Chum

US AND UK FLY FISHING COMEDIANS, NEW STILLWATERS, A PODCAST, A BOOK, FLY TYING EVENTS, NEW CLOBBER, PRODUCTS AND YOUR FLY FISHING HOROSCOPE.

FOLLOW…

…Amie Battams. Lurking in the chalk streams of the UK is a shitload of fly fishing comedy in the form of hilarious, pottymouthed Londoner Amie Battams. Follow her on Instagram: @amie.flyfish, YouTube or Twitter: @BattamsAmie.

Home waters?

When I am not getting the train out of London I get to fish on my home stretch of the river Wandle. I’m secretary of the Wandle Piscators fishing club (wandlepiscators. net), we look after the river, championing conservation of its wildlife whilst engaging with the local youth. We’ve set out a 5-year plan to train up a few local anglers to a level 2 qualification for coaching (myself included) to provide free lessons and competitions for local kids in the area. It’s important to give back when you can, as much as I love fishing it doesn’t belong to me so I’m making efforts to share my passion and make it sustainable for future generations to come.

What do you usually target?

I catch everything and anything I can on the fly I’ve had chub, barbell, gudgeon, roach, trout and pike, and will set out to catch as many different species as possible! Can you imagine when I started fly fishing nearly two years ago I didn’t even know what a trout was!

Fly fishing pet hate?

There is nothing I hate! Even when I get caught in trees or get stung by nettles, I’m living! For me that is the most important thing after wasting much of my youth on drugs and alcohol I tend to savour every dose of real life I possibly can. I knew my life had changed forever the moment I caught a jack on my first hand-tied pike fly. It was a true sensory overload - the birds were chirping amongst the sound of rippling water, and the smell of the dog shit I slid in whilst netting the pike was at a strength unbeknown to science! That’s living.

Shameless product punt?

My Greys GR80 8-foot 4-weight Streamflex works a dream on smaller rivers with overgrown trees and vegetation. My favourite reel to partner it with would be a Greys Fin 5/6. For pike fishing it’s the GR80 SALT 9-ft 9-weight partnered with a 9/10 Tail reel. It works an absolute treat.

Gay representation in mainstream fishing media?

I do not see anyone flying the flag! No company! No manufacturer! No one! So I’ll fly it myself until my arms fall off, for one simple reason... Visibility! To see yourself in something is to have it as an option. I hope that one day when hashtagging the word lesbian it won’t just come up with erotic or over-sexualised images/videos of women as this is not truly representative of the culture. I’d like to see positive representation but to do that you have to put yourself out there so here I am. Happy Pride Everyone!

Complete the following sentence - If Izak Walton were alive today, he would...

DM me wanting my tuppence but I would have to tell him I was a massive lesbian. He wouldn’t mind, Izak would have plenty tuppence on standby.

READ…

… BEN JAILER’S NEW BOOK FISH CAMP FAIL. Jailer, a fly fishing writer for Fly Culture, Fallon’s Angler, Flyfish Journal and Trout & Salmon, is the freshest, funniest fly fishing writer we have read in a long time. His background writing for video games and screenplays shows through in the pace and humour he brings to his fly fishing misadventures. From quadbiking (a little too closely) with fellow straight Welshmen to clambering down perilous cliffs in the dark in France to target seabass, to his take on being called a paedo for practicing his casting in a park – FISH CAMP FAIL is a must read. Available from Amazon.

“THE FRESHEST, FUNNIEST FLY FISHING WRITER WE HAVE READ IN A LONG TIME”

CHECK OUT…

…Comedians on the Fly. The latest project from comedian, conservationist and Bajio ambassador, Eeland Stribling, this new YouTube series sees him take comedian friends fly fishing. It’s a great format, as there’s a general educational vibe with Eeland explaining how both the environment and fly fishing works, but at the same time there’s kak-funny banter between the two comedians. Now he just needs to get a comedian who can fly fish onboard… cough…cough…Jimmy Kimmel. instagram.com/

comediansonthefly

THE BABER SCOPE

YOUR FISHING FUTURE ACCORDING TO YOUR STAR SIGN AS READ BY BABERMAN, THE LEGENDARY GRUMPY CATFISH.

CANCER (CRAB) JUNE 21 – JULY 22

Notorious homebodies, Cancerians love creating safe domestic spaces, which is why you should devote the rest of the winter to making the ultimate wo/man-cave. Have that custom-made fly-tying La-Z-Boy complete with removable bedpan. Put in those retractable rod racks, reel shelves and material organizers. Grow a hard shell made of Flexo tubing and EP fibre. Eat your Jack Russel. Just make sure you have a weather station handy too for when the time comes to make a pincer movement on your local fishery.

LEO (LION) JULY 23 – AUGUST 22

Ruled by the sun, attracted to drama and renowned for your bravery (which is also code for not being too smart), winter is not really your time to shine. You’re in need of some warm, tropical vibes in the next few months to show off your inner Lion. I read the entrails of a vulture and they said you should slather yourself in a combination of baby oil and anchovy paste, chum the waters off Northern Australia for bastards, crocs and sharks, and if you survive, fish for a week in nothing but a Speedo. Them’s the rules.

GET… …YOUR KIFF ON.

The Garden Route of South Africa is a hive of activity at the moment. The grunter fishing is next level, the club scene is growing (see below) and, with the rise of KIFF (Knysna’s Innovative Fly Fishing Co.), there’s some great products coming out of the area too. For the non-South Africans in the audience, “kiff” means “cool”, but in an old-school ‘80s/’90s kind of way. KIFF owner Greg Carstens has been fishing for 30 years, but KIFF launched in 2021 a couple of years after he moved to Knysna under 2019’s lockdown. Their products range from lethal-looking SPRATZ creasestyle flies to the POPZ (that Greg’s son Jase tosses at GTs where he guides in the Seychelles), to Grippi thumb and Slippi finger sleeves. For us the stand-outs are the silicone Leader Straightener and the patented Leader Looper - a tough silicone ring that slides onto your reel seat to create a handy T-piece pivot point to loop your leader around so that you keep your leader – fly line connection outside of your rod guides, minimizing frustration and rod tip breaks. Judging by the fact that KIFF is now in the USA too through a partnership with FlyMen Fishing Co., they seem to be onto something. kiff-fly.com, kiffusa.com

KIFF (KNYSNA’S INNOVATIVE FLY FISHING CO.)

JOIN…

… Garden Route Fly Fishing. Like a new island emerging from the sea due to volcanic action, new fly fishing club Garden Route Fly Fishers now exists. Wrangled by Chris Wood of Tigerfishing Zambezi, what was just a Facebook page has now become an actual club that meets and greets, convenes for events at The Bell in Belvedere (they are the only people we know of this year showing the Fly Fishing Film Tour) and drinks beer. You can find them on Facebook.

SIGN UP FOR…

…XPLORER’S

SIGNATURE FLY TYING

EVENINGS. Designed to introduce you to both new fly tying products and skilled fly tyers that tie phenomenal patterns, these events kick off at 6pm at their concept store in Durban and involve all the materials you need plus snacks and beers! Book to reserve your spot. xplorerflyfishing.co.za

ATTEND…

… STREAM AND SEA’S

FLY TYING EVENTS.

Stream and Sea and the Cape Piscatorial Society (CPS) have teamed up for fly tying events in the venerable old CPS clubhouse in the inner city. Co-sponsored by Skout and Mouche Hooks, you can expect hands-on tying instruction and a range of new fly tying products. streamandsea.com, piscator.co.za

LISTEN TO…

… The Feather Mechanic Podcast. Gordon van der Spuy, aka The Feather Mechanic, is a lot of things. A professional actor, author, fly tying guru and instructor and now, an accomplished podcast host. With his new podcast The Feather Mechanic, you can expect interviews with our issue 33 Lifer, Tim Rolston, on smallstream basics, our Garden Route grunter guru LeRoy Botha on the spotty bastards and fly tying and Evan D. Brant on breeding the perfect hackle. There’s even one with The Mission’s editor on how this rag came into being. Available on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Then, over in the Dullstroom area, Mavungana FlyFishing are opening up Longmeadow Farms, and its long off-limits stillwaters - Davy’s, Longmeadow and Trout Valley. Previously reserved for the grande fromages of mining giant AngloAmerican, anglers can now fish all three properties while staying in a modern 10-sleeper house at Trout Valley. Set among well-established orchards, meadows and old trees, these are pristine dams fed by extensive wetlands or, in the case of Longmeadow, a section of the picturesque Crocodile River, which also offers some great technical fishing. With a range of environments from huge drop-offs to productive shallows, you can expect to target trophy rainbows and browns that have been taking it easy for a few decades. Bookings are limited to a few select prime coldwater months per year. Visit longmeadow.co.za for details.

TARGET TROPHY RAINBOWS AND BROWNS

VISIT… … TWO NEW STILLWATER VENUES

First up, Frontier Fly Fishing now has access to an amazing new stillwater, Spring Lake, less than three hours from Joburg on a working cattle farm located between Machadodorp and Badplaas. The lake is situated high on a mountain and is fed by four natural springs, the largest of which emerges from the ground and flows for 3kms before entering the lake. That means it stays cold all year and as the lake is not pumped for water, the level stays constant too. Expect incredibly clear water with a variety of features from deep channels and extensive shallows, to weed beds and drop-offs stocked with hard fighting rainbows. Accommodation is in a luxurious modern home built on the lake’s shores. Frontier will be running four-night trips (Thurs-Sun) aimed at beginner or intermediate anglers from October. frontierflyfishing.com

ADMIRE THE SWAG OF…

… RVCA AND BEN HORTON. The mainstream love for fly fishing continues, with this awesome new Ben Horton collection from surf/skate brand RVCA’s ANP (Artist Network Program). Renowned for the graphics he creates for his skateboard decks, San Diego-based Horton’s Living Downstream collection includes a Hoodie and Longsleeve T, a bucket hat and a niftylooking waist pack, all featuring his signature fish artwork. On the idea for the collection, Horton says, “Changes made to the beginning of a stream, affect the end of the stream. Just as decisions made today, flow into options tomorrow. But this is nothing new. We’re living downstream inhabiting the choices made.” Available at thestorestuff.co.za

WIN THIS SWAG

THE MISSION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE STORE ARE GIVING AWAY EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON THIS PAGE. SIMPLY FOLLOW @THESTORE_SA AND @THEMISSIONFLYMAG ON INSTAGRAM AND COMMENT ON OUR BEN HORTON POST WITH WHERE YOU WOULD USE THIS CLOBBER.