OUSE VALLEY (SUSSEX) FLYFISHERS

I was approached by Roy Gurney, Chairman of the Sussex branch of the Fly Dressers Guild, earlier in the year to see if we were interested in organising a friendly get together/competition at a small trout water.

The idea was to perhaps take over a fishery for the day and have a trophy for the event, which we can hold on an annual basis.

The number of members per team would be decided prior to the competition each year but the number suggested was 10-12 members? Venues talked of was Yew Tree or Ashbourne.

This turned out to be somewhat of an embarrassing event in more ways than one.

It was thought by the committee to be a good idea but in the end the response was poor.

I think this was due mainly to it being in the school holidays and also to lack of our members being informed. Having had no takers for the coach trip offer to the Gamefair I was hoping a better turnout for this event.

Originally it looked like we would only have a solitary member fishing for us but in the end we managed five.

Roy Gurney had gone to a lot of trouble organising this. We had Yew Tree Fishery exclusively for the day with a trophy for the winning team and prizes for the best bag and best fish.

Although I hadn't been there for about ten years I was amazed at how mature it had become and can only commend John Schrumacher on an excellent fishery.

On the day I had decided to go straight onto the boobies i.e. WetCel II with a three-foot leader and very, very slow figure of eight. By 11:15 am there were four good rainbows on the bank and I then went round to encourage the others.

Jim didn't need much encouraging so I concentrated on Bob. Having got him to try my method we went back to the larger lake and by lunch he had lost one and caught one.

Back at the lodge Jim had 3, John had 1, Bob had 1 and myself 4 so we had 9 fish to Sussex's 6.

Jim finished shortly after lunch so it was nearly a one to one situation, for tuition that is.

When Bob had landed his forth it was all round to John who had by now added another.

The only way to get him to slow down was to let him fall asleep!

So at five o'clock, the end of the match, we weighed in with 29lb 2oz to 17lb 12oz for the FDG team.

Unfortunately for Bob he missed out on best fish and best bag by finishing second in both awards. But we had managed a convincing win and I would like to say "Well Done" to those team members, John Glynn, Jim Bates, Bob Collins and Brian Hendry.

Next year it's our turn to host this event so hopefully we can bring the date forward and bring the cup back for a second year.

See you then - Martyn Gray

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Last modified: August 07, 2001

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