THE sponsorless England Lure Team crashed on home water – as predicted by manager and Angler’s Mail columnist Steve Collett.
Despite the 2018 World Lure Championships being fished at Rutland Water in the East Midlands, England lived up to Steve’s prediction of “not a hope”. They finished 14th out of 16.
Steve took over the reins just under a year ago. He knew England were light years behind the Eastern European lure anglers and so it proved with Estonia taking team gold with 24 points.
The Czech Republic scooped World Lure Championships silver with 28 points and Latvia bronze with 40.
The top three individual pairs were Jan Hubka and Jakub Kolar (Czech Republic), Jaanus Jakobson and Martin Meier (Estonia) and Ivars Riciks and Gints Zeila (Latvia).
Even the lure-mad United States team couldn’t get close to the Eastern Europeans as they finished 12th on 83 points and England two places below on 87 points.
The positive that England can take away from 2018 World Lure Championships was they caught 24 predators, mostly zander. That was the same number winners Estonia caught.
But England have to learn to catch in the tough areas, not just the hotspots, as it is penalty points in sections that count.
And it won’t get any easier next year as the World Lure Championships are being held in South Africa with a whole new set of logistical, funding and tactical problems to overcome.
Steve said: “I don’t think I’ve ever been more upset.
“We spent so much in time, travelling and days off but we were far behind the winning teams.
“We caught lots in practise but it was so different in the actual match.
“I’ve got a young team so the future is bright but we have to learn a lot,” added Steve.
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