COLNE WATER ANGLING CLUB’S 50TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
Colne Water AC had its origins with a group of anglers whose purpose was to save Colne Water, a lovely moorland stream that eventually grows into a river, from industrial and agricultural contamination and sheer neglect.
This year sees the club’s fiftieth anniversary and it now boasts two very fine stillwaters at Churn Clough on the ‘small’ end of Pendle Hill and Laneshaw which nestles into the high moors on the Lancashire – Yorkshire boundary a few miles up the road from Colne. This as well as several stretches of Colne Water and the River Aire at Gargrave in West Yorkshire.
The main event of the anniversary celebrations was a very memorable day with Charles Jardine, the celebrated fly fisherman and author, culminating in a superb dinner at the Fencegate Inn near Burnley. It’s a day that will live long in the memories of those who were present.
Charles Jardine was an excellent guest and credit must go to the committee who arranged the visit. Charles, as we all know, enjoys an enviable reputation in the world of flyfishing. His achievements in fly fishing and his articles in journals will ensure that his name is spoken many years from now whenever fisherman gather and discuss and reminisce like we nowadays talk about Walker, Ivens, Skues and their ilk.
What they will not know much about is the nature of the man. His quiet dignity and unfailing natural good manners, his choice of words and rich vein of common sense. Charles is a celebrity without the taint of celebrity status that can easily affect so many that attain it.
He visited both the stillwaters and caught fish. In fact he was into a Rainbow so quickly at Churn Clough that most of those present had not even tackled up. Club members were later talking enthusiastically of his expert casting technique and his manner of presenting his fly and then playing the fish. Terms like ‘masterclass’, ‘such talent’, ‘effortless ease’ and the like were commonly used by members all day and into the evening.
He made a witty and warm speech after the dinner that was very well received by the members and their non-angling friends. He talked in a straightforward way about the Countryside Alliance, of which he is Chairman of the Alliance’s ‘Campaign for Angling’, and what it could mean to anglers. He talked about fishing and immediately struck an understanding with his audience who responded to his observations and gentle humour. Afterwards, he was visibly moved when he was presented by the club with a framed certificate of honorary membership. So now we are all pleased to tell our angling friends that we are in the same club as Charles Jardine! He expressed a desire to return and fish Churn Clough at a future date and we hope to see him take full advantage of his club membership.
Memberships Details
The Secretary: 01535 634426
Dry Daddies
I fished Churn Clough last week from late afternoon until early evening. It was a moderately cloudy day with occasional sun and a steady breeze from the west. I walked around the reservoir and did not see a single fish moving except for a sheltered area near the dam wall where the occasional rainbow rolled in the surface film.
I determined to start at this spot and decided to try a dry Daddy on a size ten hook. I have only ever used a Daddy as a top dropper before rather than as a single fly. I sprayed the upper portions of the fly but left the legs and undersection untreated. I hoped that this would enable the fly to settle into and even break the surface film rather than ride high on top. I tied on a 15ft leader down to a 4lb tippet, spread a little ‘mud’ along the leader to help it sink, leaving just the Daddy trapped in the surface. I then cast the fly a couple of rod’s length out into the ripple.
It worked, too! Along a 50m stretch of banking I had four 2-3lb Rainbows in 20 minutes and each took with a ferocity that had to be seen to be believed. The fish in Churn Clough are real fighters and do not hesitate to take to the air. I am quite sure that they were leaping five or six feet out of the water. It may be an optical illusion but it seemed as if they were at head height. How high can rainbows jump, anyway? I think I’ll invest in one of those cameras featured on the web page in recent times.
I usually catch more fish on this stretch of the reservoir than any other part and one of the factors, I think, is the dark stone wall behind the strip of angled banking which cuts down any of my ample outline against the sky. The wall disguises my presence. I have read on the FISHINGmagic web page some of the discussion that is going on about watercraft and the need to blend with the environment, to tread softly and reduce noise and vibration. I could not agree more. I watched one guy a few weeks ago, dressed in white-ish trousers, yellow shirt and white baseball cap. He caught my eye as I drove on to the fishery and he was a good 500m away. What a suspicious Rainbow or an elusive Brownie made of him, I don’t know. I bet they gave him a very wide berth.
Back to the subject in hand – Daddies. On my way into the car park I chatted to two regular Churn Clough fishermen. They asked me if I’d caught anything and what on and I passed on the information about the dry Daddies. One of them had fished the day before and agreed that there were a lot daddylonglegs skittering about on the surface but stated he had not seen a Rainbow take a natural insect whilst he was fishing the day before. The inference being that he had not tried one.
Surely this is the best time of the year for fishing Daddies. They seem to attract and catch fish when nothing else stimulates their interest. Ideally, a warm day with hints of sun shine and a moderate ripple are the best conditions. The fish then hook themselves and the angler just hangs on and lands the fish. For my last few casts I tried a gold head Daddy but I’m not sure whether or not I was fishing it well for there were no responses beyond one half-hearted pull. One to try again next week.
Tight Lines!
Eddie Caldwell.
