Hi, my name is Clive Branson,
You may remember me winning the World Coarse Fishing Championship in 1987 after being runner-up in 1986.

This is my angling story.

I was born in Cardiff, Wales in 1951 and started to fish at an early age about 12 years old, enjoying my childhood fishing on the River Taff that runs through the heart of the Principality, full of roach and odd big chub. At the age of 16 I won my first big competition with 20lb 8oz of roach, beating senior opposition. My claims to fame also include winning the Junior Welsh National. Wales is a beautiful nation that, along with England, Scotland and Norhern Ireland, make up the United Kingdom. As you can from my on-line Fishing Venue Guide Wales (which includes nearly 600 venues), the small but wildly varied country of Wales is a fantastic place to fish.

Although I fished many a competition in my younger days and was winning plenty of domestic competitions, it was not until I represented the National Team of Wales in the World Championship's 1981 at Ludington, England, that I became recognised as a good angler, finishing in 3rd place on day one with 6lb 11oz, and second day on a flooded river coming 17th in the World overall with an 11oz eel. helping the Team into Bronze position on their very first attempt.

However it was not until The World Championship's in France 1986 that I became a household name, coming second, fishing with my favourite method "The Waggler" catching over 6lb of chub.

The best was yet to come, in the following year in Portugal 1987, I won a closely fought contest, again with the "Waggler" against some of the best anglers in the world at that time, including Dennis White and Kevin Ashurst (England), who were pegged next to me, I became The World Freshwater Angling Champion with a bag of small Barbel.

Another highlight in my career was helping Wales win The National Team World Championship in Bulgaria 1989 whilst winning the second-day competition with over 27lb and in fact I have enjoyed winning the second day World Championship competition no fewer than four times, including Hungary 1991.

My other claims to fame are; winning the Boyle Irish Festival, River Erne and Blackwater matches with weights of 142lb & 131lb respectively and winning the Bristol and Avon Pole Championship (16lb).
I have also been the Welsh National Native Champion and am the the Taff feeder record holder (33lb).
Other competitions I have won include the Sundridge Pole Championship, the Nantes International festival, the Lower Wye Championships and the Wye Championships (with 74lb of chub), plus many more, the list being to numerous to mention!

These days I teach angling as a profession, to both new-starters and experienced anglers alike. Click here - Tuition - to find out more!

My life has become even more busy after embarking on the yearly publication Clive Branson's Fishing Guide to Wales and the Borders, which will show off fishing in Wales to full effect.

I hope you enjoy my website! There is plenty on it - feel free to explore. The internet is also a passion of mine and I have written more on this on the Your Views pages - please be my guest to leave your own views and comments in Your Views too.

Clive