Organised by ourselves in partnership with the Angling Trust, the Championship's regional qualifying heats are being held in Wales, Scotland and Ireland as well as 13 heats across England. Once again competitors will score points based on the weight of fish they catch. Up to five pairs in each heat will go through to the grand final which, together with the National Junior Canal Championship, will be held on the Erewash Canal on Saturday 21 October 2017.
You can apply for tickets from 13 March 2017 at 9.00am via the Angling Trust's new online booking system at a cost of £40.00 per pair per qualifier.
Prize money for the 2017 competition final, which is subject to entry, could total up to £16,000 between the top four pairs.
John Ellis, national fisheries and angling manager for the Canal & River Trust comments: "The aim of the competition is to inspire match anglers to experience the great fishing that can be found on their local canal.
The 2016 event was a great success and proved really popular with anglers from across the country and I'm expecting 2017 event to be just as big a success."
David Kent, chair of Angling Trust Competitions said: "The 2016 event was our biggest yet and it was great to see club and open anglers from across the country of all ages taking part. Canal fishing is a great branch of the sport and I'm sure this year's championship will help inspire even more people to get involved and give it a try."
Dates and venues for 2017
The dates, venues and host clubs for the qualifiers and the final are:
- Saturday 1 July 2017 - Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Liverpool & District Angling Society
- Saturday 15 July 2017 - Forth & Clyde Canal, Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling
- Sunday 16 July 2017 - Basingstoke Canal, Basingstoke Canal Angling Association
- Saturday 29 July 2017 - Grand Union Canal (Aylesbury Arm), The Tring Anglers
- Sunday 30 July 2017 - Newry Canal, Edenderry Angling club
- Saturday 5 August 2017 - Shropshire Union Canal Soudley, Hodnet Angling Club
- Sunday 13 August 2017 – Shropshire Union Bretton to Audlem, Hodnet Angling Club
- Sunday 20 August 2017 - Kennet & Avon Canal, Reading & District Angling Association
- Monday 28 August 2017 - Aire & Calder Canal, Boothferry Joint Angling Committee
- Saturday 2 September 2017 - New Junction Canal, Doncaster Angling Association
- Sunday 3 September 2017 -Trent & Mersey Canal, Pride of Derby Angling Association
- Sunday 10 September 2017 - Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, Winget Angling Club
- Sunday 24 September 2017 - Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, Wombourne Wolverhampton Angling Association
- Saturday 30 September 2017 - Grand Union Canal, Northampton Nene Angling Club
- Saturday 7 October 2017 - Llangollen Canal, Whixall Hodnet Angling Club
- Sunday 8 October 2017 - Trent & Mersey Canal Middlewich, Middlewich Angling club
Grand Final and National Junior Canal Championship:
Saturday 21 October 2017 – Erewash Canal, Long Eaton Victoria Angling Society
The AT/CRT Canal Pairs opens for entries from Monday 13th March. If anyone would like to enter please log onto the Angling Trust website to download a form at www.anglingtrust.net or alternatively ring the comps office to book on 0115 8224660.
