The Angling Trust England Masters Feeder Fishing Team faced a dramatic turn of events at this year’s World Championships in Hungary. After a commanding performance on the first day, they were ultimately surpassed on day two and finished in a frustrating second place.
Taking place at Hungary’s Szeged Rowing Course, England achieved an impressive seven-point tally from their four anglers on day one. However, the home team, Hungary, delivered a stunning performance on Sunday. The host scored an even better six points and moved from third to clinch the gold medal.
With a total of 28.5 points, England finished just 4.5 points behind the champions. Romania took the final medal position with 39 points. Hungary also excelled in the individual rankings claiming all three medals. Timor Ambrus emerged as the World Champion with a flawless two-point score.
Manager Nigel Franks commented on the outcome: “It’s disheartening to go from such a strong position to finish second. Still, we take pride in our silver medal; had we been offered that before we set off, we would have eagerly accepted it. It’s quite a journey to return without any medals.”
The standout performer for England was skipper Tommy Pickering, who secured fifth place overall with five points. Richie Hull matched his score but ended up sixth based on total weight. Darren Cox achieved 6.5 points for ninth position, while outgoing World Champion Simon Fry finished eighteenth with 12 points.
The team’s strategy involved using two lines with cage, window, or rocket feeders packed with corn and maggots on the hook to target carp. Carassio were not effective at this venue, where significant weights were essential for earning good points.
Franks elaborated on their tactics: “We went through 30 tins of corn each match. The plan was to feed one line with two bait-up feeders of corn and fish over it, catch a fish, then switch to the other line and alternate throughout the match.”
However, challenges arose on day two. Franks noted: “We learned that the fish are sensitive to pressure; we may have been too forceful on day two. In contrast, Hungary adjusted their feeding strategy and reaped the rewards.”
Franks expressed his appreciation for their supporters.