AT Team England FF take silver, one point ahead of Wales

1. Ireland  (71 fish) 3199 points 43 placings

2. England (54 fish) 2432 points 49 placings

3. Wales (61 fish) 2760 points 50 placings

4. Scotland (32 fish) 1430 points 67 placings

Individual Winner – Peter Doherty (Ireland) 4 placings Moc Morgan Trophy

Biggest Fish – Rob Bending (Wales) 39.5cms Mike Childs Trophy

Full Results: iffarivers2015

AT Team England was represented by Howard Croston, Mike Dixon, Mike Heritage, Simon Robinson, Andrew Scott and Lewis Hendrie (reserve), with Mike Tinnion (Manager).

England Manager Mike Tinnion reports: Ireland’s River Liffey was the venue for this year’s IFFA Rivers International, and with very little rain for the previous eight weeks, it was going to be a real test of the anglers’ skills. Practice over the preceding days confirmed this with loads of trout visible, but not feeding.

The match day loomed with most teams settling on a mix of French nymphing, duo, and dry fly. Early rain cooled the morning and there were more fish rising than had been seen all week, by dinner time this had burned off and it was HOT!

The first two 90-minute sessions saw Ireland get their noses in front, with England a few points behind, then Wales and Scotland. The third session saw England gain a point on the Irish with Wales joining them. The fourth and final session saw low water, bright sunshine and water that had been fished three times before. Ireland surged again, helped in no small way by a superb effort by Peter Docherty, who gained four 1st places and the Moc Morgan trophy.

So gold for Ireland, England held on for silver, just pipping Wales, with Scotland fourth. For the full results please go to www.iffa.net.

It is a testament to fishing on the Liffey that 218 trout were caught, measured and safely returned on a hot summer’s day and with very low water. Thanks must go to John Higgins and his team of Assistants for a superbly run competition, once again fished in a manner that should make anybody present proud to have participated.

So the event moves on next year to the Aberdeenshire Don, another great river, to host what must be the closest fought annual match.