Proteas Bloom in Iceland

2022 EFSA Species Championship

By Francois Beukes

THIS year a Protea team was once again invited to represent South Africa in the European Federation of Sea Anglers (EFSA) European Species Championship in Iceland in May,and once again we showed the world the high calibre of SA anglers.

Our four-man team consisted of our captain Allen Ford (Border),John Luef (Border),Wayne Gerber (Eastern Province) and Francois Beukes (Natal).

Once the initial excitement of team selection was over,planning and preparations began immediately.If we were to be competitive,we needed to carefully plan our strategy.We spent a great deal of time researching,including watching stacks of YouTube videos on target species,tackle requirements and conditions.It was clear that the team would be tested to the limit with the expected species,tackle,traces,and bait presentations.

The booking of flights,visa applications,booking accommodation and practice fishing days all formed part of the hype of actually fishing in Iceland.It was the first time Wayne and I had fished there and,like our teammates, we were over the moon to fish in what we were told was fishing heaven on earth.

The team landed at Doha airport after an overnight flight from Jo’burg and then flew on to Dublin in Ireland before eventually reaching Reykjavik in Iceland.We spent one night in Reykjavik before moving on to the picturesque seaside town of Akureyi. All in all we clocked 38 hours of travel.

Our first five days were spent fishing out of Dalvik,not too far from Akureyi.Our host,guide and skipper for the week,was a remarkable man and local fishing legend ‘Skarphedinn ’Asbjo’rnsson,affectionately known as Skarpi.

We quickly transformed Skarpi’s house into what can only be described as a makeshift fishing tackle workshop, with tackle and traces everywhere. Numerous traces were constructed for the two species of fish that we were expected to encounter in Olafsvik.

The practice days with Skarpi were fished in trying,if beautiful,conditions. We were surrounded by ice-capped fjords and glaciers,and,at times,had to deal with sub-zero temperatures and very strong winds.The extreme cold conditions gave us a taste of what was to come,and it was a huge eye opener but also exciting to see the size and type of fish we would be targeting.

Cod and coalfish are extremely abundant in Iceland.Apart from these two species,Skarpi also gave us an opportunity to catch some redfish which are caught in water over 200 metres deep,and wolf-fish which are caught on the shallower reefs.

After our first five practice days in Dalvik,we were reasonably confident that we had gained valuable experience and figured out what spoons (perks as they call them) and paddle tails were needed.We then moved to the tournament venue in Olafsvik for the final week and had one more practice day before the EFSA Species Championship was fished on 27 and 28 May.

For competition days all the anglers from each team were split up and competed on different boats,so we ended up fishing with various anglers from other countries.Each morning a draw was done on the boat,and each angler was then allocated a spot on the boat for the day.

The scoring system for the championship entailed targeting cod and coalfish which had a pre-determined point allocation depending on their length.At the end of the day,points were tallied and the angler with the most points on the boat earned 100%.All the other anglers then earned a percentage proportional to their points compared to the boat winner’s points.

At the end of the tournament each angler’s percentages were added up and that determined the individual results.Each team’s anglers’percentages and fish points are then added up,providing the team results.

The Protea team did exceptionally well in this scoring system as it is similar to how fishing is done back home, but the competition was tough and extremely competitive.

After the two days fishing I was joint top individual angler with five other anglers,but in the end had to settle for a third place and bronze medal based on fish points count-back.

In the two-man team division Allen Ford and John Luef finished in third place for a solid bronze medal.

Just when we thought we were done with the medals,Allen and John were awarded a silver medal for being part of a mixed four-man team and John received another bronze medal in the four-man executive team division.

To cap off the prize giving,Team South Africa achieved a bronze medal after being placed third overall in the four-man National Team event.

This was a formidable achievement and we went home with a total of ten medals and trophies awarded to the Protea team for the championship.

It was time to bring down the curtain on what can only be described as a competition the team will cherish for years to come.

The final swansong was a pact made by the team that if we medalled,we would all jump into the Icelandic sea for a celebratory swim.I have never been so cold in my life!

This event cemented a special bond we had as a team and the team spirit was second to none.Our team also made good friends with and earned respect from all our fellow competitors. The South African sportsmanship and spirit was clear for all to see.

It was a truly memorable trip,where all four of us managed to catch our personal bests of cod and coalfish.As we headed off to the airport,watching the beautiful scenery pass by,we reflected on our achievements both personally and as a team.We were proud of all we’d achieved and the way we had gelled from the outset.It’s an experience we’ll never forget.