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Press Release – 7th World Championships & Team Selection Trials This year’s 7th Carnivorous Artificial Bait Boat World Championship’s is to be held on the 11,000 acre glacial lake of Lake Bourget in South Eastern France, where the town of Aix-Les-Bains will play host to this influential and growing angling event. The Rhones alps provide for an unforgettable backdrop to these waters, and the historic city of Geneva is just 40 miles away. Lake Bourget is the deepest lake contained entirely in France with average depths of 85 m to a massive 145 m at its deepest, where competitors will face challenging conditions in targeting the lakes monster sized pike along with zander, perch and even arctic charr. With a proven history of some remarkably sized fish, this venue looks perfect for the UK styles of lure fishing. Following on from last year’s first entrance into these World Championships, Team England have launched a number of team trials events to select the squad that will represent the nation in France. In order to select the strongest team possible, a number of 2-day heats have been arranged, from which the Top 8 individual anglers from each heat will receive an automatic invite to attend a Grand Final to be held in May, from where the 6 man squad will be selected to wear the coveted three lions in representing the Angling Trust and England. The trials will be run under the same conditions and rules as used within the World Championships. With two competitors allocated to a boat, and only permitted to use ‘cast’ lures and not ‘trolled’. However, the use of drop-shotting is permitted as included within the rules imposed by the governing body of FIPSed. All fish caught over a specified size are to be measured and points per species and per centimeter over the specified size will be awarded. The Top 8 individuals after the 2 day event then being invited to the Final where the exact same set of rules will apply in determining the squad for this year. Cost of entry for each of the Trials heats is £25 (plus boat hire/day ticket per day), from which all proceeds will go towards the costs of sending the squad to France, and entry forms can be obtained from the Team England website at www.teamenglandluresquad.co.uk or direct from the Team Manager, Mike Skipper by email at the address given below. Further information on both Team England and these trials can also be obtained directly from the website, or again by emailing Mike at the email address supplied. It is hoped that once again Sky Sports will attend with the England squad and film another ‘special’ on these World Championships following on from the tremendous coverage supplied last year. Esthwaite Water, Hawkshead, Lake District – 29th & 30th of March 2014. 15 boats available (30 anglers) Fish 10am to 4pm. Bewl Reservoir, near Lamberhurst, Kent – 10th & 11th April 2014. 20 boats available (40 anglers). Fish 10am to 4pm. Grand Final - Llangorse Lake, Brecon Beacons, Wales – 17th & 18th May. 10 boats available for hire. However, anglers with their own boats are allowed to use their own boats, but must follow the rules imposed by the venue. Those bringing their own boats will be allocated a boat partner, and the cost of the boat ticket will be given to the boat owner towards their own costs. Once again we will fish to the same rules as the World Championships and from 10am to 4pm. Llangorse Lake has its own campsite along with its own café and bar and a number of good bed & breakfast accommodation within the area, and competitors will fish for the exceptionally good head of pike. The draw for all trials events will take place at 9am each day. We look forward to seeing as many anglers as possible at our team trials, where the luck 6 will encounter one of the greatest experiences ever in their angling history by taking part and representing their nation at these incredible World Championships. An experience you have to see to believe! Mike Skipper Team Manager Team England Lure Squad teamenglandluresquad@gmail.com www.teamenglandluresquad.co.uk

Pages 40-43 of the latest PAC Pikelines magazine issued this week contain a great write up of last years International which was held in Roscommon, Ireland. This article gives a further guide to the British Pike Squad and what we are about.

This years BPS Team Selection Final takes place over the weekend of 3rd & 4th of November on the Warwickshire Avon and River Severn. And we are able to offer a very limited number of places to interested and experienced pike anglers that would like the opportunity to represent their nation. Full details and entry forms can be found on the competitions page at the British Pike Squad's website at www.british-pike-squad.co.uk These places are strictly offered on a first come first served basis, so if you are interested please act quickly. Further details can also be obtained from myself via my email address of skips1@btinternet.com. Those selected from the final will go on to represent Great Britain in Ireland at the beginning of October 2008. The team selected from last years event will represent Britain at this years 16th International Pike Championship's which will be held at Bridgwater in Somerset in a couple of months time.

Thanks guys for all your posts on this forum. Most are wrong, but still make good reading especially when I take into account that most are from people who know nothing about pike matches or the British Pike Squad. Firstly the BPS have been in existance for 14 years now and most of its members also belong to the PAC. Secondly there is no financial gain from representing your own nation, no massive amounts of tackle etc - In fact members have to pay for the privilegdge of representing ones nation at the International. Therefore there is none of the problems associated with the large sit down matches such as the ACA/Angling Times or Anglers Mail Pairs match. Also our matches are far more skilfull in just the use of 1-rod roving matches not 2-rod sit downs. Thirdly unlike the PAC matches we have a stringent set of match rules that all competitors must follow (see the BPS website competitions page on www.british-pike-squad.co.uk for further details) These are strictly adhered to. Finally I could go on for AGES about what the BPS is all about and the reasons for existing, all I will say is that we exist to bring a sense of cameraderie and knowledge sharing between like minded pike anglers between Britain and Ireland. Sharing of knowledge on how to catch and conserve pike in our rivers and lakes. On a final final note, there are many so called specialist pike anglers out there who do more damage to pike than match anglers ever could - rods up to 100 yards apart, baits left until the hooks are almost coming out the pikes ***e, illegal poaching of waters, targeting a single fish time and time again. I could go on. We are all pike anglers and all here to enjoy our sport, it's easy to slate something you don't know anything about, and I for one understand that but at the end of the day we all love and care for pike (or I hope we do) so lets start again. If there is anyone out there who would like to know what the BPS and the International is all about drop me an email with your details and I'll get in touch. skips1@btinternet.com