The Angling Trust has announced the squad that will represent the Drennan England Feeder Team at the 2026 Feeder World Championships in Italy, with a largely unchanged lineup selected to defend the title.
The championships will be held on the Ostellato Canal from Thursday, 17th April to Saturday, 19th April 2026. Team manager Dean Barlow has once again placed his trust in experience, retaining the core of the gold medal-winning side from last season.
Steve Ringer will captain the team, joined by Lee Kerry, Rob Wootton, Adam Wakelin and Will Freeman. Mac Stephens comes into the squad as a reserve, replacing Tom Noton, who has now moved into a management role.
The Ostellato Canal is one of Europe’s most demanding international feeder venues. It is a wide drainage canal near Ferrara, measuring close to 90 yards across, with very little flow. The lack of current places heavy emphasis on accurate long-distance casting, precise feeding, and disciplined line management.
Pegs are well-spaced, and anglers often fish several lines at a range. Matches are rarely high catch affairs, which means patience and consistency are critical. Small errors can be costly, especially when they occur over multiple days.
The venue last hosted the World Championships in 2018, when England secured a bronze medal. Conditions are expected to be very different this time. While skimmers and catfish played a major role previously, bream are now the main target, alongside carp and carassio.
Dean Barlow explained the thinking behind his selection:
I’ve picked a strong experienced squad who can all cast the distances required and who are superb big water anglers. We have one clear aim, to retain the title. It will be very different to 2018 with completely different fish, so we are going back to square one with tactics. The move to three match days will not be an issue for this group.
Captain Steve Ringer also highlighted how the venue could shape the team’s approach:
It looks like a patient match with relatively few bites, possibly across multiple lines. Having three match days gives more opportunity to recover and also allows us to test ideas early without taking unnecessary risks.
This year’s championships will be decided over three match days rather than two, following four official practice days. The extended format places greater importance on adaptability and team discipline, areas where England’s experienced squad will expect to be strong.
England Feeder Team World Championships Squad 2026
Team
- Steve Ringer (Captain)
- Adam Wakelin
- Lee Kerry
- Rob Wootton
- Will Freeman
- Mac Stephens (Reserve)
Management
Dean Barlow (Manager)
Graham West (Assistant Manager)
Scott Smith (Bait Manager)
Tom Noton (Assistant)
Gaz Lambert (Assistant)
England head to Italy as reigning world champions, with a proven squad that knows both the pressures of international competition and the demands of the Ostellato Canal.
