Amateur anglers learned about bait, tackle and how to handle a wriggly maggot during an open day at a fishing club.

The Watford Piscators Angling Club, which celebrates its 125th anniversary next year, held its annual open day at the club's centre, in Tolpits Lane, today.

Peter Hadwin, who helped organise the day, said the event was organised to allow young people interested in angling to come along and try their hand at fishing.

Throughout the day youngsters had the chance to handle a maggot and put one on a hook, and were also taught how to cast a line and how to take a fish off the hook.

Peter said: “We have trained anglers here, we have two trained coaches here - they have come down and taught people to fish.

“And we have club members all round the lake showing people how to fish.

“It has been a very good day.

“We have a junior section now. We teach them about the environment, how to look after themselves while fishing, how to look after the fish, how to take the fish off the hook, we teach them what is below the surface.”

Among the people enjoying the fishing were around 40 members and relatives of people from DRUM (Disability Recreation Movement).

Sarah Sullivan, manager of DRUM, said members of the group had been fishing at the lakes for the past five years.

She said: “They can come down here, relax, enjoy themselves as well as the fishing. They are in a natural environment and it allows them to get back a little bit of their independence. "We came down to support the club and I think it has been a great day.”