Junior "Learn to Fish" Day - Sat 22nd June 2019
Learn to Fish events are fun, friendly and safe fishing days for families and individuals of all abilities. This club event is in association with "Learn to Fish" South West, the Angling Trust and the Environment Agency.
Yesterday's event held at the club's " Little Yeo " fishery, near Witheridge was a great success with 24 juniors plus parents experiencing the delights of fishing in beautiful countryside at the club's prestigious fishery where everyone caught all manner of species of fish for the very first time. Ably guided by the fully qualified coaches who, initially, were on hand to give the juniors ( and some adults ) the basics in coarse fishing, the juniors then proceeded to catch many different species such as crucian carp, roach, bream, tench and rudd on the lower pond known as Gaggs pond.
After lunch, the children were then taken up to the larger lake called " Bobslake" and were treated to their first experience in catching a carp. Every junior, bar none, managed to catch at least one carp and I am sure this will be indelibly inscribed in their memory banks forever.
This event was partly funded from a " Juniors fund" which was originally set up by the family of the late Lee Flaws. Lee, who was one of the founder members of our fishing club as well as past President, will be fondly remembered by all who knew him. He would have loved to have seen the smiles on the children's faces yesterday; big thanks to all the family !
Special thanks to all the parents and grandparents who brought their children to the event but an even bigger thanks goes to all the club members who gave up their time to make what was a memorable experience for those children. Big thanks to Paul, Ian, Steve, Pete, Stuart, Ali and John for organising and running the " Catch a Carp competition" .
Further thanks goes to Phil for special help in proceedings on Gaggs pond as well as Tim, Mike and Anthony without whose help the day would not have happened.
Winners of the "Catch a Carp" competition were as follows :
1st Tom Dalton 2.700kg
2nd Felix Masonstarm 2.650kg
3rd George Dalton 2.200kg
These guys will be receiving their prizes in the post shortly.
The club would also like to thank the following for their great support in this venture :
Culm Valley Angling, thanks Dave for sponsoring us with all the bait on the day.
Coaches, Roly and Howard, for giving their invaluable time to such a worthwhile cause.
Diane, for all her help in publicising this event.
Hannah and her wonderful culinary delights from the Burger van
Exmoor Loos
Biggest thanks to someone up there for giving us the best day's weather to date this year.
"Click" on picture below to activate gallery of photos, then click on arrows.
The next "Learn to Fish" event is on 20th July at the Grand Western Canal Basin, please refer to the website for details.
Finally, due to it's undoubted success, we propose to hold a repeat event next year at Little Yeo fishery so please watch this space.
Hope to see all of you and your friends again next year
Tightlines