For once, I put work on hold, and everything else for that matter, and devoted the entire weekend to fishing. It began on Saturday morning with a casting lesson at Curley's, Horwich. Not as easy as I thought it would be, I certainly didn't take to it like a duck to water, but great fun none the less.

I spent the rest of the day tying some flies, mainly buzzers, but did I tie one beaded GRHE, with Dark Olive dubbing, so it may not count as a true GHRE!
Sunday, and I'm off to Westlow Mere in Congleton. Received a very friendly welcome from a couple of chaps who were outside the club house, after kitting up, one of them even took the time to check I had everything set up OK and then, spent another ten minutes or so with some very welcome casting advice.

A few minutes later and I was off, I thrashed the surface senseless for a while, caught a couple of bushes which proved my backward cast was better than my forward cast, at least for distance anyway.

I didn't catch, I don't think I even came close, but there was a little improvement in my casting abilities, the right arm was aching that I do know. On the plus side, I'd spent a damn fine afternoon in very nice surroundings, and met bunch of guys who are all too willing to help.

Now it would have been complete madness not to go fishing again the following day, so Monday afternoon I find myself at Walkerwood in Stalybridge. I meet the owner, Pete, another top bloke who spends well over an hour with me giving lots of advice and help, from casting to where and how would be best for me to fish.

An hour later I'm in, my first Trout, about a 1.5lb caught on a Damsel Nymph, and I'm a very happy bunny. I moved to another spot, lost the Nymph on the second cast, caught up on the bottom. I then put on the Beaded GRHE I had tied a couple of days earlier, second may be third cast, and "bang" another one, about the same size as the first, but three times it jumped before it was safely in the net. All went quite for a while, I could feel something having a little nibble every now and then, but no takes. So again I moved, half a dozen or so casts, and something really hit and quite hard too. The rod bent right over and I had to give several feet of line out. This one didn't jump, it stayed down and showed no intention of coming up. Must have been pushing five, six minutes before I got a glimpse of it, and nearly ten before It was landed, and it was no bigger than the other two.

I spent the next twenty to thirty minutes or so trying for a fourth before I realised I didn't have a fly on the end of my line, no idea how or when it came off, but I didn't care. I'd had a fantastic weekend, met some very nice folk, and caught three fish. Just another four days before I'm out again!

Well done haldir, you're well and truly 'hooked' now

__________________
Brian

Sounds like you are enjoying it. Just remember when you're casting is going hay wire, just take a break, sit back and enjoy the environment and slow down.

I'll certainly admit to fishing without a fly before ............. it's good to be able to laugh at yourself ..... a lot.

__________________
Carl

http://www.wandlepiscators.net/
http://teiseangling.co.uk/index.htm

TOMORROW THE TRENT COULD BE YOUR FISHERY! When are YOU going to JOIN THE ANGLING TRUST?

Congratulations Haldir.
2 important firsts ! First fish, and first one on your own tying.
Well done.
Gary.

__________________
"Calling Fly Fishing a hobby is like calling Brain Surgery a job."

Well done Sir, sounds like you had a cracking weekend.

__________________
Eddie
"We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation."
Voltaire

Well done! The more you practice, the more "lucky" your fishing will be!

StickMan

Really enjoyed reading your report and well done, it sounds like you have the bug now.
Keep us updated on how you get on with future outings but most of all enjoy.

Pedro

Well done on your first and first on your own fly . Don’t feel too bad about not realising you had lost the fly off the leader and carried on everyone has done it even if they don’t want to admit it. I cracked off the entire leader once on a big wild brown in the river and after the line went slack I could still see the fish so had another cast then realised there was no fly and 9 foot of leader and braided loop connector were missing also (Thank god it was not still attached to the fish Barbless hook )

__________________
Allan
Only dead fish go with the flow.

Really enjoyed reading your report. Well done matey. Funny how the last fish seemed bigger than the others. That's how it works sometimes. Well, unless your arm was tired.

Three firsts for you, first fish, first on your own fly and first time entry to the "no fly " on the end club. We are all fully paid up members of that club

Well done again and welcome to flyfishin. There is no hope for you now. Skint but happy

Well done.... I started exactly the same.... spending ages before I realised I had no fly on....Casting problems etc.. Onwards and upwards for you now!..

__________________
Before you cast the fly, make sure you can handle the fish! Vuoi imbrogliare? Poi Non competere! (If you want to cheat, then dont compete)