AT-TEFF Rivers National

Due to the 2021 AT-TEFF River Qualifiers and National Final being cancelled and the 2019 team rolling over to 2022, there were instead a series of River Fundraisers held in 2021.

The proposal was to hold a series of individual River matches to raise funds for TEFF Teams and hence support financially all our team members going forward.

Each qualifying event and the Final had cash prizes available to the winning anglers in the sessions. Matches were fished to full international rules and AT-TEFF River Qualifier scoring system – measure, catch and release-basis. Only in season fish 20cm and above were eligible for measuring / scoring / awarding fish points.

The first match was held on the River Dee at Llangollen on Sunday 16th May. The full match report is available below:

Sunday 16th May saw the start of the 2021 AT-TEFF Rivers Fundraisers, held in lieu of the usual National qualifiers & Final and set up to raise money towards Team England Fly Fishing. The first match was held on the River Dee at Llangollen with 10 entrants. All were fishing for a £75.00 prize for first place in either of the morning or afternoon sessions. With variable weather conditions the preceding week, the anglers’ talk was of tricky fishing conditions with not many trout gracing the nets. This played out in the competition with only 9 trout between 10 anglers.

In the morning session David Bradley took top honours with 2 fish of 30cm and 26cm, giving him the top spot with 106 points. The afternoon session’s top honours went to competition newcomer Richard Baxendale who caught 2 trout for 83 points.

Thank you to everyone who supported the match & TEFF. Thank you to Peter Scholes for doing a wonderful job running his inaugural match and to Paul Page in helping set up the qualifiers. Thanks also to Llangollen Maelor Angling for hosting.

Unfortunately, the next qualifier which was due to take place on Sunday 13th June on the River Wear at Willington had to be cancelled. However, the following match on the River Ure on 27th June went ahead as planned.

Sunday 29th August saw the Final of the AT-TEFF Rivers Fundraisers series return to the River Dee at Llangollen. 12 anglers battled it out for two prizes of £125.00 and £75.00 in each half of the draw. With a small field it meant there was plenty of water to go at and the field spread out from the get-go. River conditions were almost perfect with low water levels, light winds, and perfect clarity. The way forward was either dries or nymphs on a French style leader. At the end of the sessions the results were as follows:

The AM session was won by Gavin Walsh from the woods at the bottom of the golf course on nymphs and in 2nd was Paul Baker with the same number of fish just smaller from the bottom of the country park.

The PM session was won by Bernie Maher from the area around the channels above horseshoe falls. Bernie caught mainly trout on nymphs. In second place was Welsh angler James Rice who caught his fish around the fridge pool.

Thank you to all who entered and helped out and also Llangollen Maelor Angling for allowing us to use their stretch of the river. Thank you to Peter Scholes & Paul Page who did an excellent job of coordinating all the qualifiers and final.