Fishing Wedding

In 2008 we had our first ever marriage proposal while fishing on one of our holidays and now in 2010 Ben and Julie tied the knot and guess where they spent their honeymoon? Yes with us in Florida, where previously Ben proposed back in 2008.

One of our long trusted clients Ben Cole who has been fishing with Dave Plummer our head guide for the last 15 years and who also accompanied Dave on his very first trip to Florida Keys back in 1995, decided to take his longtime girlfriend Julie to Florida for the first time in June 2008.

It was while out in the Keys that Ben proposed to Julie surrounded by nothing but stunning blue saltwater flats .

Two years later Ben and Julie were married on the 19th June 2010 at St Mary's Church, Winfarthing, Diss, Norfolk surrounded by all their friends and family. The ceremony was followed by a marquee reception at Ben's Farm also in Winfarthing. Unfortunately as Dave Plummer was in Florida he was unable to attend the wedding but his wife Linda and son Neil were there to help Ben and Julie celebrate.

While Julie the bride was in charge of all the wedding plans, Ben was entrusted with organising the three week honeymoon and it is to no surprise that he decided to return to Florida Keys and the exact spot where he had proposed 2 years previous. How romantic or was that just Ben’s excuse to sneak lots of fishing in on their honeymoon?

So after the wedding reception it was off to the airport, the first week was spent relaxing at Cheeca Lodge before Ben and Julie joined Dave Plummer for 2 weeks at our house in Florida where we run our escorted Tarpon holidays from. Ben who is a very keen and well travelled angler caught various fish including Tarpon ranging from 110 - 160lb and bull sharks from 100 - 300lb. Ben also had the opportunity to fish with an American guide, John Dunnell, and caught 10 Tarpon on a fly over 4 days, three of which were over 100lb the biggest of which measured at 148lb.

So you could say that Ben had the perfect result, marrying a lovely girl, getting to fish while on honeymoon and catch lots of fish, topped with 3 Tarpon over 100lb on the fly, but what of Julie the novice angler? Well she showed that she has no intention of becoming a fishing widow by catching and landing after a spirited one and half hour fight, the biggest tarpon of their trip a massive 185lb.

Where will they go to celebrate their first anniversary and who will catch the biggest fish, the story will go on.

I have known both Ben and Julie myself now for a few years and both me and Angling Direct Holidays would like to add our congratulations to them both and to also thank them for entrusting us with their honeymoon travel plans along with their support over the past years.

Regards Peter Collingsworth.