Luke Richards
Name: Luke Richards
Age: 30
Lives: Abercarn Gwent (Born and bred Cardiff)
Clubs: Cardiff Nomads A.C. Cefn Fforest A.C. Glamorgan A.C
Favourite Methods: Barbel fishing, Feeder for Skimmers, Long pole shallow fishing for Carp.
Favourite Venues: Port Talbot Dock, River Wye Belmont, River Sever Bewdley, Cefn Mably Match Lake.
Lukes Bio:
I started fishing at the age of 11 and like most youngsters in Cardiff it was done on Roath Park Lake, Pentwyn Pond and the River Taff. I caught the bug from my Dad’s Brother John who was a lifelong Match Angler and school friend of Clive Branson, Clive Roberts and Richy Candy. He also fished with the Nomads in the 1960’s.
My school holidays were spent fishing the Whip and Waggler organising ‘knock ups’ and betting for items of fishing tackle between me and my school friends. I joined Pentwyn A.C at 14 and began fishing properly organised junior matches. The Club ran a junior evening series every Monday and a Saturday League also. At the same time I also used to fish the Cardiff Nomads Senior open on Roath Park Lake every Tuesday evening, Watching Clive Branson and the others to learn how it was done.
Fishing three matches a week at 14 and then winning the Pentwyn A.C Monday and Saturday Leagues two years running gave me the desire to enter the Welsh Junior Squad trials at Roath Park Lake for what was to be my last season as a junior only to be disappointed by my parents booking a holiday on the very same day.
It was at this time; I joined Glamorgan A.C and began to turn my angling attentions to the rivers Taff and the Wye in pursuit of the newly stocked Barbel (Taff) and resident Chub. I began to fish less and less Matches as I became only interested in Specimen angling for Barbel, Chub and Pike. My late teens and early 20’s saw fishing became my summer hobby as it does with so many of us, other interests taking priority.
I am still a very keen Barbel angler and would have to regard this as one of my specialities. I don’t get to specifically target Barbel as much as I would like to these days due to my match fishing commitments. I have managed to fish the Bewdley Festival on the River Severn the last three years running, my best result being a 3rd overall on day one of the 100 peg event as well as achieving section wins every year.
I have been back Match Fishing for three years now, my biggest problem being that I enjoy fishing EVERYTHING! Rivers, Canals, Natural Lakes and Commercials. If it swims I can’t help wanting to fish for it! My first year back match fishing saw me turning my attention to Commercial Carp Fisheries for the first time. Since moving to Abercarn I have joined Cefn Fforest A.C. Which boasts some of the best commercial Anglers in Wales. This summer saw me picking up money regularly with Cefn Fforrest as well as in the Thursday and Saturday opens at Cefn Mably lakes.
I dedicated the winter of 2010/11 to the Port Talbot Dock Winter league where I polished my feeder fishing skills week in week out against some of the best feeder anglers in the country. This winter has seen me occupy a regular place in the Cardiff Nomads team, fishing the Hereford Winter League on the River Wye. I have enjoyed learning new skills such as Long rod/Bolognaise fishing and 6-8 metre pole to hand. I am equally as excited about fishing the upcoming individual winter league at Cefn Mably lakes.
In 2006 I set up my own company called, Inclusion through Angling – Hooked on Learning www.inclusionthroughangling.co.uk which is an alternative education provision for young people who have learning or behaviour problems and find mainstream school difficult. I took my Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Angling in 2007 and the programme went from strength to strength. In 2009 I completed the Certificate of Tutoring Sport (CTS) and Introduction to Assessment Practices (IAPS) with the Angling Development Board in England and joined the Angling Trust/ ADB Coach Educators team which qualifies me to both tutor and assess other anglers to become Level 1 and Level 2 Coaches.
However, the last 18 months has seen me channel my enthusiasm back into my own fishing rather than coaching and tutoring. It would be fair to state that my Match fishing is one of the main passions and priorities in my life. I can’t help spreading myself across all disciplines in angling and as a result it may take me a little longer to get to the top of any of them but that’s where I hope to be heading all the same! ;-)
Age: 30
Lives: Abercarn Gwent (Born and bred Cardiff)
Clubs: Cardiff Nomads A.C. Cefn Fforest A.C. Glamorgan A.C
Favourite Methods: Barbel fishing, Feeder for Skimmers, Long pole shallow fishing for Carp.
Favourite Venues: Port Talbot Dock, River Wye Belmont, River Sever Bewdley, Cefn Mably Match Lake.
Lukes Bio:
I started fishing at the age of 11 and like most youngsters in Cardiff it was done on Roath Park Lake, Pentwyn Pond and the River Taff. I caught the bug from my Dad’s Brother John who was a lifelong Match Angler and school friend of Clive Branson, Clive Roberts and Richy Candy. He also fished with the Nomads in the 1960’s.
My school holidays were spent fishing the Whip and Waggler organising ‘knock ups’ and betting for items of fishing tackle between me and my school friends. I joined Pentwyn A.C at 14 and began fishing properly organised junior matches. The Club ran a junior evening series every Monday and a Saturday League also. At the same time I also used to fish the Cardiff Nomads Senior open on Roath Park Lake every Tuesday evening, Watching Clive Branson and the others to learn how it was done.
Fishing three matches a week at 14 and then winning the Pentwyn A.C Monday and Saturday Leagues two years running gave me the desire to enter the Welsh Junior Squad trials at Roath Park Lake for what was to be my last season as a junior only to be disappointed by my parents booking a holiday on the very same day.
It was at this time; I joined Glamorgan A.C and began to turn my angling attentions to the rivers Taff and the Wye in pursuit of the newly stocked Barbel (Taff) and resident Chub. I began to fish less and less Matches as I became only interested in Specimen angling for Barbel, Chub and Pike. My late teens and early 20’s saw fishing became my summer hobby as it does with so many of us, other interests taking priority.
I am still a very keen Barbel angler and would have to regard this as one of my specialities. I don’t get to specifically target Barbel as much as I would like to these days due to my match fishing commitments. I have managed to fish the Bewdley Festival on the River Severn the last three years running, my best result being a 3rd overall on day one of the 100 peg event as well as achieving section wins every year.
I have been back Match Fishing for three years now, my biggest problem being that I enjoy fishing EVERYTHING! Rivers, Canals, Natural Lakes and Commercials. If it swims I can’t help wanting to fish for it! My first year back match fishing saw me turning my attention to Commercial Carp Fisheries for the first time. Since moving to Abercarn I have joined Cefn Fforest A.C. Which boasts some of the best commercial Anglers in Wales. This summer saw me picking up money regularly with Cefn Fforrest as well as in the Thursday and Saturday opens at Cefn Mably lakes.
I dedicated the winter of 2010/11 to the Port Talbot Dock Winter league where I polished my feeder fishing skills week in week out against some of the best feeder anglers in the country. This winter has seen me occupy a regular place in the Cardiff Nomads team, fishing the Hereford Winter League on the River Wye. I have enjoyed learning new skills such as Long rod/Bolognaise fishing and 6-8 metre pole to hand. I am equally as excited about fishing the upcoming individual winter league at Cefn Mably lakes.
In 2006 I set up my own company called, Inclusion through Angling – Hooked on Learning www.inclusionthroughangling.co.uk which is an alternative education provision for young people who have learning or behaviour problems and find mainstream school difficult. I took my Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Angling in 2007 and the programme went from strength to strength. In 2009 I completed the Certificate of Tutoring Sport (CTS) and Introduction to Assessment Practices (IAPS) with the Angling Development Board in England and joined the Angling Trust/ ADB Coach Educators team which qualifies me to both tutor and assess other anglers to become Level 1 and Level 2 Coaches.
However, the last 18 months has seen me channel my enthusiasm back into my own fishing rather than coaching and tutoring. It would be fair to state that my Match fishing is one of the main passions and priorities in my life. I can’t help spreading myself across all disciplines in angling and as a result it may take me a little longer to get to the top of any of them but that’s where I hope to be heading all the same! ;-)