Angler scoops gold at world Masters event in Italy

STRATFORD has a new world champion after angler Simon Fry clinched the gold medal at the Masters Feeder Fishing World Championships in Italy.

And along with Ettington’s Darren Cox, he helped the England team to the silver medal, missing out to eventual winners France after two tense days of fishing in Migliarino, 30 miles north of Bologna.

Fry admitted that taking the top prize was a dream come true after taking up the sport more than 40 years ago.

Ten countries took part in the event with both team and individual honours up for grabs – and all after a two-day trek across Europe by road because of the amount of equipment needed for the competition.

He said: “We were fishing along sections of a canal for skimmers – which are small bream – catfish and carp. Tactics include going for lots of the small fish to build up the weight or going for the bigger carp which may or may not be there. That’s the gamble you take.

“France won it and although we finished level on points with Germany, we were second because of the weight of fish we caught.

“On the first day I caught a lot of small fish and was second in my zone but then halfway through the second day I tried to catch some of the bigger fish and caught four large carp. With those I won overall.”

Fry, who works in the fishing industry supplying equipment to tackle shops, will be hoping to retain his world title next year when the championships are held in Hungary.

At that event we are going to be fishing for carp on a canal so my aim before then is to enter a few carp competitions,” he added.