There's an undeniable southern bias in the big-fish world, but northerners were recognised in the voting for this year’s Specimen Angler of the Year, as Durham ace Simon Ashton romped home with the title.
The Drennan-backed ace kicked off 2023 with a 1lb dace from Lancashire’s River Ribble. He then landed quality tench and bream as the weather warmed, before turning his attention to perch and banking a string of four-pounders, followed by a 5lb 4oz giant!
We caught up with a delighted Simon – who was a few metres underground when we broke the news (he’s a self-employed pipe-layer!) – and reflected on a memorable year.
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How does it feel to win?
“I feel emotional! I’ve never won anything in my life. Topping such a strong field, including Alan Stagg and Lee McManus, is mind-blowing. I’m currently down a hole in North Yorkshire, freezing cold, but this has cheered me right up.”
Your season started with dace, a species you have a bit of history with...
“Dace are close to my heart, but I haven’t targeted them for years, despite holding the British Record for a 1lb 5oz 2dr fish caught from the Wear back in 2002. But I heard that the Ribble could throw up a ‘pounder’–so I had a few trips there and enjoyed some cracking sport. You can run the float down and catch specimens one after another.
“I managed one of 1lb exactly on a trip made even more special by the fact that I shared it with my daughter, Harper.”
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Next up were tench and bream, then came a memorable spell with those big perch...
“I travelled down to Linear fisheries for a few tench sessions when spring came, landing fish to 9lb 12oz, before turning my attention to bream.
“Come October I moved on to the perch in a northern syndicate water, and first cast I had a 4lb 2oz fish! I had a feeling things would be good from then on, but I wasn’t prepared for the 5lb 4oz fish. That one blew me away. Come the back end of the season, it’ll be pushing 6lb.”
How did you get into fishing?
“I was about five when I first started. Summers were spent with my uncles in Blackpool, where we’d fish on what they called ‘pit ponds’. They were match anglers, and I caused the usual chaos of a child on the bank, hooking bushes and sometimes their jackets!
“But I’d occasionally catch a few fish, the highlight being a 2lb perch. That specimen got me on the road to targeting big fish. Fast forward to 1998 and big dace started showing in the River Wear, which runs through my home of County Durham.
“I’d actually been kicked out of school for three weeks and my mum would drop me off at the river. I landed a few big dace and knew a record was on the cards, and in 2002, I finally accomplished it. That fish was phenomenal, measuring 14-and- a-quarter inches. From there, I’ve not really stopped!”
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Take us through some of the challenges you face as a northern specimen angler...
“As I mentioned before, I live in County Durham, and on my doorstep I have virtually no specimen fish. My local ‘big fish’ river is the Swale, where there is a chance of a 7lb chub. But even going there is a 130-mile round trip! After that, the closest place are the rivers of Scotland.
“I put in some serious miles for my fishing, and in winter it can be tough, as it gets dark so early. The craic is a big part of angling for me, and if I can share a journey with someone it’s much more bearable. But, targeting big fish can be lonely, and often you have to go solo.
“ I live a busy life and have to balance fishing with being self-employed, plus having a wife and young daughter. For years I could only fish a few times a month, but recently I’ve had a bit more time on the bank. The trick was buying my wife a horse! That keeps her and my daughter, Harper, busy at weekends. If you’re feeling generous and are desperate to fish more, get the wife a horse!”
What are your ambitions for the rest of the season?
“I’d like another big dace, so I’ll likely return to the Ribble. There might even be a trip down to the Hampshire Avon for a big roach.
“I love my grayling fishing too, and Scotland’s an awesome place to do it. They fight incredibly, and standing in the river in stunning surroundings, trotting a float, is hard to beat. I might have one last go for those perch. When a six-pounder could be on the cards, they’re hard to ignore!”
FANCY A CRACK AT A BIG PERCH LIKE SIMON? HERE ARE THE BEST TIPS TO HELP YOU CATCH MORE.
HIGHLY COMMENDED - DANIEL BOUSKILA
Runner-up this year, Essex angler Daniel Bouskila, enjoyed a superb 2023. Grayling of 3lb 5oz and 3lb 4oz on the fly were an early highlight during a memorable trip to the Dorset Frome, before he added a 1lb dace and a 6lb 4oz eel.
“I was told by Dan Woolcott, and a few other well-known specimen anglers, that I might have a chance this year,” he said.
“I fish because I love it, but when a big fish is on the cards, I’ll go all-out. Finishing as runner-up is unreal!”
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HOW YOU VOTED...
Simon Ashton
31.6% of you voted
After kicking off the year with a 1lb River Ribble dace, Simon banked perch from a northern stillwater weighing 4lb 8oz and a phenomenal 5lb 4oz.
Dan Bouskila
18.7% of you voted
After catching a superb 3lb 5oz grayling on the fly, Dan added a 1lb dace and 6lb 4oz eel to his 2023 tally – an impressive year in anyone’s book.
Dave Robinson
16.5% of you voted
Dave Robinson blew us away with perch of 5lb 4oz and 5lb 1oz earlier in the year, which he backed-up with a brace of 3lb 4oz rudd and an 18lb 4oz barbel.
Koi Croydon
16.1% of you voted
Koi had had a blistering run of fish from the Derwent this year, with a massive 8lb 2oz chub, plus 17lb 14oz and 17lb barbel falling to his rod.
James Champkin
5.8% of you voted
A superb 33lb 3oz pike was the perfect start to 2023 for James Champkin, who followed the fish with a 17lb 14oz barbel, a 15lb 13oz bream, plus a recent 3lb 10oz roach.
Dan Woolcott
4.7% of you voted
Last year’s Specimen Angler of the Year kept on catching, landing specimens including a 3lb grayling, an 11lb 1oz tench and a 15lb 15oz bream.
Alan Stagg
4% of you voted
Speci-legend Alan has had a raft of big fish this year, including a 3lb 8dr roach, a 16lb 2oz barbel, and a phenomenal 8lb 13oz chub.
Lee McManus
2.2% of you voted
Reigning Drennan Cup champion Lee has continued his superb form into 2023, landing a 17lb 14oz barbel and a 16lb 1oz bream.
Andy Oxley
1% of you voted
Rotherham angler Andy landed two superb Yorkshire roach, weighing 3lb 12oz and 2lb15oz 8dr, as well as a 16lb 9oz zander from the Trent.
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