LLANDYSUL ANGLERS RISING FAST
Ceredigion were well represented at the recent Welsh Youth International fly fishing team championships held in Ireland, with seven of the fourteen strong team having learned their craft on the waters of West Wales.
Sioned Davies an experienced angler who lives near Llandysul ,was competing in her third championships and was awarded the honour of captaining the team, this a first for a female and she also
carried off the trophy for the biggest overall fish caught by a member of the Wales team. She also won the coveted Moc Morgan Trophy and only recently she qualified for the Welsh ladies international fly fishing team and will be travelling with the squad to Loch Melvin, Ireland next year.
She was joined in the squad by Jac Davies another to receive a third cap and who also lives near Llandysul and she told Sportsline that she picked up the fishing bug early in life and started when she was about six after being taken on to the river by her father and sister Leila, who was the first girl to represent the Welsh youth international fly fishing team.
“Before I started to fish on my own my father used to take me out fishing with him and I would watch him for hours so I am sure it’s in my blood! “
“This year though was extra special for me because I had the privilege of being the team captain and I really enjoyed the experience and responsibility.”
She is the second girl to have won the Moc Morgan Trophy since 1995 and it was her sister Leila who was the first ever girl to represent Wales in the international series and in fact won the Moc Morgan trophy herself back in 2007.
Earlier on this year she received a level one certificate in angling coaching and she hopes to go on and get her level two certificate so that she can help get more people into what she called ‘ this brilliant sport’.
Jac is another talented young angler brought up on the banks of the River Teifi and he has also enjoyed a successful season. His qualification for the Wales team once again must rank as his biggest prize but he also came runner up at the Elan Valley Welsh Bank Championship earlier in the year and he was first with Llandysul Angling Association in distance casting and accuracy and was also the winner for the category of most fish caught.
Jac also won the Royal Welsh Pairs casting last year, against a quality line up of mainly experienced anglers much older than him.
Ireland were the overall winners taking full advantage of their local knowledge and they edged out England but the Welsh anglers pushed them close.
