The Siblyback ‘Taster Day’ hosted by South West Lakes Trust was a huge success.
39 people registered for the free event and were treated to a day of entertainment, instruction, and fishing at Siblyback Lake.
The response from the public was very satisfying and just goes to show that there are many people out there keen to have a go at fly fishing but maybe don’t know where to start.
We have new club members as a result which can only be a good thing and bodes well for the future.
The day was split into 3 sessions with about a dozen participants involved in each 90-minute period.
Charles Jardine introduced the day with a hugely informative demonstration of casting knowledge and wit. It set the day off to a tremendous start. The participants were then allocated instructors, all experienced anglers, qualified angling coaches, AAPGAI and GAIA instructors, several of whom are club members.
Beginners were taught the basics of overhead and roll casting, many advancing to shoot some line in the session. Many with some experience were instructed in double hauling and there were also seasoned fly fishermen in attendance who wished to improve in some specific areas.
Dave Matthews, an AAPGAI instructor and club member took many participants onto the water to fish, and also gave a very enjoyable demonstration at the beginning of the 2nd and 3rd sessions.
Free lunch, biscuits and coffee was provided by South West Lakes Trust and Fly tying was demonstrated and taught by Ron and Andy, both club members and Members of Roadford Flydressers.
Some participants went off with Charles Jardine and several fish were caught.
At the end of the taught sessions, I had a walk around the lake, and it was fantastic to see so many anglers fishing, many of whom had participated in the event.
A huge thank you to South West Lakes Trust, Ashley and Dil in particular for hosting and Organising the event, and to Charles Jardine making the long journey, spending the whole day at Siblyback and making it such a memorable day. Please have a look at the link for “Fishing for Schools”, a programme that Charles developed and has helped so many people
https://www.fishingforschools.co.uk
