Each time the prize has been an Orvis rod

I have been extremely fortunate in having won the Orvis sponsored competition on Chew Valley Lake on several occasions. Each time the prize has been an Orvis rod! For a long time I really loved using the “Hampshire” which was later renamed the “Western”. After a while though, I began to realise its limitations. Don’t get me wrong – it is still a good rod, but not the fast, crisp actioned one that an enthusiastic top-of-the-water fisherman like myself needs! I then won an Orvis “Rainbow”; this is nine and a half foot rod for a six-weight line. It is extremely fast, rather brutal and certainly a little heavy, but it has been my standard in competition fishing for the last five or six years. The trouble with it is that it is not really a “fun” rod to use. If I go pleasure fishing I much prefer to use my “Osprey”, coupled with a five weight. I have used the same rod in competitions, but it has let me down at crucial times.

So I have searched around and tried many different rods this year. Many friends use Sage rods. I have yet to use one that really hit me as being the one for me. The Enigma range has been extremely popular with a great many of my pals. John Horsey has used it almost exclusively for a couple of years. I am not totally convinced by that either! I have yet to find a friend with one of the nine and a half foot tools. Why do most people want to use ten footers? I have found that nine, or nine and a half rods are fine from boats!

On one of my last outings of the season, I went to Grafham with the B.R.F.F.A. team to fish the Major Clubs competition. Whilst setting-up, I was chatting with Nick Long who had recently taken delivery of a new rod that Orvis have made. I believe that it was the “Trident”, and it felt great. Nick is as keen on dry fly fishing as anyone and he claims that it is easily the best that he has used for that element of the sport. I would need to field test it before I thought of buying it – it sells for over £400 and I simply don’t have that sort of money. I have never worried about reels for fly-fishing! There is rather a lot of hype around at the moment about large arbor reels, but I am not inclined to worry about the extra small amount of drum capacity or potential line coiling that my present reels cause. I use Battenkills – ace reels – if a little pricey! Fortunately, I won two and was sponsored the third that I own! I have won several good Cortland lines this year and they will be put into use next year. My sinking lines don’t get quite so much abuse as my floaters, and I have a good friend who discounts me a reasonable range of sinkers if I am desperate. I would dearly love to find someone who would supply me with a large quantity of leader material. I don’t have any great preferences on this item. For my dry fly work, I am happy with either seven or eight pound double strength, or four or five pound Drennan Sub-surface. Nymph work seems to demand fluorocarbon, but I am still not 100% convinced on that score. However I tend to use it, as I don’t want to “feel different”! At the standard price that you pay for most fluoro, I would happily accept a large box of that item from Father Christmas!I have been well equipped clothing-wise by Nomad over the past couple of years, due to my involvement with the Peregrine/Nomad competition, but I am certainly looking out for a new pair of waders – both thigh and chest. I will probably end up just getting some thigh ones as I get to the local river chub fishing regularly in the winter. Hooks are always gratefully received, as I tie thousands of flies each year. I like a variety of styles, many of the Kamasan range, some Drennans, and a few from Tiemco.I certainly could do with a new vice! I use a Veniard Salmo, which I bought in 1974! I wonder how many thousand hooks have been clamped in the jaws of that vice. I recently received news of a fantastic vice made by a friend of Andy Scott – one of the smashing fellows who fished in the Aussie World Championship team over here in May. I would also like to invest in some new sunglasses – look out for my review of them to appear shortly.

Finally, I will report next week on the shock news coming from Bristol Water Company this week. There are major changes under way in the fisheries department!