The BIG Fish N Show – Baden Hall, Staffordshire.
 

Angling Mentors spent 12th & 13th September at The BIG Fish N Show at Baden Hall, Stafford, which was a trade show aimed at carp, coarse and lure fishing, and attended by most of the well know brands in the industry.
Situated on the Angling Trust Coaching Lake, away from the main 'trade' areas, there was a constant stream of youngsters wanting to pick up a fly rod and have a go.

Many of them were already keen young carp anglers, but for most, fly casting was something completely different.
It gave us a great opportunity to introduce them to another side of angling and show that skills and interests don’t have to stay within one particular branch of the sport.

Shane also had the fly-tying vice going, which attracted plenty of curious youngsters to the stand.
Watching a few threads and materials gradually turn into something resembling food for a fish proved a very effective way of getting them asking questions and becoming involved.

It wasn’t only the youngsters who stopped to talk. We met a group of ladies who were all keen carp anglers and regularly organise social fishing trips together, including trips abroad. Conversations like these were a reminder of just how broad the angling community is and how easily a shared interest in fishing gets people talking.

For Angling Mentors, that was probably the biggest takeaway from the day. We weren’t simply there to demonstrate a particular type of fishing. We were able to introduce youngsters to something new, talk with anglers from very different backgrounds and disciplines, and make new connections.

Sunday report will follow soon...