Fishing: Teen angler to take part in World Youth Championships

James Wellwood has been fishing since he was four

"It gives you a good buzz, when you see that rod tip go and you lift it."

James Wellwood has a talent for landing a big catch and his skills have bagged him a place on the Ireland under-20 Youth Team.

The 14-year-old from Aghalee in County Antrim spends much of his spare time fishing and from 5 to 6 August he will be competing at the World Youth Angling Championships in Portugal.

He will be the youngest member of the squad to take part at this level.

James started fishing with his dad when he was four and remembers landing his first fish, a trout, and taking it home and eating it.

Holidays were spent fishing on the sea in Cork.

"We were out on the beach one day, I caught a bass, it was probably one of my first ever fish," he said.

James's father David Wellwood describes himself as "a keen angler, but not a very good angler" and admits that under his tutelage "we probably didn't catch very much".

'Getting better and better'

Two years ago they joined the VDE Baggers Angling Club and James's talent was spotted by the chairman Aaron Hutchman.

"I just knew straight away that he was really really keen and really, really good for it," said Mr Hutchman.

Over the past 12 months they have competed in matches all over Ireland.

"Some of the nets of fish that he's had since then, every week he just seems to be getting better and better," Mr Hutchman said.

"A lot of people will go down and will fish in one certain way, whereas James has the mind for it that he always wants to be catching more and he wants to catch bigger and he's constantly making the changes to in order to do that."

At a recent club match at Dungannon Park lake in County Tyrone James caught 400 rudd weighing 18.8 kilos.

"It's good, it's relaxing and it's fun catching all the fish," James told BBC News NI at a fundraising match on Lough Muckno in Castleblaney in County Monaghan.

"It wasn't so fun when the rain came on though."

James and his teammates will be competing at the highest level in Portugal

James will soon be swapping the rain for the heat as he goes up against the best youth anglers in teams from 15 other countries on the Rio Sorraia in Portugal.

The co-manager of the Ireland Youth Team, Nick Richards, said was a "huge achievement" for James.

"We've never had anybody at 14 being of the level to be able to fish in the under 20s before so for him this is unheard of," he said.

James said he was looking forward to catching barbel in Portugal

Mr Richards, whose son Charlie is the reigning world youth coarse fishing champion, said the conditions, especially the heat, would be a challenge.

"They're trying to fish in 35 degree temperatures," he said.

"Your bait can be damaged, your tackle can be damaged.

"The actual fishing poles that they use can be too hot to handle sometimes so they may have to wear gloves."

James is excited about the competition and said he was looking forward to catching some barbel.

"They're a species we don't really catch over here," he said.

"I hope our team can do well in it and we can all not die of heat stroke!"