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2010 River Report

River Championship

River Teign Devon on 20^th June

Winning SPAA River Team L-R Alan Hill & Bob Robertson (Strathclyde) Jim McBride & John Greep (Lothian & Borders)

The Prison Service offered to host a River Championship on the River Teign in Devon and as you are all aware I was keen to get the Section involved. My initial concerns of the distance / team selection and cost were all eventually put to rest. It was a well-run event, which in the end was won by the above team from Scotland who secured victory after close fought match against the local team of the Prison Service.

The match gave Police Fly Fishing Section the opportunity to get involved in River Fishing and invite individuals keen on this aspect of our sport to come forward and take up the role of River Secretaries, for our four Home Nations of the United Kingdom. This being achieved, each River Secretary was given a free hand at selection of individuals from their respective countries to attend and fish this match.

Like all things new there were some teething problems, but after some last minute phone calls three teams: one from England, Scotland and Wales attended and competed in this first match.

I am not going to profess to have greatest knowledge on International Rules of River fishing, with points for fish caught, your position/place at the end of each session but the bottom line; you endeavour to catch as many countable fish as possible.

The River Teign is a beautiful, if small river, which has its source in the heart of

Dartmoor National Park. The river flows and meanders its 31 miles all the way Teignmouth at the English Channel. It has runs of Salmon and Sea trout and during the event; competitors caught a considerable number of small parr. The river is stocked on a regular basis, however holds a number of good-sized resident fish in the deeper pools. The competition was fished on the Upper Teign Fishing Association water, which covers ten miles of the river. The match was based at Fingle Bridge (seen at the back of the photograph) with a stretch of five miles either side, with anglers able to fish from both banks.

I will not dwell on the wonders of each pool, or method used other than to say I had several small fish on tiny little black dries.

I will post the team and individual results on the Web Site along with some photographs. All I can say if you have never done any river fishing you must try it.