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Bloody great competition but not very good for the southern river angler as only one Qualifier in the south

Thought I'd like to suggest something that's been in my head for around 50 years. I once got Alan Haines , then editor of Angling Times to tentatively agree to give the idea some coverage, but he changed his mind without really taking it all in. Here it is. I'm 80 now, play golf most weekdays instead of fishing. Dont think I could see my float properly or hold a pole at full stretch for five hours any more ( even though mine's only 14 metres). So I've got no interest in pursuing the idea. But for a nominal few quid levy per match - whatever you come up with and a set number of matches to count - it needs a bit of consensus before it could start. Here's what I was thinking. Time for a change. 60 years after I first match fished, it's still all about the draw bag. Back in the 1970s, I came up with a way to determine the REAL Match angler of the year. Back then of course we had the numbers that match fishing doesn't have today. But we didn't have today's technology - which would make the idea so easy. The solution ? Handicapping. Not the anglers, the pegs. Let's take a typical stretch of river. A few flyers that win all the matches. Say 20lbish each match. That's the par figure. Others might produce 5lbs or 3lbs or whatever. Once again, that's the par. 100 percent for achieving the target weight or percentages plus or minus. Most clubs have record enough or organisers with the ability to allocate weights per peg to start with. A season long competition with a massive payout to the winners - based on a portion of pools money carrying over (and maybe an entry fee of some kind.?). With a centralised computer to upload results to run by the organiser of the scheme. There might be some overheads there. Again, that's for consensus via discussion. It wont be perfect to start with and will need river conditions and seasonal changes taken into account to keep tweaking the system as it develops. But it can be done with all computers, internet and mobile phone/camera technology we.ve got today. No longer relying on a lucky dip into the bag - but a real reason to flog away at a no hoper peg. The match is still won in the normal way on the day, but the money carried forward is the real big inducement. I wonder if anyone will give it a go ? Reply

Such different fishing to previous finals at Burton Joyce. High-level river anglers adapted well to the conditions. Fantastic outomes for some. Polished finish on the video production, so much better than the phone camera coverage on the competition days. Well done all !!

Top angling

this is not a competition this is a lottery who will draw barbel peg

Well done Dave Finnis who NEVER draws on bream!

Nice to see ladies compeating!😊

Well done Danny boy get in there

John Ellis is a wonderful ambassador for the sport. John, fantastic to listen to you. When you retire/if you retire, take a seat in the House of Lords please 👑

The CRT having to put in several teams to get the numbers up to a respectable level - not that many teams nowadays as the commercial scene provides better winnings even though the fishing does not have the variety of matches like this. Somewhat ironic that the HQ for this match is Lindholme Lakes. Kudos to Paul Caygill who does a sterling job organising and weighing in amongst other tasks

Very few match anglers these days. My idea of handicapping pegs back in the 1980s would be so easy to run today. We usually knew where we needed to draw . I had the idea of a year long match competition with massive prizes. Not enough to make it worthwhile today

I can remember when we had 4 nationals with about 80 teams. Commercials have killed them off. This is proper match fishing.

Only 25 teams, I remember when there used to be 70 plus teams back in the NFA days. Sad really but it is what it is.

Why we still weighing in kilos were not in eu

Joe Robert’s Northampton superstar ,great to see him out and about,one off my local hero’s,showed me how to fish the feeder at newton blossomville.Thanks joe

Brilliant Lloyd and the AT team! 👍

£34 for licence and your fee is too much for the sport.

Tickets on sale from 5pm today!

And away!

Well done Diawa Garden league, great win on a tough venue

Great match and on a proper fair natural venue.

Why did they keep saying winners of the 2025 national am I in a coma for 12 months 🤔?

Why is this the Lee Kerry feature show?

Well done everyone involved,proper fishing well organised,great to watch.

Well done to all the winners and framers. Great insight into team fishing with Mark's interview at the end.

awesome match lets get this big match format back in the headlines . Well done

Looked like one hell of a competition I do love canal fishing

Well done all.

what do they reweigh? are the fish not returned after each weigh in?

excellent fishing video although what a ridiculous hair style the presenter has? either sponsered by a flagging virility hair gel supplier or simply just a bet.................

Good luck lads

The difference in the total end weight, compared to the accumulated total of the ½ hourly weights, is significant. This match was for £50k and I understand that the discrepancy was almost 2kg. As a match secretary for many years I have weighed in hundreds of matches, and to do so accurately is extremely difficult. I have had competitors tip the bricks they used to anchor their nets into the weigh bag. An un vigilant scales-man might miss this and even if noticed it is claimed to be accidental by the angler. I have seen organisers 'zero' the scales in their favour. I have seen the scales-man 'zero' the scales in favour of a mate. I have seen anglers soaking their whole net under water and pulling it out at the last minute knowing that the extra water gives them a few extra ounces. I have seen scales-men delay calling the weight, knowing that the longer they delay, the drier (and lighter) the net will weigh. On some canal matches the difference between winning and otherwise is drams, not ounces. And we still get people weighing 'on the bounce' where they call the average between the high and low readings. Those digital scales will do that automatically, and if you don’t believe me take a weight, wait a minute and take another. You will not get the same result. The fish bouncing makes it almost impossible. The Fisho style of weighing in just multiplies the opportunities for error, fraud and collusion. I don’t trust it, it doesn’t follow a clear protocol, and I will GUARANTEE to you that somewhere along the line there is cheating going on. For £50k there are anglers who will do anything. Organisers too are not necessarily to be trusted. It’s always clear if there is a big weight difference but when it is close it is SO unfair to call the result one way or the other.

Could have put the weights up

If it was only 100g diff, then a re-weigh should be mandatory.

Music is just stupid ruins video

WELL DONE DAVE

Great video but that repetitive music was doing my brain in.

is paste banned from fisho ?

Telling Dave Shires that he'd definitely won then was told there was going to be a re weigh was distgusting . Life changing money and such a prestigious event, it was a farce. Well done to Dave for keeping his cool. Great match

1st time ive watched fishomania thought it was good , until that marsden bloke , asked for a reweigh which made a lot of bad blood, and it made him look foolish in the end , as it went from a 100gs to nearly 2kg winning gap

Well done dave on the win,outstanding achievement

Brooke hodgkiss was my teacher

well done Jamie, top banana.

Excellent interview as ever Lee.

Well done Leanne ,good luck in Fisho final David Holmes

Very well done Leanne, best of luck in Fisho .

Amazing!! So pleased to have had the privilege of hosting this year! 😊

spot on. ..but please try them on natural venues for the England team.....bloodworm etc

Here to help in any way ..40 years experience

Really great news about sponsorship for the team. It takes a huge amount of pressure off fund raising for the team. Come on England U20's both the team members and the management of Jason and Sam.