Learning to Fish with West Lothian Angling Association

By Grace Wilding

Over the summer months West Lothian Angling Association delivered a number of Introduction to Angling sessions in the West Lothian supporting new anglers to learn how to fish and help unravel some of the mysteries of fly tying, river fishing techniques and more.

West Lothian Angling Association committee members worked with Pottishaw Fly Fishery, the Forth District Salmon Fishery Board, Fishing around the Forth and some exceptional instructors to deliver these courses with great success. The courses, run in July & August, consisted of three sessions each which where part funded by the Association ensuring that tickets where affordable and accessible for attendees.

The first session was still water fly fishing, introducing our keen new anglers to casting techniques set in the beautiful location of Pottishaw fly fishery. Anglers were given a very warm welcome by the owner and his mum who provided participants with some incredible food

The second session gave the anglers a chance to put their new casting techniques to the test with an evening session held on the banks of the river Almond at Almondell & Calderwood Country Park. Here anglers could learn more about how to read the river and practice river fishing.

The final session brought everyone indoors to put their dexterity and eyesight to the test for an evening of fly tying, all our attendees were given the tools and equipment to make their own flies including black nymphs & pheasant tails and got to keep their newly tied flies in a fly box given to them by the Association.

All of the sessions were delivered by fantastic, qualified instructors and the WLAA committee who were all able to share their years of experience and passion for fishing with our attendees. We received some great feedback from everyone who came along and look forward to getting more people involved next season.

We hope to run more sessions next year and should any clubs around the Forth wish to get support to run their own sessions then please get in touch with Grace at g.wilding@forthdsfb.org .

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