We always look forward to the Lowther Show in August each year, it is such a friendly atmosphere, a lot of friends we work with there and a lot of friends that visit over that weekend. The theme again this year was to get people (especially the young and women) into fly fishing for the first time and also to rekindle interest to get people back into fishing. After all, we are very lucky, Cumbria has some fantastic scenic fishing venues and fishing is the perfect excuse to get outdoors with friends and enjoy all that!
John Norris of Penrith who have sponsored the Fishing island for many years now were very generous once more donating the prizes for all the casting competitions. Without people like John Norris supporting and investing in our wonderful sport, generating fishing interest and encouraging our youth to have a go, these events would soon disappear.
This was adequately achieved through various angles, an accuracy competition for the junior element that was very well attended along with adults with over one hundred and thirty having a go.
There was some awesome casting from the junior section…
the competition was hot…
with some having never cast a line ever before, a pre-lesson with AAPGAI members on the casting clinic before doing so got some great results, with over seventy adults and juniors attending this.
Prizes were awarded after 4pm each day…
hopefully some stars in the making…
for the future of the sport, I have every hope!
The adult trout distance, Spey casting and accuracy disciplines also well subscribed..
Mike Ashwin and
Paul Davidson from REDFA presenting the prizes.
Brian Towers
In between the various competitions there were fly casting demonstrations on the hour every hour by Derek Kelly, Karl Humphries, Brian Towers, Clive Mitchelhill, Bert Schaaf from Germany, John Walker, Glyn Freeman and FFM UK to keep the audience entertained.
The Italian Fly Casters (Philip Bailey).
Paul Little fly dressing in the AAPGAI stand.
Clive Mitchelhill
Robert Swan (15)/Chris Bowman on pole fishing.
The fly Tying Company stand with Peter Bramwell fly dressing. Pete Bramwell also kindly donated a box of his own tied flies for the raffle which was much appreciated.
The Fisherman’s row was well populated with various retail, trust, clubs, associations, fly tiers and fisheries to name but a few. A really nice weekend, good weather and good to see old friends and make a few new one’s too!
A very big thank you to all that attended and a very big thanks to those who helped with the competitions, organisation and demonstrations –
