Well, I knew I recognised Mr Ron Clay's name.

You see, he was part of my youth and had a hand in the formation of my passion for fly fishing.

As a youngster in South Africa, there was a very popular journalist and author called Charles Norman (sadly, now gone to the big lake in the sky)
Charles Norman used to fish for and write about anything from Marlin to Carp to Largemouth Bass and, of course, Trout!

He wrote a series of 4 popular books on fishing in South Africa and one of these was about fly fishing in salt and freshwater. I had all four until some light-fingered scoundrel ran off with them from my school bag. Last year I managed to track down and purchase two of the series from a second hand book shop in SA and recently found the last two on an SA Fly fishing forum and traded a Jungle Cock cape for them (I think I got the better part of the bargain)

These arrived today and I promptly began reading the one on fly fishing and guess who was one of the contributing authors........

Mr Ron Clay himself!

I knew I recognised his name

Now, I relished re-reading and devouring the book and Mr Clay's article was as enjoyable to read 20yrs ago and it was this morning. Indeed, all those years ago he was writing about nymph and buzzer fishing in stillwaters, the techniques involved and, rather topical too, fly lines; including colours, line types and casting techniques.

Whilst I find Ron's postings on here of great interest (despite the ramblings of his detractors) I will enjoy them even more now that I have realised just who he is.

I have taken the liberty of scanning the article and posting it on here. I truly hope Mr Clay does not take offence or exception to this liberty but I feel this is an interesting article and hark back to a halcyon period in South Africa's trout fishing history and deserves to be read by more than just an excited South African transplant who feels he is 14yrs old again reading this book

Ron Clay's article on cold Mornings and Midges........

I tried to join these together but Photo Buckety wouldnt accept it so it is inserted 'piece-meal' below. Well worth a read!

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http://i309.photobucket.com/albums/k...2009184558.jpg

http://i309.photobucket.com/albums/k...2009184652.jpg

http://i309.photobucket.com/albums/k...2009184811.jpg

http://i309.photobucket.com/albums/k...2009184811.jpg

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Ron, if you are reading this, my hat off to you, Sir; you are part of one of my favourite books of all time!


Best regards



Ben

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That's very nice Ben, being taken back to your childhood.
Good memories are always a thing to cherish, well done Ron, on making an Essex lad very happy.

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[QUOTE=sunkistbob;457491] Last year I managed to track down and purchase two of the series from a second hand book shop in SA and recently found the last two on an SA Fly fishing forum and traded a Jungle Cock cape for them (I think I got the better part of the bargain)

These arrived today and I promptly began reading the one on fly fishing and guess who was one of the contributing authors........

MMm, and I though I got the better part of the deal. Glad they made it there safe and sound though and that they bough so many memories back.

[quote=morne;457519]

Yes indeed, Morne, thank you once again


Best wishes


Ben

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Ron Clay

Ron has, this season, started fishing our local trout "pond".
In the short time I've known him I have found him to be an excellent, helpful and knowledgeable angler.

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How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind - Isaac Walton.

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Oh no you've mentioned South Africa

There'll be no stopping him now, just ask the boys on Fishing Magic

Yeah, tell us about South Africa Ron. I caught my first ever trout on fly at Troutbeck Inn, Inyanga, Rhodesia on a Walker's Yellow Killer.

You must have many tales to tell, did you ever catch many Tiger Fish?

__________________
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How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind - Isaac Walton.

~~*~~~~~
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Hi All,

Yes Bob I remember Charles Norman very well. He was the man that put the sporting aspect to bass fishing on the map in SA. ie Catch and Release. He promoted the American Bass philosophy and in a short time there were many clubs and Bass Angler's Sportsman Society (BASS) chapters being formed.

The real fount of South African fly fishing knowledge came from the formation of the Rand Piscatorial Society Trout Section, when people like Trevor Babich, Ralph Goodyer, Malcolm Meintjes and myself got together. At a later stage, Bill Hansford-Steele and Mike Salomon came on the scene and things really took off.

In those days there were few trout fishing clubs other than a small number of rather elitist operations in Cape Town, Durban and Peitermaritzburg. I'll not mention names here but those involved will know who they are.

Bill Steele and myself formed a fly fishing school at "Trout Hideaway" in what is now called Mpumalanga, near Pilgrims rest. We taught all sorts of people including Cyril Rhamaposa and Valli Moosa, leading political figures in the formation of the New South Africa.

Yes, those were heady days chaps and I feel priviledged to have been part of them.

Tigerfish....I didn't catch a lot of them because there were so few of them in close proximity to where I lived. The nearest was in the Crocodile River at Malalane close to the borders of Mozambique and the Kruger National Park. They were quite small, but stiill very impressive, especially their dental array.

I only ever caught one myself, whist on holiday, at Lake Kariba. They were a magnificent fighting fish, beautiful to look at and teeth like Janet Street-Porter

__________________
*
How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind - Isaac Walton.

~~*~~~~~
*****©(