Girls Go Fishing
Sport England
About Girls Go Fishing
This project is supporting women who have an interest in catch and release fishing but haven’t had the confidence to give it a go or don’t know where to start.
Funded by This Girl Can via the National Lottery and Sports England, the Girls Go Fishing project could be the perfect opportunity for you to take part, ask questions, make friends, have fun and learn a new skill.
A woman angler, Anne Voss-Bark, was instrumental in the creation of our rivers charity 28 years ago. Her love of the rivers she fished helped to set the way for our work.
We ran two initial taster days to support the growing number of women now enjoying angling – find out more below.
Our Rivers & Fisheries Officer, Mia Bryant, led the training. As an active angler, she is keen to encourage more women to participate and share the benefits she has experienced from learning to fish.
Developing this project for women with no experience of angling is meaningful to me.
I am passionate about the benefits this pastime can bring and having taken out friends who have never fished before and seen the rewards they reap; I would love other women to have the same chance to enjoy this hobby.
Being active and within nature when fishing can help to improve physical and mental wellbeing, bolster a love for our freshwater habitats, and give you a new skill.
Mia.
How to get involved
Courses for Coarse Fishing
Participants tried out match pole fishing as part of a starter day to help them decide if its for them. All equipment, licences, and training was provided and we are pleased to say, all attendees plan to take up the hobby.
Attendee Ann said: “What a brilliant day all of us had. We all caught fish and between us must have caught about 27 fish!!
“We were very ably taught by Mia and Craig who were great fun, really encouraging and so helpful, with endless patience and nothing too much trouble.
“All of us are “hooked “ and hope to meet up again to fish together.”
See the venues where we ran the sessions below.
Date: Thursday 25 August 2022
Venue: Summerhayes Fishery, Bridgwater. TA6 6LW.
Venue Website: summerhayesfisheries.com
Date: Friday 26 August 2022
Venue: Acorn Fishery, Clevedon. BS21 6XS.
Venue website: acornfishery.com
Project Funder
We are delighted Sport England and the National Lottery’s This Girl Can fund is supporting our aims to introduce fishing to more women in the Westcountry.