The Continuing Adventures of the Fluff Club, Episode 40
 |
| Over to the dark side |
(In which the names
of the Fluff Boys are pseudonyms but everything else factual, in hope of the
widest appeal to readers)
Flippin' 40! Didn't think about numbers of episodes when I began the blog. I just wish I had 40 comments or snippets of feed-back, it would be good to know what y'all think, what you enjoy, or don't. Any response is a positive thing. Unseasonably mild and nary a breeze, good cloud cover but some sunshine expected to break through later, all in all, a cracking day to leave Christmas behind and be out fishing. Bit of a poor showing from the Fluff Club but 'tis the season to be jolly, so perhaps some were suffering from overindulgence in the jollity; the cast for today's pantomime would be the Professor, Admiral, Jackdaw, Dell-boy, and Whytee; however, there were a lot of other anglers at the venue, the Meon Springs car-park almost full. Anyway, enough trah la la la lah, la lah lah lah for this year, roll on 2019. [Jumping ahead, later I wrote up my fishing log and totalled my stats for 2018 because I won't be fishing again before the new year. My number of sessions was down on 2017, my rod average came to 2.95, down from 3.44; the only 'up' data was mean weight, now at 2lbs 8ozs, four ounces higher than the previous year's. Some people like statistics, whilst others believe you can prove what you want by manipulation. I would personally like to see a continual upward trend, but that and fishing do not seem to correlate, funny that].
The Fluff Boys were last at Meon Springs in episode 34, before that in 10 and 27, today was one of the busiest I've seen at this fishery, apart from Troutmasters fish-offs. There were two of the fair sex participating too, great to see, but no kids, which is a worry for the sport's future. The Professor headed over to Coombe, because he likes the sight fishing it provides, t'other four of us went to look for spaces on Whitewool. I fished my Orvis outfit with a #6I (again!), on the business end was the little lure I haven't named yet, but a couple of weeks back it won me our annual John Hardeley Memorial competition. The best thought I've had so far is "the nameless one". I trudged towards the dam end, where its generally deeper, finding a space about 30 metres from the dam. First cast, count down fifteen seconds, start a figure of eight retrieve, halfway back the line locks up and I'm in! The stocker Rainbow fought way above its weight, and stuck in some weed near the bank, I let the line slacken and it came out to give me another anxious couple of minutes before I netted it. Second cast and a smash take saw the fly and I part company, but the prototype I used in that competition was on my fly patch, so I was quickly back in business. It didn't take long before I had a second stocker safely in the bag, so time for a coffee at the lodge. On the way I stopped at the other guys to see how they were doing, the Admiral had caught one trout on a gold bead pheasant tail and seen a few follows. Further along Jackdaw was enjoying a cigarette, so I knew he had caught, it turned out he'd had one on his very first cast too, taking a BFD, but no other action. Near the lodge I stopped to talk to Dell-boy who also had managed to catch one to a damsel pattern; the poor guy has early Alzheimer's disease and is presently in a home, although he was telling me that he's been offered a placement in a small one-bed flat which would suit him better. He still comes along to some of our tying evenings and fishing outings, but doesn't tie any more because his vice and stuff are stored at his son's place. Just ten feet along from him four Pomeranian(?) geese were creating a deafening racket every time someone passed by. Enjoying a coffee and bacon roll on the decking, I watched the scene for a while, before having a conversation with Greglas about the costs of some of the other Hampshire fisheries. As I headed back down, two Swans had usurped the geese, so when I passed him I quipped "For an old 'un, you're always hanging around with birds. Once a milkman …". He flashed me a Winston Churchill in reply. Jackdaw had added nothing further. I have to say, IMHO (hate this stuff, but attempt to stay on-trend), that both Dell-boy and Jackdaw habitually fish with too-short leaders, also, they don't move far or often, so are rarely covering new water and thus new targets, cumulatively making it harder to catch, frustration follows, and inevitably their confidence evaporates.
At the dam end someone had taken up my previous position, but left a gap farther along which I took. A couple of casts elicited plucks I didn't connect with, but then I had a solid take 'on the hang' and another two-pound-something stocker tried valiantly to escape, but in vain. I thought I should try something different for my last fish, and selected a four-inch shocking-pink Snakefly to see if I could find a bigger fish with it. Best laid plans and all that, but after missing a couple of pulls I hooked another Rainbow, my best of the day, but only two pounds six ounces. It was close to 11.00 and I was putting up my rod when the Professor appeared at my side. He'd taken three from Coombe, using a sort of nymph fashioned recently with CdC and a Krystalflash tail. I said "There are plenty of fish out there" and he cast. While we chatted he was focused on the conversation and missed three pulls in successive casts, "I think I'd better concentrate" he said, casting again, hooking his final fish just as the Admiral ambled over. The latter had completed his brace and was heading for the Catch and Release beats, which, apparently have recently been 'sorted right out', hopefully returning to their former glory. "Wonder if I'll get a follow now?" quoth the Professor, casting his line out to re-seat it on the reel properly, winding back quickly. You can guess the rest - a bow-wave seemingly as big as those GTs chasing Attenborough's Stormy Petrels, - but happily there was no hook-up!
We wandered up to the lodge to grab another java and have the craic. It wasn't long before Dell-boy joined us, settling for just the one fish, hands numbed by the cold. Within the hour Jackdaw did exactly the same, followed onto the decking by the Admiral. After eating our lunches we said adieu and HNY to each other, all departing for home except the Admiral, who was going to try another hour on the C&R.
A prosperous and happy New Year to you too, dear reader.
Kusvikira panguva inotevera.
Flippin' 40! Didn't think about numbers of episodes when I began the blog. I just wish I had 40 comments or snippets of feed-back, it would be good to know what y'all think, what you enjoy, or don't. Any response is a positive thing. Unseasonably mild and nary a breeze, good cloud cover but some sunshine expected to break through later, all in all, a cracking day to leave Christmas behind and be out fishing. Bit of a poor showing from the Fluff Club but 'tis the season to be jolly, so perhaps some were suffering from overindulgence in the jollity; the cast for today's pantomime would be the Professor, Admiral, Jackdaw, Dell-boy, and Whytee; however, there were a lot of other anglers at the venue, the Meon Springs car-park almost full. Anyway, enough trah la la la lah, la lah lah lah for this year, roll on 2019. [Jumping ahead, later I wrote up my fishing log and totalled my stats for 2018 because I won't be fishing again before the new year. My number of sessions was down on 2017, my rod average came to 2.95, down from 3.44; the only 'up' data was mean weight, now at 2lbs 8ozs, four ounces higher than the previous year's. Some people like statistics, whilst others believe you can prove what you want by manipulation. I would personally like to see a continual upward trend, but that and fishing do not seem to correlate, funny that].
The Fluff Boys were last at Meon Springs in episode 34, before that in 10 and 27, today was one of the busiest I've seen at this fishery, apart from Troutmasters fish-offs. There were two of the fair sex participating too, great to see, but no kids, which is a worry for the sport's future. The Professor headed over to Coombe, because he likes the sight fishing it provides, t'other four of us went to look for spaces on Whitewool. I fished my Orvis outfit with a #6I (again!), on the business end was the little lure I haven't named yet, but a couple of weeks back it won me our annual John Hardeley Memorial competition. The best thought I've had so far is "the nameless one". I trudged towards the dam end, where its generally deeper, finding a space about 30 metres from the dam. First cast, count down fifteen seconds, start a figure of eight retrieve, halfway back the line locks up and I'm in! The stocker Rainbow fought way above its weight, and stuck in some weed near the bank, I let the line slacken and it came out to give me another anxious couple of minutes before I netted it. Second cast and a smash take saw the fly and I part company, but the prototype I used in that competition was on my fly patch, so I was quickly back in business. It didn't take long before I had a second stocker safely in the bag, so time for a coffee at the lodge. On the way I stopped at the other guys to see how they were doing, the Admiral had caught one trout on a gold bead pheasant tail and seen a few follows. Further along Jackdaw was enjoying a cigarette, so I knew he had caught, it turned out he'd had one on his very first cast too, taking a BFD, but no other action. Near the lodge I stopped to talk to Dell-boy who also had managed to catch one to a damsel pattern; the poor guy has early Alzheimer's disease and is presently in a home, although he was telling me that he's been offered a placement in a small one-bed flat which would suit him better. He still comes along to some of our tying evenings and fishing outings, but doesn't tie any more because his vice and stuff are stored at his son's place. Just ten feet along from him four Pomeranian(?) geese were creating a deafening racket every time someone passed by. Enjoying a coffee and bacon roll on the decking, I watched the scene for a while, before having a conversation with Greglas about the costs of some of the other Hampshire fisheries. As I headed back down, two Swans had usurped the geese, so when I passed him I quipped "For an old 'un, you're always hanging around with birds. Once a milkman …". He flashed me a Winston Churchill in reply. Jackdaw had added nothing further. I have to say, IMHO (hate this stuff, but attempt to stay on-trend), that both Dell-boy and Jackdaw habitually fish with too-short leaders, also, they don't move far or often, so are rarely covering new water and thus new targets, cumulatively making it harder to catch, frustration follows, and inevitably their confidence evaporates.
At the dam end someone had taken up my previous position, but left a gap farther along which I took. A couple of casts elicited plucks I didn't connect with, but then I had a solid take 'on the hang' and another two-pound-something stocker tried valiantly to escape, but in vain. I thought I should try something different for my last fish, and selected a four-inch shocking-pink Snakefly to see if I could find a bigger fish with it. Best laid plans and all that, but after missing a couple of pulls I hooked another Rainbow, my best of the day, but only two pounds six ounces. It was close to 11.00 and I was putting up my rod when the Professor appeared at my side. He'd taken three from Coombe, using a sort of nymph fashioned recently with CdC and a Krystalflash tail. I said "There are plenty of fish out there" and he cast. While we chatted he was focused on the conversation and missed three pulls in successive casts, "I think I'd better concentrate" he said, casting again, hooking his final fish just as the Admiral ambled over. The latter had completed his brace and was heading for the Catch and Release beats, which, apparently have recently been 'sorted right out', hopefully returning to their former glory. "Wonder if I'll get a follow now?" quoth the Professor, casting his line out to re-seat it on the reel properly, winding back quickly. You can guess the rest - a bow-wave seemingly as big as those GTs chasing Attenborough's Stormy Petrels, - but happily there was no hook-up!
We wandered up to the lodge to grab another java and have the craic. It wasn't long before Dell-boy joined us, settling for just the one fish, hands numbed by the cold. Within the hour Jackdaw did exactly the same, followed onto the decking by the Admiral. After eating our lunches we said adieu and HNY to each other, all departing for home except the Admiral, who was going to try another hour on the C&R.
A prosperous and happy New Year to you too, dear reader.
Kusvikira panguva inotevera.
This Del-Boy chap? Is he based of Only folds and horses’, character made from imagination or a real person?
ReplyDeleteDell-boy and Rodney are pseudonyms in these Fluff Club episodes, but the use of those names was inspired by the characters in the Fools & Horses series, because of the wacky chat that often goes on between them
ReplyDelete