This year our DragonMania Welsh Championships has been expanded to also feature Game Angling for the first time, in addition to the existing Coarse and Sea Angling competitions.
Llyn Clywedog Trout Fishery, Llanidloes played host to the inaugural Angling Cymru Welsh Bank Championships over the course of a Game Angling weekend double header in Mid Wales.
First up on the Saturday, 16-year-old Kyle Hutchinson from Broughton bagged the Under 18 prize.
Kyle, who is a member of Vale of Clwyd Angling Club, caught a small brown, two rainbows and, the highlight of his day, a golden trout of 1lb 11oz.
He was presented with his winner’s plaque and prize – an Airflo Switch Fly Reel.
Then, the following day, James Thomas won the Individual Senior Bank competition with 13lb 9oz to also collect the £300 first prize.
The runner-up was Ken Llewellyn with 12lb 15oz, also netting him £150, while the £100 third place prize went to Gavin Jehu, who weighed in with 11lb 9oz.
Biggest fish of the day and the £50 prize belonged to Jake Thompson (6lb 1oz).
“I was extremely happy to take the win,” reflected Senior winner James Thomas.
“We fished to a six fish kill with unlimited catch and release. Firstly, I needed to catch six fish and providing I did this effortlessly, I would select six good fish and release the others.
“Clywedog offers miles of open bank fishing and therefore, I decided to walk to an area which offered a lot of bank space. Thankfully, three of my six fish were over three pounds in weight, so I knew I was in with a good chance.
“However, Clywedog is well known for producing huge specimen fish of over 20 pounds and it would be interesting to see if anyone caught one of these monsters at the weigh in.
“All competitors caught their six fish limit and thankfully I had the heaviest bag.
“The fish were lying approximately 10 feet down and once I found the correct depth I managed to catch them freely, using lures and fast sinking lines.
“Fingers crossed this is the start of a great competition and hopefully we'll see it grow into one of the best bank competitions in Wales."
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