The Fishing Coach

Thursday was my second day with two young lads from Slough and once again I was able to secure my favourite swim at Twynersh. The first part of today’s lesson was to explain the problems we had experienced last time with the pole float being towed about by the wind catching the line between the rod tip and the float. They were introduced to the waggler float and it was explained how this would solve the problem. I then did my first knot tying lesson featuring the uni knot. The boys found this difficult and I think it will take a few more lessons to master it.

Once this part of the lesson was over the boys began fishing with the waggler floats but still using the five metre whips. Unfortunately the wind was not strong enough to demonstrate the true effectiveness of this method.

One student was still not ready to handle fish for photographs and so is not featured in this post. I hope this will encourage him to overcome his fear. His teacher was not so reluctant.

If you'd like to leave a comment on this post, here's how.

Tuesday found me back in my favourite swim at Twynersh with two lads from Slough I had met last summer and a new teacher. These lads had already had the benefit of some coaching and after a brief assessment were soon catching fish.

As usual we started on five metre whips with maggot hook baits and a healthy sense of competition soon developed.

The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves and were soon unhooking their own fish and baiting their own hooks. This took the pressure off me a little so their teacher was able to have a go.

All too soon it was time to end the day and I was once again able to think about just how lucky I am to be able to share my sport.

If you'd like to leave a comment on this post, here's how.

Last Saturday I travelled down to Whinwhistle Fishery near Romsey in Hampshire for the second All Things Piscatorial Roadshow. I had arranged to stay in a hotel overnight to attend the social evening and discussion the night before the match on the Sunday. Only Steve Gray and Ian Coates were there, along with their partners and as the journey took less than an hour I could have travelled down the following morning and saved myself £40. I spent a disturbed night in the hotel due to a long lasting wedding reception and arrived at the fishery in time for breakfast with the others. There were only seven coaches in attendance which was a disapointment as we were raising money for the The Teenage Cancer Trust. We had lots of raffle prizes, kindly donated by various people but no-one to sell the tickets to.

It was decided over breakfast not to count carp in the match, I am afraid I was responsible for this as I stated my reluctance to put carp into any kind of keep net and I hope this did not spoil the enjoyment for the others.

I am neither a match angler nor an expert with a pole but I enjoyed the element of competition and soon entered into the spirit of things.

I was pegged next to Steve Gray who proceeded to give me a right pasting, ending the match with nearly four times the weight I weighed in. He arranged for his wife Paula to distract me by constantly taking photographs of me, I hope she likes sweetcorn.

Steve has written a full report of the day, well worth a read. The day ended with Steve having his head shaved for the charity.

I understand that a lot of money was raised for the chosen charity but it was a shame that the event could not have been better supported by the other coaches. I do hope that there will be more support for the next one.

If you'd like to leave a comment on this post, here's how.