Celebrate the 2025 Charles Farlow Trophy winner and the remarkable fly-caught salmon that earned them one of UK salmon fishing’s top honours.
Since 2017 the Charles Farlows trophy has been awarded annually to the captor of the largest fly caught salmon safely released in an English or Welsh river. Named after Charles Farlow who established Farlows in 1840, the trophy (pictured above) is a specially commissioned stained glass panel of an Atlantic salmon, created by renowned stained glass artist Sophie D’Souza.
It remains on permanent display at Farlows’ iconic Pall Mall store, with the name of the captor, the weight of the fish and the river from which it was caught engraved upon the base. The annual winner receives a £500 Farlows gift voucher and a uniquely engraved ‘Goliath’ bottle of sloe gin from Foxdenton Estate.
Previous Trophy Winners & Salmon Catches
There are currently only 3 rivers listed on the trophy (the Tyne, the Wye and the Avon), but that will change for 2025…
| YEAR | WINNER | SIZE | RIVER |
| 2024 | Adam Radwan | 12-14lb | Tyne |
| 2023 | Richard Norman | 20-22lb | Wye |
| 2022 | James Robbins | 28lbs 8oz | Wye |
| 2021 | Martin Moyers | 30lbs | Avon |
| 2020 | Ed Brown | 33lbs 6oz | Wye |
| 2019 | Chay Hedger | 32lbs | Tyne |
| 2018 | Thomas Chamberlain | 28lbs | Wye |
| 2017 | Terry Ward | 35lbs | Wye |
A RECORD NUMBER OF ENTRIES FOR 2025
With declining salmon numbers and many rivers facing long periods of low water, 2025 was a difficult season for salmon fishing in England and Wales. We were very pleasantly surprised therefore to receive a huge number of entries , some of which are absolute crackers:
Other notable entries include:
- Nicolas Thomas: 26lbs / Wye / Red & Yellow tube
- Rupert Drury: 20lbs / Ure / Cascade double
- George Butt: 18lbs / Wye / Red Francis tube
- Paul Bell: 15lbs / Cumberland Derwent / Willie Gunn tube
- Geoff Oldham: 15lbs / South Tyne / Shrimp fly
- Harry Tusting: 14lbs / South Tyne / General Practitioner
- Greg Downing: 11lbs / Towy / Red Conehead Will Gun
- Gruff Tomos: 8lbs / Towy / Willie Gunn tube
YOUNGSTER CATCHES HIS FIRST EVER SALMON
A special mention goes to youngster Harry Player, who caught this 16lb fish from the Countess beat of the Tyne on a 12ft 6 inch rod handmade in Alnwick, using a size 14 Cascade.
Harry says:
“Bright sunny day. It was hooked at 11.45am in low water and eventually my father netted it at 12.30pm after a very exciting and traumatic time where it took off downstream a number of times, repeatedly jumping. This was my first ever salmon after a number of years of trying. My father and brothers whilst being delighted for me were furious that it was the only fish caught on a two day trip.”
To congratulate Harry on his first salmon we’ve sent him a free Farlows cap. We hope there will be many more salmon to come!
OUR 2025 CHARLES FARLOW TROPHY WINNER
The winner, however, is Michael Greenhalgh, who can best described as a “seasoned successful fly fisher” (more on that later), with a huge fish measuring 43.5 inches (nose to tail fork) and estimated at 31lbs. It was witnessed by Jeremy Rawkins (a member of the River Ribble Trust and chair of the Hodder Consultative Trust) and a very experienced salmon angler himself. Michael says:
“Jeremy estimated the fish at 33-34lbs, I called it 31lb to be on the safe side, although it was built like Arnold Schwarzenegger”.
Michael was fishing on the Cumberland Derwent using a 12ft #8 fly rod, a Scandi floating line with a 10ft polyleader and a size 14 double Black Shrimp fly. Here’s what he had to say about his trophy winning catch:
“The gauge at Ouse bridge gave 0.75 it was around 3pm when I arrived at the pool, all was still and quiet. I immediately had an awareness that this was the time and place, it’s a sense, a gut feeling that I have experienced a few times before. I waded in and cast across the slow current plopping the fly a few feet off the far bank, cast and step working my way down to the deeper water slowly retrieving line. A take and a 6lb cock fish quickly netted.
Back in again cast and step down, drift the fly, the line checks in the gentle current then the slow retrieve. Another take this one felt much bigger after it stopped thumping I walked it upstream then it must have twigged what was going on and it turned suddenly and charged downstream, lunging and twisting in the air as if making a statement I am strong. It was well below me now but the line was still upstream being zipped through the water in a bow. The reel wasn’t just clicking it was more like a buzzing drone; it thrust itself out again and I thought this is the biggest salmon I’ve ever hooked.
It ran downstream towards an overhanging dead tree on the far bank where it stopped and there was no moving it, ha! It’s snagged up I thought. I gave it some steam but still no movement, then in an instant all went slack and the line sagged from the rod tip. I’m already thinking of the story about the big one that got away. I stripped the line back then realized the fish had run towards my bank and there it was a colossus. It didn’t hang about. Off it went upstream in a powerful run, me following way behind wondering if it would ever stop. 50 yards away it did and I got level with it, it was the first time I felt in control.
The monster held in the middle sulking and unmovable, it was turning into a battle of wits. Half an hour had passed when Jeremy arrived on the scene, the fish still held in a sullen state and I had to work hard to get it moving again. I walked it a short distance upstream and managed to turn it back down to where Jeremy was waiting with the net. I decided beaching was the best option, he got behind it as it was coming towards the shallows but its wrist was too thick for hand tailing, somehow Jeremy pushed it up onto the beach in a very cool manner. There it lay 43.5 inch over 30lb and built like Arnold Scharzenagger with a reptilian head. It swam back slowly to its pool of deep serene for a rest, I sat on the bank for the same. It had used every trick in the book, powerful runs, lunging out flaunting with snags, head shaking, sulking it even slack lined me. The fact is its undoing was a size 14 feathered hook and for a moment the wild sod was my captive and I was delighted with it. I showed the photo to the retired keeper, he said it was a Saint Andrews fish unique to Derwent and quite rare nowadays, aren’t they all?”
Michael has been fly fishing for over 60 years, having initially been taught by his uncle plus Irvine Wylie and Bob Thompson on the Border Esk. His biggest salmon to date is a 42 inch fish weighing 31.5lbs on the river Ribble, which was an Angling Times “Big Catch Winner” back in 1985.
Michael reckons that he’s landed about 500 salmon in his time (99% on a fly), and around 1,500 sea trout. 2025 has been a great year for him; not only is he our Charles Farlows Trophy winner but he also landed his biggest river Hodder salmon at 23lbs, which won him the trophy from his local club, the Whitewell Fishing Association (which he’s won 9 times in the last 15 years). That’s what was meant by “a seasoned successful fly fisher.”
Huge congratulations Michael, it’s very well deserved! We look forward to welcoming you to Farlows on 19th February for the trophy presentation.
HOW TO ENTER THE 2026 CHARLES FARLOW TROPHY
The most challenging part is of course catching a salmon in the first place. If you do it’s worth entering whatever its size, as not every year sees big fish being caught.
To be considered for the trophy a fish must be:
- A wild Atlantic salmon caught on a fly from an English or Welsh river or beat and safely returned
- Photographed with an item for scale, and preferably weighed and/or measured (it helps to have witnesses too, but this is not mandatory)
- Reported within the year of capture (2026 entries must be received by 31st December this year)
Tight lines!
Please remember to handle your fish responsibly and try to hold it in or just above the water when taking photos.
