Bristol Reservoir Fly Fishers Association (BRFFA), in conjunction with long standing sponsors, Snowbee, hosted their annual Hidden Pairs competition at Bristol Waters’ idyllic Blagdon Lake – 18th September.
The field of 43 anglers set off from the boat dock at 10 a.m. in near perfect conditions with high expectations. Broken cloud cover and a gentle breeze ensured Blagdon’s hard fighting Brown and Rainbow Trout were actively feeding at intervals throughout the day and rarely ventured from the very top of the water.
Blagdon maintained its sensational form with anglers finding good numbers of fish holding throughout the Dam Basin and Home Bay. Competitors managed to catch steadily during the match. Successful tactics ranged from teams of imitative Nymphs fished on long leaders, dries, or a combination of blobs, boobies and hoppers pulled through the surface layers on floating or slow 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 Paul Golding (BRFFA Emergers) and Dave Gregory had triumphed. Their combined weight of 22lbs 6oz had dominated the rest of the field, soundly beating Graham Currie (BRFFA Emergers Capt.) and Ted Smart into second place.
The BRFFA is a long established and friendly Fly Fishing club with an ethos centred on developing angling skills. We have many members that have represented England at National and International level who are keen to share their knowledge, skills and experience to improve others angling success. For more information about joining the BRFFA and forthcoming events, please visit our website www.brffa.com