It's true. There I was, the proud owner of a newly received Troutmasters badge thinking right, best get some practice in for the 'fish off' so I don't end up looking like a complete tool (although the badge proves I'm not a tool right? Ermmm, read on). Yesterday I popped down to my local stillwater. Minus 3 but the roads were surprisingly clear. Well, apart from where the wind had caused a few drifts. And the wind! Jeez, it must have been minus 9 or 10 with the windchill factor. Still, I'm hardcore me.....
There was just one other guy on the lake which had some large ice free patches. More importantly, the area of the lake where there is a large hole and where the fish tend to lie in the cold was also ice free. Excellent. SWMBO had ordered a couple of fish for tea so I should do well. Had my tactics worked out to have a try for a couple of the larger residents and with my Troutmasters badge in mind I was feeling confident.
**** me if I didn't fish like a complete spanner! Admittedly I was fishing into the wind and my casting skills are not up to standard to be able to cope with that. That's my one and only excuse. I wrapped my leader around the rod so many times I lost count. I got caught in bushes behind me. I piled my cast on the water. I forever stood all over my line. In fact, I reckon in the 5 hours or so I was there, I made maybe 6 decent casts? It was awful. I eventually caught one fish and missed one after I kind of got my sh*t together but I left the lake a somewhat dejected and forlorn figure with my confidence at an all time low. In fact, it still hasn't recovered and I'm dreading my next trip out as I'll be with a couple of friends and I'll feel so self conscious. Especially if I fish like I did yesterday. Oh well, it happens I guess. I'll be sorting some additional casting tuition from Darren Lewis (of this here forum) seeing some of the recommendations he's received. I'm yet to get to the point where I consider my utter tossness (that's the opposite of prowess) terminal, but a couple more trips like that will see me converting my rods to chimney brushes and my reels to paperweights. Ho hum........

Andy - I think we all have days like that! I once threw a Sage rod into Brenig, fortunately my throwing was as bad as my casting on that day so I was able to retrieve it after a calming-down cup of tea.

I must admit to nearly punching my rod's face in and kicking the sh*t out of my reel. I restrained myself and hurled oaths at them instead. B@st@rds.

Absoloutely brilliant! Still laughing as I post this!

So its not just me then.

Thanks to all those who read my post as it was meant to be. Just for the record whilst somewhat proud to have been 'awarded' a TM badge I would 100% have preferred to have had a successful day yesterday and also not spent the majority of the time casting like a complete kn0b than owning said badge. My post was meant to be more cathartic than anything else and wasn't supposed to be blowing smoke up my own backside by bragging about a badge.
I am super aware of my own deficiencies in fly fishing and even now think the whole Troutmasters badge thing was more luck than judgement. I still stand by my earlier declaration that those 2 fish earnt it though! Some people need to wind their necks in on this forum I reckon.......

Oh, and if you think the badge makes me a moron, you should see the flies I tie! Mwahaha.......

Perfect! like the edit!!! no room for elitism here i say! i wont bow to the dry fly nazis!!!! (the term nazi has been used in jest, in keeping with the light hearted nature of the original post and i do not think anyone who fishes a dry is a nazi!!!!) one has to be carefull on this forum sometimes!!!!!!.

This cracked me up, I had visions of you going all Basil Fawlty on the bank.

Sean

Must say i enjoyed the first post from Andy, it reminds me of some of my days

Got to say though the rest of it like alot of other threads at the moment seem to be getting very childish.

Does any body know any other forums that are worth joining were just normal help and conversation takes place?

If you find one give us a shout Peter