The organisation that sorts out the N

You see I spent a whole year in New Zealand as an exchange teacher in 1998 and to be honest I benefited greatly from the strength of the pound – I had real buying power. I made friends with a number of anglers out there and it so happens that a couple of them have made it into the New Zealand team that is coming over here for the World Championships. Actually, by the time that you read this, at least two of the team will be in the country. The organisation that sorts out the N.Z. team is, like many fishing organisations, strapped for cash. There has been almost no central funding for the team. So those anglers that are fishing for their country have to find the bulk of the money to pay their way.They have managed to beg $54000 in sponsorship, but bear in mind that the exchange rate equates that to under £18000 for a team of six anglers, flight, accommodation and fishing expenses. I don’t think that it will go far. I am going to take some of the team out on the lake – a kind of “thank you” for my great fishing experiences when I was in their country. At work I have been called a traitor! There are few people as passionately patriotic as I am – you should have seen the state that I was in when Scotland beat England at rugby this year! I don’t think that even with good local advice a team from 8000 miles away and which is used to completely different styles of fishing has an earthly chance. The arrangements are going well for the competition. On all of my trips this season I have had to stick to specific areas, as I knew that I was going to be involved with one of the teams. It has been tough at times, knowing that I had to stick to “top end” at Blagdon and behind the line of buoys off the false island at Chew, when friends have been reporting great catches in some of my favourite spots at the other ends of both lakes. However, once you have agreed to do a job you have to stick to it.This week sees “unofficial” practice, whilst from next weekend the official events begin. There is a great feeling building up around here with the trout communities from all around the world coming along. The new lodge is really abuzz. Chris Klee, Bob Handford and their staff are getting more and more anxious that things will go well. The next couple of weeks will see us trout fishing nuts getting into overdose mode. I will update you next week on how it is all shaping up.

Tight lines