Hon Secretary- Mr Lionel Young
Welcome to our vibrant society! We are an eclectic bunch of flyfishers of varied skill levels and passion, but all of us enjoy a day out on the river or lake being challenged by both the weather and often easily spooked fish. A friendly group, with days on the river from six to ten fishers, or on a fishery with various lakes up to twenty, we try as much as possible to replicate the delights of Fishhall with convivial company, good food and acceptable wine, within the obvious constraints of smaller less salubrious surrounding or the open air!
We are a small society with around thirty active members, some only joined last year, others years ago. Some have expensive fishing gear, a few have hand-me-downs from past generations and the rest of the stuff they’ve gathered over time. It’s not the kit that matters, it’s the chase in what is a rather unpredictable sport. Affected by everything from too much sun, too little cloud, high winds, murky water, too clear water, wild vegetation, too much fly life, too little fly life, the wrong flies, the right flies fished incorrectly – need I go on? There’s little certain in fly fishing, except for the fun and often frustration of the sport.
We normally fish five or so days per year: twice on fisheries and the rest on small rivers – both fishing types are quite different, and each day is different.
The approach of our fishers varies hugely. Some are extremely competitive (even when there’s no formal competition): on the bank as early as possible in the morning focused substantially on the water-based prey and only breaking from their stalking for a quick drink and, of course, lunch and tea. But not dallying about too much! They’ll use anything to catch their numbers even if sometimes the fly they use might be frowned up by purists. Others have a more leisurely day in mind – arriving at a more civilised hour, diligently gearing up, watching the water, looking for fish rising, picking the right dry fly and delivering a perfect cast. After all, some would say, it’s not about how many you catch but about which one and how you do that. In our society, we welcome all sorts!
We often have a local instructor to give a helping hand, not only to beginners but those of us who get into bad habits. We share gear, tips, flies, anecdotes. Even experienced fishers make mistakes. One even fished for an hour with a fly without a hook point. Of course, we help each other out where we can and laugh when we mess up.
This year has been disappointing for us all in all sorts of ways, but we’ve managed a very successful day out on the river Nadder near Salisbury at the beginning of June with another there at month-end for six fishers. The next big outing is at Avington Trout Fishery on 6 October for up to twenty. Come and join us – we can provide you with gear. Oh, and we have a small number of prizes to award each year for those keen to evidence their skills and good nature.
© The Fishmongers’ Company 2024
