Thinking about Fishing
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
One lovely sunny weekend morning (9th August) went along to a fishing open day at Dilhorne Pools to find out more about the sport.
We spoke with Tom, vice-chair of the club, who told us that the club gets up to lots of fishing, as you might expect, but also does plenty of events like this one to get youngsters involved and having a go for the first time, which is always nice to see, said Tom.
"The events are great because they can come into a friendly atmosphere and benefit from the experience of the chaps who've been doing it for years; getting them outside, off screens, and having fun."
Tom told us that there are four pools at Dilhorne, and the pools are stocked with a wide variety of freshwater fish; you could catch practically anything except trout. Tom particularly likes the peacefulness of the spot and said, "It's a lovely location." We asked him why it's good to take up fishing, and he said, "From my own experience, it teaches you patience, and it's just fun, good for your mental health, and is just a good all-around sport for everybody."
Fishing, also known as angling, is a widely enjoyed sport across the UK. It is often a family tradition, handed down through generations, or a shared activity among friends, inviting younger members to participate and making it a sport for all ages. It can serve as a rite of passage, with many cherishing memories of their youth spent outdoors with friends, enjoying the simple pleasure of fishing with a friend.
The layout of Dilhorne Pools Open Day was a small series of marquees lining the way to one of the four beautiful fishing pools where anyone could have a go at the sport. Potteries Fly Tying, Fenton & District Angling Society, Tackle Sales, and a fishing-themed charity stall were all an important part of the activities on offer.
Cheadle Mayor Phil Routlege with Lee Bourne - having a go at angling.
Fishing doesn't have to be expensive
Vicky & John, a husband and wife team, have been running their fishing tackle shop, SMART Pre-Loved Tackle, for about two years now. They are based in Stone at the Stone Enterprise Centre, just off the A51 island, and they sell a lot of pre-loved tackle which people bring to them from all over the country. They do sell new tackle as well so that there aren't any gaps in what they have and what people might need. They are open six days each week, and Vicky told us, "Pre-loved is where it's at for us, repurposing - giving things a new life and a second chance. Pre-loved is a good way to get into the hobby for a relatively cheap price."
You do need a license to fish in most places
Fenton and District Angling Society looks after about 12 still water pools, the Trent & Mersey Canal, the Caldon Canal, and about 10 stretches of river including the Trent, the Dove, and the Churnet.
Once you're a member, you can fish anywhere that they look after. Junior membership is usually £10 but was free on the day of the event. Adult membership is £45 and seniors is £38 for the year.
Dave from the society told us, "A day ticket can cost £40 for 24 hours, so it's a no-brainer really to join the society. Fishing is good for your mental health, so if you're thinking of finding something to do instead of sitting in the house - go fishing!"
The Ancient Art of Fly-Tying
Ron from Potteries Fly-Tying Club (PFTC) was one of several demonstrators of an ancient and important part of fishing - fly tying. A fly is a handcrafted artificial lure tied onto a hook using feathers, fur, hair, thread, and synthetic materials. It is designed to trick fish by looking like their natural food, such as insects, baitfish, or worms and is needed if you are fishing for trout.
The club meets from October to April every Monday at Longton Cricket Club, and they learn or teach the art of fly tying. The rest of the year they are out fishing. They have two groups: the beginners group, which is taught by one instructor who takes people right through the basics, and the other group is the improvers, which Ron teaches This group go on to more advanced types of fly-tying.
Ron told us that there is a lot of detail and skill involved and a lot of different materials used too. They prefer to use natural material. Steve Cooper, the chair of the club, produces all types of feathers that they would use in fly-tying, but they do use synthetic materials too.
Flies have been developed over hundreds of years and tied to a standard with certain materials. You can go from the purest side of things where they are exactly the right size, exactly the right material, tied in exactly the right order as per the book someone laid down hundreds of years ago, or you've got more modern ones which are made to imitate different types of flies. They create all the different types of flies, replicas of something you'd see in nature such as a mayfly or a daddy long legs or simply something that the trout thinks they want to eat.
There was a number of activities such as a fishing tombola and tackel sale too with all proceeds going to support the Dougie Mac. To find out more about the club visit https://www.fdasofficial.co.uk/pages/dilhorne-pools-and-finneys-pools.php
