Newsroom - April 10

I met up with many of my friends at the AAPGAI Spring weekend and assessment which was informative and great fun. I would like to particularly thank Richard Wothers who gave me a guided tour of the Airflo factory and showed me some of their innovations which will hit the market this year - exciting times! The Public Open Day which took place at Caer Beris on Sat 10 Apr 10 was also a great success and was all the more enjoyable because the sun shone in wales for once! Full details avialable on the new AAPGAI web site - AAPGAI

The Avon trout season is almost upon us (24 Apr) and I am already champing at the bit having seen a good olive hatch on the Ifron at the weekend and the arrival of the Hawthorn blossom and fly. I am running a course on the Coln this weekend and then I look forward to catching my first 2010 trout on the Avon soon after the start. I do, however, have to save my days as I am only allowed 5 in May and it would be a shame to waste them before the Mayflys arrive! The river is full of water and looking in excellent condition for the start of the season, I can't wait.

Walt Lawson - 2009

It is a year and I still miss him every time I sit at the vice.

It was with great sadness that I found out about the death of my great friend Walt Lawson at this time last year after a prolonged battle with cancer.

We must all have a similar story of a friend who willingly gave up his knowledge in order to help a fellow angler. When I was lucky enough to be posted to Alberta in 1997 I did what I always do and immediately sought out a local who would be willing to show me the local fishing holes. Walt was that local, and over the next two years we fished across Alberta, British Columbia and Montana together becoming great friends. When we were not fishing in all weathers he taught me how to tie flys properly and quickly.

Walt was ever generous with his time and I not only learnt about the merits of the Woolly Bugger but also the importance of family, 5X tippet and tomatoes. Our friendship endured over e-mail despite my move back to the UK and when I was lucky enough to be posted back to Canada we even managed to catch a few more trout; but not enough!

He is dearly missed by all that knew him for his generosity and I will always remember him gracefully casting a #6 Woolly Bugger to the big browns at Carseland as I stepped out of my depth again, much to his amusement!

Tight lines my friend.