The Angling Trust team triumphed at the first annual challenge competition against the British Pike Squad on the 16ft drain at Cambridgeshire on Saturday 16th February 2013.
This match was to offer the top 10 individuals who took part in the Angling Trust British Pike Squad in November 2012 the chance to compete and fish against the British Pike Squad on their waters from Bedlam Bridge to the Three Holes Bridge on the 16ft drain, and to introduce the individuals to their way of fishing.
The water certainly challenged the competitors as it was heavily coloured and very cold, but that did not stop a spirited Angling Trust team taking the spoils from a very experienced British Pike team. The results could not have been closer, and some very big fish were lost at the net by both sides.
P Southgate had two fish for 13lb 3oz and lost a 16lb fish right at the net on popped up dead bait. P Christian also lost a fish estimated to be close to 22lb on triple rigged sand eels on the sink and draw method. Whilst the venue is renowned for a good head of pike of all sizes, the conditions just did not do it justice.Andy Waller British Pike Squad Chairman said, “This has been a very challenging match but both sides were determined to get their name on the trophy for the first year of this now annual event. Hopefully the conditions next year will be better and we will see many more fish caught. My thanks to the Angling Trust for all of their hard work in getting this event off the ground, and in particular to Sandra Drew, Competitions and Events Manager for all of her hard work and for attending on the day of the match”.
“Pike angling has seen a great many changes over the years, and the support being given to it by the Angling Trust bodes well for the future of the sport as a whole. The British Pike Squad look forward to working with the Angling Trust to see this branch of the sport develop through the forward thinking Angling Trust’s policies”.
Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust said, “We are very grateful to the British Pike Squad for agreeing to take part in this new addition to the pike fishing calendar. We hope that the chance to fish against the best of the best will encourage even more people to enter the British Pike Championships over the coming year. All they have to do is to check our web site for the nearest qualifier to get into the final in November. Thanks are also due to Sandra Drew, who works tirelessly to manage all the Angling Trust’s competitions, supported by hundreds of volunteers.”
Angling Trust Team Results
M Salter – Total fish 0 – Weight 0
R King – Total fish 0 – Weight- 0
D Williams – Total fish 2 – Weight 2lb 14oz, 5lb 05oz
D Moore – Total fish 1 – Weight 5lb 4oz
B Southgate – Total fish 0 – Weight 0
D Northrop – Total fish 0 – Weight 0
P Southgate – Total fish 2 – Weight 5lb 7oz, 7lb 12oz
Mike Fretwell – Total fish 2 – Weight 14lb 6 oz, 1lb 14oz
M Lloyd – Total fish 4 – Weight 1lb 6oz, 4lb 0oz, 2lb 4oz, 1lb 15oz
W Lees – Total fish 2 – Weight 3lb 14oz, 4lb 4oz
Total 13 60lb 9oz
British Pike Squad Results
P Timmis – Total fish 2 -Weight 2lb 8oz, 3lb 2oz
S Parker – Total fish 1 – Weight 5lb 8oz
J Park – Total fish 2 – Weight 2lb 0oz, 3lb 12oz
A Waller – Total fish 1 – Weight 3lb 12oz
M Dodd – Total fish 1 – Weight 2lb 3oz
R Cook – Total fish 1 – Weight 5lb 4oz
J Gilchrist – Total fish 3 – Weight 9oz, 1lb 8oz, 2lb 2oz
A Homes – Total fish 4 – Weight 5lb 0oz, 2lb 7oz,5lb 4oz,0lb 12oz
Hamish – Total fish 0 – Weight 0
P Christian – Total fish 0- Weight 0
Total 15 55lb 3oz
