International 2009
Home International Fly Fishing Championships 2009
Scotland triumphed for the fourth year in a row, demonstrating that they truly are the team to beat in the world of police Fly Fishing. As the team accepted the Charles Landells Trophy at the Commodore Hotel that evening after a hard couple of days fishing on Llandegfedd Reservoir it brought conclusion to a very successful year for the Scottish Police Angling Association. The Scots are the European and British Police Boat Fly Fishing Champions and with the Police Sport UK Fly Fishing Section looking to introduce a River Championship in 2010, I would imagine the canny Scots will be out in force to lay claim to this new event.
England came a close second, but Runners Up for the last four years is not what the this nation wants to be, now with 2009 seeing the birth of a new association "English Police Fly Fishing Association" looking to develop team and individual anglers within the police family of England. I would imagine very soon Scotland may see their domination in this sport severely tested. It will make for a very interesting 30th Home International Championship at the Lake of Menteith.
Northern Ireland held their 3rd place for the 3rd year ensuring that the Captain of the host team Wales, had unenviable task of collecting the "Oscar Evans Wooden Spoon" on behalf of his team.
Llandegfedd was full of fish and on the practice day the hot spots were readily identified as "Bill Smith's Bay, the Gabions and at the Dam wall ". A good south- westerly breeze, cloud cover and the occasional dash of rain, the conditions were excellent and a number of good bags could have been taken (catch & release)...
Ah but alas, it was to be a totally different day on the day of the competition, a strong westerly wind zipped across the water creating large waves and white horses racing towards the eastern shore. The brave anglers that did venture along the eastern shore, battle with a big swell and troublesome back cast. The wave in itself was fine, but the cold scour (blast) that chased after the waves chilled the very heart of you.
The early fear of a cancelled competition lifted by lunchtime and no area of the reservoir was restricted. After all the forecasts of doom relaying much about tropical storms. I was delighted to find that worst of the weather announced by the weathermen struck more central and northern parts of Wales, missing Gwent and the county boundaries of Torfaen and Monmouthshire.
Not that the wind abated, or the cold eased, it remained much the same all day but the predicted storm missed Llandegfedd.
Although the Home International is a team competition, I have left the method and description of how to catch Llandegfedd trout down to Mike Wellman (England) who was the overall winner of the competition with sixteen(16) fish to the net.
" As the individual representative from the North West Region and a retired Cheshire Police officer it was a pleasure to attend and compete in this year's Police Sport UK International Fly Fishing Championship held at LLandegfedd Reservoir.
The usual format for this competition is to get in some practice on the water the day before the event. So I was fortunate to be able to fish with another ex Cheshire Officer, Richard Hood, who has really taken to fly fishing and travel quite a lot to fish competitively on various waters including Llandegfedd. In fact Richard came straight from another fly fishing competition on the Tuesday at Chew Reservoir.
The Wednesday practice was proof if proof were needed that a bit of practice the day before does help. The English Team were all briefed by Dave Summers so we all knew what needed to be done! Richard and I travelled all around the reservoir and decided on a plan that might work on the following day of the competition.
On the Competition day I had the pleasure of fishing with Glyn Jones from Wales. Glyn is a very competitive fisherman and knows LLandegfedd Reservoir well. He offered to be on the engine and we agreed that he should do that all day as he knew where the fish might be. Glyn was true to his word and indeed did know where the fish were, but rather than catch to many fish himself he kindly put me in the right spot all day.
My fishing method was to stick to what had worked on the practice day, a sub-surface intermediate line with a longish leader of 22 ft and two droppers. A brown dabbler fly on the top dropper, a black cormorant with red cheeks on the middle dropper and a green and white cats whisker booby on the point. I stayed on this team most of the day but did change the middle dropper for a Dawl bach which also took fish. I cast the line and as soon as the point fly hit the water a took two long pulls that popped the booby through the water and then made a slow retrieve and a hang at the end before the recast. This seemed to bring the fish onto the flies and they either took the booby straight away or very often I could see fish passing the booby and taking the dabbler, often on the hang.
Once I had my four fish limit and bebarbed my hooks the trouble started. I was often getting hook ups but could not get the fish which were putting up such a great fight into the net. The fish were getting off right at the net and on one occasion the fish jumped into the net having already thrown the fly!
Glyn Jones remained calm and continued to put us over fish all day and thanks to him I managed the four fish limit and twelve fish netted and returned.
Once again a big thanks to all involved in the organisation and a special thanks to the fisheries staff for putting on some of the greatest fighting fish in Wales this year"..
I don't believe further words are required. Just the results......!
The Team Table & Result
Scotland 58 88 10 51 0 139 10
England 54 81 0 43 8 124 08
N.Ireland 48 69 10 25 8 95 02
Wales 39 58 03 13 8 71 11
Officials/Guests 19 26 03 0 26 03
Top 8 Individuals
Name Fish Bag lb oz Bonus lb oz Total lb oz
Mike Wellman (Eng) 4 5lb 04oz 17lb 22lb 4oz
Ronnie Dempster (Scot) 4 6 05 9 15 5
Gary Smith (N.Ire.) 4 5 11 9 14 11
Roddy McIntyre (Scot) 4 5 10 9 14 10
Bob Robertson (Scot) 4 7 01 7 08 14 09
Reg McDougal (Scot) 4 7 7 08 14 08
Gary Haskins (Eng) 4 7 03 6 13 06
Steve Bett (Scot) 4 6 01 6 12 01
Gary Haskin won the Gwilym Hughes Trophy as the best placed angler for the National & International Championship 2009, he also landed the heaviest fish a Rainbow of 3lb to win Derrick Scougal Trophy.
Finally my thanks must go to Graham Anthony for the super job he did in organising the 2009 Home International.
See image of the winning team
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