Taking on the best UK anglers in competition and beating them

THE Irish Angling team came out tops in a competition against their English counterparts on November 17.

Ian Church is one of the foremost Pike Anglers in the country and The Echo spoke to him after another successful Tournament where the Irish boys took on the best anglers In Great Britain and won.

They don’t mess about with tiddlers, and these Net busters played a large part in another victory for the Irish.

Ian from Tallaght tells The Echo: “There’s a huge and very tough qualifying round, before only the very best get a seat at the river.”

“Then when the competition started it was pure concentration.

“We knew we’d won it, it was a mixture of happiness and relief for the club.”

Ian is a member of the Leinster Pike Angling Club, but in recent years, he’s had to spread himself rather thinly as he’s opened his own business, Tipi Fishing Adventures in the county of Leitrim.

He says: “I’m only new at this but I’m learning all the time.

“My biggest adjustment has been becoming self-employed again.”

Of course, he will stay with Leinster Angling Club in some capacity for the foreseeable future.

“I’d miss my mates too much, but they can maybe come up and see me sometimes.

“I’m delighted with how everything is going so well even at this early stage and hopefully the summer will bring them in from miles around.”