In the end it was Clement Booth’s six and a half pound chub that won top spot and a Snowbee fly rod, tricked with a Peeping Caddis and tamed on a four-weight outfit. It was taken on the River Loddon, where sightings of large coarse fish had been diverting him from the trout. In an amazingly charitable gesture, Clement decided to donate his prize to angling charity “Fishing For Heroes”
Clement Booth’s 6lb 8oz fly-caught chub
Also close in the running was Andy Parkinson, with an exceptional 31lb carp taken on a deer hair mixer. There were also some exceptional fish from unlikely places. The canals, for example, produced numerous perch and pike, the odd chub and even a superb bream taken on a Hare’s Ear nymph by Linda Summerfield.
Andy Parkinson with 31lb 8oz fly-caught carp
7lb+ bream on fly by Linda Summerfierld
Predator and Mini Species Awards
With the aim of recognizing different styles of angling, and all catches great and small, there were also two special categories in the competition for 2015. The Best Mini Species award was an interesting affair in itself. Solid bleak, minnows, gudeon and even a pumpkinseed featured on the list, but Ben Bangham’s rare fly caught bullhead won the award for sheer novelty value.
The award for Best Predator was even tougher to pick, after an excellent year for specimen perch on the fly. In the end, two entries simply couldn’t be split, with a wonderful Grand Union Canal fish of 3lbs 8oz tempted by David West Beale and Simon Brough’s giant of 4lbs 1oz from Chew Valley on level pegging. Both captors received a selection of Turrall predator fly tying materials.
David West-Beale with Grand Union Canal fly-caught perch of 3lb 8oz
Simon Brough with a Chew perch of 4lb 1oz caught on fly
“We were bowled over by the enthusiasm and quality of the catches this year,” said organiser Dom Garnett. “It’s great that for the third year running the winner has been a different species and a genuine surprise. This isn’t just about size though, it’s about being adventurous and enjoying some of the most challenging and varied fishing we have in the UK.”
More surprises are guaranteed in 2016 as the competition kicks off all over again. Get involved on the Flyfishing For Coarse Fish Facebook group, or visit www.flyforcoarse.com to find out more.
