The Biggest Competitive Fishing Events in the UK

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The UK is home to some of the most famous competitive fishing tournaments in the world, with several offering prizes that exceed £50,000. While the sport doesn’t gain as much attention as traditional sports, these contests aim to change that. In this guide, we’ve shared details about the three biggest UK fishing competitions.

The Growing Appeal of Angling

While fishing has long been an important part of human survival, it’s also a popular pastime worldwide. The sport of angling refers to fishing with a line and rod, and it is estimated that 10 per cent of the world’s population takes part. There has been a rise in competitive angling in the past 30 years, with the world’s largest contests offering more than £6.5 million in prizes.

The sport is beloved for its accessible entry point and skill. It has also inspired some of the most popular online casino games, with titles such as Big Bass Bonanza and Fishin Frenzy, well-known at UK gambling sites. Fishin Frenzy contains symbols such as a tackle box, fishing rod, and high-valued fish symbols that anglers will recognise, with potential cash prizes that can sometimes exceed those of the following fishing competitions.

Maver Mega Match This

The Mega Match This competition was launched in 2009 by fishing brand Maver to boost the public profile of angling. It is now one of the UK’s premier match fishing competitions and features some of the top anglers in the country competing across 24 qualifier events.

These take place between March and August each year, with the grand prize often exceeding £50,000. Contestants accumulate points from their catches, with targeted fish including carp, F1s, and silvers. The final events include upwards of 150 anglers, with 24 competing in the Grand Final at Maver Hayfield Lakes.

National Championships

The National Championships dates back to the 1950s and is held by the Angling Trust, the Government-recognised National Governing Body for angling in the UK. The events include the Division 1, Division 2, and Team Commercial Stillwater National Championships, which consist of regional heats that progress to a national final.

There are both team and individual events, with catches including carp, roach, and perch. The tournament includes timed matches, with points earned for species and weight of catches. The Division 1 competition is the most prestigious and sees 50 teams of 500 anglers battle it out for the championship title in August.

RiverFest

RiverFest is another competition held by the Angling Trust. It was launched in 2012 but has grown to become one of the UK’s premier contests. The river contests are held in natural waterways and require anglers to adapt to fast-changing currents and weather conditions.

River fish such as chub, barbel, and dace are the targeted species. The tournament contains 26 qualifiers before the Grand Final. The 2024 event was the largest yet and saw 96 of the UK’s best river anglers compete for the £48,000 prize pot.

For anyone interested in competitive fishing, these three events are the ones to keep an eye on. With substantial prize pools and growing participants, the sport of British angling has a promising future.