• The First Ladies of Fly Fishing •
AAPGAI Chairman Gary Coxon was delighted to welcome the first two ladies in Britain to become members of the ranks of professional game fishing instructors and join AAPGAI following their excellent results in their recent Trout examinations.
Ann Champion from Cornwall and Sue Macniven from Berkshire became the first ladies of British fly fishing at Caer Beris, Wales during the weekend April 8/9, 2005. There were emotional moments and not a few tears of joy when each of the ladies was told that they had conquered the exams. They received praise and congratulations all round from their fellow professionals for their hard work and dedication and recognition that the ladies successes is a giant leap forward for fly fishing.
Fly fishing is a sport that appeals to thousands of people and there is a great deal of truth in the suggestion that females have a special talent for the gentle art. Fly fishing is a healthy outdoor hobby that can be enjoyed by persons of any age or sex. It has all the ingredients for those who wish to enjoy the countryside, understand nature and it can be as strenuous or as convenient as you wish to make it. Look no further for family friendly fun, go fly fishing!
• Ann Champion APGAI (Trout) •
Ann is 45 years old and lives and works in Cornwall. She was taught to coarse
fish by her grandfather during school summer holidays on the Thames during
what she describes as "happy, carefree days". It was when she met Gary Champion
a keen game angler and now her husband that Ann took up fly fishing. How
else could she see him enough to develop a relationship?
Few women fished in those days and indeed Ann was one of only two ladies who regularly fished their local reservoir. After a debate with an instructor about the lack of women demonstrating fly fishing at the Game Fairs, Ann followed Gary's lead and started down the path to becoming a fly fishing instructor with the thought that maybe she could encourage more girls to participate in this wonderful sport.
Ann has fished in many parts of the British Isles and abroad and is quite an expert on her home waters around Cornwall where she and Gary live and work teaching fly fishing. Her favourite fishing is warm salt water in the Caribbean, with its beaches, sun and fly rods that she describes as "pure pleasure". In order to improve her teaching skills as a professional game angling instructor she is currently studying part time for a Certificate in Education.
Tel. 01872 863551. Mobile 07814 935644
Email champsflyfish@btopenworld.com
• Sue Macniven APGAI (Trout) •
Sue was born in 1955 and brought up in Middlesbrough in the North of England,
to a family of teachers. She started fly fishing at the age of 16 after
meeting her future husband. In her words "It was simply a matter of if I
wanted to see him I had to join him at the water".
Fishing soon became a passion. It helped give her a peaceful retreat when life's stresses were taking over and the trout and salmon she caught were welcome treats when money was in short supply.
Sue started the Instructor's programme by taking GAIC Level 2 examinations in 2002 and was the first lady to pass. The subsequent two years were filled with continuous practice including valuable help and advice from AAPGAI instructors in order to prepare herself for the professional ranks. She found the assessment process nerve racking but also a joy of continual learning and development.
And her feelings after successfully joining AAPGAI are summed up "To be one of the first two ladies to have qualified is fantastic. I love helping other people improve their casting technique and carrying on the family teaching tradition in a sport I truly love".
Tel. 01628 412548 Mobile 07740 243269
Email suemacniven@damselflyfishing.co.uk.
Web www.Damselflyfishing.co.uk