THE five Embassy/NFA National Championships will prove more lucrative then ever this year for the top two points performers in each team, plus the section winners from the Ladies and Veterans events. 

The NFA has decided to bring back the Individual National Championship for its centenary year. 

Competitions officer Mick Turner commented: “We have discussed introducing an individual championship for some time and our 100^th birthday celebrations seemed to be a perfect time to re-introduce it.”

Only the top two points earners in each team will be invited to fish but this could mean more than 300 qualifying for the Individual Championship being fished on the Fossdyke Canal between Lincoln and Torksey Lock on Saturday, September 20.  

Event director Mick Turner says: “The entry fee will be £10 each qualifier and there will be optional match and section pools. We are very close to signing an event sponsor and we hope the prestigious match will have the most attractive prize structure for a 2003 individual match.”

The Fossdyke Canal is the oldest canal in the country and was dug out by the Romans.  It has a good head of bream, perch, roach and tench and is regarded as one of the fairest waters in the country.  

The Fossdyke is one of former world champion Bob Nudd’s favourite canals. Lincoln AA chairman Frank Butler knows every blade of grass on the canal.

“The 11-mile long canal is an ideal water for this match. Pole could be the winning method but then so could a waggler or swimfeeder. There is a big stock of 3lb–4lb perch, some cracking tench, lots of 4 lb bream and loads of small roach with a few topping 2lb. With so many top matchmen on the canal at once (this will be the biggest match on the Fossdyke for years) it is difficult to predict a winning weight but I would guess between 25lb and 3 lb” says Frank adding: “The match could be won from a number of ‘hot spots’ but my money would go on the nearest swim to Doddington Lane End.”

The headquarters site reserved for the Individual National is ‘The Woodcocks’ on Saxilby Road, Lincoln. “If the match is a success we will consider running it every year” commented Mick Turner.