Trout Fisherman Issue 529 (Digital Sampler)

BOB CHURCH 8-PAGE TRIBUTE FIRST FOR TACTICS, TACKLE & WHERE TO FISH

THE MASTER 1935 - 2019

HIS ACHIEVEMENTS INCREDIBLE STORIES YOUR MEMORIES

www.troutfisherman.co.uk

TOP 100

All the action . .. from the day

SE N IOR F I N

AL

2018/19

VENUES TO FISH IN 2020 FEATURING...

Best stocking Value for money Top facilities & much more!

6 NOV - 3 DEC, 2019 | £3.70

ISSUE 529

RESERVOIR TACTICS

MEDIUM WATERS

FLY-TYING ADVICE

TACKLE REVIEWS

Steve Cullen's approach

Iain Barr's 'back end' flies

Follow our step-by-step

Fast action, good recovery!

DIGITAL EDITIONS AVAILABLE

Contents I SS U E 529

Cover image by Jeffrey Prest

BE INSPIRED

8

6 Your first

Readers share stories of their fly-fishing firsts

61 Fly-tying products

Get creative with Mirror Flash mylar piping and new barbless hooks

WHERE TO FISH

TRIBUTE

63 UK waters

A special tribute to the great man who made such a massive contribution to angling

66 Spotlight on...

8 Bob Church

Four top trout fisheries to visit this month

COVER STORY

Winter hotspots and tactics on Pitsford Water

TACTICS

68 Wish you were here

16 Total carnage

Ex-Grafham fishery manager John Mees has set up a fishing holiday retreat in Spain

Steve Cullen tells you how to target grown-on resident trout in late season COVER STORY

72 Alaskan salmon

22 Enjoy the adventure

Iain Barr goes for a Daddy Longlegs and Snake approach at Elinor Trout Fishery COVER STORY

28 Bowden Springs

92

Fastmail highlights six flies that will serve us well this month

34 Simply Garnffrwd

OPINION & NEWS

Peter Cockwill visits a Welsh water that’s gaining a reputation as one of the best in the UK

80 News

All the latest news on the trout scene plus Ian Muckle’s Scottish column

ADVICE

38 Advice squad

82 Cockwill

TF’s experts answer your questions on Buzzer imitations, line treatments and take detection

Peter picks up on a few topics after reading an old book about stocking lakes

41 How to...

Understand grayling - part one

OFFERS

FLY-TYING

45 The Holo Back Bug

Follow Peter Gathercole’s step-bystep to a deadly all-round bug COVER STORY

48 Flybox fillers

Russ Symons ties a variant of the Amber Nymph Peter Gathercole judges your roach, stickleback and perch fry patterns and sets a new challenge

TACKLE

57 Gear on test

Robbie Winram puts rods, reels, luggage and clothing through its paces COVER STORY

FOCUS ON...

78 Winter flies

Jeff Prest accompanies a local angler at this wellmanaged Scottish venue

52 Flymasters

Chris Tarrant catches plenty of salmon while also having close encounters with brown bears

56 Subscription offer

Get 13 issues of Trout Fisherman magazine for just £3.30 a month - a saving of

62 Reader offer

Your chance to buy some Diawa Wilderness Clothing

FREE GUIDE

AT THE BACK OF THIS MAGAZINE

84 Letters

TF readers have their say...

86 Book reviews

Two publications get the Jeff Prest treatment

87 Troutmasters

Are you among this month’s badge winners?

92 Troutmasters Final

COVER STORY How champion Peter Crowe finally won after many attempts

97 Iain Barr

Latest opinions on reservoirs from our former world champion

100 Wading in

Jeff Prest has a go at those claiming that fly fishing is the new “surfing”

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY www.t ro u t f i s h e r m a n .co.u k

troutfishermanmag TroutFishMag troutfisherman troutfishmag troutfisherman troutfisherman troutfisherman-online @troutfisherman

THIS MONTH’S WINNER A lovely wild borders brown trout.

Sent in by Conan Turnbull

HOW TO ENTER

Shot of the

MONTH

If you have a fly-fishing image that you would like to see here, please send it to us. Images must be: original size • high resolution.

Email them to leigh.johnson@bauermedia.co.uk If the image is too large to go over email, send via the free service wetransfer.com (for help see wetransfer.com/howitworks).

Published photographers will receive a landing net from Sharpes of Aberdeen. Browse their products at www.sharpes.net or call 01466 794415.

Enter our competition now for your chance to win a Sharpe’s landing net

Words Russell Hill, Jeff Prest Picture selection Leigh Johnson

The man's contribution to angling and in particular stillwater trout fishing, is legion.

BOB CHURCH

TRIBUTE

He will never be forgotten

Bob Church's massive contribution to stillwater trout fishing will live forever, says Trout Fisherman

B

OB Church MBE. Angler. Innovator.

Football fan.

Gentleman. The list could continue. The man’s contributions to angling and, in particular stillwater trout fishing, are legion. Many readers will have grown up reading Bob’s Angling Times column, his huge number of articles in Trout Fisherman or his many incredible books.

He achieved so much on the match scene too, despite his deemed 'professional' status (due to roles in fishing media and the tackle trade) denying him what he said were 12 years in international matches. He soon made up for lost time: winning team gold and individual bronze for England - in England - in the 1987 World Championships, then confounding dismissive whispers of 'home advantage', as part of the England team that successfully defended its gold medal in Tasmania in 1988. He also won European Team Gold in 1990. During a glittering competition career, he created the Bob Church Classic; often referred to as the FA Cup of fly-fishing.

His fishing tackle innovations and fly patterns had a massive influence in shaping our sport – ranging from the first large arbour reel to the creation of many ground-breaking fly patterns. The Appetiser was the first to involve marabou while other notable patterns include the Black Chenille and the Goldie.

His great many achievements have been listed in detail in other publications. Although we've mentioned many here, the main

aim of this tribute is to focus on Bob Church the man. Born in 1935 and reaching his 83rd birthday he enjoyed a full life and one that should be celebrated. We asked many people for their testimonies.

Generosity

Many responses spoke of a kindhearted man. We’ve been inundated with testimonials from readers and contributors via email and social media, telling us of their days fishing with the great man.

They highlighted how willing he was to speak to absolutely anyone, despite his fame and status within our great sport.

He’d spend time talking and sharing flies with experienced anglers and beginners alike, chatting as if he’d known them for years. No-one could accuse Bob of snobbery, he was the very opposite.

Humour

His sense of humour was as infectious as his laugh and on occasions he made you chuckle with his antics, sometimes inadvertently. Editor Russell Hill recalls a Hardy match final at Rutland in the late 1990s, when Guido Vinck’s Belgian team were suffering with bad stomachs.

Typically English when dealing with people from another country, Bob approached Guido and spoke slowly, emphasising his words so that Guido would understand him.

“G-u-i-d-o…t-h-e…t-o-i-l-e-t-s… a-r-e… u-p-s-t-a-i-r-s.”

This effort of communication met a puzzled expression from Guido whom, after Bob had departed, carried on speaking to those November 6 - December 3 Trout Fisherman 9

TACTICS R E S E R V O I R S Words Steve Cullen Pictures Peter Gathercole

Steve enjoys great action at Pitsford.

TOTAL CARNAGE There’s no better time than late season to actively target grown-on resident trout. Steve Cullen shows you how…

TACTICS M E D I U M W A T E R S Words Iain Barr Pictures Peter Gathercole

Iain with a quality Elinor rainbow.

Enjoy the ADVENTURE Late season can see a huge range of flies from Daddies to Snakes working at various parts of a lake, says Iain Barr

TACTICS S M A L L W A T E R S Words & pictures Jeffrey Prest

Ian Jardine brings in a fish on fly-only Bowden Loch.

Haven by the hill

Whether it’s the wind or the rat-race you’re escaping, one Scottish fishery has you covered, high on its West Lothian perch…

TACTICS S M A L L W A T E R S Words Peter Cockwill Pictures Sue Cockwill

Well managed, with great stock and facilities - that's Garnffrwd.

Simply Garnffrwd

Peter Cockwill visits a Welsh small water that's gaining a reputation as one of the best in the UK

Fly-Tying In association with Veniard

The Holo Back Bug Peter Gathercole ties an all-round bug for river or lake www.troutfisherman.co.uk

Visit our website www.veniard.com

READER OFFER SAV E U P TO

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DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS GREAT OFFER

M

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How to order

When ordering quote “Trout Fisherman offer” & code “00151”.

Please state code/sizes you require when ordering. Offer available while stocks last. Free P+P. Tel: 0141 212 8880 | Fax: 0141 331 6340 Email: sales@fishingmegastore.com | Order online: www.gac.fishing/00151TF Post: Glasgow Angling Centre, Unit 1, The Point, 29 Saracen Street, Glasgow G22 5HT

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