For the second year running AJS FlyFishers gave a Days Fishing for 2 Rods plus Guide for the Annual Angling Trust Auction.

This year the auction raised a magnificent sum of £100 for the Angling Trust and the winner; Richard Wigg and his guest Bill Barrett met with Club Treasurer Ian Wynn on the 10 September 2020.

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The weather had improved and river levels were at their best for the guests.  The water was clear, the sun shining with few clouds and fish were seen rising as the guests made their way to the water.  A start was made near Burgess Bridge where several fish could be targeted with a dry fly.  Richard was a newcomer to river fly fishing so the whole experience was one that started as a steep learning curve as he had never waded in moving water before, an even steeper curve as the nature of a free stone Yorkshire river provided an even greater challenge than he expected.

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However, ever eager and with some delicate rod skills, both Richard and Bill were soon casting to rising fish.  Both were surprised at the speed of wild fish to a fly and whilst many casts were eagerly examined by the fish no hookups for either fisherman.  A move further down stream and more rising fish to cast to.

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Bill was first to get a fish to the net and whilst not the biggest fish he had caught, the pleasure of such a fine specimen of a wild brown trout gave him much pleasure.  After many unsuccessful attempts to hook a fish Richard finally managed a nice 9" Grayling to the net, his first ever Grayling.

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After a short break for lunch the party moved to the lower beats of the river.  Neither Richard nor Bill had ever attempted the European Style Tight Line Nymphing technique.  Ian set up a suitable rod and leader and after a short demonstration Bill was eager to have a go.  He had several 'enquiries' but again the speed of the take meant no fish to the net.  He did manage the oldest trick in the book and lost the flies to an overhanging branch.

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Meanwhile Ian had moved upriver with Richard who was now trying his hand at some North Country Spider fishing with a 'down and across' approach using a team of spiders.  By this time few, if any fish, were rising so a switch to 'nymphing' was the order of the day.  

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This brought about a change of luck for Richard and he was soon into several fish including one estimated to be a good 2lb brown trout (about 17")  As a complete newbie to river flyfishing his tally at the end of the afternoon was 5 Brown Trout and 3 grayling.  A very happy auction winner who is now planning a return to fish more northern rivers.

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Following the day both Richard and Bill have been kind enough to send a review of their day for us to include on the website.  A big thank you to them both - it was a massive pleasure to have two gentlemen from the London area as our guests for the day.