From the age of 12 to the birth of our first-born I was a regular visitor to trout fisheries. I was a member of an angling club on the River Ribble and a member of a syndicate with fishing on the North Tyne. My job took me across the UK and I always get a fly-fishing outfit in the back of my car to sample the local fisheries wherever I was. When not working I spent many an hour trying to entice a trout, sea trout or salmon with an artificial fly. I never thought a day would come where I had to consider returning to fly fishing.
January is a bad enough month for the fly fisherman. The generally miserable weather and likelihood that your local venue will be frozen up is depressing enough but at sometime in the month it will probably get worse. This is the month when the stillwaters who partake in the prestigious ‘Troutmasters’ competition, organised by Trout Fisherman magazine, announce the dates for their annual ‘fish off’s’. This is therefore the month when your friends who were fortunate enough to receive a coveted ‘Troutmasters’ badge last year are invited to try and reach the UK final. To do this they must win a ‘Fish off’ at the fly fishing venue where they won their Troutmasters Badge.