Rossett and Gresford Flyfishers Club Newsletter Spring 2017

Transcription

1 Chairman s Note Rossett and Gresford Flyfishers Club Newsletter Spring 2017 Dear Members, May I introduce you to our 3rd electronic NEWSLETTER. Most members have already provided us with their address and we are aware that some members, for personal reasons, prefer not to supply their address. (If you received this newsletter by post we do not have your address and you are now on our post to list). If your circumstances change and we are made aware we will send future Newsletters through the system you wish. The start of the season was interesting with river levels perfect on the 18 th of February. Unfortunately, it then rained! My first day was March the 13 th, but the river was still over 0.4 and very fast, by the 15 th it was down to 0.38 and fished well, there were even rising fish!!! At our AGM I asked if anyone would like to join the committee that runs the club, we are running low and need more people, please consider this an invite and contact me or any other committee member for further information. We only meet 4 times a year plus the AGM River Day on Saturday the 6 th of May This is our annual river day, initially for new members, but over the years has opened up to all members, friends or prospective new members. We meet just downstream of the Llay road bridge and put on a BBQ (for free). Start is at 10am with a look at what our river holds insect wise for those who would like to know a bit more about fly selection. This is followed by a riverbank walk, pointing out fish holding spots and access points. All who come along get a few free flies and a chance to chat over the BBQ with your committee members and others who fish our river. After the BBQ for those who would like to see more or just some help on the river, there will be people available to assist. To help with the catering arrangements and numbers please drop me an to let me know you are coming at: - e.j.wilkinson@hotmail.co.uk Club Fly Fishing Competition at Meadow Fishery As a Club get together, following a discussion at the AGM, it was decided to hold a competition for members. This will be held on Saturday 3 rd of June from 10am till 3pm at a cost of 17 (2 fish). The competition will be held at Meadow Fishery in Mickle Trafford near Chester. Web site If you can come, please let Eddie Wilkinson know via at e.j.wilkinson@hotmail.co.uk or phone If you need more information or directions, please contact any committee member. Sunday Working Party The winter seems to have been less severe to our fishery than some years, although we did have very high water in November, which did some damage, a long spell where the river levels stayed constant and the last six weeks of high water again. The winds, which can sometimes cause havoc, were only once very severe when several large trees shed branches and some gave up the ghost entirely.

2 Access has been a problem but we have managed to get to the locations to carry out the necessary urgent work of removing obstructions. There is no doubt that the efforts put in throughout the last few seasons of spraying, strimming and trimming the vegetation has been work well done, as we now come into the spring with no major areas that need vital attention. As intimated last year, the committee have decided to engage a local contractor to provide strimming services to keep the main paths open combined with the Club s spraying gang, so that the main invasives are stopped early in their development. That will leave our Sunday work party to look after emergency works and do whatever in stream clearances are thought necessary. Two winters ago, in the second field above Llay road bridge, the river cut into the right bank and opened up a very attractive large riffle area. We decided to do nothing in the way of filling the hole, which has proved to have been a good decision. During this winter s early high water, the hole has partly filled up naturally so when the level drops the bed is above the normal water level and is showing signs of growing reeds already. Likewise, the small oxbow in the Kingfisher meadow has been 80% filled as the river has cut its way through the other side of the alder clump. We have again decided to do nothing to artificially fill the remaining 20% as it provides an emergency channel. The riparian owner has expressed his complete surprise at what has happened here and says that he has begun to realise that he has wasted time tipping concrete along the river bank and forcing the river into a shape that it eventually breaks out of. He agrees it seems better to leave the river to do its own thing and keep it connected to the flood plain. If the river is unable to break out, it will deepen the bed by removing boulders, sand and gravel plus the fly life and fish fry and dump it downstream. This in turn covers up and kills weed and insects where it is deposited. It is a vicious circle of cut and fill so where the bed isn t too deep from past revetting, it is clear a much more stable system can be achieved. That s the theory anyway. Members will no doubt have seen several heaps of clay dumped on the right bank by the owner. He and our gang will be using this to smooth the bank and encourage vegetation to take over naturally and perhaps hide the old concrete filling. Howard Fishing Reports For the 2016 season the final total for those who submitted returns came in at: Browns 166 Grayling Giving a grand total of 317 recorded fish for the year (this was for just 7 members) Please forward any reports via the club web site or to Eddie Wilkinson at: - e.j.wilkinson@hotmail.co.uk

3 Some Highlights so far for 2017: - Couple of nice Grayling (still in season when caught) Another couple of better fish, followed by my usual size Who says we don t have breeding fish!

4 The Club Web Site and Forum. The website can be found at Our web has two functions, it is an advert to attract new members to our club and a source of news and information for our existing members. The News page is updated weekly mainly to briefly report on the Sunday working parties as well as other events and items such as Riverfly sampling and Fly Tying classes. We occasionally publish articles submitted by our members on a whole variety of subjects. A feature added a few years ago, is the Daily Catch Return, which allows members to post a catch return after each session rather, than submitting a season catch return to Eddie in September. Unfortunately, this is only used by a few members and fewer still submit a season return. How do you think our website could be improved? Is there is anything you would like to see included? Please let us know. We would be pleased to receive articles of general angling interest or notification about upcoming shows/events that could be of interest to our membership. The club s forum is at There is a link to it from our website. It contains two main categories, one open to anybody and the other only for registered members (you will need to register to access). Please pass on your suggestions/contributions to Steve Sunley (steve_sunley@hotmail.com). Steve Sunley March 17 Fly Tying Corner Lay flat dry fly Sometimes you need a fly that just sits in the waters film, you could use a parachute fly or just trim off the hackle under your normal dry fly! This is just a simple way of tying such a fly As it would sit on the water The view from underneath Dressing Hook Kamasan B410 straight eyed Tail mico fibbets Body Polydub or any fine synthetic dubbing Underbody shellback Mirage Tinsel Hackle Genetic grizzel

5 Method Tie in the tail then dub a quarter way up before attaching the tinsel to the underneath of the hook, attach the hackle then continue dubbing to just before the eye (leave room for a couple more turns of dubbing). Wind on the hackle to this point, tie off and trim. Bring forward the tinsel and smooth the hackle to either side, tie off tinsel, turn back (for security) and whip down, then run the dubbing on to the eye and whip finish. Fly Tying Evenings Dave and Eddie have given us another sumptuous 'out of season', well almost, programme of fly tying sessions. Some have compared their style to some of the best in the world, Laurel and Hardy, Morecombe and Wise, even Ant and Dec. My choice would be the Hairy Bikers, but obviously without the hair. Simply because Dave and Eddie provide a subtle blend of stories, humour and substance to their presentations in the way the Bikers do. Their combined knowledge in relation to all aspects of fly tying and fishing is priceless. Not only do you get 'top tips' on tying techniques but guidance on how to fish the different patterns we make. One of the most rewarding elements for me has been the opportunity to use such a vast range of tying materials. During each session, Dave and Eddie take time to explain the reasons why the various materials are used to create the flies we get to tie them. From the simplest of patterns that only require some thread for the body, a hackle and a tail, too more complex flies that contain far more elements - you are given the materials needed to complete the desired fly. Some I will perhaps never use, others have already become essentials, ones that I always now take with me when fishing on the Alyn. Either way it is good fun and really interesting. The Club does have several fly-tying kits, a vice and the various basic tools that are needed, so you do not even need to buy anything before you have a go. It is well worth doing so keep it in mind for the end of this season. Geoff Noakes. Rossett Club Shirts etc. Your name can be added to a wide range of items Club Logo Long sleeve shirt Polo shirt If you ask, they can do hoodies, short sleeve shirts, tee shirts etc. Costs (approx.) Long sleeve shirt 18 + Embroidery 5 + name 3 Polo 8 + Embroidery 5 + name 3 The company is Headmasters at Market Street, New Mills. High Peaks. Derbyshire. SK22 4AE Tel You will need to give your size and requirements, quote my name (Eddie Wilkinson) and the Club, it

6 normally takes a week to 10 days. They can be picked up or posted (at cost). Please note The Club does not make any money from this service. Club Discount Meadow Fishery at Mickle Trafford provide a discount to any member who shows their membership card (John is a member of our club and is always pleased to see fellow members). Orvis at Tarporley is now another place that members can get a discount on production of their membership card. Officers and Committee Members Howard Stevens, Eddie Wilkinson, Mark Pierce, Steve Sunley, Kon Wiecko, Arfon Griffiths, Geoff Noakes, Graham Alexander, Les Jervis, Mavis Wilkinson and Ray Brierley.