A 13-YEAR-OLD angler who has learned the difficult method of fly fishing is set to represent Wales in the British championships.

Matthew Davies, a pupil at Denbigh High School, was introduced to the sport by his uncle five years ago and soon became ‘fishing mad’. He joined the Vale of Clwyd Angling Club and spent weekends at its designated river fishing areas including the River Clwyd and River Dee.

And Matthew put his young years of practice into action at the Welsh Youth Fly Fishing Team trials, held on the Llyn Clywedog Trout Fishery, Llanidloes on September 29. He caught nine fish and amounted a weight of nine pounds and six ounces, finishing in 5th place.

The score qualified him for the Wales youth team set to compete at the 2020 Fish in a Home International against Ireland, Scotland and England.

Hayley Davies said she is “immensely proud” of her son.

“If you speak to Matthew it’s just fishing, fishing, a little bit of cricket and more fishing,” she said.

“Matthew has put an awful lot of time into it and he is chuffed to bits to get a place.”