Fishing for All

Waterford Sports Partnership has just finished running a 5 week angling and biodiversity programme for the students of St Josephs Special School in Waterford. The programme was funded by the HSE and supported by Inland Fisheries Ireland. This 5 week programme was designed and delivered by coaching staff from the Angling Council of Ireland and St. Pauls Youth Fishing Club.
The programme started on Wednesday 9th of May with 14 students and 2 teachers on a relentless hunt for wildlife on the beaches at Saleens. Both entertaining and informative, the day was a great success with 32 species collected identified and released.  Students gathered on the banks of the Barrow at St, Mullins for week 2 of the programme. Here students learnt the secrets of spinning lures for Twaite Shad. This session also included an introduction to water safety, including the use and maintenance of buoyancy aids.

Weeks 3 and 4 of the programme took place in Oakland Carp Fishery in New Ross. Coarse angling techniques were the mainstay of the day. The carp were obliging and all had fish to boast of. IFI’s John Flynn delivered an introduction to issues around biosecurity including the use of net dips and their importance. A novel element of the programme was the youth leadership programme for 4 participating senior students from St. Joseph’s helping with the tutoring on both days.

The final week of the programme was held in Passage East as it offered opportunities for bait collections as well as a safe casting practice area and fishing for dabs and flounder. Bait digging for ragworm and lug worm together with an introduction to safe wading and issues around tide flow all added to the interest and huge enjoyment. However the main event, casting 5 ounce leads with 15 foot beach rods to feeding fish, proved to be the real winner.

Particular thanks goes to John Flynn, Michael Byron and Declan Cullagh of IFI who worked with the students over the 5 weeks. Also a huge thank you to Der Casey from St. Paul’s Fishing Club who made the programme such a huge success. Well done to all the students from St. Joseph’s Special School!

For further information on Waterford Sports Partnership programmes, please contact us on 058 21194 or 051 849855 or by email; info@waterfordsportspartnership.ie
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Waterford Sports Partnership - Supporting Activity and Sport for All