www.iverflyfishers.co.uk

PS: The website is now being updated regularly.

Allen Dixon, Newsletter Editor, Allen_dixon@care4free.net tel. 01628-541-804.

This year has been a strange year. The early matches, Grafham & Pitsford, being VERY cold and windy, then a complete change around with Eyebrook & Farmoor being very hot. In fact at Farmoor it was very exceptional. The temperature had been hovering around 36C or more causing the fish to be well out on the bottom in the deep water, not good for a bank match. The Officer’s Match at John O’Gaunt was the only reasonable match as far as weather goes.

The water at Bewl had been VERY low, lower than ever seen, because of the drought conditions. Although the water is now up because of pumping from the river the water is very dirty and fishing is hard. Ken and Roy paid Bewl a visit on 20^th Aug but left at 4.30pm with nothing to show for it but a few pulls. Does not bode well for the Pair’s Match on Saturday September 9^th.

Allen and Bill (Nash) visited Farmoor on the same day and caught 5 and 8 fish respectively so Farmoor had recovered after the hot spell had passed and the milder weather had returned.

After a discussion about the location of the Bank Match Farmoor had been chosen. Although one can expect difficult conditions in August the temperature was very exceptional and catches very poor. Never the less it is likely that a small reservoir will be chosen for next years August match as there is less water for the fish to ‘hide’.

Congratulations must go to our boys for doing so well in the non-Iver events – see on.

Do not forget that there will almost certainly be a Dinner of some form, probably after Xmas, early in the new year. Watch out for this in the Autumn Newsletter that will come out before Xmas, or else on the Iver Web Site.

The results of the penultimate AMFC Round 5 match at Pitsford in August are yet to be published in any Iver Newsletter but I gather that its result means that after the final at Hanningfield in September Iver are unlikely to be relegated down to Group 2. Due to bits of bad luck Iver have not excelled themselves in Group 1. But then Group 1 is tops and luck does play a part does it not??!!

Yet another day that many anglers would wish to forget!! Nature will not let go and bring us some good weather! It was windy, not far short of the 18mph winds that they had forecast, - ideal for tangles and miscasts! Together with the occasional heavy rain and the chill factor meant that conditions were not favourable. The water was actually quite warm though. The fish were difficult to find and one could see boats heading in all directions in the thought that the grass was greener elsewhere. Boats were seen from the far dam right down the straight and also on the lodge side of the tunnel under the road, with the odd fish being caught here and there. There was only one place where fish were shoaled up. This was at the windward end (as expected!?) of the straight not far from the tunnel, in the sheltered water next to where the public park their cars. The fish were close in, within 50 metres or so of the bank. Roy and Bill found them half way through the day and then both bagged up by 5pm using floating lines and buzzer type flies. Allen and Ken found fish in the bay next to the lodge but it was not until late in the day. Our commiseration go out to Ken who, having found the fish, lost his only catch when his braided loop, leader, flies and fish all separated from his line as he was about to net.

Lines and flies varied considerably from floaters to HiDis, buzzers to boobies. On spooning the fish it was apparent that buzzers were their meal. Apart from Roy and Bill who found some fish, what catches there had been were spread across the different techniques. Several Browns were caught with Eddie catching the best on a medium sinking line and a booby. Stan caught two pike, 6lbs and 9lbs!!!

Hopefully the weather will improve for our next match.

This was a day that was perfect, some would say too perfect. After a few hours most people had finished with only those that had been deliberately going slow so as to stretch out the fishing – perhaps with a barbless hook.

The day was warm, cloudy with the rare glimpse of the sun and a gentle breeze.

The setting is in a nice beautiful green valley with lots of trees around (not that they got in the way). There were two lakes with islands in the middle, one lake being larger than the other (much smaller than Lechlade).

The fish, especially on the smaller, clearer lake were rising continually and so several anglers started on dry fly. Others were using buzzer type flies on/near the top – the water was not exceptionally deep. The odd angler tried a slow sink or sink tip but in general it was a day and water for floaters and small flies (a maximum size limit of size 10 hook, one hook only).

Although the fin quality of the fish was generally poor (stock fish), at an average of 3lbs to 4lbs they put up a good fight.

At noon we all settled down to lunch – wine included.

An enjoyable day was had by all, including the two guests.

Having braved the cold, wind and rain at Pitsford those who went to Eyebrook were confronted with the exact opposite – hot and no clouds although fortunately a breeze - a hard day for the majority. On starting at 9.00am the majority of boats were not far from the lodge. Was this because it was near the dam and very deep? Were the fish deep down because of the hot sun or had there been a stocking recently in that area?

Lines and flies varied considerably from floaters to HiDis, buzzers to boobies. However, the best results came from those using HiDi’s and lures (boobies, blobs) at depth.

At the start of the day (9.00am) there was a gentle breeze along the dam (easterly). There were many rises and Ken and Allen, using slow sinkers, found a spot near the dam, in the middle of the rises, where they caught fish. By 11.00am they had 2 fish apiece. But then the wind completely changed direction (southerly) and the fish stopped rising and disappeared. With a lot of hard work Ken picked up another. He changed to a HiDi lunchtime and got another, his last, by mid afternoon.

The change of wind brought fortunes to another angler, Danny, who had had no success in the morning. Drifting with the wind from the western end of the dam, using a blob and a Hi Di he picked up 5 fish. Perhaps the fish had moved to his drift? All credit to Danny for putting his 4 fish back, he was fishing there the next day in the AMFC match, but it probably did cost him the trophy. However, his partner Eddie did not join in the fortunes with just 1 fish. Never the less his single fish was a real winner at over 6lbs, again on a HiDi with a booby. Another winner was Mick who had had no luck in the morning but in the afternoon picked up 4 fish, again on a HiDi and lure.

Those using floaters (eg Ray and John) did pick up fish but none exceeded more than 2.

2 Fish was what the majority of anglers had and it was noticed that the average on the board in the lodge was 2.27 fish per angler.

Regrettably many boats were anchored up near the dam making it difficult to find a good drift in between them. In one manoeuvre to avoid the boats Allen got his HiDi caught around the prop – he now has a HiDi shooting head.

Many stayed the night in the area because of the AMFC match there the following day.

Following the difficulties associated with the bank venue that had been selected in the spring a last minute decision was made in June as to whether to hold it at John O’Gaunt or Farmoor. Farmoor was chosen partly because John O’Gaunt might be too easy. Following the Farmoor result then perhaps a reflection is needed.

The recent weather had been very hot for several weeks – up in the thirties every day, with many cloudless days. Consequently the water was very hot. On arrival at 8.30am an inspection of the weigh-ins for the last few days revealed many days of total blanks. However, the 23^rd was overcast with a slightly lower temperature and it seemed the perfect day. How wrong that impression was. There were several anglers who had been fishing since 6am and they had not seen a fish, not even a rise. As it so happened there were a few rises during the day but nothing to talk about. Even the swallows came over the water for a few minutes but disappeared never to be seen again. No cormorants either!?

The majority of the club went straight to the jetty (where the boats were) on the eastern bank. A couple tried the north and south banks but after fruitless attempts soon joined the sheep near the jetty.

So how did the fishing go?

Firstly NOTHING was caught near the surface. A few tried floating lines but with a VERY long leader and sinking flies to get the depth. Frank caught his only fish that way.

Otherwise everybody was on fast sinking lines with boobies. Eddie had the best success in that he fished a static hi-di and booby and picked up 3 fish early on – his last I might add.

The few fish that were netted were caught early on, it getting harder as the day progressed.

Ray managed 2 fish and the remainder 1 each – apart from Ken, all that hard work and punishment just to blank. Comiserations!

Highlights :-

Allen decided enough was enough and go at 1pm. On his last cast at 1pm he caught his fish.

John cast out, tied his rod down leaving it static and wandered off. On his return ALL his line was out but everything on the end had vanished. Still, he did get one fish.

Bewl Sat 9^th September (Pairs)

2^nd Ken Williams

3^rd Roy Palmer

6^th Reg Renn

1^st Simon Newman

4^th Clive Collier

For future reference, these will be due on Oct 1^st for the 2006/2007 season.

They are :-

Full membership £20

Concession (over 65 & disabled) £15

Juniors have a special rate, see secretary.

AMFC Results 2006 (Association of Major Flyfishing Clubs - GROUP 1)

1st	Soldier Palmer ‘A’	6pts
2nd	Fish Hawks ‘A’	5pts
3rd	Bewl Bridge F.C. ‘A’	4pts
4th	Iver F.C.	3pts
5th	Rutland Water F.F.	2pts
6th	Grafham Water F.A.	1pt

Total fish caught	176
Rod average	7.3
Average weight	2lbs 6ozs
Largest fish	4lbs 14ozs - John McCullum (GWFFA)
Best bag incl time bonus	20lbs 5ozs - Graham Pearson (Rutland)

			Total
1st	Bewl Bridge F.C. ‘A’	6pts	10pts
2nd	Rutland Water F.F.	5pts	7pts
3rd	Soldier Palmer ‘A’	4pts	10pts
4th	Iver F.C.	3pts	6pts
5th	Grafham Water F.A.	2pt	3pts
6th	Fish Hawks ‘A’	1pts	6pts

Total fish caught	164
Rod average	4.55
Average weight	2lbs 2ozs
Largest fish	5lbs 11ozs - Andrew Flitcroft (Rutland)
Best bag incl time bonus	23lbs 13ozs - John Hardy (Soldier Palmers)

			Total
1st	Fish Hawks ‘A’	6pts	12pts
2nd	Bewl Bridge F.C.’A’	5pts	15pts
3rd	Iver F.C.	4pts	10pts
4th	Rutland Water F.F.	3pts	10pts
5th	Soldier Palmer ‘A’	2pt	12pts
6th	Grafham Water F.A.	1pts	4pts

Total fish caught	149
Rod average	4.14
Average weight	2lbs 8ozs
Largest fish	5lbs 7ozs - Joel Beeney (Bewl Bridge F.C.’A’)
Best bag incl time bonus	24lbs 15ozs - Joel Beeney (Bewl Bridge F.C.’A’)

			Total
1st	Bewl Bridge F.C. ‘A’	6pts	21pts
2nd	Fish Hawks ‘A’	5pts	17pts
3rd	Soldier Palmer ‘A’	4pts	7pts
4th	Grafham Water F.A.	3pts	12pts
5th	Iver F.C.	2pt	11pts
6th	Rutland Water F.F.	1pts	16pts

Total fish caught	89
Rod average	2.47
Average weight	2lbs 6ozs
Largest fish	3lbs 11ozs - Si Gaines (Fish Hawk ‘A’))
Best bag incl time bonus	15lbs 0oz - Dave Murray (Soldier Palmers ‘A’)