The Nene Lure Championships 2025 – Results

Saturday 25th October 2025 marked the inaugural Nene Lure Championship, held on the Nene Anglers’ stretch at Nassington and expertly organised by Matt Dunn. Twenty-five anglers took to the water to compete in what promises to become a standout fixture on the predator fishing calendar.

Unlike most lure competitions, this event introduced a unique twist, a midday start and 6 p.m. finish, designed to reduce pressure on the venue and encourage bites later in the day. The competition card consisted of three perch, two pike, and two chub, offering multiple routes to victory and ensuring a level playing field for all.

Conditions were far from ideal. After a week of rain, a sharp overnight frost and high winds made for a challenging day. Filling a full card looked to be a tall order and so it proved.

It took just four minutes for the first fish to hit the leaderboard, a 24cm perch landed by Phil Dunn. Moments later, Drew Sullivan registered a 48cm pike, raising hopes that Nassington might fish well despite the tricky weather. Soon after, Artur Nowak made his presence known with a quick succession of three perch, completing his perch card within the first twenty minutes.

Following that early burst of action, the fishing slowed. A handful of pike were caught, but the perch seemed to have vanished. That didn’t deter Artur, who strengthened his position mid-afternoon with 70cm and 71cm pike, opening up a commanding lead.

Further down the leaderboard, Robert Pluck filled his pike card and added a couple of perch, while Allan Arthey followed closely behind with two pike measuring 68cm each. As the afternoon wore on and light began to fade, the competition intensified. Submissions came in thick and fast – mostly pike, with the occasional perch among them.

A highlight of the day came from Stuart Wishart, fishing his first-ever competition. He landed a superb 37cm perch, the biggest of the day, followed shortly after by a double-figure barbel, an unexpected but memorable catch that made his long journey worthwhile.

With just 45 minutes remaining, the river came alive. Allan and Robert traded perch catches in a thrilling back-and-forth battle, leapfrogging each other on the leaderboard. Despite Robert’s best efforts, his 33cm perch wasn’t quite enough to overtake Allan’s advantage from his larger pike.

When the final scores were tallied, Artur Nowak’s early dominance proved decisive. His total of 220cm secured him the top spot and the £150 first-place prize. Allan Arthey finished close behind in second with 212cm, while Robert Pluck claimed third with 184cm.

Results:

• 1st – Artur Nowak (220cm)
• 2nd – Allan Arthey (212cm)
• 3rd – Robert Pluck (184cm)
• Biggest Pike – Artur Nowak (71cm)
• Biggest Perch – Stuart Wishart (37cm)

No chub made an appearance this time, but with only four anglers failing to land fish, it was a strong showing all round.

Organiser Matt Dunn extended his thanks to all who took part and to Nene Anglers for hosting the event. The championship was a major success and a significant step forward for the club, earning praise from competitors and setting the stage for what looks set to become an annual highlight.