On Saturday 1st September 19 ladies took to the Inverness Angling Club Water, on the River Ness, as a ‘Ladies Fishing’ fundraiser for Highland Hospice. Due to the generosity of the Angling club, who donated the fishing, the event raised over £700 for the Hospice.
The club provided 10 helpers – many of whom were qualified coaches and in addition there were qualified casting instructors, including David Mateer, Frank Durdle and Scott Mackenzie, 3 times world Spey Casting champion who had just flown back from the Far East for the event. This meant that everyone received instruction from some of the finest instructors in Scotland.
The event introduced 10 complete beginners to fishing, one of whom was the Inverness Provost, Helen Carmichael, who thoroughly enjoyed herself. During the day the ladies saw fish, hooked and lost fish, and finally a fish was successfully landed when a good sized, fresh run salmon was caught above the main town bridge with Inverness Castle in the background. All the ladies had been looking forward to fishing as there had been 148 salmon caught on the club water in August. In fact the club waters have out-performed some of the top salmon beats in Scotland this year.
Anne Woodcock, the marketing director of Fishpal said, ‘The event not only raises awareness of the excellent fishing opportunities available on the River Ness, and in particular the Inverness Angling Club Waters, but it has given women a fabulous introduction to the sport’.
