2017 Spring Loch Style Home International - Chew Valley Lake

On Friday 19th May the 2017 Spring Loch style Home International took place at Chew Valley Lake near Bristol.

Among the England team members was our ‘Team Snowbee’ Captain Andy Cottam, who did us proud by winning the best basket with 8 fish weighing in at 20.77lbs. His great personal performance helped ‘TEFF’ to an emphatic win and ensured Andy received both the Grafham Trophy for Top English Rod and the Brown Bowl for top individual overall.

The full results of the competition were as follows:

England 43 fish 112.85 lbs
Scotland 29 fish 84.110 lbs
Wales 21 fish 58.960 lbs
Ireland 15 fish 38.120 lbs

Best Basket: Andy Cottam (England) 8 fish 20.770 lbs

Heaviest Trout: Stuart McLean (Scotland) 5.550 lbs

Top English Rod: Andy Cottam 8 fish 20.770 lbs

The Angling Trust Team England Fly Fishing (TEFF) was represented by: Paul Angell (manager), Nikki Long (captain), John Braithwaite, Dave Bromley, Andy Cottam, Nick Dunn, Ryan Feber, Mark Haycock, Alex Johnstone, Matt Kingdon, Mark Miles, Mark Rose, Steve Smalley, Dave Summers & Roger Truscott.

Andy told us his successful method was to fish a Snowbee WFCDS2-7ST Countdown Slow Sink-Tip on his Snowbee Prestige 10′ #7 wt rod with hare’s ear nymphs fished washing line style with an olive booby on the point. He said, “Having won the toss, I joined most of the boats in starting behind Denny island on Chew, where after a slowish start and by fishing clear water I managed to catch 5 fish in the first 2 hours. Following a move to Wick Green I caught a further 2 fish on the same method and then late into the match a drift off Moreton Point saw me land my 8^th and final fish which was enough to win the Brown Bowl for the top individual bag and the Grafham Trophy for the top English Rod”.

It was a great team performance by the England Team with 3 other members of the England Team finishing in the top 5 places.

Andy Cottam being presented with the Brown bowl for the top individual rod by IFFA President Wynnora Thomas. (Photo courtesy of SANACC)

Colour: Clear/Primrose Sizes: WF6 – WF8 Tip Length: 7ft Sink Rate: 2ins/sec

WFCDS2-7ST Countdown Slow Sink-Tip

In a pastel shade of primrose, this is the slowest sinking option in the series. With a 7ft clear tip, and super slick XS-Plus Nano coated and low stretch monofilament core, the line is well equipped for extreme casting and maximum sensitivity, just beneath the surface even at range.

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Prestige Fly Rods

4-piece ultra lightweight carbon blanks Fast action with high lift snakes for extreme distance casting Snowbee tri-modulus carbon technology.

Anodised silver/gold aluminium reel seat with maple burl wood inserts, this beautiful wood displays a range of colours and grain patterns, making each rod quite unique and individual. The rich bronze colour of the blanks is complemented by self colour whippings with a subtle, single band of bronze whipping. From the moment you pick up a Prestige fly rod, you will appreciate the detail that has gone into them, as they simply ooze class. Every rod carries an Original Purchaser Lifetime Guarantee and comes in matching cotton drill sleeve and lightweight Cordura tube.