Castlederg proves perfect host for NW Angling Fair

A host of the UK and Ireland’s top fly-dressers, casters and anglers were in Castederg Castle at the weekend as hundreds of visitors attended the 2019 North West Angling Fair.
Derry City and Strabane District Council hosted the two day event in Castlederg for the first time with demonstrations and tuition on the Derg River and a wide range of exhibiters on dry land.
Highlights over the weekend included demonstrations and guidance from some of the biggest names in world fishing including Hywell Morgan, Robert Gillespie and Stevie Munn.
There was also a strong youth element to the Fair as the Loughs Agency hosted its Community Angling Training and Coaching Hub (CATCH) where coaches offered expert tuition to new, novice and experienced anglers in game, coarse and sea angling and a number of young people achieved the CAST Angling Starter certificate.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor John Boyle, attended the event on Saturday and paid tribute to everyone who made it a weekend to remember.
“Congratulations to all the organisers of the North West Angling Fair who secured a stellar and action packed line-up that was enjoyed by hundreds of local people and visitors,” he said.
“The annual event has become a firm favourite on Council’s programme of events and is a great way to showcase the angling offering of our local waterways and to introduce people to the joys of angling.
“Castlederg proved an ideal location and I would like to pay tribute to the local partners who worked closely with Council officers to make sure the event ran smoothly and was a success.”
Festival and Events Manager at Derry City and Strabane District Council, Jacqueline Whoriskey, said the feedback from both traders and visitors had been extremely positive.
“We would like to thank the public for coming out and supporting the North West Angling Fair in such large numbers,” she said.
“There was a brilliant atmosphere around Castlederg over the two days and it was great to see old friends and new from the world of angling enjoying the experience.
“The CATCH element of the programme was well received and attended by young people and it was equally heartening to see so many women in attendance following on from the success of the Irish Ladies Fly Fishing Association’s Women’s Angling Day in Oaks Fishery last month.
“Trader and visitor feedback was extremely positive so it was a successful weekend all round and we are looking forward to bringing the event back to the Council area in 2020.”