Aswell as the RNLI voluntary work, the blog, the guiding and a whole host of other jobs and duties , I've also become secretary of West Cork and District SAC this year.
As anyone who has done the secretarial role in an angling club will know the start of the season is a fair amount of work collecting memberships, registering members for IFSA Insurance, entering members in regional qualifiers, writing letters , sending emails,and plenty more, I've even been helping design club clothing this year along with my family. Its definately a commitment that can cut into your fishing time , ironic really!
WCAD isn't a club that is relaxed in its approach to competitions either.With some of the best match anglers in the World (and Gold medals to back that up) , Irish internationals and team captain, Munster champions numerous times over to name but a few accolades, its just not your average club.
Getting a lucky match win is not going to happen, you will have to work your socks off to have any chance of being competitive . Personally I've started well this year in the club but I don't expect to make the top three by the end of the season, infact I would be delighted with 4th !
Many decent anglers including internationals have left to join "easier" clubs because they just can't compete with the quality they're up against over a season. They can find easier routes to the Master Angler elsewhere and I don't blame them one bit.
The system in Ireland is run that the top 10% in each club will get to go on and compete in the next round of qualifiers for the national team the following year , this is called the Master Angler and is held in a different province each year . The top 6 out of over 120+ anglers over the three competitions in the Master Angler get to go on to the "fish-offs".
There they will make up a panel of the best 40 anglers in the country who have mostly qualified by other avenues, for example the previous years' team will be there.
If you come in the first few (top 5 I think?) in that series of comps you will not only be a well earned International Team Member but in my mind will practically have supernatural powers or have sold your soul to the devil! :-)
It takes dedication and consistency over the club season just to earn those master angler positions in WCAD let alone go on through the different rounds to make the Irish team .
WCAD will have 3 places for the master angler this season and none of them will be easily won, but on the flip side those anglers who do get through will be well prepared by the process.
I'm gonna stick my neck out here and predict that WCAD will have at least one member at the World Championships in Holland this October, infact I won't be a bit surprised if we have more than one! Now that would be some going for a small local club !
I guess you're wondering "what has all this got to do with bass fishing ?" Well I'm told bass is going to be one of the main target species at the World Championships and this should give Ireland , Wales and England an advantage as our team members should be as good at catching them as anyone and in all conditions?
They probably won't be favourites though , the amount of times I've read that the French are the best/most advanced bass anglers in Europe ? and also the fact that they are defending champions should put them in that position .
Either way I do hope bass feature strongly in the catches and we will all have an interest in this years competition .
Well, except for anglers who may look down their noses at bait fishermen ........
If your not one of them it might be worth considering joining a local angling club, aswell as getting you through tough and sometimes bass-less winters, it will definately improve your range of skills and ...... who knows where it might take you ? !
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