Another first for the Blackwater Lodge.
Glenda Powell - APGAI-IRL (Salmon) 


A rather nervous Glenda
prepares for the exam!
On December 4, 2004, Glenda Powell - proprietress of the Lodge - became the most highly-qualified female salmon fly-casting and fishing instructor outside the USA.
In a traditionally male-dominated sport, Glenda successfully passed the Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructors' (Salmon) exam under the auspices of the APGAI-IRL.
Only ten others hold this qualification on the island of Ireland and the only other female in the world who has achieved this standard in salmon fishing, lives in Canada.
In addition to an extremely high level of casting expertise, the examiners also demand an in-depth knowledge of casting theory and mechanics, plus advanced teaching skills.

At 29, Glenda is also one of the youngest to achieve this level. Nevertheless, she already has 10 years casting instruction experience already behind her.

The Association of Professional Game Angling Instructors (Ireland) was set-up in response to a perceived need expressed by the CEO of the Central Fisheries Board. This was, that there should be an organisation of highly-qualified instructors to teach fly-casting and fishing to quantifiable, transparent standards in Ireland.
The status and credibility of the organisation reached a new high recently when four of its members travelled to the USA to take the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) Master Instructors exam. All four passed the exam which usually has a 50% fail rate. Last weekend, Glenda passed under the watchful eye of two of these Master Instructors - Peter O'Reilly and Liam Duffy (Chairman and Hon. Sec of APGAI-IRL respectively).
Glenda instructs on the Cork Blackwater from the Lodge where she is available all year round for instruction on the 14 miles of prime salmon water that the Lodge controls.


     Liam Duffy    Glenda Powell   Peter O'Reilly