Is competition fishing for you?
Some people hate the very thought of fishing competitions and I can understand that. After all fishing is a great way to lose ourselves, day dream a little, become absorbed and perhaps for one moment leave behind our everyday lives. Reaching targets, fighting for promotion and in recent times just trying to hold on to a job means that many of us have been thrown into a head to head battle on a daily basis. So why take all this and add it to a days fishing? Its all personal preference of course and that is my firm belief across the world of fishing. If you don't like it, don't do it.
Personally I have had some very enjoyable times on the match circuit and found them to be a huge buzz. I also learned. A lot. Many of the tactics that we use during our "pleasure" trips have been dreamed up by competitive anglers looking for an edge. You note I have highlighted the word pleasure there because it has always interested me when anglers define pleasure/competition fishing in this way. For me even a competition has to be pleasurable. Sure we have a different mind set and I guess we add some pressure to the day. But I try to forget all that, enjoy the day, enjoy the social side and of course enjoy the fishing.
During a competition my heart always pounds a little harder when a fish is hooked. Just one fish, that's all it takes to win a match and I have experienced both the enormous high when you pull off a win, or qualify to the next round coupled with the lows when you miss out. But isn't that what fishing is all about anyway, competition or no competition? Most of the matches I entered were reservoir based because if you have an eye on an England cap for example (as I did), this is where the eliminators/finals take place. It was also an opportunity to travel around the country, see new venues, practice a variety of methods and gain invaluable experience.
All well and good but when we take into account that most of the fly fishing enjoyed in the UK is on a small water, why have they been virtually ignored by the competition circuit? After all by providing small water anglers with a chance to enjoy a match in more familiar surroundings we may encourage a few to step up to something a bit bigger in the future. There is of course the long standing Troutmasters Competition organised by Trout Fisherman magazine which has a huge following, although this encompasses both large and small still waters. Catch a big fish, head to a fish off and if you win, you are in the final. It has been hugely successful and I love to see our anglers proudly wearing their badges after they have caught a big fish here at Exe Valley. But … there is room for a small water competition that has a similar format to the matches fished on reservoirs … and it has arrived.
The World Bank Masters Individual Competition 2012 is the brainchild of 2009 world fly fishing Champion Iain Barr. Heats are going to be available nationwide and I am pleased to say that both Hart Flyshop and Exe Valley Fishery have become involved in this exciting new event. I will post full details here tomorrow regarding our heats which will take place on Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th March 2012.
Weather and work …. are these the two biggest factors which ruin a day by the water?
Waking up to the drizzle this morning I began to think about the last few days. Yesterday I was supposed to go fishing on the North coast with lures for Bass, the fly rod packed of course, that was until the forecast NW wind materialised. Enjoying a shower I heard the phone ring and my wife answer, sometimes clients call early I thought … even on a Sunday!
Unfortunately it was my mate Wayne Thomas with some bad news, the wind direction had kicked up the surf, coloured the water and things were looking very bad. The nearest we came to actually going fishing was an hour of angling related chat! But should we have just gone for it? This was the question that kept going through my head as I settled down for a day with the family.
The inevitable withdrawal symptoms set in and I don’t mind admitting to more than a little frustration that our trip was aborted. It was made worse by the events which transpired on the previous Friday. I was supposed to have been at a track day screaming around the tarmac in some high powered super car, a special offer event available for just one hundred coins. But, the tides looked good so I decided to ditch burning rubber for some fly action on the North Devon coast. This time work got in the way … and whatever way I looked at it I was also a ton down.
Weather and work …. are these the two biggest factors which ruin a day by the water? I would personally vote YES. Should we use them as an excuse? Well I feel a bit like a hypocrite but today I vote NO … where possible. There is no point in flogging a dead horse that is for sure but with a busy week of work ahead I feel like I missed out on those wonderful hours of concentrated freedom and anyway it is not just about catching is it? Fishing is a chance to forget work (yes I know I am a fishing guide but I still have to run a business and pay taxes!) and anyway even if the weather is dire isn’t “a bad days fishing better than a good day at work?” Wrap up in some decent windproof wet weather gear and go fishing!
Perhaps Wayne and I should have struck out for an unknown South Coast mark or swapped Bass for Trout? That is one of the main but lovely problems about living in this part of the West Country, there are just so many options! This shouldn’t really be a dilemma but I have often found myself deliberating (while wasting valuable fishing time) over a venue.
Weather I can do nothing about. Sometimes work will get in the way. Being decisive about going fishing is something I need to work on.
A very Beara(ble) session
Dromagowlane is the perfect anglers retreat with ample space for tackle, drying areas for clothing and very comfortable beds. But the best bit is the food! Paul’s wife Anne was soon filling us with all manner of tasty cuisine (small portions are not an option!), prior to heading out for a quick bash at the Pollack. Henry managed a couple on his soft plastic lures but other than that it was a quiet session. After the amazing fishing we had experienced a few days previously (see more here) we could hardly complain and headed back to base tired but more than happy. After all the next morning was going to be perfect!
Waking to the sound of heavy rain falling from a dreary grey sky it would have been easy to begin moaning, but what good does that do? Fishing is about dealing with conditions and that sometimes means bad weather. One of Anne’s legendary breakfasts had us perked up as we planned a visit away from the salt in search of Trout on one of the Bearas relatively under fished Loughs. The road into our chosen venue, Barley Lake, should have us told that we were about to witness something very special. It reminded me of that famous opening scene from the Italian Job as we wound our way towards Trout heaven, just praying for a little sunshine along the way. Our prayers were not answered.
Bearas Barley Lake, no other word ... stunning!
Instead Henry asked me to teeter on the edge of a high rock in the howling wind for an opening shot, while I chuckled at his efforts to control an umbrella and a camera, various expletives echoing across the valley. I must admit all I wanted to do was run down the steep boggy track to a calm looking bay (well … calmish!) and the chance of an Irish Brown Trout. An hour of fruitless fishing later I did begin to question our sanity. At least I was fishing! Taking pity on Henry who was huddled under his umbrella, 2 eyes peering from a small opening in his jacket, I offered him my second rod so that at least he could have a cast or two. He did not need to be asked twice and was soon casting into a new bay that we had found, home to a cavernous drop off. Counting down for over a minute with a Di-5 40+ I did not touch the bottom … or a fish for that matter!
Heading into the wilderness - Barley Lake in the Beara Peninsula
And then humiliation … Henry was into a fish! Fair enough it was not much bigger than the fly he was using, but it was a fish none the less. Now I HAD to catch a fish or the piss taking would have been relentless. There was only one thing for it, a big Black Minkie pulled at break neck speed. Within 2 casts I heaved a sigh of relief as a half pounder savaged the fly. At least Henry now had a fish for the camera and despite the cold and wet I was feeling that lovely warm glow we anglers experience after being rewarded for our efforts. I managed a couple more takes in the same spot but the whole time my eye had been on a huge ridge jutting out into the lake, probably only 200 metres away as the crow flies, although it seemed more like 2 miles such was the gradient of climb to reach it!
- The drop off was staggering – but the ridge drop off in the background was even deeper!
Arriving at the edge my first thought was to chuck a big Deceiver at the water, this drop off here was even more incredible and looked more like the Atlantic home of a Pollack! Snapping back into reality I used the ample back cast space to throw a long line into the mysterious black depths. First chuck an angry Brown charged the Minkie all the way to the shore, grabbed at it and then I struck like a lunatic … pulling the fly straight out of its mouth. A shame because it was a good fish. Next cast another half pounder. And so it continued as frequently I experienced plucks, follows and takes to a high speed Minkie. There was no doubting the aggressive streak in these fish, obviously required in such harsh conditions.
A gorgeous Beara Barley Lake Brownie
On which note our session came to a halt as the weather worsened and Henry suffered a double sense of humour failure as the rain pounded relentlessly meaning the lens caps needed to stay put and the wind thrashed two of his leaders into oblivion … I promise I did not laugh! All that remained was the long walk back to the car. But do you know I don’t think we would have changed that session. It had been wonderful fun in spite of the conditions. In fact the weather added a moody edge to the scenery. The Trout were perfect. And it means we have an excuse to return when the sun is shining … I am already looking forward to it.
Exe Valley Fishery – A new challenge
Early season is always busy as we prepare for an influx of people either learning to cast a fly or improve their technique. But this season has just taken on a whole new meaning … well in fact about two weeks ago …. hence no blog for a while. So what has changed? Well this year along with all the other stuff we get up to we have now been handed full responsibility of the Exe Valley Fishery.
Of course we have been heavily involved for the last few years with this fantastic complex of lakes, looking after anglers on a day to day basis. However, other than administering permits and setting up the odd event we had very little control. But that has all changed. Now we get to stock the fishery with hard fighting Rainbow Trout (and maybe a hybrid or two … watch this space), chat away with the anglers about tactics during our regular perambulations around the site and we have even been known to deliver the odd coffee or two!
But there is a lot more to managing a fishery than throwing a few fish in and doing a bit of PR …. as I have been finding out! Litter, pest control, stocking spreadsheets and bankside maintenance have all been on the agenda along with a few ambitious plans. Watch the blog for some progress updates and if you do the twitter thing then we have set up an account for the fishery here. And on that note I had better hot foot it out on to the lake before my clients arrive!
Mixed Fishing & Mixed Emotions
The day got off to a great start on Friday when Lewis latched into a small jack Pike within our first few casts. We were awaiting the arrival of Piking Pirate as he has started to nickname himself …. aka Danny Parkins, although “Piking Pillock” is closer to the mark after his run in with a little green crocodile the day before. During the release of a small jack Danny had been pinned good a proper and spent most of the day bleeding.
So much so he ended up in casualty that night and they found that one of the teeth had in fact reached the bone …. Ouch! All joking aside Danny is an incredibly experienced angler with 20 years of Pike fishing behind him so if he can get it wrong so can anybody. Take extra care when unhooking Pike!
Lewis kicks the day off with the little Jack Pike on fly
After quite a bit of general piss taking it was into the truck and off to fetch Danny’s lure gear before a quick dash up the M5 in search of Perch. Danny had some wicked looking mini Cannibal Shads which he had just taken delivery of and we felt certain that a few stripeys would put in an appearance, with Lewis and I giving it a bash with the fly. Sadly the Perch venue which shall remain nameless is under attack …. we visited a short while ago and had our suspicions. Back then I found a couple of Carp skeletons and one of the lakes which normally hooch’s with juvenile Perch seemed devoid of life. Unfortunately I think our suspicions have now been confirmed …. Otters have moved in and destroyed the venue. We found 5 large Carp bodies, two of which were very fresh. These were fish approaching double figures so one would assume that the smaller Perch had been picked off and so the Carp are next on the menu.
It was very sad to see our second venue has been the victim of uncontrolled predators
Monday morning is no time for politics but why cant this country get things into balance? Personally I love to see Otters in the wild and get pretty cross at those who believe they should be wiped out to allow them to enjoy “their Salmon fishing”, like it was their god given right. However it is no use reintroducing and growing populations of predatory Otters and then not controlling them. Just a few months ago Danny was enjoying incredible sport with the Perch on this venue and now it looks as if they have been wiped out. Head over the Atlantic and this kind of thing would never be allowed to take place …. what ever happened to nature in harmony? Otters are not the only problem, just a few days ago Danny found two set lines on Tiverton canal baited with Lamprey and a phone call to the Environment Agency met with the usual apathetic response.
We were obviously disappointed but our adrenalin started flowing once more when we found some well conditioned Pike in a nearby canal that would have made low doubles. However they were obviously in a spawning frame of mind, laying in shallow water and spooking if we so much as breathed! So it was back in the truck and a drive South to the Tone. Plenty of fly anglers will know this as an excellent Pike venue, but for me it was my first visit as somehow I always seem to drive past on my way to the King Sedgemoor Drain. Situated close to the M5, several supermarkets and a Mac Donalds this was proper urban Pike fishing with an old submerged bicycle adding to experience! The flow was shoving through and the fluff chuckers were under gunned …. in fact both Lewis and I agree we need to experiment a lot more with lines and flies on these river venues. Meanwhile Danny did get a couple of follows on a mixture of Magic Swimmers and grubs …. we should have taken the spare lure set ups. Other than that our only excitement was a walk along the M5 hard shoulder and a few curious looks from commuters heading home from a day at work!
A pleasant walk along the M5 hard shoulder to our next swim!
Our carbon footprint was becoming a little excessive but we needed another Pike and wound up back on Tivvy canal. Our day had been full of laughs as usual, despite the disappointment of the Perch venue and Danny had come close to nailing a couple of fish. Arriving in time to see the sun set we all agreed that spring is in the air and that pretty soon the fish will switch on and sport will liven up. Just recently it has been so up and down although the Piking …. oh go on then …. Pirate did winkle out a half reasonable fish to save the day on you guessed it …. a soft Magic Swimmer.
Last knockings and the Piking Pirate works his Magic Swimmer spell on another Tivvy Pike
