Daiwa has teamed up with The Scottish Sun - Scotland’s biggest selling daily newspaper - and Carron Valley, one of the top trout waters in the country.
The competition is open to every fly fisherman with fabulous prizes up for grabs. The eventual champion will win a sensational fishing holiday of a lifetime, a superb trophy, a superb rod and reel and a tour of Daiwa’s HQ in Wishaw.
There will also be top-quality tackle prizes for the competitors finishing second and third. And every finalist will receive a classy commemorative jacket and cap just for getting that far.
The Masters will be run over a series of six heats through the summer with tackle prizes for the winners and runners-up. A third of the competitors will qualify for the semi-finals with 15 from each going on to the glamorous grand final in August.
What makes the Masters unique is that it will be contested on a catch and release basis.
Boat partners will be drawn at random and record each other’s catches on golf-style scorecards. Stewards will keep an eye on proceedings but we’ll also rely on the honesty of anglers - with boat pairs scoring for each other.
The registration fee will be £10 and after that all you’ll pay is your share of the discounted boat hire. If numbers allow, you can enter more than once. Even if you’ve already qualified for the semis, it will be a chance to hone your tactics and check out the opposition.
Carron Valley owner Fraser McGowan said: “This kind of competition has long been a dream of mine. Now we’ve got three of the major forces in angling working together — Daiwa, The Scottish Sun and Carron Valley — the Masters is sure to become the event every angler wants to enter.”
Daiwa marketing manager Stephen McCaveny added: “We are delighted to be involved in the first Carron Valley Masters.
“We see it as the perfect event to sponsor — top quality trout fishing at a stunning location, a true wilderness but just outside of Glasgow and Edinburgh. To partner the Scottish Sun was also an easy choice as the paper has truly embraced the value of angling to their readers.”
Numbers will be strictly limited — so get your entry form by calling Carron Valley on 01324 823698 or email fishing@carronvalley.com
THE VENUE
Carron Valley has earned its reputation as one of Scotland’s premiere trout venues. It’s set in a glorious wilderness in the heart of the Campsie Fells, yet easily accessible.
The 1,000-acre expanse of water means the stocked rainbows and brownies can spread out and go native among the resident population. The trick is finding them, and when you do, get set for some muscle-straining action because these top-quality fish will battle all the way.
OUR SPONSORSHIP
Marketing boss Stephen McCaveny said: “Daiwa have been making fishing rods in Scotland for over 30 years and our factory in Wishaw is the biggest outside of the Far East.
“Apart from a brilliant fishing holiday and gear, the Masters winner well get a guided tour of the whole place. They’ll see the rod design team in action and possibly get to watch our rod testing machine called The Terminator take a rod ‘beyond’ and eventually destroying it.
“With almost £5,000 of prizes, every ticket for the qualifiers will be like gold dust. If I didn’t work for Daiwa I wouldn’t hesitate to be in it.”