For years, big-money matches have revolved around commercial fisheries, but that’s set to change with the launch of a new big-carp contest offering a hefty €100,000 top prize.
Since plans for the new European Carp Angling Championships (ECAC) were revealed earlier this month, the reaction has been phenomenal.
The event, devised by the team behind the British Carp Angling Championships, will see 16 teams of carpers trying to qualify at 12 venues across nine countries for a place in the grand final, to be held at Jezera Stit in the Czech Republic.
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The UK qualifier is due to be held at Horseshoe Lake, in Gloucestershire, with entry costing €2,000 per team. While far from cheap, the spoils on offer are not to be sniffed at. Alongside the grand prize, second place will scoop €17,500, while third will take €7,500. With other prizes going to section winners and the overall winners of each qualifiers, plus for the biggest fish caught in each match, the total prize pot stands at a mighty €224,000.
Rob Hughes, who set up the BCAC in 1998, believes the event will take carp match fishing to the next level.
“My aim when I started the BCAC was for carp match fishing to be professional in the sense that competitors could win enough money to live off,” he told us.
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“We see this regularly in the commercial matchfishing world, so the formation of this event is a dream come true for me. The team behind it have done an amazing job.”
Rob also believes that the creation of the ECAC is indicative of changing tastes within the wider angling world.
“Float matches dominated fishing for years, but these days, it’s the carp and feeder events that gain the most interest,” he added.
“Look at the Carp World Champs this year. There were 32 nations competing, whereas in the float event there were 23. Carp fishing is growing massively, and people can make it whatever they like.
“Events like this will see the match fishing side of it rocket in popularity and it gets a big thumbs-up from me!”
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