Fish the Magnificent Severn
If you dream of catching a double-figure barbel or a 20lb zander an event in Worcester could set you on the right track. Some of the country’s top fishermen will be giving an intensive course on how to fish the magnificent Severn.

The River Severn is not only Britain’s longest river but is also one of the most accessible and holds a fantastic head of fish, but many anglers are daunted by the prospect of river fishing or simply don’t know how good it can be.

To help anglers get to grips with the river the Severn Rivers Trust has organised a Fish the Magnificent Severn event in March. Alongside the distinguished speakers there will be stands by fishing organisations and tackle dealers but the big attraction is the chance to listen and talk to some of the country’s finest anglers.

Among the speakers is John Costello – the only angler in history to take a 20lb zander and a 40lb pike (from a non trout water). The zander, taken from the Severn remains the second best ever caught. He has also caught countless double figure barbel to over 15lbs and is the former editor of Barbel Fisher magazine.

Readers of Angling Times and Flyfishing & Flytying will be familiar with another speaker – Dominic Garnett. A coarse and game angling coach with over 25 years’ experience, he is also author of books including Flyfishing for Coarse Fish, Fishing for Dummies and Canal Fishing: A Practical Guide, plus the recently published Tangles with Pike.

There will also be a presentation by angling writer Des Taylor. He is without doubt one of the best known all-round anglers in the UK, having caught a wide range of species from a 2,000lb great white shark – not many of those in the Severn – to a near-record dace, which is certainly a prospect. Des was the first winner of both the “Angling writer of the year award” from the Angling writers association and Angling Trade Association’s Angling Personality of the Year awards. He is currently president of the Perch Fishers’ Club and proud patron of the British Disabled Anglers’ Association.

Another well-known speaker, with a particular passion for the Severn, is Dilip Sarkar MBE . A pike and zander specialist he is a former president of the Pike Anglers’ Club of Great Britain, and has appeared on Sky Sports Tight Lines. Dilip now works for the Angling Trust as fisheries enforcement manager.

More celebrities are being lined up and this an exceptional opportunity to improve your fishing with expert insights from top river anglers. You can also find out how the Severn Rivers Trust is working to improve fishing on the whole catchment from the Welsh mountains to the Bristol Channel.

Fishing the Magnificent Severn is on Saturday 28 March 2015 and the venue will be the Edward Elgar Building at Worcester University. Admission (£7) will be by ticket only, for details e-mail admin@severnriverstrust.com