giving radio station), but I certainly didn’t miss the trout

Last Saturday I had to go to Didcott in Oxfordshire for a couple of hours work. I left Bristol in freezing cold conditions, but bright sunshine. The drive along the M4 was directly into the sun and thus quite a strain on the eyes. On reaching Hungerford the fields were covered with snow. In Oxford traffic was severely speed restricted by the amount of snow, however I completed my work ahead of schedule and, with time on my hands, decided to head for the “Sportfish” Fly Fishing centre at Haywards Farm near Theale.My main reason for going there was to see my friend Rene Vaz who, until this weekend, has been working at the centre. Rene is from Hamilton in New Zealand and he came over to England for last year’s World Championships. When they were finished he stayed on and within a couple of weeks had secured the position at “Sportfish”. Whilst he has been here he has successfully completed the STANIC qualifications in salmon, trout and fly-fishing; he has coached many budding trout and salmon anglers, and he has fished many of our venues. Now he is going home.I spoke to him at length and discovered that his return is based on three aspects: firstly, he is really fed up with the weather here (no one could have predicted the wettest year for about three hundred, just the same as my year in N.Z. proved to be the wettest for about two hundred there!); Rene has secured a good job with “Composite Developments” the top N.Z. and Australian rod-blank manufacturer; and finally, he can claim a lot of his tax back if he leaves inside a year! Sounds like a good reason for going back home to me!Rene has had a good time here, in spite of the weather, has learnt a great deal and feels much better equipped to face work back home now. It is a strange thing to work in a foreign country for a year as Rene has done, and as I did in New Zealand in 1998. You try not to think about the things that you are missing, but ultimately cannot avoid it. Whilst I was in N.Z. I personally missed very little (probably my biggest “loss” was a decent news-giving radio station), but I certainly didn’t miss the trout–fishing! To be in the position where you fish for wild trout the whole of the time that you are fishing is quite amazing. To find that those fish behave in much the same way as the ones that you usually cast a line at several thousand miles away is even more amazing!I admire anyone who can leave friends and family and work abroad for a considerable time. I admire especially someone as young as Rene (of similar age to Nick Hart of whom I have spoken in recent weeks) who can leave all their friends and relatives behind and venture out by themselves. As Rene sets off from Heathrow on Wednesday I will be wishing him good luck in his new career and looking forward to the next time that I see him – hopefully in New Zealand. In future articles I will give you an address which he can be found at so, if you are fortunate to get over to N.Z. for a fishing break, you can get in contact with him.Whist I was at the fly-fishing centre I was amazed by the range of tackle that they had on view. I think that the company have really put a good idea to work in Theale. The site (shown in the photograph) is purpose built. The lake can be booked for fishing and it can be used for casting lessons. All of the trout and salmon rods are well displayed and there is ample room to “flick” them about. If you wish to you can take them outside and couple them with a reel and line. All in all, a fine set-up! I have no connection with the company – apart from my friendship with Rene. If you are travelling along the M4 and you need a break then turn off at junction 12. The centre is literally just minutes from the motorway. I challenge you to go into the shop and come out empty-handed!Tight lines,

Martin Cottis