Barbel expert Maginnis lays down a mark; Hook LINE AND SINKER.

Byline: GARETH PURNELL

RIVER Severn barbel expert Matt Maginnis sent out a warning of intent to the rest of the Shakespeare Championship finalists with a resounding 18-4-0 victory on his first visit of the season to the Evesham match stretch.

Kidderminster-based Matt drew Peg 27 and knew there was a chance of a barbel in the area so after a fruitless couple of hours on pole, stick and waggler he decided to go all-out for one.

An hour later he had two in the net, the best just over 11lb, and despite spending the rest of the match biteless he ran out an easy winner finishing 13lb clear of second-placed Terry Parrot. Terry also set out his stall for big fish with pole-fished worm at Peg 65 and managed to snare a big bream plus a few perch for 5-15-0. Last year's champion Rob South waited until the last five minutes at Peg 47 for the main part of his 5-7-0 catch which comprised of mainly one big tench.

n EMMA Moore smashed the catfish record for Stuart's Lake at Shatterford Fishery with a 36lb 4oz Wels that took a liking to her luncheon meat offering.

Emma spent the weekend on Stuart's with her husband Ed and their two-year-old daughter and beamed: "It was fantastic! I would have been thrilled just to catch a fish but to achieve a personal best and break the lake record was brilliant!" n PACKINGTON Fishery is closing for day ticket trout fishing this weekend, and anglers are cashing in on some last-minute sport.

Sutton Coldfield angler Gary Cooper took the best fish of the week - a fine rainbow going 6lb, with Birmingham angler Frank Finlan fishing Cocks Close with a GRHE Nymph and bagging a five-fish limit, the best 3lb 8oz.

Boat fishing is the best option right now with most fish out of casting range from the bank. The owners are stocking a lot of fish in the 3lb to 5lb range, plus a number of double-figure fish, during the close season, before re-opening to day-ticket anglers on Saturday, September 26.

Meanwhile, the coarse anglers have been enjoying good sport with big tench on the venue's Molands Lake, with fish to 7lb being caught and up to 25 fish taken in single sessions.

The top tactic for these is breadflake or large pellet fished down the shelf from the island. Contact the fishery on 01676 522754.

n MIDLANDS angling publisher DHP Ltd has booked Stoneleigh Park for the 2009 Tackle and Guns Trade Show.

Details www.tandgshow.com Click on www.total-fishing.com to join the UK's No1 online angling community.

GARETH PURNELL