This annual event is fly-only catch and release, and will be fished on the River Dee over the weekend of 28th and 29th January 2012.
The top anglers over the two days will qualify to fish the England Rivers National next summer.
Full details: 2012riverspressrelease
Final results are:
1. Scotland 146 placing points
2. Ireland 179
3. England 190
4. Wales 203
Total Fish caught: 45
Top Individual: Terry Kelly (Ireland) 8 place points
Best Fish: Lee Patten (Wales) 50cms
Top England rod: Davey Parker 6th (25 placing points)
Individual Final, Saturday 8th October
1. Phil Dixon
2. Simon Robinson
3. Terry Phillips
4. Dean Appleby
5. Mark Harrison
6. Jim Tuck
Full Results: Greys individual Results
Team Final, Sunday 9th October
1. Hardy Greys (Phil Dixon, Fred Bainbridge, Howard Croston)
2. Cortland Cats (Simon Robinson, Andrew Scott, Dave Parker)
3. Triple A’s (Peter Appleby, Glen Appleby, Dean Appleby)
Full Results: Greys Team Finals
Saturday 8th October. Cameron Craigs won the morning session with 19 grayling for 877 pts, ahead of Baz Reece with 14 for 674 pts. The afternoon was won by Jay Curry with 18 grayling for 864 pts, with Martin Bailey in second place with 14 for 636 pts. Best fish was a 39cm grayling to Andy Croucher.
Full Results Itchen Results
The South East federation will be holding their own rivers qualifier on the same venue on Sunday 13th November. More information on the South East federation web page
England secured a convincing victory in the Autumn International on Friday 23rd September, finishing 29 fish in front of second-placed Scotland.
Although the moderate South Westerly wind repeated the pattern seen for much of the week, the promising cloud cover which welcomed competitors at the start of the match rapidly thinned out to give harsh, bright conditions.
Despite covering the whole reservoir intensively during practice, at the gun nearly all boats headed for an area between G Buoy and the Willows to the North end of the Dam.
England’s Nikki Long got off to a good start, boating five fish within the first ninety minutes. Although the deteriorating weather conditions might have favoured pulling, it was noticeable how the numbers of those figure-of-eighting on floater or midge-tip increased during the morning.
Drifts around D Buoy produced fish early, with Iain Barr having two productive drifts there, but in the afternoon G Buoy and the Jetty switched on, where he continued to catch.
Iain finished as top English rod with 16 fish for 37-6-4, later remarking, “It’s the first time I’ve gone out at the start of a major competition with a floating line…The fish wanted it very slowly, almost static, I think many anglers were moving the flies too quickly”.
Iain’s performance was only eclipsed by Wales’ David Hoppe, who took the Brown Bowl with a stunning 18 fish for 39-10-6. Graham Watson, former England loch-style team manager and his boatman for the day, commented, “This was probably the best display of nymph angling I’ve ever seen”.
Team captain Ed Foster, who himself landed a dozen fish, paid glowing tributes to his team for a consistent performance throughout the practice and the match. Nikki Long finished with 13 fish, Mike Cocks had 9, while new caps Carl Nixon and Tom Davis both landed 8 fish, a great start for their first international! Congratulations to the whole squad, and particularly team manager Richard Slater.
1. England (105 fish) 229-6-10
2. Scotland (76) 168-8-6
3. Wales (62) 137-8-10
4. Ireland (34) 79-13-2
Brown Bowl – David Hoppe (Wales) 18 fish for 39-10-6
(Images courtesy of Cliff Waters, Fishypics)
Full results 2011 Autumn International results
England Team Manager Richard Slater’s report (courtesy of Mid-Northants TFA)
Video of the march down to the boats courtesy of Martin Introna. Stirring stuff!
The South East federation will be holding their Rivers Qualifier (for the 2012 Rivers National) on Sunday 13th November at the Lower Itchen fishery, near Eastleigh, Southampton.
A grayling-only match, competitors have been given exclusive access to our usual match length, not just for the match day Sunday 13th, but also for the Practice Day on Saturday 12th November. The fishery opens for grayling fishing from after the first week in October onwards.
More information on the South East federation web page
Even though Grafham’s fishing had been ‘challenging’ in recent weeks, pre-match practice had thrown up good bags for some, and also suggested that fish were well spread out. Sure enough, at the gun 14 boats headed for the North shore, 25 to G Buoy and the rest to an area stretching from The Seat, to Gaynes Cove and the South end of the Dam.
Ideal conditions prevailed for much of the morning, with a good overcast sky and moderate winds. With fish high in the water, lines varied from floaters to DI3s, with some pulling on DI5s and DI7s.
First to finish was Kim Green, RAF federation, who took his 8 fish by 12.14pm drifting onto Deep Water Point. Having seen the numbers heading for G Buoy, he chose to pick a drift where they would be the only boat. Landing 7 in the first hour on floating line and nymphs, he found sport slowed noticeably as other boats joined in the drift and it took him an hour and a quarter to get that last fish. Even so, he still finished almost 90 minutes ahead of anyone else, and took the National Champion title with 23lbs 11 5/8ozs.
Second place went to Ron Gent who landed a 20lbs+ bag of fish just after 3.00pm, with third place going to David Drake with another spectacular 21-7-6 bag at 4.40pm. In a match that saw many four pound specimens, the best fish was caught by Denis Symonds, Peninsula federation, at 5-2-14.
The top 28, who will form the two England Teams to fish the Home Internationals at Lough Sheelin and Llyn Brenig in 2012, are: Kim Green, Ron Gent, David Drake, Paul Shaw, Fred Bainbridge, Alistair Beaumont, Andy Croucher, Richard Slater, Brad Gifford, Steve Cullen, Rob Sosbe, Ian Donaldson, Dave Morris, Nick Dunn, Lloyd Pallett, Mark Howard, Colin Martin, Bill Rankin, Martin Greatbatch, Paul Angell, Mark MacLeod, John Stevenson, Steve Collins, Chris Micallef, Peter Appleby, Steve Ellerbeck, Mark Withyman and Sean Brooks.
Full results Loch-style National 2011
(Images courtesy of Cliff Waters Fishypics)
Italy 28th August – 4th September
England Team: Iain Barr, Phil Dixon, John Horsey, Simon Robinson, Mike Tinnion, Howard Croston (Reserve) & Ian Greenwood (Captain/Manager).
England made a good start in the first session, lying 2nd behind the Czech Republic, ahead of Poland in 3rd place and France in 4th, but dropped to 5th in the second session, and 7th in the third. After dropping out of the top ten in the fourth session, they recovered to finish in 10th place.
The final results confirmed that Italy had taken Gold (after lying in 13th place after the first session!), ahead of the Czech Republic with the Silver and Poland the Bronze. 4th Spain and 5th USA (their best ever placing), 6th Slovakia, 7th France, 8th Belgium, Scotland in 9th with England in 10th place. Ireland 15th and Wales 17th.
Lance Egan of Team USA has an excellent report on their experiences here
Individually, Valerio Santi Amanti, Italy, was World Champion. Tom Drinan of Ireland finished 5th, with Simon Cocker, Scotland, 7th. Phil Dixon was 21st, John Horsey 34th, Iain Barr 50th, Mike Tinnion 59th and Simon Robinson 90th.
Final results mosca_seniores_finale
Official website here
Images from Opening Ceremony here
Video covering the lake sector and the Presentation Ceremony.
After the fifth and final session in the Youth event, the USA hung on to take Gold, with Italy on Silver and Spain Bronze. England finished at 8th with Wales 10th and Ireland 11th. Individually, Kieron Jenkins of Wales came 4th, while the highest placed England team member was James Atkinson 24th. The World Youth Champion was Lukas Starychfojtu of the Czech Republic.
Images from the Youth event here along with video
With only a couple of weeks to go, I am still a few boatmen short for the International match which is to be fished at Grafham on Friday 23rd September.
The role of the boatman is predominately to see fair play. There will be a catch and release format to the competition, and you will be required to mark the competitors’ cards, and to ensure that fish are released carefully and without harm.
You will also be required to operate the drogue, to check flies, to ensure the boat is safe, and to assist competitors in any other reasonable way they may request.
In return, you have the chance to mix with the international competitors who by tradition will acknowledge the assistance of the boatman during the course of the day.
28 good boatman are vital to ensuring a successful match. Are you willing to help? The match will run on Friday 23rd September from 10.00am until 6.00pm, and the boatmen’s briefing will be at 9.00am.
If you are willing and able to help, please can you let me know without delay?
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Richard Slater, England Loch-style Team Manager
07712 009676 or Email Richard Slater
Congratulations to Martha Thomson, the new Ladies National Champion, topping the field at Rutland, on Sunday 28th August, with a total weight of 14-10-2.
After days of very changeable weather, conditions worsened, with quite high winds from the West. At least it did not rain as much as on the Friday, which was very uncomfortable for those out practising.
Fish were found from the Lodge, Rutland Belle jetty, and from X buoy down to V buoy.
Well done to all those who qualified for Team England Ladies 2012, and our thanks to Anglian Water.
Full results 2011 Ladies National
Angling Trust Team England Fly Fishing 