NTFC Newsletter_April 2023

CLUB CONTACTS Executive Don Clementson 027 437 6019 [email protected] Barry Howell 544 3069 [email protected] President: Jean Willis 547 6432 [email protected] Past President Secretary Chris Clenshaw 544 5276 [email protected] Treasurer Committee Richard Breakspear 541 9050 [email protected] Kevin Nansett 545 2007 [email protected] Peter Lawler 548 9753 [email protected] Tony Entwistle 544 4565 [email protected] James Macdonald 540 3520 [email protected] Neil Anderson 539 4941 [email protected] Allan Ballard 544 1735 [email protected] Web Master Peter Lawler 548 9753 [email protected] 547 1197 [email protected] Club Librarian Cameron Reid 545 2007 [email protected] 027 437 6019 [email protected] Trophy Master Kevin Nansett Club Sponsorship Don Clementson Club Speakers Committee Members Club Night Tea/Coffee Committee Members Newsletter Editor James Macdonald 540 3520 [email protected] Life Members 1982 Chappie Chapman 2007 Jean Willis 2018 Richard Boyden 2021 Tony Entwistle Past Presidents 06-08 Lester Higgins 08-09 Ross Walker 09-11 Dennis Ealam 03-06 Richard Boyden 13-15 Tony Entwistle 15-17 Maree Peter 17-18 Michael Stevenson 11-13 Ray Day 19-20 Barry Howell The Nelson Trout Fishing Club Meets once a month at: Fish and Game Offices, 66 Champion Road, Richmond Normally the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:00pm Please phone (Don’s phone #) if unsure Any views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the committee, club or editor Webpage: www.nelsontroutfishingclub.com Follow us on Facebook Cover: Dave Scranney fishing the Avon Dam in Devon, aged 11.

President’s Flyline Nelson Trout Fishing Club April 2023 By the time you are reading this the summer season will have come to an end. It has been a mixed bag this year with the river levels being up and down like a yoyo. When it did finally stabilise the fishing was great but that didn’t last. I had one day on the Motueka when the fish were rising all day and towards the end I had to knock off because the body had had enough - must be old age creeping in. Don’t forget the winter season has started and May and September can still be good fishing. Check the regulations for where you can fish. We have some exciting stuff coming up in the next few months - next month in May we have a world renowned scientist and expert on trout Dr John Hayes – not to be missed. In June is our mid-winter lunch at the Moutere Tavern. Then in July is our AGM and Sir Tony Entwistle’s world famous quiz. We are looking for one or two club members to come on to the committee and my 2 year stint at being President will come to an end so I hope you will all be queuing up to take my place. Our Club relies on members to come forward. Craft Beer Section:- When you are up a river and you see a fishing guide in front of you, pull out the Strong Operator Ale and go to work. They won’t do it again. After a great day’s fishing take a few cans of McLeod’s IPA to finish off the day. You won’t want to go home. When up at Lake Rotoiti and the weather is not great pull out a can of Blue Sky American Pale Ale and wait for it to clear. If it doesn’t happen have a few more cans and then you won’t even know what the weather is doing. If after trying to clear the weather at Lake Rotoiti with the Blue Sky Ale and it doesn’t work try Jumbo Juice Hazy IPA. It definitely works. I saw some flying jumbos up there last week. If all that fails try the Baywatch Happy Blonde Ale. It definitely works.



Buy & Sell Nothing for sale this week. Go to: https://www.flyfishingwithtony.com





Originally published in New Zealand Outdoor, September 1954

President Don fishing the Travers:

Tip of the month – FISHING PHOTOGRAPHY with Jean Willis We’ve all seen plenty of grip-and-grin photos: regular head-on shots of happy anglers posing with fish. While these shots can be fun mementos, they are rarely the shots that you end up hanging on your wall or sending to James for inclusion in our newsletter. Fishing photos can almost always be made better by setting up the shot creatively. Get down low in the water and shoot up or climb to high ground or stand on the bow of the boat in order to shoot down. When shooting scenery, try doing it through branches, leaves or other structure to add elements to the foreground. Whenever the weather turns and things get nasty, try shooting the storm clouds, the steely grey

light, or even the rain. If you want to add a different element to your photos, go in close and capture the details: fingers tying on a hook, a well-stocked fly or lure box, or a close-up of a dorsal fin or tail. Imagine shooting a complete essay that tells an overall story; it will help you envision additional shots with a different focal point or shooting angle.

Quick Tips for Better Fish Photos • Position the sun behind or to the side of the photographer so the natural light is on the subjects. • Frame pictures with scenery in the composition to document the location as well as the moment. (Photo 1). • Take several shots from different angles. You can always erase extra photos later. • Don’t take too many pictures of the angler holding the fish and looking directly at the camera.

• Include the rod, reel, boat, guide, and even other anglers in the shot to tell the story behind the catch (Photo 1). • Use a fill flash to freeze the action and add additional light to the angler’s face. It also brightens colours on the fish. • Hats and visors should be tilted up or removed to allow light on the subject’s face. Remove sunglasses as well • Just prior to taking a picture, dip the fish in the water. This adds drama, action and life to the subject. • A polarizing filter removes glare and enhances the depth of colours, especially in the turquoise waters of many saltwater destinations. • Whenever possible, keep your lenses protected by a UV filter.

My Fishing Life – Dave Scranney My fishing life began with a tantrum. This still remains one of my earliest memories. Perhaps a precursor to this - my Uncle John took my older sister Anne fishing when I was about 4 (We were at Silverdale) she had photos holding roach she had caught with her gappy smile. I was insanely jealous. Then one summer day we all went to Yalding a small village in Kent England where the Rivers Medway are joined by the Beult and Teise (fine chub, trout and grayling rivers). By the River Teise, my dear uncle promised me a fishing rod seeing my enthusiasm for the river and fish. This four- year-old wanted it badly and now, - an epic tanty ensued. I think I was inconsolable and it remains the one-time I think fishing ruined everyone’s day. My dad was confused – he still doesn’t understand fishing. Then Uncle John and his wonderful brother Ray took me to Folkestone pier fishing. This was my first angling memory. I was 5 or 6 and was thrilled. I kept asking them when I could reel in my line. I remember them saying not yet, be patient, not yet. Eventually they gave up I must have worn them down! As I reeled in the line - lo and behold I had a fine plaice on my line (a superb eating flat fish). We gutted it in the kitchen when I got home. I was proud, addicted and remember savouring that fish. Fishing, the outdoors and harvesting food (alongside gardening from mum) has been the dominant feature steering my life since. From the age of 6 to 10 I graduated to coarse fish starting with freshwater perch and pike. I’d fish all summer at local gravel pits on the Kent coast and the River Medway. Often cycling tens of miles to discover new waters with a friend or two. We’d go out rain wind or deep snow. Break ice to access rivers. I used to find my own bait before fishing - catching minnows in traps live-baiting them for perch. I’d also go sea fishing with my uncles in winter with snow on the beaches sea fishing for cod and plaice. We’d dig lugworms some up to 18 inches and surf cast with Dungeness Nuclear Power Station behind us. It was the era of the cold war! Come rain wind or shine, I lived to fish, made floats, tackle boxes, rigs and tied flies. I built my own rods encouraged by my mum who supplied me with books and magazines to fuel my passion. I had no time for following football teams, and was honestly bemused by the tribalism. But one thing eluded me: I wanted to catch trout. I caught dozens of species before the age 10 and wanted to catch and eat the mythical brown trout. It had a legendary status as hard fighting, beautiful, smart and tasty too. In Kent all our local trout rivers were too expensive to fish – the fishing rights were owned by syndicates of mostly rich business men. My brother and I would stalk the Great Stour a lesser-known chalk river crawling through long grass and spying 4 and 5 lb brown trout holding sway between pendulous fronds of water crowfoot. It was heaven and we were locked out. Then one day when I was about 10 when on holiday in Wales. I took my rod to a small stream near Cadair Idris. Found a stone cased caddis in the stream placed it on my hook with a quill float and cast it upstream in a pool. I trotted (dead drift float fishing) the float down the pool when it ducked under. A quick strike and a very lively brown of about 1 1/2lbs shot all over the pool leaping several times. It was landed, dispatched for tea. This was a revelation. I now knew my focus would be trout. At the age of 11 I was gifted a Geoffrey Bucknall 5# two piece glass fibre fly rod. I strawberry picked all summer and earnt enough to buy a Rimfly reel, floating flyline, Normark leaders, black

gnats, Greenwells Glory and pheasant tails along with other tantalisingly realistic looking insect imitations. I practised casting on lawn and followed the instructions in The Observer’s Book of Flyfishing, a pocket-sized book I still have today. That summer a holiday to Dartmoor in Devon I persuaded my dad to buy a permit so I could fish the Rivers Dart and Avon. By now I had a reasonable cast and was already very good at spotting fish and reading the river. I also had a good knowledge of insects from reading and spending so much time on rivers. I remember catching many trout to dry flies, and nymphs. I think most would have been well under a pound and a few over. All the while teaching my brother Peter and cementing an enduring love of flyfishing. Flyfishing the Dart aged 11 Dave at Bewl Salad Summer days with my brothers Avon Dam aged 11 By the time I was 13, I had progressed to fishing Bewl Water Reservoir and started to learn about shooting heads and fishing buzzers (chironomids) from drifting boats. My two brothers would often accompany me and with good summer evening rises we drifted the incised flooded valleys. Often we would max out and take a bag limit of 8 fat mostly rainbow trout home each. Mum was always happy with this. I also had three sisters so the fish was a bonus to feed the many hungry mouths. I learnt many useful lake fishing methods in my teens. Still as relevant for Lake Taupo and Argyll Pond alike.

River Dart Casting aged 11 Fishing at Bewl Water Fishing at Bewl Water In keeping with my 4-year old persona I went on to study fisheries and fish biology (in hindsight it was a form of obsession). This led to me eventually landing various dream jobs as fishery scientist and biologist that took me to many places with access to fine UK Rivers in Hampshire, Cornwall and South West Wales. As well as fishing trips to Ireland, and Scotland. And later work and fishing in the Caribbean and Australia. My personal favourite of all the fishing has been the enigmatic sea trout or Sewin as they have been known for 8,000 plus years! Night time fishing for sea trout is a story in itself…

Tywi Sewin Dart brownie The Bible Jake – Full Circle Right now, it all feels as though it has gone full circle. I’m content as ever fishing perhaps more so than ever on reflection. Ray, one of my influential uncles passed away last week. While I feel truly blessed the fishing DNA I didn’t inherit from my dad has been inherited by my son Jake. His angling start is already stratospherically higher than anything I dreamed of at his age. His skills too, and that’s with gratitude to many at our fishing club. Especially Cam Reid and Tony Entwistle!