This Girl Can… learn to carp fish

Claire Cummins told us about a non-stop weekend of fishing at Ladies Carp Academy in Yorkshire and how with tuition from the international medal winning Ladies Carp Team England, she had “an overwhelming sense of achievement, of confidence and of belonging”. #ThisGirlCan…

I packed the car, waved the family off and headed for York to join in with Ladies Carp Academy 2018. I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of nerves! Not knowing what the weekend would hold for me. Questions were running through my head. Could I handle what was coming? Would I fit it? Would I make a complete embarrassment of myself?

But… Saturday morning started off a great weekend!

Casting class: all I can say is, we were super nervous to all cast in front of each other. One by one stepping up to the plate with all eyes on our rods it quickly sunk in…. it didn’t matter where we cast to or whether we hit the perfect spot! Having the England Ladies Carp Team there to guide us we did it again, and again, and again until each one of us hit that marker perfectly!

The match: 4.00pm came, teams were created, and it was time to hit the bank. With a medley of angler’s running back and forth it was all hands to the deck. Everyone pitched in and before we knew it the carp fishing competition began and a sky full of lines was cast. A 19-hour competition had started and saw a frenzy of fish caught within minutes of each other.

The outcome: With plenty of beautiful carp caught (…and a few lost!) the weekend had come to an end and I found myself back in my car. This time something felt different, a feeling I can only describe as a warmness through my whole body, and it wasn’t sunburn. An overwhelming sense of achievement, of confidence and of belonging. I have found my sport, my hobby, my passion and for the first time I have found a group of incredible people to share that with.

Thanks! To Ladies Carp Academy – a big shout out to Bev and Andy for turning a dream into this whole amazing event. To all the ladies on the Team England Ladies Carp team for being some of the most inspirational and kind-hearted women I’ve come across.

So, boys, watch out the girls are coming… and no, we don’t need you to carry out rods!

Picture credits: Thanks to Tom Gibson

About Ladies Carp Academy:
These weekend-long events are the brainchild of Carp-Talk owner Bev Clifford and angling coach Andy Loble. They are designed as a means of providing expert tuition to budding female anglers in a safe, secure and relaxed environment. The events attract sponsorship from many of the sport’s top companies who provide equipment for the ladies to use over the weekend. Women participants spend time involved in learning activities and skills covering everything from tackle and bait to casting and fish safety under the stewardship of Andy, Bev, Ladies Carp Team England members and angling experts.

Ladies Fishing Academy is made possible by the support of:

• – Ladies Carp Team England: Bev Clifford, Miranda Brown, Tania Williams, Kellie Margerrison, Sam Hoskins and Lyn Worster
• – Photographer: Tom Gibson
• – Local experts: Jason, Alan Atkinson and Derek Pye
• – Mike at Q Lake
  and
• – Sponsors: Nash, DNA Baits, Dynamite Baits, Sonik, RidgeMonkey and Fishing Republic

Further details about the Ladies’ Carp Academy and details about the date and venue for next event in due course are available at www.ladiescarpacademy.co.uk

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