REALLY WILD TROUT CLUB
On
Draycote
By Steve Cox.
Detailing
Magnus Angus meets a super-hero rod, casts with a punchy 3-weight line, and investigates some barbless back-end lures
76 ON THE BENCH
Magnus Angus tries out some newly issued handy spools of Classic thread;
black nickel Bomber/ streamer hooks; and a four-inch length Craft Fur.
Craft Fur on test, and tying with it.
Late-season secret Stonefly patterns.
30 SECRET STONES
John Glynn reveals that the late-season, subtle hatches of willow and needle flies can bring excellent autumn sport – provided you have the correct fly.
62 ALSO A SHRIMP
In building a fly box for wily trout, Neil Patterson considers a 1970s fly awaiting the arrival of a natural to imitate in the 2020s.
50 FIRST PORT OF CALL
Charles Jardine fishes a competition, and learns about a crucial fly pattern for the 'washing line'. 40 GRILSE BY THE GROCER'S Alastair Gowans fishes the Long Water – part of the Isle of Harris' Obbe system, which enters the sea at Leverburgh in the Outer Hebrides.
16 CALMING MY WATERS
Jamie Pike – an emergency services first responder –considers the invaluable peace, serenity, and healing that fly tying and fly fishing affords him.
36 GETTING OLDER
Tom Harland celebrates his birthday by packing the flyrod and hiking high into the Southern Uplands.
64 ANGLING CLUB OF THE MONTH
Allan Liddle fishes the huge expanse of Durness and Kinlochbervie Angling Club’s waters, in Scotland’s north.
In the first of a mini-series on tackling different sections of a river, Paul Procter considers tactics for the head of a pool and pocket-water.
56 LAST OF THE SUMMER WHINE
Pat O'Reilly says that as the trout season slips away, it’s time to hunt big grayling on dry fly... and on many of Britain’s rivers, too.
Shot of the Month
Shot of the Month
Nearly there: hiking up to fish the highest fishable lake in Wales, Timmy Gray took this panoramic shot of Llyn Ogwen and Mount Tryfan.
● Shoot a ‘Shot of the Month’ and win a year’s subscription to FF&FT Send your photo to: rollingriver@mac.com
bigstock/dip2000
In side information Top Daddy
There is no doubt in my mind that, like or not, competitive fly fishing will improve you as a fly fisher. That includes tactically, your understanding, efficiency, and sheer assessment and nous in any given stillwater fly fishing situation.
Now that does not mean for one moment you have sell your soul to the competitive devil
and sup from the cup of fly fishing hades. All it means is that one can learn from the experience, absorb, move on and gently ease those things that are noticed and acted upon in the cut-and-thrust during a day out with the great and the good (and the not so good). And massage them into your everyday fly fishing.
I know full well that this magazine eschews the values of the solitary and artistic fly fisher…
But there is room for both.
Actually, you can embrace both and still come away with your fly fishing values, morals, scruples and pleasantness intact. To be perfectly honest, I could count on one hand the times when I have stumbled from the boat at the end of a “comp” vowing to never fish with another angler, ever, ever, again.
Mostly, fishing in a competition has been a
Jeff Mason, our team captain and guru in the Cortland competitions (we always have an odd name, invariably too rude to place on these pages, so best move on…) drifts out from the dam area across the mouth of Butcombe onto Blagdon’s North shore.
This area was pivotal during the two days of competition and concentrated fish and fishers alike. The conditions, whilst not quite as calm as on this image, had the wind coming off and swirling around the entire dam – always awkward.
Drifts varied, and in many ways it was the anglers who dared to be different that were successful. Gareth Jones – ever the creative angling genius – fished along the weed-beds and caught fish that no one knew about; Malcom Hunt, similarly bucked the trend, opting for intermediates both full and sink-tip lines and convincingly won day one. However, the plaudits went to the ever-consistent Andy Hoffrock, who simply "played the percentages”, keeping his flies fishing high, with his totemic Daddy (see Fly of the Month) on the point and skinny Nymphs, simply altering his speed of retrieve and the Nymphs’ position on the leader and also altering the weight of actual hook-wire, so that the flies sat differently in the water. I think that his use of a poly-leader also helped hugely – especially with the dynamic of turning over the air-resistant Daddy.
Whatever he did, Andy did it so very well, and won the entire competition, and against the calibre of anglers that were fishing on those days, that was a Herculean feat… something he is so very modest about.
voyage of fun and – importantly –learning. And actually, catching that nervewracking first fish. It concentrates your whole being. Therefore, reading the water, watching the fishers around you, playing to strengths, covering over the weaknesses, noting effective line-densities, and where possible leader lengths and flies – all of it contributes to that vital first fish.
Leave the rod behind?
Of course, no one wants to blank…who actually wants not to catch a single trout?
In fact, I am deeply suspicious of anyone who says: “Well: catching a fishing is just a bonus; I am there for the experience” . In which case, why not leave the rod behind? Better still, invest a good pair of walking boots, it will be darned sight cheaper.
Sorry, if that offends…but. And I can add that competitions are definitely not for you!
This all brings me to Daddies!
The other week I was involved (in a very dilettante way) in the annual Cortland competition, fished by teams of six – two on Blagdon, and four on Chew – held over two days: it’s a corker. More than that, it is fished in the spirit of the sport absolutely, but in all seriousness, with fun mixed in too. Nevertheless, you never really want to just turn up and do badly. So, help from team-mates and a bit of detective work is always required.
Naturally, what transpired over the
course of our practice, manifestly didn’t happen on match day. I think that this aspect of our sport is an absolute given: and being a two-day match, Day 1 is usually a darned sight easier than Day 2.
This year, the “intel” accrued on Day 1 certainly shaped and helped our approach on Day 2.
Intriguingly, there has seldom been, certainly over the last few years, a need for any line more drastic than an intermediate (occasionally a Di-3 or Di-5 Sweep, but more for searching) – and on Blagdon this year the higher in the water the better, with even dry fly playing its role. Especially the Foam Daddy.
I will outline the style of fishing and design of fly in the Fly of the Month section; but I would like to introduce a hero.: Andy ‘the Hoff’ Hoffrock.
Celebrating genius
The Cortland competition weekend celebrates the genius of a number of fly fishers – Keiron Jenkins, Gareth Jones both of Airflo and the mighty (all conquering) Nympho Team – Lee James, too. Malcom Hunt, Andy Stones, Mark Miles and a host of really fine competitionbased fly fishers. But Andy – the Hoff – is that wonderful thing: an unsung hero. He’s always in the mix, quietly going about his craft with a subtle – yet strongly competitive – decency which lies at the heart – or should do – of our chosen area of angling.
I thought a little about Andy, his winning ways and general fly fishing lore should have a larger audience.
Andy Hoffrock’s angle
Charles Jardine: When, where, and how did you start fly fishing?
Andy Hoffrock: I caught my first trout when I was around six or seven from a small brook near where I lived. It was on a worm, and I was so excited I dropped my rod and ran straight home to show my mum and dad, leaving all my gear behind! After that, I spent my teenage years coarse fishing, until rugby took over.
I started fly fishing around 1995. My first trip was to Cefn Mably with two Irish friends. I didn’t catch a trout that day, but I did hook a couple, which was enough to get me hooked on the sport! Afterwards, I bought some gear and started pleasure fishing at Ynys-y-Fro and Wentwood. In 1997, I joined the fly fishing club at work, which had some outstanding international anglers, and we had a corporate boat on Llandegfedd Reservoir. I spent most weeks on that boat, learning how to fish from it. It wasn’t until 2003 that I began taking competitive fly fishing seriously, joining Team Orvis. The learning curve was steep; there were so many techniques, methods, and flies that I had never even heard of. In 2004, I started trialling and made the Welsh team in 2006 and 2007, winning bronze at Brenig and gold at the Lake of Menteith. I stopped fly fishing in 2008 to take up golf, but still went on an annual work trip to fish the coch y bonddu beetle fall at Clywedog each June. My fly fishing hiatus lasted until 2019, when a good friend invited me back to Clywedog. That trip reignited my passion, and I’ve been focused on fly fishing ever since, gradually drifting away from golf.
CJ: Do you see a distinct difference between pleasure fishing and competitive fishing?
AH: Absolutely. There’s a unique mix of excitement, anticipation, and nerves before a competition that I don’t feel anywhere else. It’s a similar feeling to the opening day of a season — so much energy and focus. Competition fishing sharpens your skills because you’re constantly learning from some of the best anglers out there.
Pleasure fishing is more relaxed, but I still approach it with the same work ethic, always experimenting with different methods. It’s a great way to test new techniques without the pressure of a competition.
CJ: Do you have any favoured methods? Or do you always keep your op-
A well organised boat, with everything where it should be, and importantly within easy reach is a route to success. And Andy Hoffrock is the epitome of that organisational ease. Me, on the other hand…
tions open?
AH: My favourite method is straight-line static Buzzers. It’s particularly effective during a short window from late April to June, but when the fish are keyed in on buzzers, the takes can be absolutely thrilling. The sudden, aggressive, and sometimes arm-wrenching takes are what make this method so exciting.
CJ: You put a lot of faith in the Daddy Long Legs pattern. How true is that, and does it dictate how you fish?
AH: Yes, Daddies are my go-to pattern, especially when fish are up in the water, but not actively feeding. It’s one of those flies that just attracts fish, even if they’ve never seen a real daddy long legs before. I’ve had success using them with sinking lines, but they’re most effective when fished on the surface or moved just under it. The colour can be key—some days, fish will only take a specific colour. My go-to colours are orange, black, and tan.
CJ: What rod-weights do you prefer, and why?
AH: In competitions, I nearly always use a 7-weight rod because it can handle a wide range of lines. If I’m starting with heavy fast-sinking lines, I’ll set up an 8-weight.
When I’m pleasure fishing, though, I prefer a smooth casting 6-weight rod, especially since I tend to stick to floating or sink-tip lines.
CJ: You’re considered the heartbeat of Ynys-y-Fro. Can you tell me a little about its history and your passion for the club?
AH: The Ynys-y-fro reservoirs were built in the mid-1800s, and Welsh Water managed the fishing there until the early 1980s when the NRFFA took over the lease. When I joined the committee, the club had potential, but wasn’t thriving. Many local fisheries were closing, but Ynys-y-Fro had the advantage of not being a huge reservoir—it wasn't too intimidating for new anglers, yet it still offered a challenge similar to larger reservoirs. They’re not small ponds either, so if you catch a fish you know you’ve done something right.
In the last two years, we’ve really boosted the club’s profile through social media, regular updates to members, and an improved stocking policy. This has attracted more anglers, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. I’m passionate about growing the club, and now that I’ve retired from work, I’m fortunate to have the time to dedicate to it. I’ve researched and reached out to other fisheries, who’ve been incredibly supportive. It’s rewarding when anglers compliment the work the committee has done.
CJ: What do you see as the future of the club and fly fishing in general?
AH: The club’s future looks bright. We’re fortunate because we don’t need to operate as a business that has to make a profit or pay wages. That allows us to keep prices low, while maintaining a high headcount of fish in the reservoirs. I’ve noticed a decline in large reservoir fly fishing, with the exception of Clywedog, which is booming because they’ve got the balance right—regular stocking and fair pricing. At the end of the day, anglers want to catch fish, and they’ll go where that’s most likely.
CJ: The club attracts a good percentage of younger fly fishers. Why do you think that is?
AH: We’re definitely seeing more young anglers, though the numbers are still relatively small. One big factor is that under16s fish for free with an adult, and even without an adult, it’s inexpensive for juniors to fish. We’re also introducing a junior season ticket next year at a very low cost. We’re exploring other ways to bring more young people into the sport, which is exciting for the future.