Menu:
AWFMI Competition 2007
18 June Scottish Menteith (day & evening)
19 June Scottish Menteith (day & evening)
21 June Scottish Finals (Menteith) Menteith (day & evening)
1-3 October INTERNATIONAL FINAL Rutland Water (practice on 1st)
ANGLIAN WATER FULLING MILL INTERNATIONAL FINAL 2006
RUTLAND WATER 3rd and 4th OCTOBER 2006
25 of Europe’s top fly fishing teams assembled at Rutland Water for this most prestigious event in the team fly fishing calendar. They came from near and far, with ACA Masterline the local favourites, one of 11 English teams, Team Wellbank, having recently triumphed on Rutland in another large competition, one of 6 Scottish teams, 3 in- form Welsh teams including Llanilar Ty-Nant, 4 Overseas teams which included Orkney TFA and teams from Ireland, France and 2 from Belgium, making it a truly International event
 |
Stuart Leslie, Stewart Wood, Ken Kennedy, |
Weather conditions were not favourable during the practise days with strong
winds and brilliant sunshine curtailing sport for most, but a few teams
did catch in the conditions and some of these teams would go on and do well
in the match, as it turned out. There were other factors that affected the
final outcome, the reservoir had not been stocked for 3 weeks and the feeding
habits of the fish, which had been locked on to daddies in the previous
couple weeks were now having to change more to fry feeding in certain areas
of the reservoir. OTFA found it difficult on the first match day, only bringing
12 fish to the scales collectively. All team members suffered from dropping
fish after what seemed to be solid hook ups, other teams reported similar.
OFTA’s tactics on the day were similar to most other teams, blobs,
sparklers and boobies with a roly-poly retrieve on a slime/DI3 line. Top
team on day one were Carbotec Kingfishers from Chew who had taken a good
lead using floating lines and hoppers, sparkler combos. Its only after the
first day that you really find out what every else is up to, with team members
drawn with other anglers who are finding more success with their tactics.
This helped in OTFA’s efforts on day two.
Weather conditions for the second day were very similar to previous, SW
wind and cloudless skies at the 9am shotgun start. The team effort for day
two was to be with a more imitative approach, fishing Scarfie Boobies and
Cormorants on intermediate lines. This brought more results than the previous
day with Orkney finishing 10th for the day but a very disappointing 20th
position overall. The overall winners were leaders on day one, Carbotec
Kingfishers, who repelled a very strong challenge from two Welsh teams,
Nymph-O-Maniacs and Llanilar-Ty-Nant who came 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Although this was a disappointing result for this hard working OTFA team,
they were no way despondent, as there are always hard lessons to learn at
the highest level of competition in any sport and I’m positive they
will be stronger and as keen as ever come 2007’s AWFMI campaign. Angling
and socialising with Europe’s top anglers certainly makes you realise
that you are competing at the top level of your sport and angling in general
in Orkney will benefit, with the team members bringing home new styles and
tactics to try on our own lochs.
Taking a team of 6 anglers to Rutland Water has serious financial and logistical
burdens to overcome, and none of this would have been possible without the
crucial help and sponsorship from local businesses and agencies. On behalf
of team captain Sandy McConnachie, Stewart Wood, Stewart Leslie Jim Harcus,
Erlend Hutchison and Ken Kennedy, they would especially like to thank OIC,
Orkney Enterprise for financial support, Drive Orkney/Orkney Tool Hire for
the mini bus, Orkney Builders for ensuring we were the smartest team there
and Mackie’s Haulage for their help, all very much appreciated.
KK
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |