2018 Champion of Champions

Champion of Champions

2018 Champion of Champions

Sponsored by Snowbee

Keir Hardie Joinery

The Lake of Menteith

Lomond Group

Glencairn Crystal

Hope Embroidery

Champion of Champions

5th October 2018 - Lake of Menteith

Sponsored by Snowbee, Lake of Menteith, Lomond Group, Keir Hardie Joinery, Glencairn Crystal and Hope Embroidery

Sixty one competitors took part in the 2018 Champion of Champions having won their place from one of the Saturday night heats of the Scottish Club Championship. The top five from each Saturday night heat qualified for a place in the 'Champions' and where an angler couldn't take up their place it was offered to the next highest competitor from the same heat. The match was fished on a partial catch and release with the first two trout being retained and 2lb awarded for each returned fish. Prize vouchers provided by Snowbee were given to the top three who also received a bottle of Lomond Single Malt Whisky and the winner received a fleece provided by Hope Embroidery.

When the competitors arrived at the Lake of Menteith the temperature was 3 degr with a clear blue sky and not a breath of wind which was in stark contrast to the wind and rain that the competitors had faced during the previous couple of days.

The temperature rose gradually and it was good bit warmer by the time the competitors set off although there was still a shortage of cloud cover and the light westerly breeze was intermittent. The competitors had mixed views on which was the best area to head for with a few boats staying at Hotel Bay and Shear Point while some went on round to International Bay and a good number headed for Lochinch and The Butts. Quite a few boats headed for The Cages with a couple stopping at Sams Point. By early afternoon a north westerly wind had picked up and as the day progressed the clouds thickened.

Top rod at the end of the day was Bobby Quinn of Ayr Travellers with 19 trout for 38lbs 14.4ozs. Bobby qualified for the final from Heat 10 where his 5 fish had put him in 5th place. His club finished in fourth in that heat and just missed a spot in the semis.

He caught his fish steadily throughout the day and took six at Shear Point, another six at Lochinch and seven at International Bay. His set up was an orange daddy, a tan daddy and diawl bachs fished on a 6ft midge tip.

Bobby Quinn
2018 Champion of Champions

John Maestri of Blackloch AC had a slow start to the day and took most of his trout in the afternoon. He was fishing cormorants and diawl bachs on a 3ft midge tip at Hotel Bay, the pier and Lochinch and with 19 trout for 37lbs 5.8ozs he was just pipped at the post and had to settle for second place. John came through from heat 4 where his six fish earned him a sixth place. The 2013 Champion of Champions, John Buchanan of Costa Ecosse was third with 15 trout for 29lbs 13.1ozs. John had a quiet spell between 1pm and 3pm and took his fish on two boobies and two cormorants fished on a 6ft slow tip at The Butts and east basin. John came through from heat 12 where he was 15th.

Eck Moffat of Dalzell AC caught the heaviest fish in the heats when he was competing in heat 12. His fish went to the scales at 6lbs 13.2ozs. In addition to receiving the salver Eck also received a bottle of Lomond single malt whisky.

John Maestri - 2nd

John Buchanan - 3rd

Eck Moffat - Heaviest fish in the heats