Junior

The Club has a thriving Junior membership and provides an active coaching facility (when the situation allows) that caters for all ages but is particularly aimed at juniors. We would very much like to increase the number of youngsters fishing our waters; they are the future of our sport. We therefore try to do everything we can to attract and retain them as members.

We have a team of fully qualified coaches led by Roger Smith. During the summer months, Roger and his team organise a number of sessions, mainly at Riverside Road and Frogmore, that are structured towards inclusivity. The key objective is to get everyone to catch a fish. The levels of coaching will vary dependant on those attending but will always include the safety of both the angler and the fish, an appreciation of the environment and basic tactics. Most important of all, the youngsters all have a great deal of fun at these sessions, and the feedback we receive is unanimously positive.

If you have tackle you can bring it along, but it’s not strictly necessary. We have plenty of kit on hand for you to use, and if you do fall in love with the sport (as we hope!) we are happy to give advice on what to buy and where to buy it from. We even have our own small shop which usually carries a range of used tackle, so we can often provide a “starter kit” of all the basics at very little cost.

There is no charge for these coaching sessions. We take the view that we are investing in the future of the sport, and Roger and his team are happy to donate their time and their knowledge. Parents/carers are welcome to stay and watch if their youngsters in action if they would like to, but they’re not obliged to do so.

Rest assured, the club takes it’s responsibilities very seriously indeed in terms of the welfare of youngsters within the sport. We have a dedicated Child Welfare Officer who is available 24/7 should any concerns need to be discussed. All of our coaches have the proper accreditations and permissions.

In addition to these taster sessions, the coaches also run more specific advanced sessions covering topics like pole-fishing. If you have an area you would like to help with contact one of the team to see if they can be of assistance in any way. If they cannot help you themselves, they can certainly point you towards someone who will.