The Angling Trust Division 1 National Championship saw 45 teams (450 anglers) come together on the tidal and non-tidal River Trent on Saturday 20th August 2016.
After weeks of fairly settled weather, a low pressure system moved over the country on the Friday before the match, and Saturday dawned with forecasts of 40 mph winds and rain. However, nothing could dampen the quiet confidence that was evident amongst the highly successful and current champions, Barnsley Blacks. They had performed well in practice sessions and so it was with some inevitability that they emerged once more as Division 1 champions, with a very consistent team performance giving them a comfortable 13 point lead over the runners up.
Team manager Glenn Lawrence confirmed that his highly talented team had shared information but each angler was trusted to read his own peg and fish accordingly. They had no section winners, but every man had more than 30 points.
Strong winds made it very difficult to target the roach that had been turning up on float methods in the lead up to the match, but local knowledge paid off for the runners up and third placed teams, Lincoln & District and Scunthorpe Tackle respectively. Daiwa Dorking finished 4th, Derbyshire Angling Fed 5th, followed by Starlets, Lincs County, Daiwa Gordon League and Winterton completing the top 10.
Top individual places were dominated by the favoured low numbers in the weir field at Holme Marsh, with Rob Perkins finishing top weight with 40.620 kg, consisting of 22 bream from B17 (permanent peg 8). The Matrix Dynamite Trentman fished a groundbait feeder with chopped worm and caster, fishing worm tipped with a red maggot on the hook. Runner up Shaun Bryan (Daiwa Gordon League) weighed in 30.350 kg from peg B19; also bream on the feeder. Third placed man Andy Dixon (Lincs County) fished caught skimmers at Dunham peg H17 for 23.120 kg, peg B19 on the weir gave Wayne Parker 19.840 kg and fourth place. Alan Henry (Scunthorpe Tackle) 17.450kg and Mark Perkins (Derbyshire Angling Fed) 14.800 kg completed the top 6.
A great contest fished in very difficult conditions, underlining the skill and determination of the anglers taking part. Congratulations to all!
Top 10 team results;
1st Barnsley Blacks 380 points 44.650 kg
2nd Lincoln & District AC 367 points 46.920 kg
3rd Scunthorpe Tackle 345 points 42.410 kg
4th Team Daiwa Dorking 341 points 35.630 kg
5th Derbyshire Angling Fed 326 points 45.430 kg
6th Browning Hotrods 314 points 29.640 kg
7th Starlets AC 308 points 35.730 kg
8th Lincs County 300 points 43.990 kg
9th Daiwa Gordon League 293 points 52.710 kg
10th Winterton AC 290 points 27.810 kg
Top 6 individual results;
1st Rob Perkins (Dynamite Matrix Trentmen) B17 – 40.620 kg
2nd Shaun Bryan (Daiwa Gordon League) B19 – 30.350 kg
3rd Andy Dixon (Lincs County) H17 – 23.120 kg
4th Wayne Parker (Swindon Isis AC) B18 – 19.840 kg
5th Alan Henry (Scunthorpe Tackle) K21 – 17.450 kg
6th Mark Perkins (Derbyshire Angling Fed) B21 – 16.800 kg
