In this Edition: Things of great beauty ...... 2013 Feedback Hardy Bougle reel winner ..... Are the World Cup organisers chalkstream anglers? .... Holiday season opening hours

Next issue:
2013 in Photos ..... New beats for 2014 .....  Fly Fishing Film Tour UK date
Newsletter reels header
  Newsletter                                                                                                  Thursday December 19th 2013

 

Things of great beauty

 

Greetings!  

 

It is one of those ironies that despite inventing modern day fly fishing many of the great innovations happening in our sport are now born outside the British Isles; even our brand names are acquiring foreign owners with 2013 a watershed year in that respect seeing House of Hardy bought by an American conglomerate and Farlow's a wealthy Russian.

 
Abel hemostat  

Is any of that bad? I am not sure, but when I see the beautiful, tactile hemostats recently launched by Abel reels of west coast USA I don't really care who made them, I just want to own one and I now do. I was lucky enough to see a prototype about a year ago, got my foot in the door and commissioned a small production run just for Fishing Breaks. As it turns out mine were the first ever out of the factory, which was a saga in itself - you have to admire the guys at Abel who close on Fridays during the summer as it is surfing season ... well I guess if your factory was on the Californian Big Sur, you might do the same as well ....

 

As I write my hemostats are currently in a warehouse at Heathrow awaiting customs release now I have paid a Chancellor's ransom in import duty but I am sure they will be here in plenty of time as our Feedback draw prizes for 2014. If you can't wait that long, or don't fancy your chances in the draw, here is the link to Abel. I don't think the hemostats will be in UK stores until spring of next year.

 

On the subject of feedback prize draws I am delighted to congratulate Tim Rix from Surrey who won the Hardy Bougl� Reel for 2013. It is, like the haemostat, a thing of great beauty. Well done Tim, I hope it brings you many years of pleasure.

 

   
 

  

ARE THE WORLD CUP ORGANISERS CHALKSTREAM FISHERMEN?

You don't hear many good things about Sepp Blatter and the guys who run FIFA, but all credit to them for the World Cup draw - the first rounds fall bang in the June weed cutting period.

Weed cutting So great news. We can all enjoy a glorious Mayfly hatch from mid-May to mid-June and then settle back to enjoy the first round with England's three matches. Ahh, I can hear you saying, but what if England reach the final? Well, don't worry (!) Mr Blatter has thought of everything; by the time we have navigated our way to that stage of the competition it will be time for the rivers to close for the July cut. I bet that is a relief all round.

Here are the dates for the Rivers Test, Itchen and Avon including their respective tributaries. However, I would caution that there are plenty of variations within these broad date bands, with the sections higher up the respective river systems completing the cutting period as much as a week prior to the set dates. 

Just so you know all the rivers with set cutting dates are where the weed is cut, then allowed to float downstream until it is either taken out at strategic weed booms or reaches the sea, hence the closure periods as the water becomes clouded and unfishable with floating detritus. On the other chalkstreams, like the Kennet, Lambourn or Frome for instance, who do not have designated cutting periods,  the weed is cut and dragged out by each owner. 

River Test       June 8-24              July 13-26         August 17-30

River Itchen     May 2-8                 June 5-15         July 4-13              August 13-23

River Avon       April 21-May 10    June 13-30        July 25-August 8

River Wylye     April 7-16              May 10-25         June 30-July 17     

As I say do use these dates advisedly; my policy is that we NEVER sell fishing on beats affected by the weed cut. However, as we get towards the end of each period plenty of fishing comes back on line early especially up near the headwaters. If you are ever in any doubt, just ask.

PS Those England matches in case you forgot are: 2014 World Cup

England vs. Italy                14 June

England vs. Uruguay       19 June

England vs. Coast Rica    24 June

World Cup Final                13 July

 

 

HOLIDAY SEASON OPENING HOURS

  

Girl in red with gift box The office will be closed from December 24th and re-open January 2nd. On-line bookings go live on January 1st, including the prime Mayfly dates.
 
I will reply to emails and on-line queries most days, but maybe don't expect too much of me on Christmas Day!
 

Have a good weekend.

  

 

Best wishes,

Simon Signature 

Simon Cooper [email protected]

Founder & Managing Director