2nd International Rivers Festival

The festival’s aim is to provide the English and Welsh youth teams with the opportunity to learn new skills, develop tactics and methods, and share best practice.

The Festival began on Friday night with fly tying, a fishing and conservation quiz and a welcome from the host club, CPTAA which prides itself on developing its angling for the benefit of the whole community in this remote and very Welsh rural town.

After the crucial safety briefing on Saturday morning, the youth went onto the river for a series of coaching sessions.

River craft:- knowing where fish like to lie, wading safely and how to catch and release successfully was taught.. There were also sessions on dry fly, wet fly and bugging or Czech nymphing where the youth saw fish being caught and released.

The final session was entomology (or bugs and beasties to most of us). By turning a few stones and a kick sample with a fine meshed net,the main groups of mayfly; stone clingers and agile darters were identified along with, stone fly, caddis larvae and the fly patterns used to represent them.

After a short lunch break the youth were individually guided on the river. Everyone was able to put in to practise the skills they had learnt during the morning. Fish fell to a number of techniques-all were released (including a fish over one and a half pounds).

On Sunday after heavy rain on Saturday night the party made their way to Teifi pools, the source of the river some 450m above sea level. There are a number of lakes here controlled by CPTAA which afford excellent wild trout fishing opportunities. Despite the cool weather and the occasional flurry of snow and hail, the fish were obliging and most caught a few fish up to nearly two pounds.

This was the second festival, next year it is hoped that the festival will expand to include the youth from Scotland and Ireland.

A range of tackle companies and fisheries supported the event, without their valuable support and especially the guides and coaches from Tregaron the event would not be the success it currently is. Special thanks to, Bruce and Walker, Orvis, Sportfish, Snowbee, House of Hardy, Greys of Alnwick, Fishtec, Niche products, Anglian Water, Dwr Cymru Welsh water, Bristol Water, Lure Flash, Fishing Wales, the Environment Agency and Ceredigion County Council.

Good luck to both teams on Lough Conn and hurry back to Tregaron for the friendliest of welcomes in 2005.