The Ladies were competing for a place in a 12 plus one reserve strong team to represent the Angling Trust Team England in Ireland in June 2013. The Irish venue, Lough Caragh, is one which is familiar to a few of the ladies who competed in the European Championships in 2009.
Match day at Grafham brought largely unfavourable conditions with clear skies, temperatures soaring to the high 20’s and a blustery and increasing wind.
From the off the boats split three ways: Sanctuary Bay, G Buoy and the south side of the dam and as the wind picked up the north side of the reservoir became increasingly inhospitable. Fish were not easy to come by with many fishing Fast Glass and Di3 on washing line methods to tempt the few feeding fish.
Close to the end of the eight hour competition some of the boats moved towards the nature reserve where a few fish were caught late on, much to the relief of some of the competitors. Back in the harbour it soon became apparent there were quite a few anglers with two or three fish, with a couple on a single fish and three blanks. Just one angler stood out from the rest: Whissendine angler Hilary Tomlinson who had netted five.
Paul Sissons, Angling Trust England Ladies Fly Fishing Team Manager said:
“It was far from clear cut, however, during the weigh in it became apparent that some big fish had been caught and some people on two fish were weighing more than those on three and so on. Tension held until the end, and Hilary was indeed the winner.
I will have the honour of managing the team in 2013. We are already planning our approach to Ireland, which demands some different techniques to be honed. The team is really motivated and we will really give it our best next June.”
Sandra Drew, Competitions and Events Manager for the Angling Trust said:
“The Angling Trust is proud of its successful women’s teams who have all won international medals in coarse, game and sea competitions over the years, and work very hard at this level of competition angling.
If any female anglers are interested in competing for places in the squads details are available on the Angling Trust website or contact me at sandra.drew@anglingtrust.net.”
The Angling Trust England Ladies’ Fly Fishing Team for 2013 are (in order of qualification):
Hilary Tomlinson
Martha Thomson
Sue Shaw
Sheena Goode
Susan Sissons
Louise Callow
Sue Irons
Elaine Sherry
Lianne Frost
Joan Russell
Jane Robinson
Lisa Isles
Kate Royce (travelling reserve)
