The Wagglers
Police Sport UK,
National Coarse Angling Finals
Enniskillen 21st September 2017.
Andy Reels them in as PSNI shine in Fermanagh.
Every September sees the pinnacle of Police Sport UK’s (PSUK) Coarse Angling season with the staging of the National Finals whereby teams, representing Police forces from across the UK, compete against each other, desperate to be crowned National Champions.
This prestigious event also serves to provide us with the PSUK Individual Champion for the year.
And so it was that anglers from all over the UK began arriving at Lusty Beg Island Resort, just outside Kesh in County Fermanagh ahead of this year’s finals being hosted by the PSNI on Fermanagh’s stunning Erne system. Such was the eagerness of many of the participants that they actually began arriving in Northern Ireland’s premier lakeside resort on the Saturday 16thSeptember, fully 5 days before the crucial match.
The jaw dropping vista which welcomed the visiting anglers, from as far away as Essex, Cambridge, Norfolk and beyond, prompted numerous pictures to appear on social media by anglers left speechless by the pristine beauty which greeted them on arrival. Bright warming autumnal sunshine burned back any lying overnight mists which had enveloped the hitherto sodden Lakeland county.
Dawn over Lusty Beg
The ambience and friendly greetings offered up to the arriving participants served only to heighten the anticipation of a great week ahead. Old acquaintances and friendships were renewed in Lusty’s welcoming accommodation.
The ever busy Wagglers visited each peg on Sunday afternoon, with Al Gorman excelling himself on preparation for pegging of the event.
After much head scratching, thought and even the odd ‘debate’, the chosen sections were
Cleenish Bridge
Dolans Ring
Derrycharra
Broadmeadow
Sligo Road &
Portora
With a Reserve Section being fished at Lough Accrussell.
Monday and Tuesday 18th and 19th September 2017
Days 1 and 2.
With many of the 13 participating teams already on the island, Lusty’s cable pulled ferry was churning a constant path back and forth across Lough Erne as it ferried eager anglers back to mainland Fermanagh and from there many travelled on to their allotted sections of river.
Water levels across Northern Ireland were high given the weeks of incessant rain but thankfully the Nationals week got off to a dry start.
The PSNI hosts were able to field 2 teams in this year’s event with an A team parading the skills of David Gibson, Algie Martin, Ray Hamilton, Mark Loughran, Stevie Gibson and Alastair Gorman.
The B team consisted of Alan Devine, Rab Adams, Billy Bush, Mark McGarrity, Andy Patterson and one of the Wagglers founding members Ed McDonald.
It was with great sadness however that Ed’s mother, who had been suffering with illness, was to lose her fight for life on Tuesday 19th September with Ed returning home to be with his family. The entire PSNI Match Angling Club extends their sincere sympathies to Ed’s family.
These unfortunate circumstances saw Jimmy McConaghie step up to take Ed’s place.
Monday and Tuesday were spent practicing on various sections with the high, but slowly receding waters on the Erne proving difficult to manage. Those visiting from UK, many of whom tend to specialise on stillwaters and commercial fisheries, revelled in the opportunity to try some truly wild angling. Many tried various techniques hoping to hone their skills ahead of Thursday finals.
To assist their preparation, Junior Ireland Team Manager, Jack Tisdale did a very welcome presentation and chat about fishing in Fermanagh and particularly in respect of the chosen sections. The Waggler’s are grateful to Jack and for his very kind gesture in waiving any fee insisting that the money be donated to our chosen charity.
To say the weather was being kind to the anglers is an understatement with glorious sunny conditions prevailing for the first 2 days….but would Fermanagh throw a spanner in the works…….
Wednesday 20th September 2017
Wet, wet, wet….
And so, on official practice day, the heavens opened over Enniskillen. The incessant deluge rendered any fishing daft, unless of course you are Andy Cleaver from West Midlands who braved the conditions for some more valuable practice all alone at Cleenish Bridge.
The Wednesday before the actual Thursday finals is always a busy day for any host force. It is traditionally the day of the peg draw when anglers find out exactly which peg they were fishing on. This leads to fervent praying by many present, all hoping for a choice peg having had 3 days to research their section fully.
It is also the evening of the all-important charity raffle. A corner of the function room in Lusty Beg had been transformed into an Aladdin’s Cave all week with a table and much of the floor covered in fantastic prizes ranging from groundbait and reels to a superb Diawa seatbox worth £500, Browning Poles and Feeder rods. Now don’t get me wrong, there were a couple of booby prizes in there as well!!
So it was, after another fantastic Lusty Beg buffet, that the team captains headed down to the Thatched Bar for the peg draw.
Under the watchful eye of Ian Butler Vice Chairman and the Wagglers very own Gary Reid and Alan Devine, the draw took place, prompting team captains to run back to their anglers with either good or not so good news.
The draw was such that each team could expect some decent pegs for their anglers as well as the odd grueller, the idea being that it all worked out even….supposedly!
There were a few sighs of relief and some moans of displeasure which were quickly dispelled by the entertainer that is Algie Martin, compare for the draw.
Thanks almost entirely to Algie’s mercurial selling skills the support for the charity raffle was immense.
Some quality prizes were handed out and, more importantly, around £1600:00 was raised for The Disabled Police Officers Association.
Draw done, an early night beckoned ahead of finals day, and it eventually stopped raining as the competitors headed to bed.
PSNI Teams, (l-r), Alan Devine, Davey Gibson, Jimmy McConaghie, Algie Martin, Ray Hamilton, Gary Reid, Mark Loughran, Stevie Gibson, Rab Adams, Alastair Gorman and Mark McGarrity looking resplendent in their PFNI supported commemorative polo shirts at Lusty Beg
(missing Andy Patterson and Billy Bush)
Thursday 21st September 2017 Finals Day
As dawn broke over Lusty Beg on Thursday 21st September, with an ever determined sun trying to break through low mist and fog, the anglers competing in the 57th National Finals met over breakfast, nervously primed for the day ahead.
With the ferry service in full swing, all departed for their allotted sections and pegs.
The incessant days rain on Wednesday proved ill-timed as it managed to reverse the fall in the Erne system with water levels up on the beginning of the week.
Undeterred anglers busied themselves setting up with the 11am All In called amidst bright autumnal sunshine.
The PSNI anglers, to a man, sought to make the most of their draw. Mark Loughran (a) and Rab Adams (b), both drawn on the hitherto unfancied Derrycharra section, put in a determined shift on the feeder with both out catching others on the stretch.
Stevie Gibson (a) and Mark McGarrity (b) were also making a decent fist of their section at Broadmeadow with both Alastair Gorman at Dolans Ring and Davey Gibson on end peg 13 at Cleenish Bridge registering catches throughout the day, where many others were not!
In truth all the PSNI men were catching fish, Jimmy, who wasn’t even due to fish the match had a few roach at Dolans. Alan Devine, on the North Yorkshire renamed ‘Unfishable Peg 3’ at Cleenish had a few and even Billy Bush, who was convinced had been brought to Fermanagh to fish a fishless stretch at Portora caught some fish!!
With the threat of showers overhead, the 4pm ‘All Out’, marked the end of the day and scales made their way along each section with results sent via the ether to an expectant Gary Reid back at Lusty.
Thanks to an ingenious scoring program created by Tim Bryars, ex Met competitor, the results were soon revelled to the committee ahead of the formal presentations that evening.
What a difference a shirt and tie makes! After a week of grubby and grubbier fishing attire it was all change as the anglers adorned their finest attire as a top table, featuring Superintendent Jane Humphries (District Commander), Seamus Connor (Senior Fisheries Officer at DAERA), Raymond Johnson (Edwards &Co) and PSUK Committee Members, were piped into the presentation event by John Ash from Sussex.
After being served a superb meal by Lusty Staff and following speeches from the committee, David Gibson and a very entertaining monologue from Supt Humphries, it came to revelation of the results………
In what were challenging conditions for all, the PSNI acquitted themselves very, very, well indeed. The PSNI A team occupied 6th place as a team with 2 runners up in sections for David Gibson and Mark Loughran. The news was even better for the underdogs in the PSNI B team who claimed 4th place overall with 2 section victories for Andy Patterson and Rab Adams. On balance these were great results for the PSNI.
Individually the news got better and better. No less than 3 PSNI men occupied places in the top6. David Gibson was 6th, Rab Adams 4th. With baited breath the overall individual prize-winner was revealed….it was none other than the PSNI’s very own Andy Patterson. What a result. To have a PSNI man as the PSUK Individual Champion, for the first time in 57 years, was simply a stunning outcome.Andy’s undoubted skills and local knowledge helped him to a fine 9.380kg of bream and hybrids off peg 2 at Round O/Sligo Road.
Runners up individually were Jamie Darnton (North Yorkshire and Mark Jones (West Mids Regional)
Supt Jane Humphries presents Andy Patterson(PSNI B) with the Individual Champion Cup at 57th PSUK Finals, Lusty Beg, 21st September17
The overall team winners were a very experienced West Midlands Regional Team, many congratulations to Mark, Eric, James, Craig, Phil and Peter who fished the match in difficult circumstances following the death of a former team member only a few days earlier.
Team runners up were Essex with last years hosts Norfolk in 3rd place.
And so that was that, the 57th Nationals had come to an end amidst glowing reports from the competitors which reverberated for many days afterwards via social media and email.
This event, in the planning for many years, places a great strain on the organisers, keen to have a smooth running high profile event and in truth it could NOT have happened without help and support from so many, including:
Supt Humphries, Noel Barton and all the local police in Enniskillen who kept us safe and provided a high degree of reassurance to anglers who included in their ranks a man who had not returned to Northern Ireland following the murder of 2 soldiers who were fishing in the area in 1987.
Police Federation for NI who kindly sponsored the commemorative polo shirts which where a huge hit with competitors from all quarters of the UK
Browning Fishing for fantastic raffle prizes which included much sought after top end rods and poles. Browning have been strong supporters of the Wagglers for many years and we thank them greatly.
Officers and officials at DAERA under Seamus Connor and in particular Richard Turner who for many weeks and months ensured demands around pegging etc were met, he was invaluable and nothing was ever too much trouble. Also the department kindly provided free licences and permits for visiting anglers as well as welcome packs.
Eddie McGovern and his team at Fermanagh & Omagh Council for their local knowledge and assistance.
Edwards and Co Solicitors who, like Browning support the Wagglers not only at the Nationals but throughout the year. Their support is priceless and they are great friends of the club.
Also, Alistair McGowan at the RUC Athletic Association who consistently support our sporting club.
To Gary Reid, who didn’t need to be there but was and was a voice of calm during stress!
Alan Devine, a clever guy, who works tirelessly within the club and delivered a first class section draw and results operation.
Mr Arthur Cadden, his family and indeed to all the staff at Lusty Beg Island Resort. What a Jewel in the Crown this place is. All day everyday I heard a the participants wax lyrical about the place, its scenery, its food, its accommodation and most importantly its people who provided a true Northern Irish welcome to all. To have the use of Lusty for the week really was something else.
In closing, the author must place on record a final paragraph of praise to Waggler Club Officials
Alastair Gorman, who puts 110% per cent into all he does and never more so than for this event around Health and Safety and signage etc,
Algie Martin. This man is a joy to watch. He is not only a very valued treasurer of the club but his social skills are beyond compare. The man works tirelessly to ensure all runs well, incredible.
And finally, David Gibson, Chairman. Simply put, no Davey Gibson then no Wagglers and no Nationals in Northern Ireland. The man lives eats and breath coarse/match angling and his dedication to his sport was on full display in what were one of the best Nationals ever….especially for Andy P!!!!
58th PSUK Nationals, Essex, 2018
Dinky