Despite persistent rain and wet conditions, around 500 young anglers fished their hearts out on the Shropshire Canal last month during the Canal & River Trust’s National Celebration of Young People and Fishing.

Helped and supported by many Let’s Fish volunteers (part of the Canal & River Trust), the event is split into age groups – Cadets, Young Juniors, Full Juniors and Youth – and sees entrants of all abilities compete for prizes including the coveted Gudgeon Mugs and Tackle Guru goodie bags in a great festival of angling which is gaining popularity year on year.

The event has proved so popular that a priority booking system was in place for 2025 for junior anglers to register interest well in advance with organisers.

After the weigh-in, competitors gathered at Harper Adams University, for the prizegiving plus food and refreshments and a chance to dry out.

John Ellis, the CRT’s National Fisheries and Angling Manager, said: “We continue to get better each year and there are doubtless further improvements and minor tweaks that we can make for 2026 and beyond. [I think] the only place that it doesn’t rain in Shropshire is when we are safely tucked up in the Harper Adams headquarters.”

Individual and team winners were:

Cadet – Oliver Parkin (individual), Team Nufish (team)

Cadet Schools – Mill Hill Primary Orange (team)

Young Junior – Austin Purcell (individual), West Midlands Angling Academy Blue (team)

Full Junior – Marco Giordano (individual), Team Rammy Blue (team)

Junior Schools – St Peter’s Academy Team A

Emerging Youth – Cayden Grimes (individual), Port Sunlight Orange

Youth – Cody Norgate (individual), Team Rammy (team)