The first Rivers & Fisheries Trust Angling Challenge took place on Friday, 6th June 2008 and was open to all attendees at The Tweed Foundation’s 25th Anniversary Workshop. The Challenge took the form of a Brown Trout and European Grayling fishing competition consisting of two angling sessions: an afternoon session on the Lower River Teviot (Kale Mouth to Kelso Bridge) from 2pm to 5.30pm, and an evening session on the Lower stretches of the Middle Tweed (Rutherford, Makerstoun and Upper and Lower Floors) from 7pm to 10.30pm. Within the Challenge were three prize sections:
Best individual angler,
Biggest Brown Trout or European Grayling, and, most importantly,
Best River or Fisheries Trust (team competition).
The scoring system was based on a points and ranking system covering both sessions.
On the day of the competition conditions were poor and catching fish proved extremely difficult. During the day bright, warm conditions appeared to keep fish deep and unwilling to feed. During the last hour of the competition Brown Trout finally came to the surface to feed as the sun set. However, they appeared fussy in their feeding and again proved difficult to catch. The average catch for the afternoon session (Teviot) was 0.31 Brown Trout and 0.31 European Grayling per angler (0.63 Trout & Grayling per angler) while the catch rate for the evening session (Tweed) fared slightly better at 0.8 Brown Trout per angler (no European Grayling were caught). Within each session the fishing appeared fairly even over the entire stretch of water fished. The largest fish in the afternoon and evening sessions were Brown Trout of 40cm (approx. 1 1/2 lb) and 38cm (approx. 1 1/4 lb) respectively.
Best individual angler on the day was Gareth Pedley of the Environment Agency with seven fish (two Trout and a Grayling in the afternoon and four Trout in the evening). Gareth also won the biggest fish prize with a 40cm Brown Trout during the afternoon session. Second and third respectively were Kenny Galt and James Hunt, both from The Tweed Foundation.
The Rivers and Fisheries Trusts team competition was a closely fought affair with the Wester Ross Fisheries Trust winning by the smallest of margins from The Tweed Foundation, with the Westcountry Rivers Trust finishing in third. As a result of their triumph the Wester Ross Fisheries Trust were presented with the River & Fisheries Trust Challenge Trophy with the condition attached that the Trust must hold the second River & Fisheries Trust Angling Challenge within the next two years.
Best individual angler,
Biggest Brown Trout or European Grayling, and, most importantly,
Best River or Fisheries Trust (team competition).
The scoring system was based on a points and ranking system covering both sessions.
On the day of the competition conditions were poor and catching fish proved extremely difficult. During the day bright, warm conditions appeared to keep fish deep and unwilling to feed. During the last hour of the competition Brown Trout finally came to the surface to feed as the sun set. However, they appeared fussy in their feeding and again proved difficult to catch. The average catch for the afternoon session (Teviot) was 0.31 Brown Trout and 0.31 European Grayling per angler (0.63 Trout & Grayling per angler) while the catch rate for the evening session (Tweed) fared slightly better at 0.8 Brown Trout per angler (no European Grayling were caught). Within each session the fishing appeared fairly even over the entire stretch of water fished. The largest fish in the afternoon and evening sessions were Brown Trout of 40cm (approx. 1 1/2 lb) and 38cm (approx. 1 1/4 lb) respectively.
Best individual angler on the day was Gareth Pedley of the Environment Agency with seven fish (two Trout and a Grayling in the afternoon and four Trout in the evening). Gareth also won the biggest fish prize with a 40cm Brown Trout during the afternoon session. Second and third respectively were Kenny Galt and James Hunt, both from The Tweed Foundation.
Gareth Pedley (left) is presented with a bottle of Glenmorangie by His Grace, The Duke of Roxburghe
for landing the most fish in the competition. Gareth received a second bottle for also landing the
largest fish. Nick Yonge (right), Director of The Tweed Foundation also congratulates Gareth.
for landing the most fish in the competition. Gareth received a second bottle for also landing the
largest fish. Nick Yonge (right), Director of The Tweed Foundation also congratulates Gareth.
The Rivers and Fisheries Trusts team competition was a closely fought affair with the Wester Ross Fisheries Trust winning by the smallest of margins from The Tweed Foundation, with the Westcountry Rivers Trust finishing in third. As a result of their triumph the Wester Ross Fisheries Trust were presented with the River & Fisheries Trust Challenge Trophy with the condition attached that the Trust must hold the second River & Fisheries Trust Angling Challenge within the next two years.
Peter Cunningham of the Wester Ross Fisheries Trust receives The River
and Fisheries Trusts Challenge Trophy from His Grace, The Duke of Roxburghe
and Fisheries Trusts Challenge Trophy from His Grace, The Duke of Roxburghe
Challenge organisers, The Tweed Foundation, would like to thank the Kelso and Jedforest Angling Associations for permission to fish on their Association waters during the afternoon session; Mr Johnny Rutherford, Lord Biddulph and The Duke of Roxburghe who provided permission to fish on their beats on Tweed and Mr G Nicholas who kindly donated the Challenge Trophy.