Thames Tidefest Angling Championship to return for the 11th year

The Angling Trust is pleased to announce the return of the Thames Tidefest Angling Championship for the 11th consecutive year. This annual 40 peg match will take place on Sunday 8th September in four zones on the tidal river between Kew Bridge and Barnes.

Draw: 7.00am Brentford Boating Arch, Kew Bridge, Strand on the Green, W4 3RE

Tides: High –  06.22 – 6.8m.  Low – 13.55  – 1m.

Fishing: Five hours from – 9am – 2pm (depending on tide height)

Rules: Thigh wading only permitted, all fish except eels can be weighed in

The zone winners will benefit from a ‘continental payout’ system with equal Top Four prizes by zone of £250, plus £150 to the overall winner as well as 5 peg section prizes to give more anglers a better chance of making the main frame. £5 from each ticket sale will be donated to the charity Get Hooked on Fishing.

In addition to the generous cash prizes the winner will receive a trophy named after three times Tidefest winner Mike Martin-Davies who sadly died of Covid two years ago.

Tickets (£20) are now available from the Angling Trust and Tackle Up in Fleet (more details below).

Last year again it was quality roach rather than bream provided the winning catches. The winner was Tony Rice with a float caught mixed bag of 14lbs from Barnes netting him a cool £400. The Chiswick zone was won by the previous years champion Mark Brush with 12lbs of roach including a magnificent specimen of 2.04.

Angling Trust Organiser Martin Salter said: “Tidefest is now the only open match held on the tidal Thames and has become an important event in the calendar. Not just for the generous prizes on offer but for its significance in measuring the health of London’s river. Despite all the well publicised problems the Thames always throws up a few special catches. Last year it was 2lb roach and seatrout and in previous contests we’ve seen barbel and flounders weighed in from adjacent pegs!”

More info:
Martin Salter 07976946033

Booking info:
Angling Trust – Book tickets online at – anglingtrust.net/competitions/tidefest-2024/  or tel: 0115 822 4519 or email [email protected] 

Tackle Up – 151 Fleet Road, Fleet GU51 3PD. Tel 01252 616129

Tickets:
£20 all in – £15 pools plus £5 ticket – (Cheques payable to The Angling Trust). All proceeds to Get Hooked on Fishing