Dealing with the Cormorant problem
After the publicity created by Hugh’s Fish fight and the insane practice of discarding dead fish it is great to see that finally the problem of Cormorants is about to be addressed. Now don’t get me wrong, I actually have no ill feeling directly towards Cormorants. Look at the facts. We decimate our seas. We build lots of lovely lakes stuffed full of fish. A bird with a taste for scales is going to vote with its beak …. no doubt!
So I firmly believe this is yet another “man made” problem. But, it is a problem which is causing chaos and not only for the small stillwaters that are after all businesses which support jobs. Cormorants and other predatory birds are turning to wild stocks and that is a serious worry. For example in October last year I watched a platoon of Goosanders working a stretch of the Deveron. Their synchronization was incredible, several birds corral the fish while others dive below the surface. Then they swap. I tried my best to scare them off but I am not exaggerating when I say that there were pods of these saw-bills guzzling fish amounting to in excess of 100 birds! The fish did not have a chance.
Anyway enough from me. I am about to head out with Henry Gilbey to Alnwick for an interesting meeting with Hardy, so I shall leave you with the details regarding the possible Cormorant Licensing review. Let us hope that common sense prevails and if you would like further information or to offer your help, see here.
MINISTER GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO REVIEW OF CORMORANT LICENSING
Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon MP announced yesterday a review of the current licensing regime for cormorant control at an Angling Summit, attended by 30 angling and fisheries organisations. This announcement followed a letter to the Minister from the Angling Trust last November, calling for action to be taken to protect stillwater and river fisheries which are suffering significant losses as a result of cormorant predation.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will invite the Angling Trust, as the representative body for all anglers, to contribute to the development of the scope, remit and delivery of the review, which have yet to be decided.
The Trust will be pressing for rapid progress on this issue, and for the review to take the following into account:
- The contribution of angling to the local and national economy (estimated by the Environment Agency to be about £3.5billion each year);
- The impact of cormorant predation on endangered stocks of freshwater eels (estimated by Defra to be up to 43 tonnes a year during the breeding season), which have declined in number by some 95% in the past two decades;
- The impact of avian predation on already threatened salmon stocks – which on some rivers removes about 50% of the juvenile fish leaving the river before going to sea as smolts;
- The fact that more than 75% of water bodies are failing to meet the standards set out in the Water Framework Directive – many of these due to poor fish populations;
- The cost to taxpayers of the current licensing regime, which involves significant bureaucracy and expensive site visits from Natural England staff;
- The fact that fisheries which are successful in applying for a licence are normally only allowed to shoot two or three cormorants; many have twenty times this number present on their fisheries;
- The lack of accurate data on cormorant, goosander and merganser numbers and the impact of local controls on national populations;
- The need for a review of the effectiveness of other methods of control – many of which are required to be tried before licences are granted – such as bird scarers, fish refuges and scarecrows and to consider providing funding to support their deployment by stillwater fisheries;
- The need to develop a UK-wide policy in synergy with the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The Angling Trust will be inviting its members to contribute to the review by providing examples of the impact of cormorants, mergansers and goosanders and how their angling and fish stocks have been damaged, and to report their experience of the current licensing regime by post or to cormorants@anglingtrust.net
The Angling Trust will continue to campaign for urgent action to tackle problems with fish populations caused by pollution, over-abstraction, habitat damage and barriers to migration. Many of these problems make cormorant and other avian predation much worse by reducing natural fish population growth and making it harder for fish to escape predation. Weirs, for example, often force fish to move up and downstream through very narrow channels, which make them very vulnerable to being eaten at these points. Similarly, many flood defence works remove overhanging vegetation and other cover from rivers, under which fish would naturally hide.
Angling Trust Chief Executive Mark Lloyd said: “Anglers are conservationists at heart and do more than any other group to protect our rivers and lakes by providing funding and voluntary labour to conservation and restoration initiatives and by reporting pollution incidents. However, until our rivers and coastal fish populations are restored to good health, we must be allowed greater freedom to control local populations of cormorants, goosanders and mergansers where they are impacting on fish stocks.”
He continued: “We will be providing our member angling clubs and fisheries with practical guidance about how to apply for licences and other measures they can take to protect the fish on which their societies and businesses depend. We hope that this review will result in much greater freedom for anglers to manage the environment themselves, at less cost to the taxpayer.”
The Angling Trust, along with fisheries charities and angling industry groups, made representations to the Minister at the Angling Summit about:
- the importance of managing marine fish stocks for sustainable recreational benefit which generates economic benefits rather than damaging commercial fishing which is heavily subsidised by the taxpayer;
- proposals for delivery of fisheries and angling management by the voluntary and charitable sector rather than the Environment Agency;
- the damaging impacts of hydropower on fisheries and its minimal contribution to renewable energy targets;
- the importance for all fish species – coarse and game – of the removals of barriers to migration;
- the vital need to implement the Water Framework Directive;
- the potential role of anglers in managing invasive non native species;
- the impact of predators on fish stocks in a managed environment.
A further day-long summit will be held in late March, with 150 invited attendees, which will consider the economic, social and environmental importance of angling and the contribution anglers and fisheries conservation bodies can make to delivering the big society agenda.
What’s floating your fishing boat this year?
Monday morning and here we are in the last week of January already! Time definitely seems to wait for no man and meanwhile we are doing our best to advance the way we live with each day that goes buy. For example I have to say that plugging my iPhone into a dock and listening to live radio still amazes me. So with tunes streaming over the broadband and a hot cup of tea I started thinking about innovation in fishing gear.
Even though the act of catching a fish can be broken down into a set of relatively simple processes there is no doubt that the technology available to us today is developing our enjoyment and overall success. For sure great gear, “god with a rod” does not make , but there is a lot more to our fishing experiences than megabyte starved memory sticks filled with fish. Isn’t it a pleasure just owning nice tackle for starters? Are we not all closet “tackle tarts”? I put my hands up and admit that I am and 2011 is going to be no exception. So what is floating my fishing boat on the tackle scene?
How could I start without mentioning SINTRIX™? SIN … what? I am sure you have heard but Hardy have been busy incorporating a 3M designed material into fly rods. The overall result is Silica Nano Matrix which sounds like it should have a lot more to do with an Apple iPhone than a mere fishing rod! All sorts of statements and views are flying around over the internet but there can be no doubting the buzz surrounding this product which is being touted as the biggest development in rod technology for 25 years. I got my hands on the saltwater version known as the Proaxis last year and was utterly blown away, meanwhile the freshwater Zenith has just won one of George Anderson’s famous “shoot-outs”, read more about that here The claims are that this rod comes in at around 60% stronger and 30% lighter than similar models in its class, made possible by binding carbon fibre together with a resin incorporating silica nano spheres. Enough of the jargon; this is definitely one to watch.
A little less exciting but nonetheless practical is the all new Wychwood Competition Reel Case. Don’t be put off by the word “competition” because although this product has been designed around anglers who frequent the match circuit it still offers a host of features which will be beneficial during an everyday session. The capacity is enormous, up to 18 spools can be stored with ease and there is room for a number of reels plus lots of little cubby hole pockets for those all important accessories. But what makes this a step up from other reel cases is the innovative T Fold design which packs down into a compact unit enabling the bag to be carried around a lake using the carry strap or conveniently positioned ready for action while boat fishing. There is even a waste tippet dispenser! My reels will soon be located in this pent house reel case which funnily enough was created by a gentleman who once made his living designing mobile phones!
They have been around for a while but it was Lewis who got me interested in the Varivas range of leaders and so I intend, in the words of Fawlty, to “give them a damn good thrashing!” Of course the whole idea of a tapered leader is not to thrash and these Varivas products have been developed to provide sublime presentation. In particular the Specialist Dry Fly and Underwater Nymph leaders look interesting while I will be keen to get out and thoroughly test the flat butt system. You can find out more here
For the last couple of seasons my glass Costa 580s have never been far away and it is hard to see how they could be bettered. I guess that some may say that a glass lens produces a heavy pair of shades and of course such quality does not come cheap. Costas solution has been to launch a rang of Polycarbonate lenses in 2011 that are incredibly light and come in at below £200 per set. Granted Costas are never going to be cheap but if you are into visual fishing then the investment is well worth it, attach to a decent lanyard (you are much more likely to lose them than break them!) and be amazed by the underwater viewing ability enabled by a set of Costas. I can find little difference between the Glass or Polycarbonate lens although I will be interested to see how durable the new product is. After two seasons there is not a scratch on my glass Costas.
This post could become an essay because there is so much quality gear coming on to the market and I have not even started on my new found interest in light tackle lure fishing! But it would be churlish to end without at least a fleeting reference to those all important flies. Not more flies! What can possibly be new? Flies are variations on a theme for sure but there is no doubting Iain Barrs ability to innovate new patterns and 2011 is no exception. A few days back an interesting Jiffy bag fell through the door and upon opening a host of mouth watering creations greeted me including some stunning looking nymphs. Will they make it to the favourite flies section by the end of the year?
Who knows? All I can say is that even though we have a few weeks to go until the season properly begins to fire it at least feels like 2011 is now well on the way.
We will get the Pike next time …..
After the depressing week of “Fish Fight” TV rounded off by Ramsays “Shark Bait” (read more here) I needed to go fishing. So a couple of days back I managed to head out for the first session of the year which is always a good feeling, working as a full time fishing guide the opportunities do not present themselves too often during the season. But this was going to be a bit of a “different” start because for the first time in over (well over!) 20 years my inaugural session would not be in the company of my fly rods. In fact I would be travelling with no rods because Danny Parkins was supplying the kit. Lure fishing kit.
Now if you are a fly angler reading this you may have navigated away (although I sincerely hope not!) thinking that this post wont be for you, but please read on. You see Danny may be a lure angler but his fishing is about as far removed from traditional heavy rod, nylon line and Rapala tactics as you can get. Danny is a true exponent of uber light tackle lure fishing. We were using Savage gear rods, 5 piece and super responsive. Couple that with a really sexy Sakura reel, Powerbraid and one of Dannys stunning realistic lures (which I noticed were well chewed!) and we have a a highly mobile method of fishing.
Danny was brought to my attention a long time ago by Henry Gilbeys Blog. You can see the kind of stuff they get up to here ……….. Checked it out? Looks cool doesn’t it? Back then we all had a few discussions about meeting up but we never quite got it together. In a nutshell I think we all realised that lure/fly fishing have many similarities, a few differences and that by fishing in one another’s company we can learn a huge amount. So Danny and I took off to Exeter canal with the lures, even though I felt a little guilty about leaving my fly rods at home. I think they must have known because we were hit by a very unexpected frost straight off the back of some mild temperatures and this effectively killed the fishing.
Nick Hart - Big Log. Savage Gear Lure - 19.01.11 - Personal Best!
I did get this “specimen log” which blipped the old heart rate for a moment but other than that the only other action was a strong hit to Dannys lure half way through the session. If I am honest we did not fish very hard because we were mulling over a few ideas (lots of ideas in fact!) which resulted in plenty of chit chat and not so much fishing.
While we were hatching plans Danny was also passing over a huge amount of knowledge. It was quite simply pouring out of him. Its what I love about fishing, just when we reckon we know a few things it all turns on its head and we realise we actually know nothing. I am without doubt first and foremost a fly angler yet the advice that Danny was passing on, learned through his 20+ years of lure fishing made perfect sense to me. Already I was starting to look at my Pike exploits with a fly differently and I could also see situations where the lure may have been more effective or dependable. Wednesday may not have been an ideal example but I guarantee this; I felt a whole lot more confident fishing the lure with the feeling that any moment it was going to get snaffled. In the cold murky water the fly certainly would not have been ideal.
All in all exciting times ahead. It started for me back in October when I traveled out to Ireland with Henry Gilbey in search of Bass. I love that stuff but with several canals within spitting difference plus species including Pike, Chub and Perch to specimen sizes there will be no doubt that I am going to start heading out with a variety of gear closer to home. Plus there is our stunning coastline! Its time for some exploring and in the meantime catch up with Danny on his own blog here. Lure anglers know him pretty well already but something tells me that us fly guys may be getting to know his work in the future to …..
Shark Finning – It has to be banned
I doubt there is an angler in the land with TV, computer or mobile access who is not aware of the Big Fish Fight campaign. Check out the signatures during the last week which have climbed rapidly to almost half a million and if you haven’t done so, please add your name!
It is fantastic to see the fury that TV chefs Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstal, Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay have whipped up. Finally the public is being made aware of the travesty of practices such as discarding perfectly edible fish at sea. Even so I still wonder why out of an enormous (worldwide) population we have not managed more signatures. Just imagine if it was the final vote on X Factor, what do you reckon, 5 million signatures by now?!
That may sound like a negative and I know this is a time to be positive but I am finding it hard. Why? Last night I had intended to have an early night until I turned to Gordon Ramsays documentary “Shark Bait” on Channel 4 which graphically displayed the barbaric practice of shark finning. The sky box was set to record the programme but curiosity got the better of me and once I began watching there was no turning back. I guess the term “shark finning” says it all but somehow seeing the familiar face of Gordon Ramsay thrown in amongst this underworld activity stamped the message home loud and clear. Shark Finning must be banned.
Ramsay may have his fair share of haters, facebook prompted several daft comments which seemed more wrapped up with who was presenting the programme rather than the subject matter. In my opinion that is not what matters here and I am sure if you asked the TV chefs themselves it would not matter to them either. Ramsays celebrity status meant nothing while trying to gain information from Costa Rican and Taiwanese ports where he faced weapons and possible physical harm. Cynics may pass this off as dramatisation aimed at good TV rather than a truly heart felt conservation issue but I would disagree with the viewpoint. It was plain to see that the business men (if you can call them that) behind shark finning have something to hide; why else would they employ armed guards and construct prison like compounds laced with razor wire?
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- Ban Shark Finning
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- Shark – No Fins
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- Harvested Shark Fins
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- All this for Soup?
If you haven’t seen the programme watch it here to find out why, but be warned, you will be disturbed. Ramsay sets out on a shark finning boat to find out for himself what goes on. Jumping on board a vessel trawling a 12 mile long line baited with Shark meat the horrific nature of Shark finning becomes reality. These perfect apex predators look helpless as they are dragged aboard and hacked to pieces in a merciless act which exists to gratify those who enjoy a bowl of soup. I have never tried the stuff. I will NEVER try the stuff. Apparently it is tasteless anyway, frankly I don’t care if it is the best tasting food on the planet. Can it possibly be worth the systematic destruction of a species?
That last statement may seem a little over the top but statistics say different. Exact figures must be difficult to calculate but the general feeling is that in the region of 70,000,000 to 100,000,000 sharks are being slaughtered each year. Can you believe it? It gets worse. Marine biologists, conservationists and researchers reckon that in the last decade the overall shark population could have decreased by 60% This sends a shiver down my spine because at this rate there will be no more sharks. And what then because without Sharks roaming our oceans an entire ecosystem is at risk of collapse.
Its ironic to think that Sharks have to be one of the most feared “wild” animals, responsible for a handful of human fatalities per year and yet man could be responsible for their future extinction. This cannot be allowed to happen. But what can we do? After all a famous TV chef maybe be able to raise awareness and coerce a few restaurants to stop serving the soup but what of those “businessmen?” At £18 per kilo for the fins there is no doubt that their greed coupled with the demand for soup is going to be difficult to overcome, thousands of Sharks will be slaughtered today. The comparisons have already been made but if these were wild animals covered in soft fur and sporting a cute expression would the practice be banned almost immediately?
The debates will continue but action is whats required. I don’t think my life will ever be the same after watching last night and I intend to find out as much as possible about conservation organisations such as The Shark Trust. In fact I am ashamed that it took this programme to make me get off my backside and become actively involved as I have had a lifelong love affair with the species. If enough people get behind the campaign we maybe able to make a difference and although there is the unthinkable possibility that this is a battle which we may lose ….. we can give it a damn good go.
Getting in the mix – fly, lure or both?
Last week I was sorting out my fly collection and while doing so happened upon a recently acquired box of lures. Lovely, shiny lures and some that were still in their original packaging! After snapping out of my comatose state (lures seem to have magical powers!) I began to dream about the season ahead, after all its that time of year when we begin making plans.
Cast using modern day lightweight equipment it seems a natural progression to use lure techniques when fly fishing may be difficult or even impossible. Rarely have I been blown off a Pike water with fly but on several occasions I have turned up at a Devon Bass location either to fish myself or guide clients only to find that the wind has effectively stopped play. If we had some lures to hand the outcome may have been very different.
Of course many “fluff chuckers” are so deeply wrapped up with the whole essence of fly fishing that they find the idea of using a fixed spool reel almost blasphemous! This could be connected with the widely held opinion that spinning or worming for Salmon is a poor second best to the art of casting a fly. In part I can understand the thought process behind this, there is nothing like connecting with a fish on fly tackle.
However quite often an angler may choose to spin rather than fly fish for Salmon simply because it is more practical …. in high water conditions for example. This makes great sense to me, after all, we are out there to have fun right? In contrast I have tried to beat the wind during a saltwater fly fishing session by tuning up my double haul, smoothing out loops and even turning to heavier equipment but the simple fact is that in many circumstances (especially very high winds / heavy swell) fly gear just wont cut it. I could spend the day working I guess or head to a freshwater venue but I love the sea, the mystery of not knowing what might grab hold of the bait next and of course the sheer excitement to be found in standing next to a pounding ocean. If I refuse to investigate other opportunities then I am sure that I will I be missing out and that’s no fun! Plus and this is a very important point, I am sure that whatever I learn while lure fishing will help me to become a better saltwater fly angler anyway. What have I got to lose?
Lure fishing kit has also developed to bare a striking resemblance to the lightweight benefits of a fly fishing outfit. The rods are now very short (8′ seems about average), fixed spool reels are silky smooth and the braided line offers the ultimate in sensitivity. Most important of all the lack of overall kit required ensures this is a highly mobile method of fishing making it a natural partner for fly fishing techniques. Am I trying to justify my decision to bring lures into my life? Certainly not, fishing is fishing after all!
If you are a fly fisher reading this and would like to get into lure fishing you could do much worse than check out Henry Gilbeys blog which features lively debate and a wealth of knowledge regarding the subject.
Nick Hart Fly Fishing on Facebook
Just recently I have been updating a number of aspects of our online activities including uploading the new blog and taking the plunge into the world of Facebook. If you would like to take a look at our page please click here. During the next few weeks we will also start to populate the favourite flies area of the new blog you see here (all important for the new season!) and there is a clutch of great new gear coming on to the market which will feature on our tackle pages.
Introducing Lewis Hendrie
Many of you who read this blog will have met Lewis Hendrie during a guided fly fishing day or in the shop. He has seemingly boundless enthusiasm. In fact I would rate him as one of the most passionate anglers I have ever met and I have been lucky enough to meet a few!
Lewis is a seriously talented river angler who began making a splash as a World Youth Fly Fishing team member and more recently only just missed out on his first senior international cap. I have not doubt he will achieve this goal very soon. But competition is not his only talent, as Lewis has a natural ability to pass on his passion and the knowledge required for guests to further their fly fishing ambitions.
Lewis Hendrie guiding on the River Lyn in North Devon
So I am seriously pleased that Lew has agreed to get involved with the blog and author some content. I hope he will have a post or two ready for next week and in the meantime find out more about Lewis here.
From one passionate angler to a guy who we all know frequently describes himself as a “fishing junkie”. Henry Gilbey joined host Keith Arthur earlier today on the long running Sky Sports show Tightlines. If you missed it the show will be repeated and a full schedule appears here although there is also a very useful Podcast service available if you have a smart phone to hand. The weather has hardly been favourable recently and the fishing a little slow but I have no doubt that Henry will inspire you to dust down your rods. Check out his blog too.
Seasonal Fly Thoughts
It is around about this time that I start thinking about my fly boxes. Forgotten, battered and often in need of replenishment after another long season of guiding.
There was a time in my life that I was able to tie flies every day, line up neat rows and gaze adoringly at them while dreaming of future adventures. But that was a long time ago; in fact I was a kid. During my late teens I was still tying a lot and even in my early twenties, but the day to day responsibility of running a shop soon stopped that lark. Slowly but surely all those patterns got lost, given away or moved on during one of my mass “pre-season” clear outs. Eventually my tying gear was boxed up and the vice lay dormant.
So for the last few years I have been relying heavily on what the commercial market has to offer. For my Trout flies I certainly have no hesitation in stocking up with the many, varied and innovative patterns offered by Iain Barr. Based mainly around still-water fishing, Iain has also started to introduce some interesting river patterns. Meanwhile Fulling Mill launched their very popular “Tactical Series”, comprising a range of well proportioned barbless patterns aimed at river anglers. There is no doubt that these flies have scored hundreds (quite possibly thousands) of fish for my clients during the last few years. But …. just sometimes I want something more. Perhaps a little less hackle; or maybe a bit more? A scruffier body, a more visible (and buoyant) wing post and frequently just a little more weight in the case of many subsurface patterns.
There is also a great deal of satisfaction to be drawn from the process of taking a bare hook, lashing a few materials to it and winding up with something that a fish will mistake for its food. So, I am going to dust down those boxes, oil up the vice and try to tie a few flies each week. Daily will not be possible; that’s for sure. But I reckon if I add 20 per week to my collection then each month I will have those “fall back” patterns that I so often wish I had while at the waters edge.
I guess that a New Year is a great time to make plans like this and also a good test of will power which is why I have signed up to this WordPress postaweek2011 scheme to make sure that I blog at least once a week. There is a once a day scheme too. Maybe next year!
Beneath Bright Waters – Fish Art
Yesterday I opened up an unexpected parcel to find a beautiful hand drawn, letter press print by David Burton. What a brilliant surprise. David has been a friend of mine for a few years now and during that time we have spent some great days out fishing; the most recent chasing Grayling on the Anton.
Davids talents run deep, photography being one example. He is also not too dusty with a fly rod and I know for a fact that he is heavily into the world of kayaks. Add a penchant for decent beer and pipe smoking to this mix and I guess it is no surprise that David turns out to be an artist. I had no idea!
For sure he is head of innovation at Red Web, a company making waves in the world of digital, but I had never made the connection with art. That was until quite coincidentally I was working late on my new blog a few nights back and stumbled upon Davids new venture “Beneath Bright Waters”.
- Fine prints inspired by the river – Beneath Bright Waters
I was instantly blown away by the simplicity and minimalism of these designs, so much so I almost purchased one. But it was late, I had just started playing with WordPress widgets and then the kettle finished boiling. By the time my Tea had been stirred I had made a mental note to give David a shout and congratulate him on the prints before once again I became absorbed back into the world of blogging. Then a print fell through the letter box (beautifully packaged) …. awesome!
- A selection of David Burtons water & fish inspired letter press prints
I have posted a couple of images on the blog but to see the actual process used to create these prints is fascinating. Check it out right here. Prints are also available for sale at the very reasonable cost of £40.00 each on Davids “Etsy” site. Click Here.
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- Fine prints inspired by the river – Beneath Bright Waters
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- A selection of David Burtons water & fish inspired letter press prints
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- David Burton letter press print of a fish rising
The Brits are back in the Rod Race!
What a fantastic start to the new year! Ken Brewster, the sales & marketing manager at Hardy contacted me yesterday with the news that the Hardy Zenith SINTRIX has won the 9′ #5 “shoot out” conducted by the guys at the Yellowstone Angler fly shop over in the USA.
Based in the Paradise Valley region of Montana, South Livingston, I was lucky enough to call into this fine fly shop during a trip to the area back in 2008, in fact it was a source of inspiration for my own venture here. Out of all the establishments I visited this was by far the best organised and most friendly. The staff certainly knew their stuff. In fact it would be fair to say that George Anderson’s name and business have become world famous in fly fishing circles. So this test was not just a few guys heading down to a field for a quick chuck and a few pints back at the pub to mull over their findings. This is serious stuff. Just check out the charts! (link at the foot of the page)
I have only had time to digest a little of the information so far but the key point is this. The reviewers were all American, the rods that the Hardy Zenith was pitched against were also American. We are talking Orvis Helios, Sage Z-Axis and the new Loomis NRX (this latter rod calling for a remortgage!) To sum up I think this paragraph from the man himself, George Anderson, says it all.
“In our last 5-weight shoot, it was just by a nose. This time it wasn’t even close! The Zenith surprised us all when it swept every single performance category, blowing everyone else away! Hardy has produced some good fly rods in the past, but nothing that we have seen would really challenge the best American fly rods until now.”
Read the full article regarding the “shoot out” conducted by George Anderson, James Anderson, Robert Kovich, and Justin Bolduc here.
And find out more about what makes SINTRIX so special on the Hardy Website.
Its all about fishing
I guess I would say that I have an obsessive personality, which would explain why I have been tapping away on the laptop for most of the last 3 days with virtually no breaks.
I have to say that WordPress is simply addictive! I have been used to very powerful CMS systems, it is just such a package which exists behind Hart Flyshop, but never have I come across such a good blogging platform. I think that is why the old “blogger” blog ground to a halt, I just did not enjoy using it. I even looked into a professional build of the blog but secretly I had been quite keen to learn all about it for myself. It has certainly been fun (with a small dose of frustration) to launch and I never tire of entering data into the system and then being able to view it instantly online. Technology never ceases to amaze me. But this is not a blog about technology and it would be pointless working on it, whatever the platform, if there was no real passion behind it. And that is where the obsession begins.
Quite simply my new blog is all about fishing, mostly fly fishing for sure, although after my trip to Ireland with Henry Gilbey last year there will no doubt be a few posts about lure fishing for Bass. I have also chosen the layout incorporated into the blog so that I can bring to you features such as Favourite Flies and also a selection of Fishing Tackle Reviews.
One of the best bits about working in fishing is heading out for several months of the year to guide clients on a host of venues. Its a great job, but there is pressure, after all paying customers quite rightly expect to catch fish. Therefore I have to make sure I am in tune with what’s hot (and what’s not!) on the tackle scene while also looking for those special fly patterns which may just give my guests (and me!) the edge. So look out for new additions to these sections.
Of course I also witness some very special fishing moments, such as Sam MacDonalds first Bonefish caught during a trip to Los Roques back in 2009. A marine sculpture, Sam had always been keen to experience tropical saltwater fly fishing and I was lucky enough to be there when he achieved this landmark. The smiles say it all! As the season kicks off I will feature a selection of fishing adventures as they unfold and will devote a section to those trips, but for the moment watch out as I populate the blog archive from the past few seasons.
I have just been looking back at that Los Roques trip while sourcing an image for today’s blog post. It has brought me back to earth with a bump as right now it is damp, gloomy and cold outside! But never mind, we have a brand new season to look forward to, spent enjoying the tackle, flies, venues, people and of course species which form an obsession for millions across the globe. It is all about the fishing; just like this blog.
Happy New Year – Happy New Blog!
Its the 1st of January 2011! So where did that decade go? One minute we were all being warned that the millennium bug may just end the world, the next its 2011.
I just cannot believe it. But anyway, enough of that. Its here! 01.01.11 , the first day of a new decade and finally the Nick Hart Fly Fishing blog is launched. I cannot think of a better day to go live.
A bout of man flu finally got me sat down at the laptop at home (I hate laying in bed feeling ill), Tea never far away, as I set about learning my way around Word Press, Themes and all that jazz to update my rather tired looking blogger blog. There is a lot more I can do I am sure to improve what you see here but in essence what I hope to achieve is a fun blog with a decent bit of excitement, a good helping of inspiration and of course plenty of information.
I will guide you around some of the features I have added tomorrow and over the coming weeks the posts from my previous blog will also be republished here. But for the moment I am signing off hoping that you had a very Happy Christmas and wishing you an extremely Fish filled 2011!
Like the 2011 icon used in this post? It is the work of Andy Steer, an English (and very talented) illustrator who lives and works in the Netherlands. Andy is responsible for the beautiful diagrams which appear in my book The Essential Guide to Fly Fishing and also has a very interesting website, all about fishing knots. There is some truly stunning stuff, plus all sorts of items for sale. Check out the Angling Knots website here
