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Hi all,
I am a full-time custom rodbuilder and a keen angling enthusiast.
Always interested in a natter about anything piscatorial related, anybody else ?
Marty
I used to be a keen sea fisherman of the rocks on the north of Cornwall Coast but my lack of mobility in my shoulders started making casting and pulling them back in a choir so sadly I gave it up a few years back.
It's a very enjoyable hobby though and wish I could still take part.
Yes it is but only as beautiful as your rivers and lochs Pat.Thats a pity , Paul.A beautiful place to cast a line and take in the sea air.
I lived in Billings, Montana for 15 years and acquired 2 Winston fly rods. Soon as I moved to England they became pretty useless as you have to join a fishing club and pay astronomical fees for the privilege of fishing...that's if you can find a club near you with membership openings.
I live in southern England, near Ringwood, and there's a dearth of fishing clubs with openings. The ones that do have openings have strict standards as far as what you can wear: Tweed jacket, green sweater & tie, wool trousers and wellies; along with a flat cap. They want you to wear a uniform to fish in the chalk streams, so you don't scare the fish.I find the annual fee for my loch to be reasonable paying £127 + an extra £10 if you want to moor your boat. The brown trout season runs from March to October though they stock it with rainbow and blue trout for year round fishing.You are allowed to take 4 fish per day although I always release any fish I'm lucky enough to hook.
They also have 3 club boats for members that don't own a boat and they pay an extra £4 on top of their annual fee.
Fly fishing only.
I live in southern England, near Ringwood, and there's a dearth of fishing clubs with openings. The ones that do have openings have strict standards as far as what you can wear: Tweed jacket, green sweater & tie, wool trousers and wellies; along with a flat cap. They want you to wear a uniform to fish in the chalk streams, so you don't scare the fish.
I lived in Billings, Montana for 15 years and acquired 2 Winston fly rods. Soon as I moved to England they became pretty useless as you have to join a fishing club and pay astronomical fees for the privilege of fishing...that's if you can find a club near you with membership openings.
I lived in Billings, Montana for 15 years and acquired 2 Winston fly rods. Soon as I moved to England they became pretty useless as you have to join a fishing club and pay astronomical fees for the privilege of fishing...that's if you can find a club near you with membership openings.
Not really true. Sure, if want a rod on the Test, you're looking at massive costs but it is mainly overpriced fishing for stocked, non-native Rainbows, designed to snag overpaid London bankers.
I fly fish, mostly small stream wild brown trout and costs are far lower. Membership of the Crediton Fly Fishing Club runs a less than £100 per season, as an example. For the forthcoming season, I will be once again buying a Wye & Usk wildstreams permit, giving access to many miles of Welsh small streams for only £80. Even daytickets on the main beats of the Wye and Usk, two of the finest trout rivers in the country, are no more than £25 or £30, less than a resturant meal.
Although no longer a member of CFFC, I go down to the Fox & Hounds hotel in Devon for opening day, when the proprietor lets us fish for free. To be honest, it is rarely warm enough to catch on anything other than deep nymphs but it's great to catch up with the blokes. I'm really looking forward to it.
As a small stream fly fisher, I have 7' and 7' 6" rods, in 3 and 4 wt, all by Orvis, who make nice slow-actioned rods. I also have a 6' 6" fibreglass rod made by a chap in the US, which is great for getting under low tree canopies. I bought a Tenkara rod a couple of years ago but haven't used it yet. It could be great on, say, Dartmoor, where there is no tree cover and you're fishing mostly pocket water. I still have a 9' 6wt Orvis Trident TLS for the odd stillwater day and a Guideline Fario 9' 5wt for bigger rivers.
If I'm honest, I'm not actually a very good fisherman. A few years ago, I had an entirely blank season, despite a whole day on Wimbleball in a boat, trips to Wales and a day with a Tenkara instructor on the Usk! Thing is, just being in the water is hugely enjoyable and catching a fish is just a bonus. I like to combine fishing with camping and when I can get a pass from the long-haired CO, I'll take off for Wales, camp for a few nights and fish all day. I'm planning on backpacking on Dartmoor this year, taking a Tenkara rod with me.
Some years I caught nothing at all and some years I caught so much I could hardly carry it back up the cliffs and then spent half the night gutting and cleaning for the freezer!If fishing was easy it would be called catching. I've had great days at a water, and never caught a thing.
Love to fish. I live in Minnesota, which is full of lakes, so am pretty much on the water whenever it isn't covered by ice. I mostly fish out of my boat, but love to use the kayak.
What a great job you have Marty.
Tight lines,
Pat
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