This month, Warren White, Fishing for Schools' instructor and coordinator for the Kent area, tells us about one of the outstanding pupils who has come through his courses.
Warren writes: “From time to time, I hear something special about a student that I think would make a good story, and here’s one I find very interesting. Liam Murphy came on a Cast Awards course with Thamesview School in Gravesend a couple of years ago and went on to do the accredited Aims Awards qualification. He was also part of the successful team that won the Fishing for Schools Match in in 2017.
I noticed straight away that Liam, a quiet and modest lad, was really keen on fishing, as were all of his group. But as the course went on and I got to know Liam better, I discovered that he was a bit of a globetrotting young angler, encouraged by his father who also is a fisherman.
He showed me pictures of some outstanding fish he had caught on his family holidays in Florida, USA. Most adult fisherman would love to have caught the fish that Liam has.”
Liam’s father told me that although there are great rewards to be had fishing in Florida there are times when fishing is hard, due to weather conditions, and you don’t catch. This means that patience and perseverance are hallmarks of this type of fishing.
Liam passed his Aims Awards course in spring 2018 and soon after left Thamesview school for St George’s school in Gravesend, another school we have worked with. But due to a few delays, I did not receive the certificates until the end of last year.
I recently visited Liam’s parents to drop off his accredited certificate and while there I asked his parents for permission to use the story and photos for the Freshwater Informer, which they agreed.”
This article originally appeared in the June 2020 issue of the leading angling magazine Freshwater Informer.