Anticipation is building for the Angling Trust Division One National Angling Championship. The match takes place this Saturday (17th August) on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Lancashire. After weeks of rigorous practice and tactical meetings, the event promises to showcase the best of British team match fishing.
Teams of ten will compete across nearly 20 miles of canal managed by Wigan DAA, stretching from Seven Stars Bridge in Wigan to Saracen’s Head at Halsall. The stakes are high, as not only will the teams compete for the prestigious championship trophy, but the winners will also secure a spot to represent England in the World Club Championships next summer in Ireland.
According to Trevor Smith, Match Secretary and Treasurer of Wigan DAA and the event’s main organiser, success will hinge on targeting smaller fish. He emphasised the importance of adapting strategies to the canal’s conditions. “There are pegs where the bream and skimmers are, which will take care of the individual placings, but to win as a team, it will be all about small fish,” Smith stated. He warned that spending too much time trying to catch larger fish could jeopardise a team’s chances against competitors focusing on smaller catches throughout the match.
Smith highlighted the techniques that anglers should employ, suggesting that using squatt and pinkie with groundbait will be crucial, with the possibility of an occasional hemp fish. He noted that while some areas of the canal may be more productive than others, the competition will be fierce, with many skilled anglers expected to participate.
Angling Trust Division One National Championship Draw
The draw for the match took place live on the Angling Trust Competitions Facebook page earlier this evening. You can watch the video below.
In addition to the main competition, there are also various section prizes available, providing further incentive for anglers to perform well in their respective areas. The sections for the match are as follows:
- A: Martland Mill Railway Bridge – Wigan B&Q
- B: Royal Oak Bridge – Gathurst Bridge
- C: Gathurst Bridge – Fisher’s Third Swing Bridge
- D: Fisher’s Third Swing Bridge – Appley Bridge
- E: Hand Lane to Dog Kennels
- F: The Slipway – Burscough Town
- G: Farmer’s Arms – Piggery
- H: Piggery – Heaton’s Bridge
- J: Heaton’s Bridge – Scarisbrick Marina Wires
- K: Scarisbrick Marina Wires – Saracen’s Head
The Angling Trust has also produced a brilliant map showing all of the match sections and parking details. You can view the map on Google Maps.
Team Details
- Bait-Tech/Maver Peterborough DAA
- Cadence Bait-Tech Superteam
- Colin Barlow AC Sale
- Colmic/Dynamite Baits Trentmen
- Colmic North West
- Daiwa Doncaster & District AA
- Daiwa Dorking
- Daiwa Gordon League
- Daiwa Tackle & Bates
- Drennan Barnsley DAA
- Drennan Bordon Angling
- Drennan/Van Den Eynde Leicester AS
- Drennan North West
- Drennan Oxford
- East Midlands Match Squad
- Liverpool DAA
- Matrix/Dynamite Baits Image
- Matrix Leigh Tackle & Bait/Bait-Tech
- Maver Midlands
- Maver Milton Keynes AA
- Milo/Bait-Tech West Midlands
- Mirfield AC
- Newton-le-Willows AA
- NuFish/SonuBaits Ossett
- Preston Innovations Delcac
- Preston Innovations/SonuBaits North West
- Preston Innovations Thatcher’s
- Saints
- Sensas Four Counties AC
- Sensas Hot Rods
- Sensas Lifestyle MG
- Sensas Lobby’s MG
- Sensas M5 Angling Squad
- Sensas Mark One
- Sensas North West
- Starlets AS
- Team Army UKLF
- Tri-Cast Calder Anglers
- Tri-Cast Rochdale
- Tubertini Ludlow
- Wigan MG
With the excitement building, the Division One National Angling Championship is set to be a thrilling event for both competitors and spectators alike. Good luck to everyone competing on Saturday.