Are you a keen pike angler? Have you ever dreamed of representing your nation in a prestigious competition?
Well, now you can as The British Pike Squad are looking for competitors to take part in this year’s Team Selection Final for next year’s Squad that will represent Great Britain against the Irish on home soil at Bridgwater in Somerset at the beginning of October 2005.
This year’s selection final will take place over the two days of the 15th and 17th of October at Chatteris in Cambridgeshire, a day either side of the annual ACA/Angling Times British Pike Championship’s, to enable those who have qualified for the final to take part in both events.
As always the British Pike Squad Selection Final will be held as two days of one rod roving matches, with any method allowed except livebaiting. With competitors encouraged to rove the banks of the river searching for pockets of feeding pike, a tactic that has seen some fantastic bags of pike recorded over the years by anglers fishing either sink and draw or wobbled deadbaits or lures. Static baits dropped into likely swims have also provided good bags of fish to past squad members, but generally the best bags of fish have fallen to those prepared to walk in search of their prey.
After the two days of competition, it will be the Top 10 overall placed anglers that will be invited to represent Great Britain next year in the 14th International meeting between Great Britain and Ireland, with the next two placed anglers acting as reserves.
Any angler that has taken part in the Team Selection Final will be welcome to come along and act as stewards, to enjoy the atmosphere of the competition and the bar in the evenings. This fixture is recognised as not only a great sporting occasion, but also a highly enjoyable social occasion where like minded anglers can enjoy the hard fought tactical side of fishing whilst enjoying the social side of comradeship in the evenings. Supping a few pints together and the telling of many a tall tale over a pint of beer or two.
Entry fee for the Team selection Final is £ 35 if paid in advance or £ 40 if paid on the day on Friday. This entry fee covers day tickets for both days, pools money which is paid out to the top three placed anglers from both days of competition, plus a prize to the captor of the most pike caught overall and largest pike; and an administration fee to the British Pike Squad.
Registration will commence at 8.00am in the car park of the George Hotel in Chatteris, where ID Cards and weigh cards will be issued as well as all scales being checked for accuracy with adjustment tickets added to your scales if necessary. A full set of the rules will be available, and will be read out to all competitors before we all move off to the chosen venue for the match. It is expected that the match will commence at 10.30am and finish at 4.30pm on Friday and 10am till 4pm on Sunday.
All weigh cards to be returned within an hour of the ending of the match to allow us to quickly check all weigh cards and collate all the weights from both days of competition.
Accommodation within Chatteris is available from:- The Bramley House Hotel 01354 695414; The George Hotel 01354 692208; or The Green Welly Motel 01354 695490. Other accommodation is available within the nearby towns of March & Whittlesey.
Contact the local tourist office or search on the Internet for details.
If you wish to pay in advance, then please make cheques payable to the British Pike Squad. Please send cheques to me at my home address, along with details of your full name and address along with a telephone contact number.
If you require any further information, then please feel free to contact me at any time. I look forward to hearing from you.
Mike Skipper, Team Manager, British Pike Squad, 38 Appledore Close, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 7JE. 01323 767749, 07977 513393.
