The 10th FIPS-Mouche Masters World Fly Fishing Championship (MWFFC 2025), held in the challenging river sectors of Asturias, Spain, concluded with a decisive victory for the host nation. Focusing on fishing across five rigorous sessions, the Spanish team secured both the coveted Team World Champion title and the top two spots in the Individual standings.
Event Overview: Asturias, Spain 2025
The championship, designated for the Masters category (competitors over 50 years old), took place over seven days, running from September 28 to October 4, 2025. The headquarters for the competition were located in Oviedo, specifically at the Marriot AC hotel.
The championship featured five different scoring sessions held over five consecutive days (September 29 to October 3). Participation was robust, featuring teams from 12 countries, including the USA, France, Italy, Ireland, and the Czech Republic. The event was organized by FASPYC (federation), with Pedro García PELAEZ serving as the International Organiser (IO).
President of the FASPYC
(Fishing and Casting Federation of the Principality of Asturias)
Competition Format and Scoring
All five competition sessions were held exclusively in rivers, utilizing bank fishing with wading allowed. The competition sectors were spread across several well-known Asturian rivers:
| Sector Name | River | Approximate Average Length |
|---|---|---|
| Sector I (PILOÑA) | River Piloña | 150 m |
| Sector II (MIERES) | River Caudal | 250 m |
| Sector III (PARRES) | River Piloña | 150 m |
| Sector IV (TRUBIA) | River Trubia | 250 m |
| Sector V (MORCIN) | River Caudal | 250 m |
The sessions were split into two sub-sessions on the same beat: 10:00 to 12:00 and 12:30 to 14:30. The total fishing hours were typically from 10:00 to 15:00 hrs.
To be eligible for scoring, fish had to meet a minimum size of 200mm. Eligible species included Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta Fario).
Points were awarded based on a system defined in the Rule Modifications:
- 100 points per eligible fish.
- 30 points per centimeter of the fish’s total length.
All participants adhered to the Catch & Release principle, utilizing barbless hooks only during practice and competition.
Final Results: Team World Champions
Team positions are determined by the lowest cumulative number of placings of all team members across the five sessions.
Spain clinched the Team World Champion title with a cumulative placing of 74. France and Italy rounded out the medal positions.
| Rank | Team Name | Final Placing | Total Points | Fish Caught | Longest Fish (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Spain | 74 | 169240 | 202 | 478 |
| Silver | France | 90 | 125560 | 151 | 395 |
| Bronze | Italy | 107 | 118600 | 142 | 450 |
| 4 | USA | 135 | 98890 | 115 | 415 |
| 5 | Ireland | 158 | 79890 | 96 | 426 |
| 6 | Czech Republic | 161 | 71570 | 86 | 410 |
| 7 | South Africa | 174 | 64900 | 79 | 427 |
| 8 | Australia | 175 | 77250 | 93 | 340 |
| 9 | England | 207 | 50360 | 59 | 378 |
| 10 | Finland | 209 | 44180 | 53 | 570 |
| 11 | Belgium | 222 | 40290 | 48 | 390 |
| 12 | Netherlands | 235 | 33550 | 40 | 460 |
Spain accumulated the highest point total (169,240) and caught the most fish (202) by a significant margin.
Final Results: Individual World Champion
The individual titles are also awarded based on the lowest cumulative number of placings across all five sessions.
The Individual World Champion title was secured by Juan Jose DE LA FUENTE of Spain.
| Rank | Name | Team | Final Placing | Total Points | Fish Caught | Longest Fish (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | DE LA FUENTE Juan Jose | Spain | 9 | 40300 | 46 | 478 |
| Silver | SOCASTRO GENS Jose Manuel | Spain | 10 | 46930 | 58 | 355 |
| Bronze | WEISS Pat | USA | 10 | 40720 | 49 | 365 |
| 4 | POIROT Stephane | France | 11 | 29360 | 35 | 308 |
| 5 | BARRIENTOS Juan Miguel | Spain | 14 | 29820 | 36 | 304 |
Key Individual Achievements
The top two positions were dominated by the host country:
- Juan Jose DE LA FUENTE claimed the individual Gold medal with an outstanding low score of 9 placings. His longest measured fish was 478 mm.
- Jose Manuel SOCASTRO GENS followed closely, securing the Silver medal. Although tied on placings (10) with the bronze medalist, Socastro Gens scored the highest point total among all competitors (46,930 points) and caught the most fish overall (58).
- Pat WEISS (USA) earned the Bronze medal, also finishing with 10 placings.
The competition saw several notable individual performances further down the ranks:
- Italy’s Matteo DE MARTINIS finished 7th (16 placings) with 41 fish caught and 33,920 points.
- The longest fish recorded in the entire competition belonged to Harri HYTÖNEN (Finland), who successfully measured a fish of 570mm.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the MWFFC 2025
What was the official title and date of the competition?
The event was the 10th FIPS-Mouche Masters World Fly Fishing Championship. It took place in Asturias, Spain, running for seven days from September 28 to October 4, 2025.
Who was eligible to compete in this championship?
The competition was organized for the Masters category, which includes competitors over 50 years old at any point during the year of the competition.
Who organized the championship?
The host organization was FASPYC (federation). The appointed International Organiser (IO) was Pedro García PELAEZ.
How many countries participated in the championship?
There were teams registered from 12 countries.
Which specific rivers were the sectors located on?
The five competition sectors utilized three Asturian rivers: the River Piloña (Sectors I and III), the River Caudal (Sectors II and V), and the River Trubia (Sector IV).
How was scoring calculated?
Points were awarded based on two criteria: 100 points per eligible fish caught [6, 33.1], and 30 points per centimeter of the fish’s total length [6, 33.2].
What rules applied to hooks and fish handling?
All participants were required to use barbless hooks only during practice and competition. The competition operated on a Catch & Release principle. When measuring, the fish length was recorded from the tip of the nose to the extremities of the tail, squeezed together.
Which team won the Team World Champion title?
Spain secured the Team World Champion title. They finished with the lowest cumulative placings (74) and caught the most fish (202).
Which countries won the Silver and Bronze team medals?
France won the Silver medal with 90 placings, and Italy won the Bronze medal with 107 placings.
Who was crowned the Individual World Champion?
Juan Jose DE LA FUENTE of Spain won the Gold medal.
Who won the Individual Silver and Bronze medals?
Jose Manuel SOCASTRO GENS of Spain won the Silver medal, and Pat WEISS of the USA won the Bronze medal. Both were tied with 10 placings, but Socastro Gens had a higher total point score (46,930 points) compared to Weiss (40,720 points), which served as the tiebreaker.
Who caught the single longest fish of the championship?
Harri HYTÖNEN of Finland caught the longest measured fish, at 570mm.
