The Lion Tamers visited the BFFI today. What a great place to learn and find new ideas!

'I think the fish can see your gut, old chap'

My shopping list was short: A decent silver badger cape/saddle.

Bone and Jon wanted wading vests.

After enduring a three mile drive (sometimes Stoke is a good place to live), we parked up and had a coffee. We needed coffee as it was Bone’s birthday bash last night and we were a bit worse for wear.

The queue was building up, but sensibly, we had our pre-booked tickets and went straight in.

I was desparate to get my hackle stuff. I told the guys it was urgent and got myself a super silver badger saddle from Lakeland. That was me done. I now needed a horse.

We wandered around, buying bits and bobs and then bumped into Sheena Goode. (England International). What a lovely lady. We showed her our new shirts. I think she wanted one but we were interrupted; she is so popular, Sheena had to talk to other people and so we slinked away.

We then went to see John Tyzack, (the master)  who showed a guy how to tie a spider with some dodgy thread and an equally dodgy bobbin holder.  A copy of his latest dvd was purchased and I got it signed, as a signed copy will always fetch a few quid more on ebay.

John Tysack trying out the new 'fjy flute'

We bought some nice gear.

We bought some other stuff, took a lot in and retired to the pub.

I even went to the butchers, not knowing I still had a coat hanger emerger at the top of my brand new fleece

We loved it!

Cold, very cold on The Wye

Had a cracking day on the Wye today with Trugg. Was freezing. Rod rings continually iced 'till late morning.

However, that didn't stop us catching. In fact I can honestly say I had one of the best days fishing for a long time.
After Trugg nailed a couple of grayling, we noticed the odd rise so on went the dries. We didn't look back. We only cast at what we thought were grayling rises but we did catch the odd inevitable trout.
We must have had getting on for a hundred takes and we both ended up well into double figures.
I even trimmed a fly to make it smaller and it was hammered.
Bumped into John Tyzack who was guiding and Andrew from Manchester. Jan paid us a visit too.

At least I turned up in full camo. Yes, not retouched. This is what my car looked like after a mornings fishing. My car is a leaf magnet.

Tried out my new 10' #4 Streamflex, using it for a job it was never intended to do: Dries at a distance surrounded by trees. No sweat though, only lost half a dozen of my best dries.
Best fly for me was a double grizzle (still don't have a badger cape but it is the fly show this Saturday so...). Trugg gave me some brilliant advice and taught me a roll cast. He caught a lot more than me but I'm definitely getting there.
 Best bit was the one that got away. It was going dark and we were ready for a cup of tea from the Kelly and home. Trugg spotted a rising fish in a tricky spot. I raised it twice before finally hooking it. Sadly it came off but to me that was very satisfying as I would not normally have tried for it.
I am getting more chilled about fishing and now realise there is no need to rush. Trugg reckons I'm too quick on the draw when striking. He reckons I have John Wayne syndrome. I reckon it's something to do with my drumming past.
So, BFFI Saturday, new badger cape, and some neoprene socks.

new painting

Enough!

We'd booked this a couple of months ago. Bonehead was in Turkey so it was left to me and Jon to attend.
It was a 'Trugg' outing and we were really looking forward to a day on Thornton reservoir with Mick and his mates.
The weather forecast had looked iffy over  the past few days but Trugg reckoned it would be ok.
The original idea was for about 20 odd of us to fish off the rowing boats and swop boat partners at lunch and fish on.
I picked Jon up at 7.15 in pouring rain and set off down the rain soaked A50 towards Leicestershire.
We laughed about the conditions as my Astra kept on switching off cruise control every time we hit standing water! I decided there was no rush and after what we saw on the way down I'm glad we took it easy.
We had no sooner joined the M1, when the safety car was deployed. We were a couple of cars behind the Police range rover as it brought us to a stop while a right battered motor was dragged to the hard shoulder. No other vehicles involved so obviously a victim of the dreaded aquaplane.

After a lengthy delay we finally reached our destination. It was tipping it down and I felt sorry for the guy (think his name was Ifor), armed with bucket baling out the boats.

This is great fun!

Trugg turned up, leading a convoy of cars and we all made for the hut for a cuppa to discuss conditions and tactics. It was funny really. We had all made an effort to get there but we knew the conditions were against us and we were going to get miserably wet; most were already.

Come on you Blues!

Some went for it! We lagged behind and were the last to get in the boat. Jon coached Matthew Pincett for several years but even he was complaining about the conditions. We did one drift and had had enough! It was miserable and as much as we enjoy fishing we called it a day. To us, if we are not happy then we go. We were soaked to the skin. Some guys had got electric motors which would have helped but even so they must have been drenched.
Jon rowed back and we motored back to Stoke. Another car crash on the M1 north, again it looked like only the one car involved. This one was in the ditch next to the hard shoulder and judging by the static southbound traffic, it must have crossed the central reservation.

Nutters driving at crazy speeds. You couldn't see far in the spray.

Got home and knocked this up. I was inspired by the rain.

Anyway. Sorry we went early lads, but at least we turned up! We went for a quick pint and heard that some roads around Stoke were impassible! Not known that for years.