Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2021 i Trout & Salmon

THE LEAVES ON THE TREES LINING the banks are just starting to curl their edges, the odd one dropping silently into the pools and the first skeins of geese have finally arrived, a full week later than usual. It seems that autumn is in no great rush this year. There’s a hint of mustiness in the air from the toadstools on the edge of the woods, or perhaps that’s the smell of old waders now that the season is nearing its end? The blackberry bushes are abundant with fruits, and nature seems to be offering her bounty in preparation for the winter months ahead. We’ve reached that time of year where river conditions have become a little stale and a lift in water, or better still a decent ground frost,…

THE OYKEL SYSTEM IS A designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for the protection of freshwater pearl mussels and salmon. I manage seven miles of the Lower Oykel and seven miles on the Upper, both consisting of four double-banked beats. On the Oykel, we work closely with the Kyle of Sutherland District Fishery Board, and I am a trustee of the Kyle of Sutherland Fisheries Trust. Working with the board and trust ensures that, as a company, we are able to make our management and conservation decisions based on the most up-to-date scientific evidence. This partnership has developed over the last 30 years and has proved very effective. I’m proud that George Ross MBE, my predecessor, and I have always managed the fishery for the fish and not the fishermen.…

1. FLY PEDIGREE SHEET I’m notoriously bad at both giving and receiving gifts — the whole thing makes me deeply uncomfortable. One exception is a great friend who sent me a very special present of eight flies and a detailed pedigree of their performance for him over the years saying, “These are not just any old flies, rather these are flies I would fight to the death to keep”. I study this sheet like a betting man would study the Racing Post and the first time out, the Cascade Conehead resulted in an absolutely stonking Thurso springer. The picture hints at other patterns but if I revealed all their names I’m afraid I would have to kill you! 2. RON HOLLOWAY SALMON ROD The first time I took the family…

Borders Gunroom (Border Guns & Tackle) Main St, St Boswells, Melrose TD6 0AA Tel: 01835 822 844 Web: bordergunsandtackle.co.uk Closed Sundays Fin & Game Ltd 36-38 Bridge St, Kelso TD5 7JD Tel: 01573 224 066 Web: finandgame.com Fly Fishing Centre Schloss Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course, Heiton, Kelso TD5 8JZ Tel: 07715 977060 Web: ffcentre.com Loop Pro Centre. Open weekdays 1pm-5pm Orvis Kelso 11 The Square, Kelso TD5 7HH Tel: 01573 225 810 Web:stores.orvis.co.uk/uk/scotland/ orviscompany-store-u-k-kelso…

Q When changing to larger or smaller flies, is there anything I should do to my leader to help their turnover? Ron Davis The ideal leader for effective casting matches the length of your rod, but there are variables. Generally, we fish with small flies in low water where it’s important to keep the fly away from the fly-line to present it to the fish before the fish can be spooked by the fly-line. That means a long leader. However, ensuring a fly turns over efficiently is more important. There is no point in fishing with a 20ft leader if it doesn’t turn over. In low water, we make tapered leaders — nothing too technical, around 4ft of 19lb-23lb fluorocarbon, which is stiff and helps transfer the energy from the…

UNTANGLING LEADERS OR FLY- lines with numb fingers is a spirit-crushing task that often leads me to an early finish and a visit to a warm pub fire, especially if the fishing is challenging. So, my mantra in the colder months is “Keep things simple”. Use fewer flies, straightforward leaders, and a rod-and-reel combination you trust. A day’s fishing in late autumn may be only eight hours long, but as in the summer (T&S August) I break up my day into distinct parts and follow a formula that has proven consistently successful. “Low visibility means you should fish slowly” Homework When visiting an unfamiliar water, do your research. There is usually a map of the water on the fishery website, which can be a valuable source of basic information —…

Hook Size 8 to 18 curved grub/shrimp Thread White GPS Underbody Strips of flat lead wire tied to the top of the hook shank Rib 2lb (or less) nylon leader Shellback Light brown Body Stretch or Shrimp Back (Hends no. 40) Body Beige or cream UV dubbing (Hends Spectra dubbing no. 141) Hot-spot Glo-brite hot orange floss (no. 5) Run on the thread and tie in a thin strip of flat lead. Secure it with open turns of thread moulding the edges of the lead strip around the sides of the hook. Remove the waste, then tie in a shorter length of lead. Wrap it securely using thread turns to fill in flat-spots, which will help when adding the dubbed body. With the thread positioned at the rear of the…

TROUT MASTERS Plus this month’s badge winners from Europe’s largest fly-fishing competition See page 122 England & Wales BORDER ESK THE Esk suffered from very low flows during August and September. Given appreciable rainfall there could still be a productive October. The Burnfoot beat below Longtown has had 94 salmon and grilse and 114 sea-trout to September 14. Mark Harrison caught a 16lb salmon in the Roost. Rob Glover landed a 14lb salmon in Wilkies. The Boxes, Roost and Wilkies proved to be the productive areas. With levels very low fish were often difficult to move and many were colouring up. On the Esk and Liddel AC waters, continuing poor fishing conditions have kept rods away from the river. Fish were desperate to run on any lifts of water in…

England ■ ALDIN GRANGE LAKES, Durham, 0191 384 6090 1 Duncan Elliott, Durham, 7lb 6oz rainbow, Appetiser. 2 Duncan Elliott, Durham, 6lb 8oz rainbow, Apps Bloodworm. 3 Paul Snaith, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 6lb 2oz rainbow, Bunny Leech. ■ BESSY BECK TROUT FISHERY, Cumbria, 01539 623303 1 Phil Hall, Wigan, 4lb 8oz rainbow, Buzzer. ■ BRANSFORD GAME FISHERIES, Bransford, 01905 830548 1 Peter Singleton, Birmingham, 6lb 12oz rainbow, Black Buzzer. ■ BRICK FARM LAKES, Herstmonceux, 01323 832615 1 Michael Heasman, Tunbridge Wells, 6lb 12oz brown, Diawl Bach. 2 Denys Rickett, Eastbourne, 4lb 8oz rainbow, on fly. ■ DRAYCOTE TROUT FISHERY, Rugby, 01788 812018 1 Kasidit Leoviriyakit, Bristol, 3lb rainbow, Olive Snake Booby. ■ HIGHAM LAKE TROUT FISHERY, Ponteland, 07950 428159 1 Alan Richards, Newcastle upon Tyne, 4lb 2oz rainbow, Black Beetle. ■ KILNSEY…

ENGLAND ALBURY ESTATE FISHERIES, Guildford, 07976 810737 AMPORT FISHERY, Andover, 01264 771233 LENCHES LAKES, Evesham, 01386 871035 RIB VALLEY FISHING LAKES, Ware, 07812 464323 SIBLYBACK LAKE, Liskeard, 01566 771930 TENTERDEN TROUT WATERS, Tenterden, 01580 763201 WASHBURN VALLEY FISHERIES, Harrogate, 01943 880658 WITHERN MILL TROUT FARM, Alford, 01507 450356 SCOTLAND ALDERNEUK FISHERY, Dumfries, 07901 602020 DUNLICHITY TROUT FISHERY, Inverness, 01808 521442 GEDDES TROUT FISHERY, Nairn, 07849 089232 JERICHO LOCH, Torthorwold, 07955 060347 MILL OF KELLAS TROUT FISHERY, Elgin, 01343 890478 TARVIE LOCHS, Tarvie, 01997 421250 WALES ELAN VALLEY, Rhayader, 01597 810383 LLYN GWYN, Rhayader, 01597 810383…

AS KING MIDAS FAMOUSLY FOUND out, every silver lining has its cloud. I was, by virtue of our host being unavoidably detained elsewhere and me being the next most experienced rod on the beat, notionally the leader. We were a mixed bunch. One experienced angler, two relative novices and me — and you can put me into whatever category you like based on what you have gleaned from these pages over the years. The water was low. Which meant there were not great schools of salmon powering through the pools; but it also made for less demanding wading. But our two novices were unfamiliar with the beat and would need a degree of supervision until they had spent time in the pools. Strategy is the role of generals; tactics are…

SEASONS Trout — March 15 to October 6; sea-trout — February 25 to October 31. PERMITS Just £30, which allows anglers to fish on all the lochs for the entire season. Juniors (under 16) go free. Available from several outlets in Lerwick or directly from the Shetland Anglers’ Association. Web: shetlandtrout.co.uk The Trout Fishing in Shetland brochure can be bought from the website for £2.50. The use of boats can be obtained for an additional £30 for the season. Fishing on Unst is run by Unst Angling Club. Anyone wanting to fish the Simmer Dim Fishing Festival should contact Davie McMillan: davie.mcmillan79@gmail.com, tel: 07930 253 850. TACKLE Take standard loch-style trout rods, 9ft to 11ft, 5wt to 7wt. Full floating lines will cover most eventualities, though poly tips and an…

Knowing how to remove hooks from the skin is par for the course for fishing guides. I always carry a hook disgorger in my kit bag, but strong nylon or backing will do, too. Looping the thread around the bend of the hook, pressing down on the eye and pulling back sharply usually does the trick. There are various techniques, but it’s best to say you’ll pull on the count of three — then do it on one or two! If the fly is in any part of the face it’s best left to the experts. The risk of damaging a nerve causing lasting damage is too great.…

RIVER TWEED COMMISSION The RTC codes explain rules that apply to all beats on the Tweed and give excellent advice on avoiding conflict with salmon anglers who always have precedence over those fishing for trout and grayling. While the Commission provides overarching guidance, individual clubs have their own rules within that framework. The listed clubs (see p66) do not allow fishing on Sundays, dogs on beats, night fishing or wading above hip level. You must have your permit on you at all times. It is essential to avoid redds and anyone shuffling (deliberately dislodging invertebrates to attract fish) may be prosecuted. The trout season runs from April 1 to September 30. As an introduced species, grayling do not have a statutory closed season in Scotland. However, clubs enforce their own…

RED MUFFIN Hook Size 9-15 Salar double Thread Black Nano Butt Green Glo-brite Tag Yellow or red golden pheasant breast feather tied as a bunch Tail Two or three long red moose fibres surrounded by red arctic fox and two strands of crinkle flash Body Silver tinsel with red holographic or mother of pearl wrapped over, leaving some silver showing through Rib Fine silver wire Wing Black squirrel Head hackle Two turns of red badger with jungle cock over Head Red Glo-brite floss This shrimpy pattern is my number one fly and got its name during a morning cup of tea while on the Upper Caragh River in Glencar, County Kerry. I decided to call the fly after a muffin that we always enjoyed, bought from a local confectionery shop…

ROB EDMUNDS Highly successful competition angler, reservoir bank and boat specialist. RONNIE GLASS Former Scottish champion on rivers and stillwaters and a curator of the Tweed Salmon Fishing Museum. STEVE CULLEN Guide, instructor and all-round game angler with a wealth of knowledge. ALASTAIR & WILLIAM PEAKE Brothers Al and Will (AKA TwinPeakes) have a casting school and tackle shop in Crathes on the Aberdeenshire Dee. PAUL PROCTER Cumbrian-based AAPGAI instructor. Prefers the imitative approach. PETER GATHERCOLE Photographer, expert tyer and chairman of the Fly Dressers' Guild. PETER COCKWILL Small water expert with more than 60 years’ fly-fishing experience.…

WHEN SILENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES River Action, the anti-pollution charity spearheaded by George Monbiot and Feargal Sharkey, has written to two major egg and chicken meat suppliers calling for action to reduce severe phosphate pollution in the River Wye. The charity links the declining ecological health of the Wye to the rapid growth of the intensive poultry industry. It explains how each year thousands of tons of manure from an estimated 20 million chickens are spread across land within the catchment, while many of the region’s free-range egg farms have open drains that run directly into watercourses. Chicken manure contains phosphate, which creates suffocating algal blooms in rivers. Avara Foods and Happy Egg producer Noble Foods source their products from farms in the river catchment. River Action has asked Avara to…

Caught a memorable fish? Send a picture and brief story to troutandsalmon@bauermedia.co.uk Each picture published (p10-11) will receive a Sharpe’s of Aberdeen cap. The captor of the Fish of the Month will receive a Sharpe’s rod of their choice. Our winner may have recently landed a big fish, first fish or unusual fish. They may simply have told a wonderful tale. The editor’s decision is final.For terms and conditions, visit: bauerlegal.co.uk/competition-terms.html For our Privacy Policy: bauerdatapromise.co.uk…

SEASON March-February (2022 dates to be confirmed). Fly-fishing is from bank or boat. Any-method fishing is only from a boat. There is no boat fishing on Mondays or Tuesdays. Fishing can be booked online at bewlwater.co.uk or by calling the fishing shop on 01892 890 352. Day tickets cost between £19 and £29. Boats cost between £20 and £33 (see website for breakdown). There is a tackle shop on site. BEWL BRIDGE FLYFISHERS’ CLUB BBFC has regular news and fishing reports on Facebook, an online newsletter, bank and boat competitions, insurance for members, an annual tackle auction and is a member of the Association of Major Flyfishing Clubs, enjoying regular reunions through inter-club competitions. Membership is by application and cost £15 per year. Visit bewlbridgeflyfishers.com…

A WELCOME BONUS OF fly-fishing is that our quarry live in the most wonderful locations. And our trips often bring us into close contact with other wildlife, especially birds. Who hasn’t marvelled at the fish-catching prowess of an osprey or the spectacle of a golden eagle riding a stiff Highland breeze? Memorable as these events might be, how about glimpsing a soaring Andean condor, the world’s largest bird of prey? If you’re Argentinian angler and geologist Sebastián Pagano, then that’s the reality. Working in the eastern Andes, and often close to the town of Mendoza where he was born, gives Sebastián ample opportunity to indulge two of his main passions. “There are two objects that mark my life — my fly-rod and my geologist’s pick hammer,” he says. “Both have…

Peeblesshire Trout Fishing Association 23 miles of the Upper Tweed Web: peeblesshiretroutfishing.co.uk Gala Angling Association 14 miles of the upper and middle Tweed and Gala Water Web: galaangling.com St Boswells and Newtown District Angling Association Four beats on the middle Tweed. Permits only available from Borders Gunroom Kelso Angling Association Ten miles of the middle and lower Tweed and Teviot. Includes the Junction Pool Web: kelsoanglingassociation.org.uk Permits from Orvis and Fin & Game in Kelso Expect to pay £6-12 for a day ticket on club waters, season passes are only £30-40. Tremendous value. There are also concessionary rates for juniors and OAPs. Beats can be booked online at fishpal.com Thanks to Stuart Wardle of the Durham Fly Fishing Company for suggesting the Mertoun beat. To contact Stuart, call 07904 278…

AUTUMN BRINGS SHORTER DAYS and a change in tactics. As the weather cools, insect hatches slow down, and fish find it easier to find food near the riverbed. One mouthful that should not be ignored is the freshwater shrimp, also called gammarus. Turn over a rock in most rivers or lakes and you’ll find shrimps. Some 2mm to 12mm long, slightly curved with a flattened body, they crawl on their sides or swim. Their colour varies from dark olive to orange and everything in between. Living under stones and in weed, gravel or sand, shrimp must be camouflaged to survive. There are many imitations, fished in various styles. In recent years, there has been a big move towards European nymphing techniques, usually involving heavy tungsten beaded nymphs. They’re deadly with…

Machining a reel from a single piece of aluminium bar-stock delivers maximum strength and structural integrity. The CNC technology is also very precise and capable of delivering close tolerances. With die-casting, the liquid alloy is injected under high-pressure into a mould. The advantage is being able to create freeform shapes and curves. The downside is that the die-cast metal can be brittle and more prone to bending or cracking should the reel be dropped or crushed. If you fish harsh conditions or are hard on your reels, opt for the Remix HD model for extra protection.…

POLITICS OF WATER Two leading angling and conservation charities have written a “shadow” strategic policy statement (SPS) for the water industry demanding the UK Government implements “nature first” strategies for English and Welsh waterways. Salmon & Trout Conservation and the Angling Trust say Government must make industry regulator Ofwat enforce environmental legislation and demand water companies invest more in infrastructure. The Government is obliged to publish a draft SPS for public and parliamentary scrutiny ahead of its forthcoming five-year spending round. Nick Measham, chief executive of S&TC, said: “The freshwater environment is in crisis, with much of the harm being driven by over-abstraction for water supplies and sewage pollution caused by water companies. Now is the time for Ofwat to take environmental issues seriously and not be constrained by attempts…

STRATHSPEY, and Castle Grant in particular, will be a much poorer place without Lionel Main, who died in September. The son of Willie Main, head gillie at Delfur, the Spey’s most exclusive beat, Lionel learned his craft there before moving to Castle Grant, where he was head gillie for 34 years, dispensing advice, wisdom, hospitality, humour and help to those lucky enough to fish with him. I feel enormously privileged to have known Lionel for 34 years, having previously fished Castle Grant No.2 Beat when it was looked after by Eric Robb, Lionel’s predecessor, a lovely man who also died much too young. I first fished the Spey in the 1970s as a guest of Arthur Oglesby. In those days we fished No.3 beat, which was looked after by George…

Junior ENGLAND ■ BLITHFIELD ANGLERS, ABBOTS BROMLEY, 01283 840284 1 George Clarke, Tarporley, 1lb 12oz rainbow, on fly. ■ KILNSEY PARK FLY FISHERY, Skipton, 07765 688780 1 Frank Birkinshaw, Sheffield, 14lb rainbow, White Cat’s Whisker. ■ LOYNTON TROUT FISHERY, Stafford, 01785 284261 1 George Clarke, Tarporley, 3lb 8oz rainbow, on fly. ■ MARSTON WYSE TROUT FARM, York, 01904 738383 1 Jack Blakey, Northallerton, 6lb 3oz rainbow, Daddy Long-legs. ■ MEON SPRINGS, Petersfield, 01730 823134 1 Hannah Winser, Perry, 3lb 8oz rainbow, Pink Bead-head. 2 Jacob Holmes, East Sussex, 3lb 5oz rainbow, GRHE. ■ NEW MILLS TROUT FISHING PARK, Brampton, 016977 41115 1 Finn Matthews, Brampton, 8lb rainbow, Zonker. ■ THRUNTON LONG CRAG TROUT FISHERY, Alnwick, 01665 574400 1 Jenson Murdoch, Morpeth, 2lb 4oz rainbow, dry fly. SCOTLAND ■ KINROSS TROUT…

GLAMPING BESIDE A TROUT LAKE New Mills Trout Fishing Park at Brampton in Cumbria is a former trout farm that now has seven glamping pods, holiday accommodation, café with function room, party hut used for functions, shop and trout fishing. For the year ending last February turnover exceeded £212,000. The stone-built former mill has been refurbished to provide reception room, office, six bedrooms and four bathrooms. Adjacent is a two-bedroom holiday cottage. The main fishing lake, extending to ¾ acre, is stocked with brown, rainbow and tiger trout, and a small bait pond is stocked with rainbow trout only. There are just under seven acres in all. £1,800,000 Fenn Wright, 01206 216 541 D-DAY PLOTS, TUNNELS AND A CHALKSTREAM Studwell Lodge at Droxford, Hampshire, in the heart of the Meon…