A new pairs league exclusively for pole anglers is to run this winter. Taking place at four of the UK’s most prolific silver-fish venues, the event will follow a unique format and carry a guaranteed first prize of £2,000 for the winning pair.
The event is the brainchild of the Pole Fishing team, Tom Scholey and Matt Godfrey, and Preston-backed ace and England international Lee Kerry, and has been generously sponsored by tackle giant Preston Innovations.
Tom explained: “Lee, Matt and I are keen match anglers and with Pole Fishing missing its own flagship event, we were keen to come up with something different from the rest of the competitions out there, which could offer pole anglers a unique challenge. With so many other great events already taking place in the warmer months, we wanted to run ours at a time of year when it wouldn’t clash with everything else that is on offer. Given the excellent sport on offer throughout the winter at so many of our commercials, we thought a commercial silver-fish championship would tick all the boxes.”
Taking place over four rounds at Barston Lakes & Packington Somers, Messingham Sands, Lindholme Lakes and Makins, the result will be decided on cumulative section points between both anglers in each pair over the four rounds. Based on a full turnout, the event will carry a prize fund of £5,000 to be paid out to the top championship finishers. Each individual round will also carrying a prize pot of £2,500, meaning that at each match the winning pair will walk away with £1,000 and £50 will be paid to the winner of each five-peg section.
To make things interesting, the competition will only allow natural baits (groundbait, worms, casters, pinkies, maggots, squatts, corn, hemp, and bloodworm and joker) venue rules permitting. Above and beyond the fishery rules, the only other notable rule is that carp do not count and, of course, the event is pole only.
Event sponsor Scott Geens of Preston Innovations commented: “We are delighted to get behind this event, which we believe will prove very popular over the coming years. The guys who are running this are anglers themselves, with a proven record in running big matches, and they have chosen venues that will offer great sport throughout the colder months.
I think the fact that the event is pole only, with carp not counting, will also give it a unique feel and prove a refreshing change to everything else that is on offer. I know that my partner and I are really looking forward to fishing it; we were the first two names on the list!”
Alongside the great prize money on offer, each round will have the added prestige of being covered in a four-page feature in Pole Fishing magazine. A photographer will be on hand on each match to capture the action, with updated results available to view on the Pole Fishing website, www.polefishingmagazine.com.
Dates/ Venues
Novmber 8th, 2014 Barston & Packington Somers
December 20th, 2014 Messingham Sands Fishery
January 10th, 2015 Lindholme Lakes
February 21st, 2015 Makins Fishery
How To Enter
Entry costs £100 per pair, and will be capped at 50 pairs to guarantee good fishing for all. To enter, click here to download an entry form, or cutout and return the form printed in the November issue of Pole Fishing magazine.
