Summer 2023
Fond Farewells
Our Chairman, Robert Craig, is sadly leaving the Club at the end of the summer. He and his wife, Ginny, are relocating down to the south of England to be nearer their family members who live in that region.
Robert has been involved with AJS FlyFishers for many many years. He was a member of the original syndicate with Tony Sterne and then after a brief spell at Tanfield following the passing of Tony, he rejoined the Club and has been a loyal member ever since. Robert has been a Voluntary Bailiff and until recently he still made daily excursions to check on the river. He will of course be sadly missed by many who have known him for a very long time. At our Committee meetings Robert was always a good host making delicious cakes to ensure the meetings always went well.
On the 2 August those members of the Committee who were available, plus Sally and Pippa Sterne, met at Robert and Ginny's home for a few words and general chat about the many enjoyable times spent down at the river. Naturally good cakes and coffee were served yet again.
On behalf of the Club, Treasurer Ian Wynn, presented a small gift box of chocolates to Ginny and then a bottle of Single Malt to Robert. Sally and Pippa were pleased to be invited to share in this celebration and it provided happy memories for all who were able to attend. I am sure that all members will wish both Ginny and Robert the very best of happy times once they do relocate down south.
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Cohort 3 Youth Programme
The final cohort of Scouts have now successfully finished their 6 month long programme. The final event was a 'Family Day 'held down at the lower end of the beat. Family members joined our coaches and supporters and each scout had the morning session to show Mums and Dads what they have learnt and practised over the programme. Following this session a superb BBQ was enjoyed by all. Then followed some fun activities for both Scouts and Mums and Dads to have a go at. The final event of the year was the Presentation Evening held in the Scout Hall. Once again our Riparian Owner, Sally Sterne, came along to present the awards.
Pictures of the final events are to be found in the Youth Programme section of our site
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Catch Returns
A gentle reminder to all members that as we are approaching the last month of the trout season that they should update their records so an accurate catch return is provided. The preferred system is that of using the website. If you are still unsure or just want a refresher then let Ian know and he will talk you through the procedure again. Paper records are of course acceptable but do please try and include all the details a web based return would cover.
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Tight Lines to all
The Club has had a good year, members have reported good catches throughout the Brown Trout season and several have already had very successful sessions Grayling fishing.
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Whilst we thought it prevalent to not run our usual workshops for habitat and river bank improvements owing to the still prevalent Covid issues the general condition and access we traditionally enjoy is still in good condition. The work by the Woodland Trust has made major improvements to accessing many areas and members are encouraged to explore areas not familiar to them, there are some great pools, riffles and runs once you cross the Burgess Bridge and fish either upstream or downstream.
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Another major achievement for the Club has been the successful completion by the first cohort of Scouts enrolled on the Youth Programme. Previously the reports and information have been subset within this News Section but these are now given their own pages under the Youth Programme Title. Simply navigate via the top menu bar along the top row and under 'More' a set of additional pages appears and it is here you will find the full reviews.
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We are also pleased to let our visitors know that the project has been chosen by Trout and Salmon magazine for inclusion in the December 2021 edition. This should be on sale mid November. Of particular interest for members of the Club there is a section included within the article that outlines the history of the Club. Thanks to our Riparian Owner Sally Sterne for allowing this to be included.
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As Autumn takes a more firm hold and the trees continue to loose their leaves in readiness for the onset of winter please do spend a few hours down at the river. The small dry fly continues to be a great way of temping eager fish to the net but for those who prefer a nymph approach success can also be had using any of the old or new techniques often seen in magazines or via social media.
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Tight Lines to all