Jamie Benfield
11 Aug 2026
Hampstead and Highgate Angling Society held their 5th annual Give Angling A Go day on Saturday July 4th 2026.
Once again we were based on the North Bank of the Heath's Boating pond, 11 members of the HAHAS turned up ready to help set up, coach and check in attendees.
We promoted the day on the City of London Corporation's social media, Primrose Hill Community Centre's Newsletter and The Angling Trust's Market Place Event Page, which gave us an Environment Rod Licence waiver for the day
The 40 minute fishing tuition sessions ran from 10am through to 4.30pm, with 39 people participating aged between 6 and 87 years. Most attendees were from the North London area but we also attracted people from other parts of London including Peckham and Acton.
3 pints of mixed maggots and 3 bags of ground bait, bought from Frames Tackle Shop in Hendon the day before, were shared among the group.
The steady flow of new anglers met the coaches and were soon casting with 4 and 5 metre whips , some going on to using rod and reel. The morning sessions produced some good catches of roach and perch with most landing safely on the bank, bar one frisky perch that landed in Chairmen Bob's tea cup. There was less action in the afternoon with the sun blazing down, but feedback from attendees was very positive with many asking for further sessions, which we are in the process of organising
"My son attended and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was great to show children there are wonderful things to do in the world that don't involve an iPad"
Thanks to the City of London Corporation, The Angling Trust , Primrose Hill Community Centre