From fly-fishing by moonlight to family fishing days, learn-to-fish events, free coaching, and kayak fishing trips – Pembrokeshire Fish Week is packed with angling events.
The festival from June 26th to July 4th has something for anglers of all levels and abilities, including major coarse and sea angling championships.
For sea anglers, the Stena Line Sea Angling Festival will be held on 4th July at Fishguard Harbour Breakwater. The open PENNS Points catch and release competition has a first prize of £750, second prize of £250, and third prize of £100, kindly sponsored by Stena Line.
The event is organised by the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers and Welsh Ladies Team. The entry fee is £15 plus £5 for an optional pool. Entries need to be registered with Martin Thompson, Anglers Corner, on 01646 698899, or email [email protected] and places can only be reserved when payment is received.
If you and your family would like to improve your sea angling skills, there is a Family Sea Angling Coaching Day on Saturday, 3rd July at Fishguard Harbour Breakwater. The free event is open to anyone over the age of eight. Coaching will be provided by the Welsh Ladies qualified angling coaches team and the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers.
To book, contact Helen Pearce on 01970 820063 / email [email protected] or phone Pembrokeshire County Council on 01437 764551 and quote ‘family sea angling’.
If coarse fishing is more your style, the popular FBM Holidays Coarse Fishing Championship Final will be held on 3rd July, with heats taking place daily during the previous week.
The championship will be held at Llyn Carfan Coarse Fishery at Tavernspite and is kindly sponsored by FBM Holidays. First prize is £400 plus a trophy, 2nd prize £200, 3rd prize £100, 4th prize £50. There is also a prize for the biggest fish. To enter, contact Huw on 01994 240819 or email [email protected]
Fisheries in Pembrokeshire are putting on many special events, from coaching days to junior championships.
Come and enjoy a ‘Family Fishing Experience’ with Pembrokeshire Federation of Angling trained coaches will be held at Watermeadows Coarse Fishery at Broadmoor on 26th June.
For an introduction to fishing, why not visit Llys y Fran reservoir on 27th June for ‘Fishing with the Professionals’ – an introduction to fishing for those over the age of eight. This is an event which is suitable for people with disabilities.
Treffgarne Gorge will be the venue for a fishing day for anglers with disabilities on 30th June – the site is wheelchair friendly and there is vehicle access direct to the river. The event is organised by the Pembrokeshire Anglers Association and the Environment Agency.
Younger anglers can take part in a junior coarse fishing championship at Wolfsdale Pitt Fishery in Camrose, on 30th June, from 6pm to 8pm, for anglers aged between nine and 16.
Or, if you’ve always fancied fishing by the light of the stars, Puddleduck Trout Fishery at Freystrop are holding ‘Moonlight Fly’ on 2nd July – a great chance to try fly-fishing with professional coaches on hand.
There are more opportunities to learn fly-fishing at White House Mill Trout Fishery in Lampeter Velfrey on 4th July with experienced coaches. Sessions include casting demonstrations and tuition, followed by fishing.
On 3rd July, there will be a P.A.A. Open Fishing Day at Treffgarne Angling Centre for members and non-members, while on 4th July there will be ‘Coarse Fishing at Wolfsdale Pitt’ – a free event open to all to enjoy the experience of fishing, courtesy of Pembrokeshire Piscatorial Association.
Fish Week also has several opportunities to try fishing from kayaks.
TYF Coastal Explorer sessions are being held on 26th June; take a relaxing paddling trip with a bunch of fishing lines, and with some luck you’ll hook some delicious mackerel, bass and possibly mullet.
The Sea Kayak Guides are holding ‘Kayak, Catch and Cook’ trips on 27th and 28th June – kayak from a sheltered harbour, pick up some lobster pots, try your luck at fishing, and then cook what you catch on a beach!
You can also cook your own fish with ‘The Carreg Kayak and Catch’, Narberth on 1st July. Meet your qualified instructors at the Carreg at 10am and set off for a pleasant paddle. Enjoy gentle fishing from your canoe and return to the Carreg courtyard to cook your catch in the outdoor kitchen.
Meanwhile, if you like fishing trips, don’t miss the ‘Swift Mackerel Madness’ with Solva Boat Trips on 2nd and 3rd July – a 90 minute mackerel fishing expedition departing from Solva Quay. All tackle is provided and you keep what you catch – and if you like, take your catch to the Cambrian Inn in Solva where they will cook and serve it up for you.
Also not to be missed are 90-minute mackerel fishing trips with Tenby Fishing on their boat ‘Summertime’ with tackle provided – trips run daily during Fish Week from Tenby Harbour. And why not bring your catch to The Buccaneer Inn or the Hope and Anchor, both on St Julian Street, where they will cook it and serve it with a choice of accompaniments.
As well as angling events, there are hundreds of other events in Pembrokeshire Fish Week 2010, from celebrity chef demonstrations and talks to family fun days, gourmet seafood evenings, cookery workshops, talks, outdoor adventure trips, seashore safaris, and much more.
For more information, go to www.pembrokeshirefishweek.co.uk where you can download details on all the events.
Or, for a copy of a free brochure, please contact Pembrokeshire County Council on 01437 764551.
Pembrokeshire Fish Week is organised by Pembrokeshire County Council.
The event is part funded through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013, which is financed by the EU and the Assembly Government.
