A Fantastic Day on the Bank: WDAC Partners with Jurassic Juniors at Orchard Lakes
You Can’t Beat a Day’s Fishing!
A brilliant collaborative effort unfolded at Orchard Lakes, where WDAC members Arron Bridges, Steve Neale, Stuart Hitchman, and Mike Hirsh joined forces with the Jurassic Juniors Angling Club. Led by senior coach Graham Howard, the seven-strong coaching team provided a memorable day of fishing for a group of eager novice young anglers. The management at Orchard Lakes generously set aside pegs 1 to 16 on the Match Lake for the entirety of the day, setting the stage for a wonderful event.
All the Gear…
Equipped with gear partly funded by an Angling Trust grant—including whips, poles, feeder rods, and all the necessary bait—the Jurassic Juniors team came fully prepared. All that was left for the WDAC volunteers to do was share their time, passion, and expertise. Following an hour of preparation, excited children arrived alongside parents and family members. Graham Howard kicked things off with a lakeside briefing covering the essential risk assessments and safety protocols before the action commenced.
Fast Action
The morning session welcomed nine enthusiastic beginners for a two-hour introduction to the sport. Under an agreed coaching strategy, every child started on a whip and float, baiting size 16 hooks with single or double maggots. It did not take long for the action to start; several youngsters landed their very first fish within minutes. Smiles lit up the lakeside as proud parents snapped photos of these milestone catches. Alongside plenty of small roach, a sprinkling of hard-fighting carp and barbel put the whips through their paces. Throughout the morning, coaches placed a strong emphasis on fish care, ensuring every catch was carefully netted, unhooked on protective mats, and safely returned.
Sitting Ducks
As the morning progressed, the children transitioned from whips to feeder rods. A gusty south-westerly wind made whip fishing challenging, but casting a feeder rod short distances proved a bit easier, even if watching the rod tips for subtle bites required extra concentration. The effort paid off with several fine carp up to 6lb brought to the bank. A friendly spirit of competition quickly developed across the pegs—not just among siblings, but among the coaches too. Steve Neale and Arron Bridges found themselves supervising two brothers on neighbouring pegs. At one point, Steve had to gently remind his young pupil that despite several carp feeding right at the margin with their tails in the air, they still had to be caught fairly on rod and line rather than scooped straight up in the landing net!
Satisfied Customers
The afternoon session mirrored the morning's success, welcoming eleven children to the water's edge. This larger turnout meant Mike Hirsh swapped his roaming support role for hands-on coaching, pairing up with young Archie and his grandfather. Just five minutes into their session, Archie’s float darted under, resulting in a surprising and memorable barbel for his very first catch. Every child in the afternoon group successfully landed fish, sharing the same delight as the morning cohort
The reach of the event was particularly impressive, with families discovering the day through the Angling Trust marketplace. One dedicated father even made the trip from near Southampton with his two children for the morning session. Judging by the overflowing thanks from both children and adults, the day was a resounding triumph.
Onwards…
Looking ahead, WDAC will continue discussions with the Jurassic Juniors coaches to explore future joint ventures, including the possibility of hosting a specialised session to boost the angling knowledge of WDAC’s Minor members in 2027.