In the evening, Vic was fishing from he dam opposite the tower where the air-pipe enters the water. This particular Sunday had been the hottest day so far this year and the water temperature was around 19 degrees Centigrade. He was using a floating line (he only possesses floating lines). On the point was tied a Shipman's buzzer on a size 14 hook with another unspecified small fly on the dropper. I believe that he was retrieving slowly or was almost static when the floating line moved slightly and he struck. It would seem that the fish probably took the dropper but the hook did not bite. Fortunately the point-fly foul-hooked the fish and the battle began.

The fish took off at a steady but resolute manner showing no sign of coming under control. Now, Vic uses a small reel designed to hold a 4/5 line, so his 30 meter Cortland line does not allow for a great deal of backing line. Before he knew what had happened he felt a jerk on the line and realised that he had run out of backing. Short of leaping into the water after the disappearing fish, he only had one sensible option available. In a desperate effort to remain in contact with the fish, he dashed around the dam outflow to the opposite side by the tower, hanging on to the rod as best he could. Applying maximum strain, he just managed to persuade the fish to turn just before it got to the white buoys where it would have broken him.

As those of us who have been fortunate enough to hook a large trout will testify, time can stand still when one is absorbed in a titanic struggle and it is difficult for Vic to assess how long the battle took.

This report is an abridged version of the story as described to me. Suffice it to say that by this time your intrepid reporter had lost the will to live, as the saga lasted almost as long as the battle itself. Vic returns virtually all the fish that he catches (which is just as well as there would be none left for the rest of us). Sadly, this fish was so exhausted it had to be summarily despatched (I know how it felt, as by this time I wouldn’t have minded being put out of my misery).

Anyway, even I look forward to seeing the photograph of the said monster together with its happy captor. Watch this space!

Tuesday 25 August 2009

CLUB COMPETITION PHOTOS

Click on one of the four albums to see all the photos from the day.

Monday 24 August 2009

CLUB COMPETITION RESULTS

Competition Date: Friday 14th August

Monday 24 August 2009

CALL ME GRIZZLY

Jim Adams, the wily old fox and highly experienced fly-fisherman, was the only angler to read the conditions correctly on the day and apply the right method to ensure a six fish limit in the Club competition held on Friday 14 August.

With the bookies odds of 25/1 he was a reasonable bet. The bookies assessment was as follows:

“This angler is very steady; a good each way bet. I expect him to come up with the goods very shortly. It may be today”. A fair prediction, albeit exactly the same statement as last year. Bookies know how to rig the odds – if you keep saying the same thing, it will eventually come true!

A limit of 4 fish was set for the first session in the morning in order to ensure that you could not catch your 6 fish limit in the morning session and that all anglers had to fish in the afternoon.

Jim’s tactics, while fishing the ‘bubbles’ from a boat, put everyone else to shame. Despite it being hot and sunny he managed to get his 4 fish limit before the end of the session and had to row in early. Although we will never know if he could have caught the 6 fish total from the boat, as Don Burt managed last year, he continued using the same method from the bank in the afternoon to catch his remaining 2 fish. So what method did he use? Well, despite the photo of Jim which shows that two rods having been set up in the boat, we understand that his rod with a floating line did the damage.

John Austin failed to catch any fish from his morning bank session, but managed 5 fish from a boat in the afternoon for a total weight of 7lb 13ozs and second place.

Last year’s winner, Don Burt, the 6/4 favourite, failed miserably during his morning session from the bank. Despite this, he managed to net 3 fish from a boat in the afternoon to finish seventh overall.

Despite the heavy stocking and plenty of 3lb+ fish, the fishing was not particularly easy with five anglers failing to catch. Only 41 trout were caught.

Anglers on the far bank were being driven demented by what they claimed was a fish of double figures cruising nonchalantly parallel to the bank. One frenzied angler claimed that he cold almost touch it with his rod tip. It still remains uncaught ready for some lucky angler to grab the chance of catching the heaviest fish of the season.