Bristol Reservoir Fly Fishers Association (BRFFA), in conjunction with sponsors, Wychwood, hosted their annual Hidden Pairs competition at Bristol Water's idyllic Blagdon Lake on 27th September. Blagdon maintained its sensational form, with anglers finding good numbers of fish holding in many areas of the lake. Competitors managed to catch steadily throughout the day, with successful tactics ranging from teams of imitative Nymphs fished on long leaders to Blobs and Boobies pulled through the surface layers on floating or intermediate lines.
The unique format of the BRFFA Hidden Pairs means the field of competitors only find out who their fishing partner for the day has been as the final results are revealed. As the competitor placings were announced and pairings were disclosed, the air of anticipation built at Blagdon's lodge as it quickly became clear that Andrew Wiles (BRFFA Emergers) and Paul Crook had triumphed. Their combined weight of 36lbs 2oz dominated the rest of the field, soundly beating Jay Curry (Team Snowbee) and Jim Smart into second place by over 7lb.
The BRFFA is a long-established and friendly fly fishing club with an ethos centred on developing angling skills. For more information about joining the BRFFAand forthcoming events, please visit our website: http://www.brffa.com">www.brffa.com