We have been very fortunate to have been offered the Appleby Angling Association waters of the River Eden to hold a Qualifier and the National Final for 2018. It is our hope that we can use these waters for many years ahead, with Elite Performance Programme (EPP) sessions, Qualifiers and National Finals, and the possibility of the IFFA Rivers International in 2022. Rivers with such potential are extremely difficult to find in England, and to retain these, long term, has proved historically challenging. The experience we have in 2018 is crucial to keeping the Eden as one of our AT TEFF waters. The populations of trout and grayling are entirely wild.

Dates have been set as follows:

Qualifier: Friday, 20th April – R. Eden, Sandford – from Black Syke Bridge upstream to Warcop (trout only; from 12 to 20 competitors) STOP PRESS: Qualifier Cancelled. Due to insufficient applications by the closing date for entries, the Eden qualifier has been cancelled. Please note that the National Rivers Final will still go ahead on the Eden, as scheduled.

England River National Final: Thursday-Friday, 27th-28th September – R. Eden, Sandford – from Black Syke Bridge upstream to Warcop, plus Holme Farm/Crackenthorpe – from Colby Laithes (confluence of Hoff Beck with the Eden) upstream to Holme Farm Bridge  (32 competitors)

In both these events (and in any practice days), IFFA rules will apply. Additionally, there will be a strictly enforced rule to preclude the use of the ‘bung’. Any form of foam or cork bodied indicator fly will not be allowed. Dry flies used in methods such as trio and duo, should be flies that can reasonably be expected to take a fish. Also, ‘shuffling’ is to be completely avoided. There are species of upwing fly in the Eden which are now nationally rare. Appleby Angling members will be observing from time to time, while AT TEFF organisers will also be present. We have to be seen to be fishing this river in an environmentally responsible way.

Details of practice day tickets and a map of the AAA waters will be published in due course.

Jeremy Lucas, Rivers Team Manager