David gets bites with a little help from his friends

3:40pm Saturday 4th October 2008

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A determined angler has got his teeth into the sport he loves - quite literally - to overcome a major hardship.

Seventy-four year-old David Thomas has come up with an unique way of holding his fly fishing line in his mouth so that he can keep reeling in the catches.

“I was delighted. I’m happy that determination and a little help from my friends meant I was able to achieve my ambition to fish again.”

David Thomas, angler

David, from Cross Park, Pemboke Dock suffered a stroke in 2003 that confined him to a wheelchair and rendered his right arm immobile.

As a keen fly fisherman, he had used his right arm for casting and feared that he might have to give up on his passion.

But at his favourite fishery, Puddleduck near Freystrop, owner Margaret Mathias and friends were determined to get David hooked on the sport again.

“I started practising, casting with my good arm in my garden but found it very difficult,” said David.

But with a little perseverance, the friends soon found a way for David to remain thoroughly involved.

He said: “With the help of Margaret who cast for me, a fish soon took the fly. With Margaret holding the rod I was able to play the fish with the line in my mouth and used my good arm to retrieve the line.”

During a three-hour session David had caught three rainbow trout, each weighing about three pounds.

He added: “I was delighted. I’m happy that determination and a little help from my friends meant I was able to achieve my ambition to fish again.”

Margaret is now planning to create facilities for the disabled at her fishing enterprise so that more people can enjoy the sport.