Monday 28th October 2024.

Yesterday the 62nd annual Wye  Championship took place acroos the majority of our waters on the Riber Wye. Also included was the famous Carrots section that has produced several winners in years gone by. One hundred and twelve anglers turned up to the match which  was capped at 120 anglers and was  full two weeks before the match. The match is traditionally held on the last Sunday in October and despite the clocks going back to GMT, the competitors were clammering at the gate of Hereford Rugby Club at 6am all eager to  get a breakfast roll and look at the river before the start of the draw at 7am.

The weather gods had been kind this year and with little rain in the Welsh mountains during the week, the river looked in good condition running at a height of 0.9m on the day and slowly dropping. The air temperature was around 8C and the forecast was for a warm sunny autumnal day. Expectations were that there would be some bumper catches following good results in the previous recent matches. A good draw was essential and there were the usual moans and groans from the anglers when having drawn their peg they found themselves in a less than favourable section. The decision then was what to fish for and how to fish it, with perhaps a 5 peg section win being the best that could be achieved.

As the results came in there were reports of one or two good catches from various sections but on other sections the fishing was poor with very few double figure weights from Eign or Fownhope.

Overall winner of the day was Wye regular Geoff Brierley from Bridgnorth who caught 25 chub and 6 barbel on meat and feeder from the top of the Bartonsham stretch to record a weight of 77lb and lift the trophy for the first time, picking up £680 in prize money and an engraved trophy. Runner up was current Welsh international and Wye regular Lee Edwards from Caerphilly who was pegged on the left bank of the river near the rugby club.He managed a total weight of 51lb 2oz made of mainly perch with a few roach and dace, caught using worms and a flat float.Third place went to Paul Passmore from Witney in Oxfordshire. Paul caught perch and roach using a 6m pole to hand and maggot, to weigh in 46lb 10oz from the same section as Lee. On the opposite bank Joe Holloway from Quatford near Bridgnorth took fourth place with 42lb of perch and roach using a whip or stick float with maggot on the hook.

Thanks must go to the peggers and stewards without who this match would be difficult to run. This is the only match that we run using stewards and I am sure the anglers appreciate their help weighing in at a time when it is getting dark not long after the end of the match. Despite predictions before the match, the river fished harder than expected but there were still some good weights caught. All eyes are now on the upcoming 2nd round of the ABC Baits Winter League match to be fished on the main match stretch at Belmont, this coming Sunday. Full results for yesterday’s match can be found below.