A group of sixteen top lady fly fishers from the USA sampled the angling delights of North Mayo when they spent four days recently at Pontoon Bridge Hotel. The group, who are members of the International Womens Fly Fishers, came together for what was termed "A Gathering of Women Fly Fishers". They were led by Ms. Podge Kleinhauf who does most of her fly fishing in Alaska. Podge was joined by top lady anglers from all over the USA for the visit to Mayo which arose from longstanding contacts between Ms. Kleinhauf and Ann Geary, proprietor of Pontoon Bridge Hotel.

During the visit, the US ladies spent their time fishing Lough Conn and the River Moy where they alternated between the famed Ridge Pool in Ballina and the Cloongee Fishery near Foxford. At a dinner in Pontoon Bridge Hotel to mark the occasion, Mr. John Walkin, Chairman, North Western Regional Fisheries Board, welcomed the visitors on behalf of his Board. He said the Board was very pleased to support the visit as it had a policy of actively supporting the development of ladies’ angling. Mr. Walkin highlighted the fact that the visit coincided with the commencement of direct flights to Ireland West Airport, Knock, from both New York and Boston, and said that direct access to the Moy catchment provided a marvellous opportunity to attract more US anglers to the region. He said that following a recent meeting with the Chairman and CEO of Failte Ireland West, representatives of his Board hoped to meet in the near future with the Chairman and CEO of Ireland West Airport to examine the potential for increased angling tourism business from the US to the West of Ireland. Addressing the visiting ladies, Mr. Walkin spoke of the wide variety of angling available in the area. He said apart from the world famous River Moy which produced an average of almost 8,000 salmon to the rod annually, and the great western lakes which are famed for brown trout fishing, the region had a huge variety of other fishing to offer. The Fisheries Chairman said the region not only had many other excellent salmon rivers but also had a wide variety of smaller rivers and lakes containing good stocks of brown trout. In addition, quality sea trout fishing was still available on the Moy Estuary and on Carrowmore Lake while the entire coastal area of the west and north west offered excellent sea angling from both boat and shore.

Welcoming representatives of the Irish, Welsh and Scottish International ladies fly fishing organisations to the Pontoon Bridge Hotel, Mr Walkin suggested that the time was now opportune for the established national bodies to enter into meaningful discussions toward the establishment of a world ladies fly fishing organisation.