I - and a bunch of like-minded competition fly fishermen - are becoming increasingly concerned about the direction and future of competition fly fishing.

The present situation seems to be increasingly geared towards limits and time bonuses. In the rapidly disappearing past a limit in a competition was something to be hoped for. Nowadays a limit is a 'sine qua non' without which an angler is not even 'at the races'. Competition winners are the ones with the best time bonuses. Competition fishing is now about who can catch them fastest not whether the fish can be caught at all.

I recently attended the international match on Conn, which by any definition was tough. Admittedly the size limit, set at 30mm, added to the degree of difficulty, but an angler had to be on the ball to get even one measuring fish. This was a match defined by angling ability, determination, focus and attention to detail, location and technique. Most attending anglers considered the match a failure because not enough fish were encountered. I totally disagreed. To catch a single fish was an achievement, any more than two was a cause for celebration. In my opinion that is what competition fishing is all about - such matches hone angling skills, seperate the men from the boys, and the cream will rise to the top!

If competition waters based on stocked fish can't find a way to improve the quality of fishing along the lines already mentioned above competition fly fishing is going to become devalued and lead to a dimunition of angling skill.

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Stan Headley

"I started this life with nothing......and I've still got most of it left!"

Stan,
I totally agree with your comments.
We have gone through big fish, quantity of fish and now speed of catching and a lot of it is down to the modern angler and the "businesses" where they fish giving them what they want. Hence we end up with every boat in the fleet on top of a shoal of new stockies and cutting each other up at every opportunity whether in competition or not.
Everyone will have a different view as to what constitutes a good days fishing whether for pleasure or in competition and probably as people mature in fishing they no longer want big fish kills, big fish or to sit on their hands most of the day.
The fishing on Conn was tough but the competition was very fair as shown by the closeness of the result and the catch and release policy worked well.
If there were people who did not appreciate the week and the type of fishing we had, then they would be better trying golf.
I certainly had an excellent week with the team, officials and the Irish lads that I shared the boats with.

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Keeping the Faith

Don't think that'll help. I recall when Laurie won the open at Carnoustie. Everybody else complained that it was unfair because roughs were too rough, and the fairways too narrow. Yet they were all playing the same course.

Certainly not very appealing to me this time thing....not much skill landing on a pod of fish first and filling the bag,....mite aswell put a rope up and run a race. Can see your point on a competition based on a days fishing being a waste of time if someone fills bag in first half hour its all over and cant see people wanting to sign up for that in future,just my opinion though and sounds like a day at the races.A bit like the tortoise and the hare race with the hare always wining due to speed, some people have more skill to compete over longer distances but lose on the time issue.Yip needs a rethink before it loses its appeal IMO.

The SANACC competitions seems a fair compromise with 3 fish limit and then catch and release so you end up with a full days fishing and no great fish kill.
As to the size of fish on Conn, the limit was 30cm or 300mm, now we know that Stan has been exaggerating his manhood.

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Keeping the Faith

I agree with thing that has been said about the time bonus in competition flyfishing.One it only suits a few anglers that get on to the hot pegs in bank comps,and anglers that sit on fish when in boats.I think it would be better if anglers were only allow to catch 5or6 fish from each peg in bank comps.and instead of number of fish winning,I my opinion a better way to score a comp would be to give 2 points for first fish caught on peg and 1 point for the next 4or5 fish on that peg.That way the anglers that would win would be the ones that were able to get fish from most pegs.And not the luckly ones that were on hot pegs at the start.What do other anglers think?

That is exactly the method we use on some matches we run, and I have recommended it to Fred for the Airflo Bank Final.

On boat matches, I hate the rush to limit and I also hate being beaten by folks with "lucky" bigger fish, although what goes around often does come around.

I would much prefer C&R with a 4 fish kill or something like that. Then you both get a day's fishing and the better anglers should come out on top.

Charlie

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From the Idea grows the Dream

www.jamarqui.co.uk

I think what lies at the heart of the matter is that the commercial fisheries set out to provide a product that is very user-friendly, where even the most inexperienced, kack-handed angler can get at least a fish. When some of the top rods in the country arrive at such a venue then it becomes a turkey-shoot!

i would like to see a system by which such venues knock-off the stocking for a couple of weeks prior to the match, giving the fish time to acclimatise and the punters a chance to thin out the ranks and break up the shoals.

In the 90s Rutland & Grafham were real testing venues where a limit was an unusual event. Now its like shooting chickens in a hen house!

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Stan Headley

"I started this life with nothing......and I've still got most of it left!"

I hope Fred does take your recommended for the AIRFLO final.then other big comps might do the same,The SANA stillwater bank comp next year.

I am not a fan of time bonuses.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.