Just returned from 5 days at Rutland which culminated in me becoming the 2014 National Loch Style Champion!
120 qualifiers took part in the first ever 2 day National Final and all were competing to finish in the top 28 and form the two England Teams for next year.
Day 1 saw no less than 37 limit bags of 8 fish and thankfully I finished top of the pile. Dry Fly tactics at Gibbets Gorse and Manton Bay was my chosen method and I knew there were better fish; albeit less than in other places, to be caught at the top of the South Arm. My bag weight of over 18lbs included a grown-on fish of over 4lbs. Finishing at 1:35pm also gave me a time bonus of 4:04 and a total weight of 22lbs 13 5/8ozs. My boat partner Gary Haskins also caught his limit by 3:52pm using the same tactics.
Day 2 and I returned to Gibbets Gorse with new boat partner Mike Heritage and we were amazed that we had only 4 other boats for company. We had 3 between us at Gibbets then nipped across to Manton Bay where I finished my limit bag again by 3:08pm and Mike completed his a little later at 4:53pm. My bag weighed over 18lbs again and with Time Bonus came to 20lbs 14 7/8ozs.
I finished Day 2 in 4th place while Mike came 8th.
My total place points were 5 which made me 1st place overall and National Champion for 2014. This is the first time I have ever been National Loch Style Champion and I am very proud to add it to my National Rivers Champion Trophy won on the rivers of Northern England several years ago.
Both Gary Haskins and Mike Heritage also qualified in 6th and 7th places respectively and there were no less than 6 Chew Valley regulars in the Top 10!
