raise over £15,000 for them in total. One of the events is a match where I will be donating the peg fees to the cause. As such, the payout for the anglers taking part will be unaffected - but there will be the opportunity for them to support us by buying a raffle ticket. Already, I've managed to collect some top prizes off some very generous sponsors, and I'm hopeful that more sponsors might get behind the event." The match takes place on March 23rd on the venue's Molands Lake. For more information call John Birchall on 07956 008809.Get Out On The RiversDon't forget that this week represents the last few days of the river season. The last day you can legally fish is Friday, after which they are closed for coarse fishing for three months until June 16th. It's been a dreadful winter for running water anglers, with floods and coloured water making effective fishing all but impossible on the region's rivers. However, the forecast for the next few days is dry and the colour is dropping out nicely. The last two days of the river season could be very good indeed, and the fish will be very hungry. Tight lines!Click on www.total-fishing.com to join the UK's No1 online angling communityResultsMoorlands Farm, Hartlebury, Sat, Pairs League (50 fished)Richard Kings (Colin Pace Academy) 70-4-0, F1s, pole and maggot down edge, peg 36 Silver Pool; Mark Roberson (Browning Midlands) 69-4-0; Lawrence Connolly (Colin Pace Academy) 66-0-0; Simon Christian (Old Ghost) 63-12-0; Mal Watson (Daiwa Gordon League) 61-10-0; Clive Wright (Mosella/ABC) 61-7-0. Pairs: Lawrence Connolly (Colin Pace Academy)/Alan Espley (Moorlands) 2; Clive Wright (Mosella)/Clive Munslow (Moorlands) and Mick Jones/Chris Jones (Old Bear) both 3. League: Lee Richards (Packington)/Neville Groves (Fosters) 29; Lee Harris (Shakespeare)/Simon Christian (Old Ghost) 34; Mal Watson (Daiwa Gordon League)/Colin Pace (Colin Pace Academy) 35. Sun, 31, Meadow and Island pools: Nigel Hargreaves (Colin Pace Academy) 61-14-0, carp, pole and maggot down edge, peg 11 Meadow; Paul Nash (Bromsgrove) 60-10-0; Paul Little (Colin Pace Academy) 35-6-0; Clive Munslow (Moorlands) 32-11-0.Mosella Manor Farm Leisure, Harvington, Sun, 30, Island and Middle poolsPhil Hardwick (Drennan Banbury Gunsmiths) 184-10-0, carp, F1s and skimmers, pellet waggler and pole and pellet, peg 26 Middle; Jon Arthur (Drennan) 119-6-0; Neil McKinnon (Preston Innovations) 106-4-0; Chris Styler (Arthurs Angling Supplies) 92-0-0.Preston Innovations Boldings, Bridgnorth, Sat, Sycamore Pool, 35 fishedShane Rogers (Oakengates Angling Centre) 72-4-0, carp to 6lb and barbel to 3lb, pole and maggot down sides, peg 45; Keith Powell (Preston Innovations Boldings) 71-8-0; Steve Owen (Wolves) 69-4-0; Steve Roberts (Oakengates Angling Centre) 65-11-0. Sun, 33, Oak and Sycamore: Adam Jones (Willenhall) 117-15-0, carp to 7lb, pellet at 5m and down side, peg 31 Oak; Dave Brown (Maver Midlands) 93-0-0; Pete Ricketts (New Willenhall) 92-7-0; Adam Slade (Sedgley) 81-15-0.Blackfords Progressive, Kingswood Lake, Cannock, StaffsIan Davies (Blackfords) 14-15-0, eight little bream, Method feeder and maggot, peg 32; Terry Gilbert (Birmingham) 14-10-0; Chris Brown (Gerry's of Nottingham) 8-0-0.Bridgnorth AS Teams, River Severn, Linley Bank, Salop, SunRichard Payne (RAW) 23-7-0, four barbel, bomb and meat, peg 39; Alan Richards (LSE) 17-6-0; Martin Taylor (3Ds) 13-2-0. Teams: RAW 25; LSE 24. Final League: LSE 83; Middle Severn Angling Blue 82; Bridgnorth AS 76.Elmbridge Fishery, Droitwich, WorcsSat, Heron Pool: Mark Brown (Elmbridge) 46-8-0, carp, pellet feedered corn, peg 8; Craig Arnold (Allens Tackle) 38-0-0; Gary Hobbis (Elmbridge) 27-8-0. Sun, Heron: Simon Richardson (Elmbridge) 59-0-0, carp, pole and pellet and corn, peg 36; Alan Goode (Stevens Tackle) 56-8-0; Jim Russell (Elmbridge) 55-0-0.Moorlands Farm, Hartlebury, WorcsTues, Silver Pool: Basil Rathbone (St Francis AC) 86-14-0, F1s, pole and pellet down edge, peg 29; George Reynolds (Kings Pools) 60-10-0; Lawrence Connolly (Colin Pace Academy) 54-10-0. Wed, over-50s, Island, Middle and Moors: Paul Haddlington (Club 2000) 78-2-0, F1s, pole and maggot down edge, peg 11 Moors; Mal Watson (Daiwa Gordon League) 42-8-0; Clive Munslow (Moorlands) 41-2-0. Thurs, Meadow: Mark Blackburn (West Midlands Police) 56-2-0, carp, pellet waggler, peg 53; Dave Newton (Smithys) 44-10-0; Keith Deaner (Moorlands) 43-3-0.Stirrup Cup, Birmingham-Fazeley Canal, Curdworth, Warks, SunAlan Price (Stirrup Cup) 6-0-0, a perch and bream of 1lb 8oz, a 12oz skimmer plus roach and smaller perch, pole and chopped worm and pinkie, peg 1; Graham Massey (Dams and Lock) 2-1-1; Alan Newman (Stirrup Cup) 1-8-5; Clark Taylor (Stirrup Cup) 1-5-12; Don McIntyre (Stirrup Cup) 1-0-15.Tunnel Barn Farm, Shrewley, WarksMon, House Pool 1: Dennis Lutwytche (Hawkesbury) 55-11-0, carp and F1s, Method feedered meat, peg 14; Pete Rice (Bag'em Matchbaits) 53-12-0; John Johnson (Notts AA) 53-10-0; Graham Young (Youngs MG) 52-2-0. Tues, over-50s, Jennys Pool: Barry Duggan (Warwick Portobello) 61-2-0, F1s, roach and barbel, pellet at 7m, peg 3; Malc Jones (Banbury Gunsmiths) 42-4-0; Pete Hancox (Birmingham) 31-3-0; John Johnson (Notts AA) 36-15-0. Wed, Club Pool: Clive Nixon (Maver Gold/Bag'em) 71-9-0, carp and F1s, pole and maggot through groundbait slop down edge, peg 9; Dave James (Mosella UK) 68-3-0; Pete Rice (Bag'em Matchbaits) 60-4-0; Pete Hancox (Birmingham) 43-4-0. Thurs, 60, Veterans, House 1/2 and New Pool: Chris Constable 57-11-0, F1s, ide, roach and skimmers, maggot at 2m and down edge, peg 29 New; Alan Higgs 57-9-0; John Eales 55-13-0; Alan Robinson 50-0-0; Dave Kingsley 45-12-0; Ron Notley 45-6-0 (all TBF Vets). Fri, 18, Je