Smiltene Team Debuts in Latvian Urban Spin Fishing Championship
Team Smiltene made its debut in the Latvian urban spin fishing championship, securing 4th place among 26 teams in the second stage held in Riga, just short of a medal.
Anglers from Smiltene have joined the increasingly popular sport of urban shore spin fishing, also known as street fishing. The team "Team Smiltene", consisting of Sandis Kalniņš, Matīss Aļļēns, Kārlis and Gints Vilisters, along with Uldis Vilisters as a judge, is competing in the Latvian championship for the first time this year.
The second stage took place in late June in central Riga near Zaķusala and the right bank of the Daugava River. Over two days, the Smiltene team finished 4th overall, placing 2nd on Saturday and 3rd on Sunday, just missing out on a medal, according to team representative Sandis Kalniņš.
The competition follows the principle of "catch, measure, and release." Each pair catches a fish, measures its length with a special tape, takes a photo, and submits it via an app to the judges before releasing the fish back into the water. Each day's score includes the five largest perches, three largest pikes, two largest zanders, and three bonus species.
The team's largest perch measured 29 cm and largest zander 33 cm; no pike were caught due to the hot weather. Participants note that the sport combines the excitement of fishing with physical activity – after the start signal, everyone runs to preselected spots, sometimes walking up to 20 km per day.
This year's Latvian championship consists of three stages. After stages in Jelgava and Riga, the final will be held in Liepāja at the end of July. The overall winner will represent Latvia at the world championship in the Netherlands, while the 2027 world championship will take place in Latvia. A youth championship stage was already held on Lake Teperis and Lake Vidusezers in Smiltene.
The team is supported by sponsors – fishing shop "Asaciņa", "NGT Latvija", and Vitauts Vilks. The team also has special yellow uniforms reflecting Smiltene municipality's coat of arms colors. The anglers emphasize that the "catch and release" principle is not wasteful but modern and helps preserve fish stocks.
