Published: September 14, 2008
'Learn to fish day' at Highbridge's Apex Park reels in young anglers

A group of professional angling coaches was on hand to help budding young anglers learn to catch prize specimems during a day-long event at Highbridge's Apex Leisure Park on Saturday (September 14th).

Dozens of young anglers joined the 'learn to fish day' at the park, which was run by the Environment Agency.

Organiser Iain Turner, the Agency's Fisheries Technical Officer for the Wessex Area, told Burnham-On-Sea.com the free event had been a great success.

"We had almost 75 children give fishing a go during the day. A group of professional anglers was on hand to provide help and advice and we also gave out environmental information about how to fish responsibly," he said.

"The event was certainly helped by a glorious day of weather," he added.

Burnham-On-Sea.com was first to report earlier this year how the Environment Agency plans to spend £25,000, in addition to £5,000 from Sedgemoor District Council, in expanding the park's angling facilities.

A total of 21 new fishing platforms are to be constructed around the main fishing lake and two new islands are to be formed to protect fish and encourage breeding. The project has been slightly delayed but is still expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Mr Turner told Burnham-On-Sea.com that £15,000 of work is also due to go ahead at nearby Newtown Pond in Highbridge, where banks are due to be shored up and new fishing platforms created.