Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2023 i Trout & Salmon

END OF AN ERA Jean Williams, much-loved proprietor of Sweet’s tackle-shop in Usk, South Wales, has announced her retirement. Sweet’s has been an institution for anglers visiting the Usk valley for more than 90 years. Jean has been welcoming anglers since 1962, when, aged 16, she was recruited by casting champion Lionel Sweet and his wife Molly. In 1978, when Lionel died, Jean bought the shop with "the blessing of her husband and a kind bank manager.” She said, "I loved working with Mr and Mrs Sweet and particularly thrived on owning and running the business. I have met so many wonderful and interesting people and no two days were the same. Jean was taught to tie flies by Molly. She said, "Molly and I sat at a bench opposite…

THANK YOU, JEAN I heard with sadness of the closure of Sweet’s tackle-shop. There will never be wonderful shops like this again, where fishing treasures could be found in every corner, drawer and “pile of stuff”. I can still remember my excitement when, at the age of eight on June 6,1962, Molly Sweet sold me my first “proper” fly-rod — The Master, made by AE Rudge of Redditch. I still have it. My father’s diary entry three days later notes that “Martin casts much better with the new rod.” This is hardly surprising since its predecessor was a 10ft float rod made of whole cane with a lancewood tip, coupled with a rather nasty level silk line (but I did catch wild Shropshire trout, unassisted, with it). There must be…

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN EXCITED BY THE first snow of winter, not only the lingering childish desire to spend hours hurtling down bumpy snow-covered fields on toboggans, but also the hope that flurries will continue all winter, packing the gulleys in hills above the Spey. I remember the snow still clinging on in May and my confidence that the slow melt would keep river levels topped up all summer. But in recent decades, there has been a noticeable change. In 2018, the Spey experienced its lowest water level and highest water temperature on record. It's a pattern repeated across Europe with drought, hosepipe bans and water-scarcity warnings now a regular occurrence. There's no denying man's increasing need for water is adding to the environmental impact of climate change on our rivers.…

IN SPRING, I'M ALWAYS SECOND guessing which of my two favourite salmon patterns I should put on first. My options are the Gold-bodied Willie Gunn (GBWG) and the Monkey — two of the most successful salmon patterns ever devised. I find a tube-fly tied ""in the roun"d, like a GBWG, using stiff-haired bucktail, fishes better in faster water where its fibres pulsate, making the fly look translucent and alive. By contrast, the Monkey is naturally highly mobile and thin when tied correctly, its goat or monkey hair slinks to a slender wing, ideal for energetic fish in slower water. But what about running fish in very cold water? Will they move far to chase such a slim fly? In theory, early season fish lie in slower water, but I've caught…

There are two pathways to gaining a qualification in fly-tying. The Game Angling instructors Association offers a fly-tying instructor’s qualification, the GAIC for Fly Dressing. Membership of GAIA and possession of this qualification allows you to be featured on the GAIA website, to meet with fellow instructors and to obtain insurance for teaching activities. Web: gameanglinginstructors.co.uk The Fly Dressers’ Guild offers a three-stage award scheme that is available free to members of the FDG. The awards are suitable for the tyer who wishes to progress their tying and gain a nationally recognised award without necessarily wanting to become an instructor. The FDG network of local branches is listed on their website. Web: flydressersguild.org For any award, it is advisable to be mentored by a qualified instructor to ensure that your…

Although Scandi and Skagit heads have become part of the salmon fisher’s year-round kit, there’s little to beat the presentation and joy of casting a full spey line. The new NX Spey lines from Mackenzie Fiy Fishing take advantage of the latest materials and production methods together with Scott MacKenzie and his team’s extensive experience in salmon fishing and casting. The durable yet supple coating makes the lines easy to cast and handle while their unique front tapers enhance loop shape, stability and presentation. Designed to get the best performance from modern double-handed rods, each of the three line sizes is intended to create a perfectly balanced outfit with the corresponding rod size and line rating. All lines are 120ft long, have a distinctive colour change between main and running…

This micro synthetic herl is so fine it’s ideal not only for thoraces but also for whole nymph and wet-fly bodies. Think of the finest chenille you've ever seen — then lace it with the perfect amount of coloured flash (pearl, red, green or copper). The flash colour has been individually matched with the herl colour to produce six killing combinations. The golden-olive with copper flash looks fantastic with a palmered furnace hen hackle wound through it and is perfect for adding an inner sparkle to traditional, muted patterns. Bodies of dry-flies such as Black Gnats and Heather Flies will also benefit from this added sparkle. The result is a great effect for no real effort — simply catch it in, wind along the body in touching turns, and bingo!…

sponsored by Stillmaniac Welcome to Troutmasters, Trout & Salmon’s friendly, grassroots challenge for all Stillwater anglers. Anyone can take part, whether you’re an absolute beginner or an experienced rod, an adult or a junior. Our aim is to get everyone fishing more often, enjoying more fisheries, and being proud of the fish they catch. HOW TO ENTER Visit a Troutmasters water and catch a fish. Fill in the form (Senior, Youth or Junior) available at each fishery, and post it to T&S. Captors of the three biggest fish from each fishery each month will win a Troutmasters badge. All badge winners will be entered on to a Fishery League Table for the chance to win a place in the Troutmasters Grand Final(s). We will also award a Gold badge to…

FLY-FISHING IS A FUNNY OLD game. When I was a fresh-faced youngster, Bigland Tarn, nestling on the fringes of Cartmel Fell in Cumbria, was my stomping ground. A celebrated Troutmasters water, it featured regularly in Trout Fisherman. My teenage goal was to land a double-figure fish from Bigland and appear in the magazine, proudly displaying my Troutmasters badge. I never managed the heady heights of a tenpounder, but I came very close on several occasions. Then, Bigland Hall's gamekeeper, Ken Dawes ran the fishery. A stern sort, we eventually became good friends based on our mutual interest in shooting. Shirley, Ken's wife, was a stickler for the rules and never opened the fishery before 9am. It wasn't a rare occasion when my fishing pals and I would arrive ten minutes…

AT THE END OF HIS 36TH SEASON, Cyril Fox has recently retired from his role as gillie on the Abercothi estate at Nantgaredig in Carmarthenshire. He's guided manoeuvres across 40 pools, day and night, along three miles of the Towy and a mile of the Cothi. Cyril was born four miles from the river and has been fishing it since he was a boy. JIM Was it your father who introduced you to fishing? CYRIL My dad was a shoemaker in London, but in difficult economic times he decided to move to Australia to make a fresh start. But somewhere in the process of organising the emigration, he saw a poster, "Come and work in Wales". I think that helped to change his mind and he got a job selling…

Fluorescent colours show up at greater depth than standard dyed colours. A normal red material will appear darker the deeper it is fished, whereas a fluorescent red will appear much brighter at all depths. It is therefore worth making sure that butts or hotspots on point flies (heavy Buzzers or Boobies intended to be fished at great depth) are made with fluoro materials. Holographic tinsels are not affected by colour loss near the surface unless the water is turbid. These materials are not translucent and are seen by reflected light. Their use as small spots of colour, such as butts, ribs, cheeks and thoraces, is often enough to trigger a trout’s hunting instinct.…

DON STAZICKER is a highly experienced trout fisherman, fly-tyerand instructor. He is the river conservancy officer for Cressbrookand Litton Flyfishers in Derbyshire. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN FLYfishing for more than 50 years and I know many of the well-known personalities, but it's often those you haven't heard of who have a real impact on the sport. Here's a lady some of you may not know but who has made a real contribution to the art of fly-tying. It's 1996.1'd arrived at Graiham Water to take my Salmon and Trout Association STANIC instructor exams in game-fishing and fly-tying. The STANIC scheme had only been running for two years and they hadn't really ironed out the bugs. The instructions I'd received for the fly-tying qualification recommended that I should bring with me…

For many people, money is their motivation; for others, it’s a desire to create something beautiful. For Ben Perrin, 47, from Gloucestershire, it's definitely the latter. Ben’s love of making things started at an early age when he learnt to use machine tools including lathes and milling machines in his father’s engineering workshop. He set up Rawson and Perrin with a friend, making cane fishing rods, his first step into bespoke fishing tackle. “It was initially just about making things and it wasn’t until after I built my first cane rod that I actually learnt to fly-fish, mainly so I could learn more about the rod tapers and actions,” said Ben. After that business ceased, Ben moved into a more regular job, continuing to fish on small local streams. When…

NARBOROUGH A complex of five trout and coarse lakes in West Norfolk, fed by chalkstream water from the River Nar. The main trout lake, Willow, has fishing platforms, giving plenty of opportunity to move around the lake. The fishery also has caravan pitches with lakeside views. A small tackle shop on site offers all the essentials, including hot and cold drinks. Day ticket (2022 price) £44 (five fish plus catch-andrelease). Other ticket options available. Tel 01760 338 005 Web narfish.co.uk BURNHOUSE This picturesque two-acre lochan in the heart of the Central Belt of Scotland offers fly-only sport for quality rainbow, blue and tiger trout along with wild brownies. Anglers share the banks with a resident herd of red deer, while ospreys, kingfishers and Canada geese are regular visitors. Refreshments, snacks…

CLUES ACROSS 6. Main area of Rutland Water near the dam (5) 7. Salmon river in Angus, Scotland (5,3) 11. Natural material used for rods (4) 12. Consume food (3) 13. Charles ******. Victorian author on evolution (6) 14. No score (3) 15. Loch made famous by its monster (4) 16. Game-fishing river of north-east Scotland (7) 17. Thanks [colloq.] (2) 18. Remains of a fire (5) 20. Loch and river in Sutherland (5) 23. Underwater area containing aquatic plants (4,3) 26. Young eels (6) 27. Large aquatic insect (9) 30. Mass upstream movement of salmon (3) 32. Emotional pressure (6) 34. Large exotic vegetarian mammal (7) 36. Pull behind a moving boat (3) CLUES DOWN 1. Waterside trees with shimmering foliage (6) 2. Modern hairwing salmon fly useful for deep water (7) 3. Green traffic light instruction (2) 4. Front and rear profiles of this fly-line are the same…

RUN!" SHOUTED KRISTJAN. I laughed. "How's that going to work?" I countered. "I'm up to my waist in the river!" I was, too — in the fast-flowing waters of the icy Vatnamot river and fully 20 yards from the riverbank. Just a few moments ago, I had been enjoying the exhilarating sight of a huge silver fish cartwheeling in the crisp autumn air. Now I was struggling to keep my balance as I watched my big Fortuna reel emptying fast. “Backing was still cascading wildly from the big reel” Very fast. "You have to get out of the river and RUN!!" urged Kristjan. He was serious. I stumbled precariously to the shoreline and slithered up the treacherous black sands. With the rod still bucking wildly in my hand, Kristjan pulled…

I RECALL, SOME YEARS AGO, ATTENDING an awards evening for a well-known fish conservation body where the guest of honour, and the man standing for the grip 'n' grin photos with the winners was none other than the CEO of an equally well-known water company. Why was he there? Well, his publicly listed company was the headline sponsor for the conservation body that year. I did rather wonder at the time how this was a good idea (I was slightly ahead of the curve on the sewage issue) so quizzed the CEO of the conservation body whether he thought getting into bed with the enemy was such a good idea. Back came the apparently reasonable rationale that policy could only be influenced from within the tent. I was doubtful then…

WITH THE NEW season imminent, I'm looking forward with hope yet also squarely back at reality. In the first week of last April, John Bell, my daughter Catriona, and I headed to Loch Tay to catch a spring salmon on fly — a trip that challenged the impossible. There is a fundamental problem with this type of trip. As all holidaying anglers know, you can't be sure of the weather you will experience, especially when you book the trip weeks in advance. And for migratory species, weather conditions can be highly critical. Loch Tay has, arguably the most numerous spring salmon runs of any loch in Scotland. The river (Tay) that runs out of it is one of the most popular spring salmon fishing locations in Scotland. The fish that…

READING DAVID PROFUMO'S story about Georgina Ballantine's record-breaking 641b salmon (T&S, Autumn 2022) rekindled many memories of my childhood, growing up on the banks of the River Tay in Perthshire. That fish became so enshrined in local angling folklore, I clearly remember being taken on the 30-mile steam-train ride from Aberfeldy to Perth (pre Lord Beeching) in the early 1950s by my Auntie Kate to see a cast of its head in Perth Museum. On that same visit I also recall we collected an order of minnow mounts from Peter Malloch's shop for my father, especially designed for "jigging the minnow" on the Tay. A technique perfected for catching larger river trout. I'm sure I still have a few of those unused mounts somewhere. Auntie Kate also ensured I knew…

1 Complete your body of choice, finishing two-thirds of the way towards the eye. Form three 4in loops over your index finger and secure at the base with two thread wraps. These loops will act as a post. Tie in your hackle at the loops-base as you would if tying a parachute hackle. 2 Keeping the loops taut with your finger, tightly wind the hackle up the loops with your other hand to a point slightly less than the distance from the loops-base to the eye. Then wind back down to the loops-base, tie off the hackle and trim the waste end. 3 To form the wing, hold the loops with your bobbin hand and pull the hackle stack over the thorax towards the eye while simultaneously stroking the hackle…

Super-soft and simple to dub. Me ol' Bam-Boo Bamboo is one of the new wonder materials, apparently absorbing five times more CO2 and releasing 35 per cent more oxygen than its hardwood equivalent. It also grows very quickly and is therefore sustainable if harvested and manufactured responsibly. You may have seen socks and other clothing made from bamboo, but the Celtic Blob Company (CBC) is the first we know to venture into bamboo dubbing. Why not? It’s softer than silk, appears to take dye extremely well and its long, fine fibres form a lovely outer halo when dubbed. Being so soft and even in texture it also spins easily into a tight rope for sparser dry-fly and nymph bodies. CBC supplies individual packs or a selection of ten colours in…

POULTRY PROOF Welsh environmental regulator Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has publicly acknowledged that diffuse pollution from the intensive poultry industry in Mid Wales is linked to damage to protected species, including salmon and trout, in the River Wye. In a report published in September 2022, which Fish Legal says has not been publicised or shared by NRW with Fish Legal or the local rivers trust, NRW appears to contradict previous denials that any link between poultry units and environmental damage had been established. In several places in its management plan for the River Wye Special Area of Conservation, NRW reports, “Diffuse pollution from agriculture is identified as a particular problem affecting [the rivers Ithon, Camddwr, Aran, Mithil Brook, Nantmel Dulas and others]. This is partly due to the spreading of…

CLUES ACROSS From firm favourites like the Blackfin and Fantail to newer models like the Permit, there's a size and style of Costa Del Mar sunglasses to suit everyone and every fishing situation. Costa's 580 technology goes beyond normal polarisation, giving you the best fishing lenses on the water. They absorb harsh and potentially harmful light while enhancing reds, blues and greens, resulting in less haze and blur, greater contrast and clarity, and reduced eye fatigue. Two winners of our competition will each receive a pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses in the model, frame colour and non-prescription lens type and colour of their choice from the current available range. Contact: Guide Flyfishing. Tel: 01977 681 300. Web: guideflyfishing.co.uk…