Take a Friend Fishing - How to get youngsters fishing for the first time

August 21, 2020 Guest User

ANGLERS across the nation have warmly welcomed the return of the immensely popular Take a Friend Fishing scheme.

‘Delighted’ and ‘proud’ are among the positive words we’ve received from readers in support of the decision by campaign leaders the Angling Trust and Environment Agency, which enables rod licence-holders to obtain a free licence for a friend.

But in the messages we received, one question regularly cropped up: ‘What is the best way to take someone fishing for the first time?’ It’s a tricky one to answer, so we enlisted the advice of Angling Trust ambassador Zenia Drury-Gregorek, an expert in getting kids into fishing, who reveals some of her secrets.

“I have two sons, Zaine (nine) and Zeejay (six), both of whom have fished since they were just a few years old,” she tells us.
“One of the key things to remember is not to force it. Zaine is a natural born angler, but Zeejay is a bit of a live wire and doesn’t have his big brother’s patience! If he doesn’t want to go, I’ll not push him and make it a battle – that would be an easy way to put him off before he’s even on the bank.”

Zenia got her sons fishing at an early age

Once they’re out the house, Zenia believes it’s all about making things short, simple and fun.

“Always start with short sessions. While we think nothing of sitting on the bank for five hours straight, to a small person an hour is a long time. Either go for quick sessions or have regular breaks for walks, wildlife spotting, or simple games.
“Kids love watching a float,” Zenia adds,
“so a short pole or whip is an ideal set-up to start with. You don’t get many tangles, and kids can focus on the magic of watching that float disappear.”

Quiet spells when the fish aren’t biting can quickly lead to boredom, but Zenia has a crafty way around these.

“Take lots of snacks! These keep children entertained while they wait for bites, and avoid the nightmare of a session being cut short because they’re hungry.
“Remember that size doesn’t matter to kids, so by targeting small fish you’re less likely to have long waits between bites.”

Keep sessions short, bring snacks and fish for bites to keep kids entertained on the bank

We can probably all admit that, as kids, our fish care wasn’t where it should have been, and Zenia believes it’s crucial to show correct practices right from the off.

“It’s down to us to show how important it is to look after our catch, so I’ll set an example by always using a net and unhooking mat. I’ll also teach kids how to use a disgorger, as well as how to place fish gently back into the water, not throw them back. These lessons will soon become good habits that will lead to a lifetime of quality fish care,” she says.
“Ultimately, though, the most important tip is to enjoy making memories as a family. Make the most of every catch, whatever species it is, and show kids just how much fun fishing can be.”

Even the toughest can love our sport

August 18, 2020 Guest User

As you’ll no doubt be aware, a greatly extended Take a Friend Fishing scheme is about to kick off for the summer, and I can’t wait!

We’ve already enjoyed two weeks of TAFF in July, and that spell gave me the opportunity to test a theory that even the hardest nut can be cracked with a spot of gentle fishing.

And they don’t come much tougher than Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham MBE, a guy many of you will recognise from Channel 4’s SAS Who Dares Wins TV show.

Billy used to fish when he was younger, but his distinguished military career, body-guarding, and TV work over the last three decades has not given him a lot of time to enjoy our sport.

We’re both patrons of a military charity called Phoenix Heroes and planned to meet up to talk about promotion work. But he was also the perfect candidate for a quick trip to reintroduce him to fishing – TAFF isn’t just about taking kids to the bank.

Being former SAS, he lives near Hereford with the River Wye on his doorstep, so we headed to a beautiful stretch run by Angling Dreams, based in Ross-on-Wye.

He loved it. Like many of us, from whatever walk of life or career we chose to follow, life can be 100 miles an hour with not a lot of downtime. He said a few times that a trip to the river was exactly what he needed to just chill out and relax. We all know that feeling! There’s no question that he ‘got it’ and a return trip is definitely on the cards... exactly what TAFF is all about.

Rob Hughes and Mark Billingham with a Wye chub

Take a Friend Fishing Scheme Extended

August 10, 2020 Guest User

THE HUGELY popular Take a Friend Fishing (TAFF) initiative is being extended right through the summer months, Angling Times can exclusively reveal.

The scheme, run by the Angling Trust and Environment Agency, allows rod licence holders to take one person fishing free of charge, and ran for just over a fortnight last month.

Now, in an unprecedented move, it is being extended to run from August 14 to October 4 to accommodate the surge in angling participation following lockdown, and also to help nurture future generations of anglers.

Jamie Cook, chief executive of the Trust, is delighted by the news. He said:

“It’s a proactive step to grow participation, and we need to seize this opportunity which allows both experienced and new anglers, as well as those returning to the sport, the chance to share the experience and help their friends and families take that first step towards establishing a fishing habit.”

A raft of tackle companies have been quick to throw their weight behind the scheme.

Mat Woods, brand manager at Korum, is well aware of the long-term benefits the extension could bring:

“These remarkable times are providing an insight into how many anglers there could be. We’ve all dreamed of these numbers, and so our focus must now shift towards retaining them. Let’s forge ahead while we’ve got the wind in our sails, and let’s do it together!” he said.

These sentiments were echoed by Korda’s Ali Hamidi, who added: