lee’s had a year he’ll not forget!
What HASN’T young Mr Kerry won in 2018?
Polling well over 60 per cent of the vote, lee Kerry was a comfortable Match Angler of the Year winner – no surprise when you consider the 12 months that the Preston innovations man has enjoyed.
Lee made his debut for the England Feeder team, helped his Drennan Barnsley Blacks side win the Division One National and World Club Champs qualifier and even found time for some individual glory with victory in the World Irish Pairs, Catch More Media Knockout and NuFish Feeder King events.
Add to that podium spots in the Iberian Masters and Feedermasters All-Stars, plus second with Barnsley in the Winter League final and it would be fair to day he’s had a good ’un, not just in terms of trophies in the cabinet but also cash in the bank.
Utterly focused and dedicated, the Norfolk angler now living in West Yorkshire has the talent to go with that competitive spirit.
In 2018 Lee made the move away from the England float team to claim a spot in the Feeder side. His first foray was rewarded with a bronze medal. He also bagged the £10,000 prize in the Nu Fish event and a share of top billing with partner Rob Wootton over in Ireland on the Pairs, but the 35-year-old is also a hard worker on the admin front, helping organise the highly-popular Feedermasters event as well as providing coaching days.
AT: How did you start out in match fishing? LK: I grew up in Norfolk fishing the Broads and local commercials, basically anywhere my parents
would drop me off! My match fishing began when I was working in Tom Boulton’s tackle shop and Tom paid half of my pools on the understanding that I gave him half of any winnings. The three venues I went to the most were Barford Lakes, the River Yare and Weybread Pits, between them giving me a good all-round grounding. From there I joined Browning Hot Rods in 2000 and started fishing further afield in Winter Leagues, Superleagues and Nationals.
AT: Moving to Yorkshire gave you the chance to fish for Barnsley. How did this come about? LK: My university course took me to West Yorkshire but I still travelled back to fish with Hot Rods and once I graduated, I brought a house up there. Ossett asked me to fish for them and I had a good couple of years in the team but I remember doing well in the Thorne pairs with Mark Wainwright, backed up by a good set of results in the Winter League. Barnsley’s then captain Tony Peel approached me with Tommy Pickering’s backing and asked me to join. It took about a second to say yes!
AT: Any ‘breakthrough’ moments that led to where you are today? LK: The first was my England youth trials in 2000 when I was top in all of them and I went from being an unknown to having the backing of Mark Downes. Suddenly I was involved with the England set-up. The second would be with Hot Rods when I was top points scorer in the winter league. Finally, I always think you’re no-one until you win a big event, and in 2010 I won the Parkdean Masters at White Acres.
AT: England came calling in 2013. How much of a step-up was this? LK: Prior to the call-up I’d gone to World and Euro Champs with the team to help out and run the bank and I sat in on meetings, taking it all in. I’d fished for the Youth team and with Barnsley at the World Club Champs so I was familiar with international fishing and its requirements. Every step of my fishing before 2013 was about making the England team so when I finally got there, it felt ‘normal’.
AT: What are the key attributes a top-flight match angler needs? LK: Commitment and hunger are key, but so is having the discipline to stay ‘sharp’. I’ll spend one day a month practising slider fishing or using bloodworm so I am up to speed for if a match with England or Barnsley requires it.
AT: Team fishing or individual fishing – what’s your favourite? LK: I always prefer team fishing. There’s a massive buzz about sharing success and failure with other anglers and the pressure’s not all on your shoulders.
AT: You do a lot of work away from fishing, organising events such as FeederMasters and
formerly the Winter League. Why? LK: The lads in the Barnsley team call me ‘bossy’ because I like things to be right. As far as the Winter League went, I felt it was almost dead and approached the Angling Trust to offer my help and they accepted. I’d like to think the format of the final as it currently is has helped to make the competition the blue riband event that it is. In terms of Feedermasters, Mick Vials asked me to get on board as the events I’d run at Lindholme and on the canal at Thorne were popular and he wanted me to transfer this to his new event! Listening to anglers I’d hope that Feedermasters can be seen as a success!
AT: Feeder fishing is massive and you’re now in the England team. Did this come quicker than expected? LK: I felt I was battling hard in the floatfishing squad and things weren’t quite going for me. Then Tommy Pickering approached me and said he thought I had what’s needed to be in the Feeder team. “Do a bit more feeder fishing and see how you feel,” he said, so I did. I went back to Tommy and said I’d love to be involved. I’ve since come to love feeder fishing!
AT: You won the pairs in Ireland with Rob Wootton. How different is fishing over there compared to on the mainland? LK: Well, it’s not about finesse! Ireland is a place where making the right decisions about feeding is crucial because we’re all using the same baits – worms, casters, maggots and groundbait.
AT: So what of the future? LK: In 2019 I’ve got the World Champs in South Africa, the World Club Champs in Croatia, the National, Ireland and FeederMasters so. I wouldn’t mind having a crack at RiverFest and perhaps Fish O’ or Match This too!