Wales Win on a River Reborn

Paul Dancey on 09/07/2009

The Welsh Rivers Fly-fishing Team were comfortable winners of the first UK Fly-fishing Rivers International to be fished in South Wales. Their 93 fish total was 29 ahead of second placed England, followed by Ireland in third place and Scotland fourth. Local Angler Phil Jehu recorded the best catch for the International which was hosted by Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association on the River Taff, a river reborn from the ravages of Merthyr’s industrial past.

The past few months have also seen a number of other successes for fly-fishing teams. The Senior Men's Team won the Spring Home International in Chew Valley, England, with Bob Jones winning the coveted Brown Bowl for best catch. Likewise, Debbie Morgan at the Ladies International, Killarney Lakes, Ireland, although the ladies Team only managed third place. Whilst at the World Championships in Scotland, the World Team finished in a credtable fifth place, (out of 27).

Angling is one of the UKs most popular sporting pastimes, and is one where Wales often punches above its weight in international competition.

Angling falls into three disciplines, game, sea and coarse fishing, with each competing at UK, European, Commonwealth (game only) and World levels. Teams range from juniors to seniors, game and sea have ladies teams, and game also has a disabled team which has been very successful over the years.

Game fishing, to which fly-fishing has traditionally belonged, relates to fishing for trout, sea trout and salmon, coarse fishing to other freshwater fish, such as roach, perch and pike, whilst sea fishing, as the name implies, relates to marine species of fish. To catch fish in each discipline calls for different skills and methods but there’s always plenty of help and advice available for anyone wishing to take up fishing and perhaps, one day, themselves becoming an angling international.

For further information about angling, please visit the Federation of Welsh Anglers web site.

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