Middy UK Sponsored Anglers

Liam Gerrard

I started fishing at the age of 14, joining my friend’s mum and dad on trips to Llyn y Gors Fishery in Anglesey — and from that very first cast, I was completely hooked.

Over the years, my passion for the sport has grown stronger. I gradually worked my way into the club and match fishing scene, picking up valuable experience along the way and going on to win numerous matches and league titles.

Now, with the 2025 season in full swing, I’m focused on enjoying every part of the fishing world — from the thrill of competition to creating bait and product reviews, and sharing media content that captures what I love most about the sport.

I’ve recently signed a sponsorship contract with Middy UK at the end of 2024 and recently taken over as uk General manger of middy uk , alongside my Hinder match consultant sponsorship,

Favourite Methods:
•⁠ ⁠Slop shallow
•⁠ ⁠Mugging
•⁠ ⁠Maggot over groundbait down the edge

Personal Bests & Highlights:
•⁠ ⁠Current lake record holder with an impressive 404lb
•⁠ ⁠100lb of ide and skimmers
•⁠ ⁠Numerous match and league wins

Joseph Beevers

Originally from Retford and now based in the North East, Joe Beevers is a highly dedicated competitive angler with over two decades of experience on the bank. His passion for fishing began at a young age after being inspired by watching Matt Hayes on television, before learning his craft first-hand at Hallcroft and on the River Trent.

For the past 20 years, Joe has successfully balanced competitive angling alongside a demanding career as a serving soldier. While operational deployments have at times limited his fishing opportunities, he has remained committed to the sport and has been proud to represent the British Army Angling Squad at a number of prestigious events. These include the Sensas Challenge on the Grand Union Canal, Division 1 Nationals, and Team Commercial Nationals.
Fishing within a strong team environment has played a key role in Joseph’s development as an angler. Competing alongside top-level anglers has sharpened his tactical awareness, particularly the importance of adapting to conditions, making compromises when required, and fishing for maximum team points rather than personal gain.

The majority of Joseph’s weekend fishing takes place at Woodlands Fishery, Thirsk, a venue he particularly enjoys for its challenging nature. The carp at Woodlands are highly pressured and extremely cautious, meaning success comes from careful peg analysis, accurate feeding, and working hard to extract the best possible result. It’s this challenge—and the satisfaction that comes with overcoming it—that keeps him coming back.

Joe is proud to be supported by Middy and Aquastim, whose backing has been instrumental in his competitive journey. His favourite pieces of tackle are the Middy Reactacore ZX65 and XK55 poles, praised for their strength, stiffness, and responsiveness. The extensive range of top kits allows him to confidently cover a wide variety of fishing styles and situations, significantly boosting both confidence and catch rate.

Recent highlights include finishing runner-up in both the 2025 Edge Masters and the 2025 Middy Masters, results that reflect his consistency and continued progression at a high level.

Looking ahead to 2026, Joes ambition is to travel further afield, compete on a wider range of venues, and continue testing himself against the very best anglers in the country—while pushing his own standards even higher.

Darryl Mayers

My fishing journey began at the tender age of six in Ireland, where I was introduced to the sport by my father. Whether it was pleasure fishing or accompanying him during competitive matches, those early experiences laid the foundation for my lifelong passion and commitment to angling.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of fishing at some of the most prestigious venues across the country and beyond, alongside some of the top anglers in the sport.

These opportunities have allowed me to refine my skills, broaden my knowledge, and gain invaluable experience in competitive fishing environments.

Favourite Methods:

• Method Feeder Fishing
• Maggot Short Tackle

Key Achievements:

Multiple festival wins and consistent framing positions in high-profile events

League Champion on several occasions, demonstrating consistency and strategic prowess

Numerous victories in open matches against strong competition

I believe the cornerstone of successful fishing lies in simplicity and enjoyment. My top tip to anglers at all levels is to keep your approach straightforward, stay patient, and most importantly, relish every moment on the water.
Fishing is not just a sport, but a way of life—a continuous journey of learning, adapting, and sharing experiences with fellow enthusiasts

Jack Barwick

I’m Jack Barwick, an angler from the North East, based in Billingham. I first got into fishing as a kid, learning the ropes at Charlie’s Pond under the guidance of Dave Munt. Like a lot of anglers, I drifted away from it for a while, but I eventually found my way back through Woodlands, which played a huge part in my development.

I spent around 3–4 years working at Woodlands, and during that time everyone there helped shape me as an angler. Being on the venue every day, watching top anglers and fishing a wide variety of situations, massively improved my understanding of match fishing and carp behaviour.

My favourite style of fishing, aside from barbel fishing on the river, is commercial carp fishing. Method feeder, shallow, and edge fishing are my three main approaches at Woodlands and other big carp venues when I’m targeting weight. I really fell in love with feeder fishing at Woodlands, especially using 4mm pellets and mugging big double-figure carp — it’s still one of my strongest and most enjoyable methods.

In terms of experience, I’ve competed in the Woodlands Super Cup, reached the Fish North Semi-Final, and also the Golden Reel Semi-Final. I’m currently sponsored by FJUKA, using their baits and liquids.

My main tackle brand is Middy, and I’m particularly looking forward to getting on the Middy 16m pole. I’ve previously featured in Match Fishing Magazine using Craig’s reactorcore xz65 pole, which was brilliant to use. The quality really stood out — the zips on the luggage are among the best I’ve used, easy to use, reliable, and durable, and the gear is also simple to clean, which is a big bonus when you’re fishing commercials regularly.

Looking ahead, my main goal is to win one of the major finals such as the Golden Reel, Fish O Mania, or the Maver Match This. More importantly, I’m aiming to fully commit to the match scene again next year, take it seriously, and enjoy pushing myself as an angler.

John Jones

John has been with middy for a long time and is part of the old guard, very much still leading by example with one of the most impressive match CVS amongst the orange army anglers.  Qualified for 8 major finals in recent years.

• Golden reel final x2
• Golden rod final x4
• Fish-o-mania final X2

Luke Bamford

🧑‍🎣 Personal & Background
Hi, I’m Luke Bamford from Nottingham. I got into fishing thanks to my dad — he always took me along when I was a kid, and I loved it from the very start. Those early days on the bank gave me a real passion for the sport that’s stuck with me ever since.

🎯 Style & Specialties
My favourite method is without a doubt paste fishing 🎣 — there’s something about it that just suits my style and consistently brings results when done right.

When it comes to venues, it has to be Glebe Fishery — a top-notch venue with plenty of great memories and challenging days on the water.

🏆 Experience & Highlights
Over the years I’ve qualified for several major competitions, including:
• 🎯 Maver Match This – 4 times
• 🎯 Golden Reel – 4 times
• 🎯 FishOMania – 1 time
• 🎯 Super Cup – 2 times

These events have pushed me to raise my game and continue improving every time I hit the bank.

🎒 Gear & The Brand
I’m proud to represent both Middy 🧡 and Aquastim 💥 — two brands that back me with quality gear and support.

My go-to piece of kit is my Middy Reactacore XZ65-3 pole — it’s an essential part of my setup and performs flawlessly every time.

🌟 Personal Touch
My main goal is clear: to win FishOMania — it’s the dream and something I’m working hard to achieve.

To any young or up-and-coming anglers, my advice is:

“You learn more getting beat than you do winning.” So don’t get disheartened — keep going, keep learning, and the results will come.

Marc Ritchie Wrighting

🧑‍🎣 Personal & Background
I’m Marc Ritchie Wrighting. I first got into fishing at the age of 14, going out on the bank with my dad — and I’ve never looked back since. That early introduction lit the fire, and it’s been a huge part of my life ever since.

🎯 Style & Specialties
My favourite methods are short pole and edge fishing — both give you the chance to catch big weights up close and keep things exciting right until the final whistle.
A venue that’s really special to me is Decoy Lakes in Peterborough — it’s a place I’ve spent a lot of time and had some great results.

🏆 Experience & Highlights
One of my proudest achievements to date is qualifying for the Guru Commercial Masters Final — a massive moment in my angling journey and something I’ll always remember.

Reaching a big final like that shows what hard work and commitment can achieve, and it’s only motivated me to push further.

🎒 Gear & The Brand
For me, it’s Middy all the way — I use their gear with total confidence and it performs every time.

The one bit of kit I never leave home without is my ReactAcore XK55 pole — absolutely love it and trust it for all my pole work.

🌟 Personal Touch
My goal moving forward is simple: keep making big finals and stamp my name at the top of the sport. I’m all in.

To young or up-and-coming anglers, my advice is: Always try your hardest and always back yourself. Believe in what you’re doing, keep learning, and the results will come.

Nathan Proctor

🧑‍🎣 Personal & Background

I’m Nathan Procter from Ripon, up in beautiful North Yorkshire. I’ve been fishing rivers since the age of five, taught by my dad and grandfather — probably the two best river anglers I’ve ever known. Their passion became mine, and I’ve never looked back.

🎯 Style & Specialties

I’m all about river fishing — proper angling. I love speed fishing with long and short whips, and you can’t beat a good day on the stick float.
Favourite venue? Got to be the River Tyne, where I broke the match record with 103lb of dace on a 6m whip. A close second is the River Ure at Ripon — I lived on the bank as a teenager and have won just about every match on the calendar there over the years.

🏆 Experience & Highlights

My journey’s taken me across the northern river match scene, with some proud moments along the way:
• 🎯 2x Northern River Masters Finalist
• 🏆 Swale Masters Champion – Individual & Team
• 🥇 Ripon 3-Day Festival Winner – Top 10 for 15 consecutive years
• 🥈 2nd in King of the Tyne Series
• 🥈 2nd in Tees 3-Day Festival

My proudest moments? Smashing that Tyne record, earning my Middy sponsorship, and maybe best of all — seeing anglers I’ve taught now winning matches themselves.

🎒 Gear & The Brand

It’s Middy all the way for me — top-quality gear that delivers every time.
My favourite bit of kit? The Arch-Tech 8m Speed Whip — ideal for big nets of silvers but tough enough for barbel and chub too.

🌟 The Personal Touch

Next big goal is to qualify for the Northern River Masters Final again — and in 2026, I’m setting my sights on the RiverFest qualifiers.
My advice to anyone coming through:

“Enjoy your fishing — better results come when you’re enjoying it.
And if you think you should do something, do it. There’s a reason it crossed your mind — nine times out of ten, it’s the right call.” 👍

Tyler McAlpine

🧑‍🎣 Personal & Background
My name is Tyler McAlpine, and I’m from Falkirk, Scotland. I got into fishing at a young age while staying at my grandad’s caravan in Pitlochry, which was right next to the River Tummel. I got my very first rod from a small shop in the town centre, and from that moment, I was hooked.

Most of my early angling years were spent fly fishing for trout across rivers and lochs in Scotland. I only started match fishing in February 2024, but I’ve absolutely fallen in love with the competitive side of the sport.

🎯 Style & Specialties
My favourite method is definitely shallow fishing for F1s and ide. There’s just something about the constant movement and rhythm of shallow fishing — when it’s done right, it can make for an incredible day’s sport.

That said, my go-to tactic has to be fishing the edge. It’s a huge weight-builder in the final hour or so of a match, and I’ve seen it win plenty of matches firsthand.

A venue that’s particularly special to me is Lindholme Lakes, where I fished the 2025 Commercial Nationals with Team Middy. It was my first proper experience targeting F1s, something we don’t get much of in Scotland, and it left a lasting impression.

🏆 Experience & Highlights
While I haven’t qualified for or won any major matches yet, I’ve got my eyes firmly set on events like Fisho and Golden Reel. I’m working hard to get there.

My proudest moment so far was representing Middy at the 2025 Commercial Nationals at Lindholme. To be part of such a big event after only a short time in match fishing — and to represent a brand that’s helped me massively — was something I’ll always be proud of.

🎒 Gear & The Brand
It’s Middy Match Range all the way for me — their gear suits my fishing perfectly and I’ve got full confidence in it.

The two bits of kit I never leave home without are my seatbox and my pole. The pole is absolutely vital in my fishing, especially as I don’t do much feeder work. If I can fish the pole — I will!

🌟 Personal Touch
My goal for the future is clear: qualify for Fisho or Golden Reel and keep climbing the ranks in match fishing.

To young or up-and-coming anglers, my advice would be: don’t let bad results get in your head. We all have off days — what matters is learning from them and moving on. If you get the chance, sit behind experienced local anglers (if they’re okay with it). You’ll learn so much just from watching how they approach a match and applying it to your own fishing.