Angling Worldwide

From the USA to the UK, France to Finland, Africa to Asia, Mick Thill has fished both competitively and recreationally all over the planet.  Below are some notes and images from his many travels...

China

When the Chinese Fishing Federation decided to get involved in international competition, they called on Mick Thill to demonstrate advanced match fishing and float methods to hundreds of China's top anglers before trials were held to find China's national team for 2003.  Mick has made 4 trips to China, where he both taught his techniques and learned a great deal from the country's master fishermen.

"Asian rules are very different from CIPS match fishing rules," says Mick.  "And local conditions and methods there are as different from the rest of the world as those in Europe are different from North America.  For instance, there's no bluegills, bass, catfish, whitefish, crappie, European bream, barbel, or chub in Asia.  It's such a different environment, that I'm convinced only another Asian team could beat China in a tournament held there."

Mick first met with the directors of China's national fishing association in Chicago in 1998, and was shocked to learn that they were not aware of the CIPS world competition.  That said, organized fishing tournaments have been held in China since 1954, and China had recently started to  dominated Asian competition.  China joined CIPS in 2002, after many calls to France during Mick's visit, China,s first world championship in Slovakia.  Still, given how China is only beginning to enter world competition and Chinese professional anglers are just now starting to gain experience on European and American waters, the long-term prospects for their national team remain open, and exciting.