THE MANAGEMENT	Angling Enterprises is owned and run by England International Sea Angler Mick Toomer. Born into a fishing and shooting family Mick has been involved in all aspects of angling. He won his first major senior open match at the age of 13, and went on to represent England in the boat, beach, and big game fishing teams.These days Mick still represents England in the E.F.S.A Big Game team. His latest appearance was as England Team Captain in the 2006 EFSA European Game Fishing Championships held in Kenya. During his International angling career Mick has won two team World Champions Medals, and the individual World Champions medal in the Ski Boat Big Game Fishing World Championships.
Luca is in charge of complaints & refunds!
With fishing in his blood Mick turned his hobby into a business. Angling journalism and photography were a start, followed by angling videos, lectures, TV appearances, consultancy, casting tuition, and tackle shops. From there Mick moved into Fishery Management and now runs Gloucester Park, Northlands Park and Lake Meadows. Mick doesn’t only use a rod to catch his fish. These days you will often find him up to his neck in water working a 150 metre seine net, gathering fish for the three lakes. Mick has introduced over £100,000 worth of fish into the three lakes, and is understandably ultra cautious about the origins and health of any new fish. Thanks to illegal fish movements, foreign imports, and dodgy fish dealers there are widespread problems with disease and parasites which can trip up the unwary or the naive. In many cases the affected fish look fine to the naked eye. Without the most stringent system of checks and re-checks it would be very easy to introduce contaminated fish, with disastrous consequences. With the exceptions of barbel and chub purchased from the Environment Agency, for the last twelve years all of Mick’s new stock has come from his own netting operations. Mick is a great believer in being self sufficient, and has his own nets, oxygen gear, tanks and vehicles. Friends Mark, Pete and Steve are always on hand to help with netting, and the four form a very efficient team. When a potential source of fish is identified the first thing Mick does is obtain Environment Agency approval to net a sample and send it off to the Environment Agency’s Fish Diseases Laboratory for a health check. If the fish don’t pass the health check or there are any other concerns the operation is abandoned and Mick moves on to pastures new. If the sample passes the health check Mick negotiates a price for the fish and then obtains the necessary Environment Agency paperwork. Separate paperwork is required for each netting and each introduction! When all of these hurdles are overcome Mick and his netting team can swing into action and actually get around to moving fish into the lakes. It may be longwinded, but it’s this hands on approach and attention to detail that has ensured the quality of the fish in the lakes. Mick is assisted on the lakes by bailiffs Chris Cox, who has been with him for more than thirteen years, and Mark O’Brien who joined in 2004. Chris is a lifelong angler with a wealth of experience, whilst Marks background in wildlife husbandry and pest control make him a valued member of the team. The office is run by wife Janet who has responsibility for the computer system and paperwork. The security side of the operation is provided by Mick’s German Shepherds. The latest recruit is rescue dog Luca who has taken over the ‘Main Man' position from predecessor Woofit and Mick’s enormous Alsatian Bear who died in 2002. A new apprentice in the shape of an Alsatian bitch pup is due to join the firm in the near future. Mick also breeds gundogs, now working the fourth generation of the same line of Labradors. When not involved in his own shooting Mick and his gundogs are in demand for picking up on commercial shoots.