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King Of The Catch 2018 - Round Up
As we come to the end of September, Angling Direct's summer competition, King of the Catch, is also drawing to a close for another year. We've seen hundreds of brilliant catch photographs, watched the votes roll in and ramp up, and felt a faint echo of the excitement that those vying to be King, Queen, Prince or Princess of the catch are bound to have been feeling as they checked their position over the past three months.
Welcoming anglers from around the world, and completely free to enter, King of the Catch is an annual event that followers and fans of Angling Direct always look forward to, with the chance of winning a luxury fishing holiday, kindly contributed by SportsQuest, getting plenty of anglers out on the bank, camera in hand, chasing a PB and a perfect shot.
King of the Catch isn't just about winning, though. The competition does what all aspects of angling should do; it allows us to see what's being drawn out of the water, who's coming up in our sport, and gives us glimmers of possibilities for our own fishing – after all, what angler, on seeing the perfect specimen of a fish, and recognising the venue featured, doesn't immediately start planning a trip out, accompanied by a full tackle set up?
Even if you don't contribute a catch photo yourself, King of the Catch gives you a great game. Where has that stunning fish been caught? Is it one you recognise? Which swim is that in the background? When can I get time off to go out after it?
New Rods Rising
One of the changes Angling Direct rang for this year's King of the Catch was to introduce the categories of Prince and Princess of the Catch, exclusively for junior anglers, and a great way for everyone involved in our sport to see the talent that's coming through.
Getting to see these new rods rising has been as exciting for us as we're sure it has been for anyone following the competition, and proof to the doubters among the non-angling fraternity that our sport isn't simply the last bastion of old, white men. (Those who are anglers already know that the stereotype isn't accurate – some people outside the sport still seem to want to believe it!) Seeing primary school aged children proudly holding up a gleaming catch inspires anglers, and provides a pleasant surprise to those outside the sport.
Here at Angling Direct, we're proud to be involved in a sport that encourages children and young people to get outside, learn new skills, make new friends, and see the results of hard work in real, gleaming, scaley life. Angling is the ultimate way to engage, encourage, and channel the boundless energy and enthusiasm of young people; they're not defaulting to computers and social media, scrolling mindlessly because there's “nothing else to do”, but they're also not annoying the neighbours by slamming footballs into windows, clipping cars as they wrest their bikes through high-speed stunts, or raising everyone's blood pressure by running around shrieking at the top of their lungs. Angling is a way for generations to spend time together, and an immediate, practical way of sharing knowledge gained by effort, and honed by skill.
Why Do We Run The Competition?
As the UK's leading angling retailer, we run competition like King of the Catch to keep everyone, across the sport, up to immediate, visual speed with who's out there, what they're catching, and where it's all happening, and to make those outside the sport, who might be inclined to judge it, aware of just how vibrant and varied the range of participants in our sport actually is.
In running King of the Catch, we hope that we're encouraging anglers to take a chance on that ultimate campaign, and tempting those for whom angling has either never been a life experience, or for whom it is a distant, childhood memory to tackle up, head out, and see what lies below the surface.
King of the Catch is an exciting rush of weeks where the life of the angling community gets to be seen in all its glory, and the competitiveness that's usually kept for match season, or the committed pursuit of a famous specimen of carpiness is channelled into getting friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances and strangers excited enough about your catches to vote for your photo, raising your profile, and getting you ever closer to the possibility of relaxing and unwinding, rods at hand, at a luxury fishing resort, chasing large, stunning specimens on foreign waters.
Spirit of Success
We're looking forward to announcing the winner of King of the Catch 2018 in the next few weeks, and, if it's you, we hope you'll drop us a line at catch@anglingdirect.co.uk, letting us know what you found waiting for you on your trip of a lifetime.
King of the Catch doesn't just have to be a once-in-a-lifetime; our 2016 Queen of the Catch, Arezue Wright, is a regular contributor to the Angling Direct blog, enjoying plenty of exciting foreign fishing, and, with impressive catch weights to her name, proving that women aren't just there to look good in waders.
King (or Queen, or, of course, Prince or Princess) of the Catch isn't just a cheap gimmick; it could be the start of a new direction in your angling lifestyle.
Take Your Angling Ambitions Further
Even if you're not interested in resort holidays, or your angling doesn't result in catches that make for great pictures, we hope King of the Catch inspires you to take your angling ambitions further. Why not browse our range of tackle, luggage, and accessories, and get everything you need for a successful session – on or off camera? With the retail power, passion, and support of Angling Direct, you can get everything you need to target every species, and really make the most of the wealth of angling opportunities that are out there. From rods to rucksacks, t-shirts to Trakker barrows, we've got everything you need for a successful session, whether you're looking to stay out for a few hours, or a few days.
At Angling Direct, we've got everything you need to achieve your own crowning glory at the water's edge, so browse our range of online options, or head to your nearest store to buy the best, and enjoy some right royal sport at your favourite venue.
