March brown imitation

[gus262]

Tied a couple up to my own recipe on Thursday night, positively frothing with anticipation. The inked scrawl of my signature on the permit purchased via the lovely Hector was still as damp as the beermats on his bar, as I legged it across this seasons arrangement of shingle at the 'droont pool' - my traditional 'first cast' spot. I was chuffed to see a lot of MB's hatching amongst the LDO's, as were the trout - a varied diet can't be a bad thing. The wind was blowing a hoolie, but I had the four weight with me, so was confident I could deal with it. For the most part, my confidence was well founded - 3 lovely wee trout, all around 15 - 20 cm, and a 30 cm Grayling that looked like it had been assaulted with an orbital sander - either that or it had been digging for goodies in the gravel for a fortnight - all returned alive and well. The hatches dwindled to a trickle, the fish stopped rising, and with numb hands I figured it was time for a last cast before heading home. Whatta mistake-ah to make-ah.

Anyhoo, I thought I'd photograph the successful pattern in situ, as it were.

[Eddie O'Neill]

Ouch, I hope you were wearing glasses

[darwin]

Ouch! But that is a lovely fly, nicely tied.

[gus262]

B&Q's finest! I don't know how it found its way through, but it did!

[andypandy]

Ouch..its amazing how fast it happens. ive been very close and hoked my check 1" from my eye.. so i always wear glasses now..

Andy

[Streamfisher]

I had a tungsten bead head hit me smack in the middle of the left lense of my sunglasses a couple of weeks ago, shudder to think what may have happened had I not been wearing them!

SF

[craigie]

thank god I fish barbless-

[arkle]

A few weeks after Rutland opened, I went on a coach with a party of anglers eager to fish the new water. It was a very blustery day & we were all fished from the boats. Early in the afternoon, our boat drifted against the anchor & a sudden gust of wind took my line mid-cast & blew it across my partners face, impaling him in his upper eyelid. The conditions were so rough we couldn't (then) remove it & had to make an hours motor back to the lodge. The staff there decided not to try & remove the hook themselves so took him to hospital. That was another 2 1/2 hour round trip. He had been wearing glasses, but took them off for a few seconds to clean them.

Lesson learned, NO-ONE ever goes anywhere near the water without wearing glasses. And to keep them on when their partners casting. That's an (unwritten) rule for our club, even when fishing at dusk.

I've since learned to remove hooks & have done it several times for people.

Unfortunately, where there is public access to the banks of waters & there are dog-walkers/ kids running round etc, how do you enforce this ?

[cravencast]

try a three-inch brass tube on a 15 footer travelling around 90mph hitting the back of your head.......... gives you a heck of sa thump, not to mention the concussion!

[wingman]

You know gus, there's a place down the market does much betta piercings than that, I mean if it was a bit closer to your eyebrow it would look really cool, so if you want to get the other side done i'd highly rcommend 'Maureens imperial inflictions' tattooing and piercing....shes a real game bird