As members of the Game Angling Instructors Association (GAIA) we are keen to keep our skills up to date and meet with fellow instructors on the CPPD (Continuing Personal and Professional Development) days when they are held in our area. Last weekend, the GAIA meeting was held in North Wales on the River Dee.
Instructors from all over the country gather for these 2 day events and aspiring instructors are assessed throughout the day on Friday. Saturday is a much less stressful day with a programme of events aimed at teaching and demonstrating such things as rod building, fly tying and of course different styles of game angling.
Steve brought his 9 year old son Seth along for the experience and he was rather taken with a demonstration on long trotting for Grayling. After a doe-eyed plea to the demonstrating instructor, Seth was handed the rod and given a brief run down of technique. Within minutes he had landed this magnificent Grayling. Nice one Master D! If only his dad was such a quick study!
Seth also caught an earlier fingerling Grayling that he felt would make a lovely addition to his tropical fish tank but after a frank exchange of views between Seth, Mr Noble and dad, the little Grayling was returned to the river Dee to grow much bigger. Well done Seth!
GAIA Assessor Louis Noble and Grayling stalker Seth Daley