THE biggest ever vote ever undertaken in the history of the sport will decide one of the fishing’s most debated question’s… who is the ‘Greatest Angler of all-time’?
Among the categories that will be voted for are the best tackle of the year, top catches, team of the year, best river and stillwater, bait of the year, lifetime’s achievement and the greatest angler of all-time.
The awards will be revealed in Angling Times Christmas Special issue on Tuesday, December 13 – a bumper edition featuring two free gifts!
You can vote for whichever name, product or event you want – however, a short-list of leading contenders has be drawn up to assist with the voting process.
Click the links below to register you vote now and have your say in the biggest anging vote of the year!
Voting closes at midnight on December 4th
Feeder Rod of the Year
Daiwa Tournament 12/13 Feeder - One of the most expensive on the market, a thoroughbred that helped Steve Ringer take a world silver medal.
Maver Abyss X 12ft - A very versatile rod and at just £39.99 it represents superb value.
Shimano Beastmaster 11.6ft Feeder - Originally designed by Ringer, undoubtedly one of the best casting rods on the market.
Team Daiwa 10ft Feeder - It may be short but it can handle the biggest of fish. Beauty in miniature.
Drennan Series 7 Puddle Chucker Carp Feeder 11ft - Everything you’ll ever need as an all-round commercial feeder rod at a very good price.
Preston Mini F1 10ft - A specialist tool developed for F1s, it boasts the sweetest action.
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Float Rod of the Year
Garbolino G-Max 11.6ft Commercial waggler - Designed by Darren Cox, one of the best rods reviewed this year. Capable of casting wags from 3AAA to 12SSG with equal aplomb.
Daiwa Tournament Airity 12ft - A unique design – a stunning marmite rod – you either love it or loathe it.
Drennan Series 7 11ft Pellet Waggler - Another great all-rounder from the Series 7 collection.
Middy 3G Micro Muscle Waggler 11ft - Middy’s best ever rod to date – it has a cult following among pellet waggler fans.
Shakespeare Mach 1 XT Pellet Waggler 11ft - Improved for 2011, it continues to arguably be the best selling pellet waggler rod.
Maver Powerlite Match 11ft - A very powerful rod for its length, ideal for splasher or big wags.
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Carp Rod of the Year
Nash Entity - Fabulous progressive action, super understated fittings, and at less than a hundred quid, great value.
Daiwa Longbow DF - Once the Danny Fairbrass signature went onto this blank it ensured the success of this rod… and it has sold like hotcakes.
Fox Warrior - A new version for 2011, the Warrior continues to be the stalwart for the Fox stable.
Free Spirit Hi-S - One of the most desirable carp rods ever made – it has massive cult status.
ESP Sniper - New for this season, the sniper boasts a stunning slim blank with a sweet progressive through-action.
Greys Prodigy XS - This revamped model has loads of power a very big fan club.
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Best Feeder Reel of the Year
Preston PXR Power 500 - One of the most powerful reels on the market.
Daiwa Team Daiwa Match 4000 - Daiwa quality at an affordable price.
Shimano Ultegra XS-A 4500 - Superb super-smooth casting tool.
Shimano Baitrunner XT-FA 4000 - New mini Baitrunner perfect for big commercial fish.
MAP ACS 4000FD - Featuring the ACS clip system – just cast to the clip and if you hook a biggie it safely disengages. Brilliant.
Preston Innovations Inception 4000 - Super wide spool allows the use of heavier breaking strain lines.
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Best Float Reel of the Year
Team Daiwa Match 2508 - An exceptional reel with a brilliant clutch.
Shimano Exage 3000SFC - Shimano quality at a great price.
Daiwa Exeller 2500 - Great for bigger floats – a very powerful reel.
Shimano Technium FC 2500 - A top end reel that performs at the highest level.
Maver Reactorlite 2000 - Cult pellet waggler reel with a growing fan-base.
Preston Inception 3000 - Will handle heavier reel lines with ease.
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Best Carp Reel of the Year
Shimano Aero Technium - A quite fabulous slow oscillation big pit.
Daiwa Crosscast S - A big pit reel with power at an amazing £69.99!
Daiwa Tournament SS2600 Whisker - Relaunched cult reel that’s very sought after.
Shimano Bio-Master XT-B - Classic name that has returned in style.
Fox Stratos 1200FS Magnesium - Fox’s best selling reel has a big following for a reason.
Shimano Super Baitrunner XTR-RA - Quite simply the best Baitrunner ever made.
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Best Flagship Pole of the Year
Daiwa Airity - Considered by many as the top pole available.
Maver Elite 88 - Beautifully balanced, great for silver fish.
Garbolino G-Max - The ‘out and out’ commercial pole of the year.
Tri-Cast Trilogy - This super-strong, uk-made pole is the best ever to come from the Lancashire-based company
Shimano Fireblood - The worst-selling best made pole ever to hit the market. Amazing quality and performance but not in enough anglers’ hands.
Sensas Power Match 774 - Combines silverfish and commercial qualities in a flagship model.
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Best Pole of the Year (£501-£1000)
Shimano Carp Cruncher - Unlike previous Crunchers, this has a subtle action and lightweight feel.
Maver Competition’ Match This 3’ - Well balanced and super rigid, it comes with great spares.
Team Daiwa SR5 - Top of the SR models, this is a wonderful all-rounder.
Maver Invincible Power-Light - Longer than the original, but with all the same power.
MAP TKS 525 - Another all-rounder supplied with one of the best top kit packages on the market.
Tri-Cast Endeavour - A super strong model and perfect commercial companion.
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Pole of the Year 2011 (up to £500)
Maver Medusa - Back for 2011, a very special all-rounder that’s brilliant value.
Maver Competition’ Match This 1’ - All of Maver’s technical advancements in an introductory model.
Team Daiwa SR3 - Super starter pole with a comprehensive spares package.
Shimano Technium 1300 pole pack - Tailored to commercial carp and heavy elastics.
Middy Animal Tamer - Super powerful for big fish. A real cracker.
Daiwa Yank n Bank Pro X - Repackaged for this season, continues to be one of the most popular margin poles on the market.
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Innovation of the Year
Nisa PVA Bag-Up Feeda Lead - A simple but clever combination of feeders and pva.
Avid Carp Transfer PVA Loading Kit - Made solid pva bags easy to use for every level of angler
Maver Slotty Floats - Simple but brilliant – a line channel down the side of the float’s body to stop damage – genius.
Korda Stow bobbins - Sold unbelievably well since launch – a huge hit!
Peg One Multi mat - Innovative and clever – one bag does all.
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Stillwater of the Year
Alders Farm - Although 400lb weights might not be everyone’s cup of tea, no one can argue with the consistency of the Milton Keynes fishery this Summer, putting those sorts of massive weights within the reach of every angler fishing and guaranteeing bites whatever the weather.
Barston Lakes - Not a commercial fishery as such, instead offering anglers a bit of everything from specimen carp to 100lb net of bream and whatever the weather, the Solihull water has enjoyed one of its best years so far and been rewarded with big events such as the Shimano County Champs Final and British Carp Angling Championships qualifiers.
Bluebell Lakes - More visitors than ever headed to Bluebell as it produced massive tench catches, bream over 17lb, huge roach to 3lb and loads of 30lb and 40lb carp - a beautiful location with a lake for everyone and one of the few complexes where mystery fish still exist.
Carr Mill Dam - Match anglers of yesteryear will remember the days when this St Helen’s lake was THE place to fish for bream and 2011 has gone some way to restoring that title. Records fell in the spring and the weights kept on coming into autumn, resulting in 100 peg matches and the return of ‘good old fashioned’ fishing!
Dynamite Baits Makin’s Fishery - Tireless work by fishery boss Alan McDiarmid and his staff is slowly brining Makin’s back to its brilliant best and careful restocking across all three phases has helped improve weights and eliminate out and out flier pegs. The choice of lakes also means that whether you prefer polefishing or chucking a feeder, Makin’s have it covered.
Elphick’s Fishery - Home to the UK’s biggest day ticket carp following the capture of a 60lb 6oz mirror by Rob Marsh in November, seven lakes on this Kent site offer a wide range of fishing from big tench and bream, catfish through to big weights of carp for match anglers.
Garbolino Lindholme Lakes - When the cold of last winter bit the hardest, Lindholme was one of the few fisheries regularly open and offering anglers bites. When Summer came, the Lincolnshire water picked up where it left off and it’s rare to find a spare peg on summer weekends, testament to the popularity and productivity of the fishery.
Maver Larford Lakes - Last year’s fishery of the year, this Stourport complex has had another great year producing 20lb carp on a regular basis to sit alongside huge small fish hauls for match anglers and it produced a nail-biting Match This Final in August that saw the £50,000 prize decided in the dying seconds.
Monk Lakes - Sold out signs are a regular sight at this fishery and with 35lb carp and catfish on a day ticket, it’s easy to see why. For the angler that prefers a smaller stamp of fish then the match lakes have regularly produced 100lb weights of small carp, tench and fast-growing barbel.
Wilstone Reservoir - The most famous of big fish waters and still capable of producing the goods on a day ticket as proved with a new British record perch of 6lb 4oz for Ken Brown in October and a 31lb pike only last month. This is all on top of big double figure tench, huge carp and one or two very big catfish.
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Team of the Year
Daiwa Dorking - Quite simply has there been a better match team in 2011? Packed with household names and international class, the Surrey side chalked up a clean sweep of Sensas Challenge, Evesham Team, World Club Champs Qualifier, Angling Times Team Champs and Division One National titles in a hectic six months of fishing against the best the UK has to offer.
Lincolnshire - The five man team of Mick Stamp, Tony Evans, Paul Christie, Luke Morley and Rob Morris came together in October to win the Shimano County Championships and the £10,000 first prize at Barston Lakes and Packington Somers, beating the other 45 counties on show.
Sensas Team England Under 18s - It was lean year for England’s teams on the international stage but the Under 18s managed by Steve Sanders so nearly pulled off a memorable win in Italy, finishing in silver medal spot on the River Arno, ending an agonising two points behind the host nation.
Smithy’s Angling - Van Den Eynde Supercup champions for 2011, West Midlands side Smithy’s made their knowledge of the venue for the final, Tunnel Barn Farm, pay off handsomely to get their name on the famous club fishing trophy.
Ultimate Barnsley Blacks - In the wake of Dorking’s dominance, Barnsley were perhaps the next most successful top flight team, winning their Winter League Semi Final at Woodland Lakes, finishing second in the Division One National and claiming bronze in the World Club Championships on the River Danube.
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Greatest Angler Ever
Ivan Marks - Known affectionately as the people’s champion, Ivan was the greatest matchman of his generation. But his ‘greatness’ can never purely be measured by championship victories and trophies, more his love of the sport and the generosity and warmth he offered fellow fishermen regardless of ability or age.
Dick Walker - The father of modern fishing, Dick had a great angling brain whether that was inventing tackle or catching specimen fish of all species.
His achievements include the creation of the first bite alarm, the Arlesey Bomb, and catching the record carp from Redmire – a fish that was moved to London Zoo. Dick’s long-standing column in Angling Times ran for three decades.
Peter Drennan - A brilliant fishing and business brain has made the name Peter Drennan synonymous with innovation and excellence right across Europe.
Peter was first and foremost a keen angler and was good friends with the greats like Walker, Peter Stone and Fred J Taylor but eventually his business interest took over as his float company – operated out of a garage – grew and grew, built on the foundations of clever design and quality manufacture. And in 2011, there isn’t a coarse angler in the country that doesn’t have a Drennan item in their box.
Alan Scotthorne - The word ‘great’ probably doesn’t do this man credit! Put aside his five World Championship individual crowns, European Champs gold and sackful of team medals and the softly-spoken Yorkshireman remains just as dangerous on the home match scene whether operating as an individual or with his Barnsley Blacks team.
Winner of White Acres festivals and regularly in the frame on a wide range of venues, from frozen winter canals to commercial carp waters in the height of summer, Alan is an extremely thorough, focused angler who demands and accepts nothing less than perfection and that’s represented consistently in his results.
Bob Nudd - He may be in his twilight match fishing years now but put the four times World Champion on a shoal of roach on a river or drain and he’ll rarely make a mistake. For a time in the early 90’s he was simply the best match angler on the planet, vying with Kevin Ashurst for that crown and a lynchpin for both Essex County and Drennan Team England.
However, Bob is perhaps best known as one of angling’s true gentlemen, treating everyone he meets on the bank with the same smile, kind words and interest in their fishing. You’ll never hear him utter a cross word and he’ll always pass on advice to those that ask.
Tommy Pickering - Tom still remains a legend in many people’s eyes and his matchfishing CV is simply staggering with every team medal there is to win both at home and abroad plus a raft of individual titles such as the UK Champs, Embassy Pairs as well as individual gold in the 1989 World Championships, still his proudest moment.
Turning his hand to the commercial fishery scene has seen Tom make a Fish O’Mania Final, win the Parkdean Masters and several White Acres festivals and he’s currently at the helm of the fledgling England World Feeder team after guiding the Ladies side to back to back gold medal this decade.
Dick Clegg - The gravelly-voiced Barnsley man probably won’t be remembered as much for his fishing as for his management skills but with a rod or pole in hand Dick was one of the men to beat on the River Trent scene in the 70’s and 80’s with his Barnsley Blacks side.
That success was transferred to the world scene in the early 80’s when he took on the management of the England team and the medals soon began to flow and never stopped right up until he stood down in 2001 to let Mark Downes and Mark Addy take over with 13 team medals in 16 years and no fewer than 11 individual English world champions being crowned in that time.
Fred J Taylor - Fred was a highly innovative coarse fisherman who developed the use of deadbaits for piking.
His good friend Dick Walker convinced Fred that he should distil his knowledge of coarse fishing into a book - the result was a classic work, Angling in Earnest. It was around about this time that Fred met the late Colin Willock, who had been editing the monthly magazine Lilliput, and who had left to start a new angling tabloid, The Angling Times. Recognising Fred as a talented and innovative angler, Colin persuaded him to write for the paper and Fred’s career as a journalist was launched.
Bernard Venables - One of the co-founders of Angling Times back in 1953, Bernard first made his mark in the Daily Mirror with the cartoon strip Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing, which was later published as a book and sold two million copies.
A committed environmentalist and a staunch supporter of the ACA, few people in the history of the sport can have done more to encourage people to cast a line.
Venables remained passionate about angling from the age of six, when he caught his first fish, until April 2001, when he passed away age 94. He caught one of the largest fish from the Northern Hemishpere – a 700kilo six gilled shark - and his expeditions took him all over the globe.
Peter Stone - AN author of countless fishing articles and 12 books, Stoney was a big fish legend and helped establish the Oxford Specimen Group in the 1950s. A barbel and chub fanatic, Peter had a quite brilliant talent for catching ‘the biggest’ and took pike to 35lb, Thames carp almost 30lb, and chub over 7lb. He also held the rainbow trout record.
His friendship with Dick Walker was charted after his death when wife Sue published the Stone-Walker Letters – a fascinating insight into two brilliant minds.
Kevin Ashurst - A giant of match fishing both in physical terms and with a rod in hand and still very much a force to be reckoned with on the Irish festival circuit. With skills honed on his native North West venues under the watchful eye of dad Benny, Kevin’s talent was finally rewarded with World Champs gold in 1982 on Ireland’s Newry Canal.
Prior to this triumph, ‘Big Kev’ regularly made the trip down to the Rivet Trent in its 70’s heyday, running shoulders with the likes of Ivan Marks and latterly on the River Severn with Dave Harrell, his bronze maggot approach winning him thousands of pounds and bringing him to national recognition.
Benny Ashurst - Although he never touched the heights of messrs Nudd, Pickering and Scotthorne or his son Kevin, the late Benny Ashurst remains a perennial pick on most people’s top ten match anglers as much for his innovation as his angling ability, although he was no slouch on the bank, winning plenty of big titles on rivers and canals through the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
Always willing to give advice, Benny is said to have invented the stick float by using bobbins from the mills local to his Leigh home and also pioneered chopped worm fishing, all while running his highly successful bait farm and fishing at the top level too. Still highly regarded in his native North West as one of the best anglers never to have fished for England.
John Wilson - Voted the ‘Greatest’ back in a poll in 2004, John was the face of angling for the masses through his inspirational Go Fishing series, screened by Anglia and Channel Four.
From catching giant roach on the Wensum to tackling the mighty Cauvery River for mahseer, Wilson’s passion for the sport shone through and there can be no doubt he inspired thousands to cast a line. John’s incredible commitment to the promotion of fishing was recognised with an MBE in 2009. He has also written over 40 books.
Chris Yates - Star of the greatest fishing show ever made – a Passion For Angling – Yates is widely accepted as the greatest modern writer in the sport. Through books such as The Secret Carp and Casting At The Sun, Chris captured the true beauty of fishing.
As many anglers will know, Chris is a fan of traditional tackle and it was with a split cane rod that he broke the British carp record with a 51lb mirror from Redmire Pool.
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Bait of the Year
Mainline Cell - Responsible for more big carp than any other bait this year. Incredible.
Maryuku Jp-z - New pellet style that’s won lots of big matches and is growing in popularity.
Sonu Tiger Fish - A whole range of clever sweet/savoury baits – from groundbait to pellets.
Nash Monster Squid - The latest cult offering from the Essex giant and it’s been responsible for lots of huge carp.
Dynamite Robin Red range - Made from the original recipe from Haiths, the range has proved itself a winner time and time again.
Bait Tech - This year’s 2 kilo bag of Kult groundbait has been a huge seller with the mix taking match victories from Yorkshire to the South East.
Sensas - The fantastic new commercial fishery range - created with two times Fish O’Mania champ Matt Hall – has established itself as a big favourite.
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River of the Year
River Wye - Continues to produce huge weights of silver fish, barbel, plus incredible individual specimen fish with the biggest river carp and pike of the season falling from the venue. In February, during a match in Hereford, Hardian Whittle took first with 94lb and the top 8 anglers all carded over 50lb in what was one of the greatest matches ever on the venue.
River Trent - Silver fish are making a big comeback on this famous waterway with 20lb of roach now commonplace. In matches, it has produced chub over 8lb, and there’s been massive match weights to 80lb off the tidal… not to mention rumours of record-shaking barbel.
River Severn - In blistering form with a new match record of over 200lb of bream to Dave Harrell. On the match front again, Steve Maher clocked 140lb of barbel in a comp – the best-ever in five hours on the float.
River Lea - Continues to produce huge chub and barbel with chevins over 7lb now the norm for this specimen venue.
River Thames - New Thames record carp banked and in the Upper Thames champs Andy Pollard had a spectacular brace – a 14lb barbel and a 4lb perch! How many other venues could do that on the pole line?
Hants Avon - Big roach, chub, barbel, and string of 20lb pike – this legendary water continues to write the headlines in the paper. 2011 aslo saw the Royalty barbel record set.
River Yare - An amazing start to the season with average nets of skimmers and roach topping 20lb in events. The Yare has been a mecca for anglers since June 16 as big fields turned out to experience this spectacular sport. It was harder to blank than catch!
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Catch of the Year
Keith Speers - for a 17lb 15oz barbel in the snow in sub-zero temperatures, taken on a centrepin and stick float, from the River Ivel.
Mick Millborrow - for a 8lb 2oz chub off Hants Avon on his first trot through – it was his first visit to the river for 30 years and the best chub off the waterway for half a decade.
Dave Lane - for a 46lb common lured in the depths of Winter on a zig rig – achieving a long standing ambition.
Jamie Cartwright - For two pike for 63lb 12oz in an amazing brace from Chew Valley Reservoir.
Laurence Mason - For breaking the River Lea barbel record with a 17lb 8oz stunner taken in the depths of Winter.
Jamie Cartwright - For banking six gravel pit roach averaging 3lb, to a top weight of 3lb 13oz, for an 18lb 11oz bag.
Neil Stephens - For four chub for 28lb 10oz from the River Lea. The catch included specimens of 6lb 14oz, 7lb, 7lb 2oz, and 7lb 10oz. Cheespaste was the killer bait.
Wyndon Coole - For taking a shock 45lb 14oz pike from Yorkshire’s Wykeham Lakes – the immense predator is one of the biggest ever on rod and line and just 15oz shy of the record.
Malcolm Harmer - For hitting a double top with a bream brace of 17lb 8oz and 18lb 9oz, Wingham Lakes.
Andy Nellist - For catching an 8lb 10 oz eel – a new personal best – whilst targeting the species with lobworms.
Simon Lavin - For landing a record bream by design during a session on a Southern pit. The fish weighed 20lb 2oz and was taken on a maggot feeder.
Kevin Nash - For banking the biggest brace of carp ever – fish of 52 lb 2oz and 51lb 2oz – lured on surface baits from his own private lake.
Chris Hodgkinson - For luring a tench brace of 11lb 2oz and 10lb 15oz during a session on a Lea Valley pit.
Peter Weller - For landing a 31lb 8oz pike – an unknown fish – from the Manchester Ship Canal.
John Hance - For the River Thames barbel brace weighing 15lb 2oz and 14lb 10oz, on legered meat over hemp. John later went on to catch a 17lb venue best.
Jimie Loten - For catching a 16lb 4oz barbel off the River Loddon, at only 12 years of age!
Andrew Hawksley - For luring a 13lb 4oz barbel off the River Taff on stick float tactics.
John Shucksmith - For breaking the River Witham barbel record with a 14lb 10oz whiskers.
Ken Brown - For making history with a 6lb 4oz stripey from Wilstone Reservoir.
Terry Hearn - For landing his seventh different UK fifty at 51lb 4oz from Chertsey lake.
Ed Matthews - For smashing the Chew Valley pike record with a 42lb 4oz specimen taken on a mackerel bait.
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Angler of the Year
Neil Stephen – Reigning Drennan Cup champion with an unbelievable run of giants from chub to a record perch, Neil has just recently celebrated the capture of an unknown 40lb common from an estate lake.
Steve Ringer – Two Whiteacres festivals out of four, plus a World Feeder champs silver medal, the Angling Times columnist has been unstoppable.
Terry Hearn – After 18 months targeting ultra-tough Cemex venue Chertsey Lake, Terry slipped the net under his seventh different UK fifty confirming himself as a modern carp angling legend.
Martin Hodgkinson - Five years ago Martin set himself the challenge of catching 100 100lb-plus fish and achieved his target with a 200lb Mekong cat. It has been an incredible journey which includes a world record sword fish in excess of 1,000lb.
Andrew Alsopp – top angler and skipper, Andrew has had an awesome year helping his clients to catch hundreds of ton-plus sharks culminating in the greatest haul ever taken – 50 blues to 167lb – 14 over 100lb.
Shane Atkin – Club angler Shane only decided to take part in Fish o mania because there was a local qualifier, but the North east care worker had a shot at the title and won the £25,000 prize, keeping his cool in front of the live Sky cameras.
Kevin Nash – carp angling legend Kevin Nash has been at the fore of tackle development for decades, inventing set-ups such as the blow back rig and safety clips. His commitment to carping was rewarded this year when he landed a brace of carp off the top weighing in at a combined weight of 103lb 4oz.
Simon Buckman – this ultra-secretive angler finally revealed the season he’d been enjoying on a mystery southern river – an up-and-coming venue that isn’t part of the ‘circuit’. His list of fish is second to none. 18lb 4oz barbel, 16lb 6oz barbel, 33lb mirror carp, 2lb 8oz roach, 3lb 7oz perch.
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