Cumbria – the Lake District – is to host its third Fishing Festival in the Spring of 2011 with a refreshed programme of events that organisers believe will play directly to the festival’s strengths. The Festival will run from the 14th to the 22nd of May at a range of locations in the county. In addition to the waterside masterclasses and workshops designed to improve anglers’ knowledge and skills that have proved their popularity over the previous two years, 2011 will feature sessions on kayak fishing, fly fishing for carp, bass and mullet, a sea trout fishing event, introductory sessions for trout anglers making the transition to salmon fishing and specialist fly casting sessions for river fly fishers who want to master drag-free drift. Integrated into the 2011 Festival will be Lancaster tackle dealer Stephen J.Fawcetts’ Open Day to be held on the Lune at Underley in Cumbria, on Sunday 15th May. The festival will also kick-start the formation of an angling club for female fly fishers in the northwest of England (although the inaugural event will take place in June).
As in previous years, the 2011 Festival comprises of angling events aimed at fishers and non-fishers alike, and following it’s successful introduction last year, there will continue to be an online pre-booking and pre-payment system. The festival website with the programme of events can be found at www.cumbriafishingfestival.co.uk
Fishing ‘taster sessions’ aimed at people who’ve never fished before will take place at venues near Penrith/Keswick (Cocklakes) and Newbiggin-on-Lune (Bessy Beck).
Hosting waterside events in 2011 will be Jeremy Lucas, Glyn Freeman, Eric Hope, Stuart Broadhurst, Patrick Arnold, Clive Mitchelhill, Lee Cummings, Bob & Vera Carlson, Nige Williams and David Stocker.
Comments Neil Birkinshaw, festival organiser and manager of Cumbria’s largest fishing club, Windermere, Ambleside and District Angling Association; “Because there is no template for an event of this kind, we’re experimenting with the format that has been developed over the previous two years. We’ve added new events for 2011 and abandoned those that weren’t as successful as we’d hoped the previous year. We’ve recognised that in Springtime it is our game fishing and pike fishing that offer our greatest appeal. Our first festival week was well attended by predominantly local anglers, but last year we noticed that many participants had travelled long distances and were participating in a number of events, having clearly decided to spend several days in the county. Lakeland is stunning in springtime and a visit during Festival week should appeal to non-fishing partners, too. With such a well-developed tourist infrastructure, there’s loads for them to see and do.”
