A TEENAGER from Henfield has brought home a world title as part of an England fishing team.
Charlie Isaacs was part of a team of five boys who took the World Coarse Angling Championship Under-15 title in Serbia in August.
The week-long championships were held on a canal affected by thick water weeds and, after topping the table in their age group at the end day one of their two-day competition, the team were given the award when unprecedented “unfishable” conditions led to the second day being cancelled.
Charlie, who goes to Chipping Sodbury School, had won his spot on the team aged 13 earlier this year, after impressing at a final selection match in the Midlands.
He joined fellow anglers Barnaby Newman, Charlie Drinkwater, Alfie Swieton and Tommy Higginbottom on the team and was on “bank running” duties during the first day, after his four teammates were drawn to fish.
Teammate Barnaby won the individual title, while Charlie Drinkwater was runner-up.
Dad Paul is the manager at Bitterwell Lake in Henfield, and the family lives on-site.
‘Incredible’
Afterwards he described the team’s win as “incredible”, adding: “It’s come home!”
Speaking of Charlie’s selection earlier in the year, Paul said: “I’m really proud because I know how much work has gone in. It’s not the sort of thing you just do overnight; you’ve got to start and keep at it, you’ve got to learn and it takes time to learn fishing.
“To get to that level takes a lot of dedication.”
Charlie has been fishing since the age of four, but has only been focusing on match fishing for the last three years.
He had described going to the world championships as “my dream”.
Charlie’s ambition is to make it to the adult England ranks, and he has already attracted some sponsors.
Top picture: Charlie Isaacs (top row, second left) with teammates and coaches Charlie Drinkwater, Barnaby Newman, Bill Reynolds, James Dent, Tom Higginbottom, Alfie Swieton and Matt Godfrey. Picture: The Angling Trust.