2025 World Youth Fly Fishing Team | Trout Anglers Federa

TAFI Youth Fly Fishing

The TAFI Youths have been competing at world level for several years and have always given a good account of themselves. Their best result at a World Championships was a Silver medal in 2013.
The Irish team is picked based on provincial and inter-provincial competitions. To get on the Irish team, the anglers compete within their own province in both river and lake competitions. All competing anglers must be a member of a club that is affiliated with TAFI. The provincial teams are picked form these competitions and the anglers go on to compete in the inter-provincial competitions. The team picked to represent Ireland at the next world championship will be based on the results of the inter-provincial competitions. However, the mix of anglers from the river and lake competitions will depend on the number of river and lake sectors at the world championship. To be eligible for the Irish team, anglers must be aged 14 to 18 at any point during the year of the competition.

World Youth Fly Fishing Championship 2025

The 22nd FIPS Mouche World YOUTH Fly Fishing Championship will take place in Idaho falls in USA, from July 12th to 19th 2025. Several countries including Ireland will compete at this event. The venue for the championship is a beautiful region well known for its excellent fly fishing located right beside the famous Yellowstone Park.

Each team competing at the world championship is made up of a Team Captain (also known as team coach), a Team manager, and 6 anglers including one substitute. On each of the 5 days of the competition, one angler from each country will compete on each sector. The anglers will rotate through the sectors over the 5 days. Every angler is only competing against the other anglers on the same sector. The scoring system is based on the number of fish caught – each fish is measured and recorded by a controller. All fish are released safely back into the water. Anglers are awarded placing points at the end of each session – the angler with the highest score gets 1 placing point, next gets 2 placing points and so on. At the end of the championships the team with the lowest placing points win. Anglers are also competing for individual honours based on the same scoring system as above.

Further details on the 2025 World Championships Cn be found at:

https://www.fips-mouche.com/youth/

Team Ireland Youth Fly Fishing

The Trout Anglers Federation of Ireland have for many years been dedicated to the mentoring and development of youth fly fishers throughout the island of Ireland. Being part to the Irish youth fly fishing team is not only an honour and a fantastic achievement for these young anglers, but also the experience of a lifetime. Great bonds and friendships are forged, not only among the teammates but also between anglers form the other competing countries.

Of course, without the help and tutoring of the many senior anglers from the TAFI affiliated angling clubs, it would not be possible to have a youth team. On every weekend throughout the fishing season, on the rivers and lakes all around Ireland there are senior anglers giving their time and passing on their skills to the youths. On behalf of all youths, we say a huge THANK YOU. There are too many names to mention here but you know who you are. (and so do we)

Meet The Team

Adam Adcock

Adam is from Tipperary and his favourite river is the river Suir. His favourite type of fishing is nymphing and dry fly. Adam’s other hobbies are Gaelic football and soccer. This will be Adam’s second world championship having represented Ireland in the Czech Republic in 2024..

Jacob Griffin

Jacob has been fishing Rivers and Lakes from a young age and is a keen fly tier. Jacob's favourite river is the Dennett in Co. Tyrone, and he enjoys the challenges of dry fly fishing in Lough Lene.
Jacob's favourite fly is an Olive Perdigon. This is Jacob's second cap representing Ireland on the World stage.

Henry Suiter

Henry is from Magherafelt, Northern Ireland. He only properly took up fishing 2 years ago but now spends all his spare time on the Moyola river and local fisheries. He can be found every evening behind the vice tying flies. His favourite being the Hare's ear nymph. When not fishing, Henry is a keen rugby player.

Cian Hayes

Cian is from Clontarf, Dublin.

His favourite river to fish is the Dalua in Kanturk, Co Cork. His favourite fly is the Frenchie nymph, his favourite style of fly fishing is dry dropper nymphing.

Lewis Harte Porter

This is Lewis’s first time competing in the world youth fly fishing championships. He is the current junior Ulster River champion. When he is not practicing for a competition, Lewis enjoys fishing for Atlantic salmon on his home river, the river Mourne. Lewis enjoys all disciplines of fly fishing. He is looking forward to going to Idaho with friends on the team and his classmate Jacob Griffin, Lewis is proud to be a part of the team!

Zack Barnett

Zack is from Co. Donegal. His favourite river is the river Dennett. Zack’s favourite type of fishing is nymphing. Zack enjoys tying flies in his spare time. This will be Zack’s 3rd Cap, having fished in the world championships representing Ireland in the Czech Republic in 2024 and on Italy in 2022. Zack is very proud to be in Team Ireland 2025

Meet The Coaches

Frank Dempsey – Team Manager

Frank is from Athlone, Co. Westmeath is Sean’s dad. Frank has a lot of experience working with youth anglers as he was manager of the ITFFA youth Fly Fishing team for 4 years and assisted the previous manager for 4 years. Frank has also been to 4 Youth world championships when Sean was competing and has a good working knowledge of how the championship is run. Frank travelled to Tasmania as team manager with the senior team in 2019.

Sean Dempsey – Team Coach

Sean is from Athlone, Co. Westmeath. Sean has represented Ireland many times both as a competitor and as a coach. In fact, Sean has competed at 4 Youth world championships and 4 Senior world championships to date. Sean will compete at the 2025 Senior world championships in the Czech Republic, and he has qualified to compete at the 2026 Senior world championships which will also take place in Idaho, USA.

Our Sponsors