We would like to come up with a list of the places most frequently fished by membera and visitors so that we can build a picture of our fishing friends preferences. Send us your favourite fishing places and we'll add them to our survey. We'll publish the results early in the new season. Send entries to info@dressedinfeathers.co.uk
These are the first places voted for, let us know your favourites.
Use this page to read about fishing trips and matches involving members of the North West Branch of the Flydressers Guild.
Westlow Mere - North West Fly Dressers' Guild - Christmas Match 25th Nov '07
Name Trout Weight of Trout Heaviest Trout Trout Total Position
Killed lb oz lb oz Returned Caught
D Bradley 4 11 6 5 6 0 4 2nd
M Frith 4 7 12 - - 4 8 10th
A Spilsbury 4 8 6 - - 4 8 7th
A Thompson 1 1 15 - - 0 1 14th=
J Morgan 4 8 5 4 7 7 11 8th
N Cattrall 1 2 11 - - 0 1 12th
D Gordon 1 1 15 - - 0 1 14th=
T Gordon 1 2 9 - - 0 1 13th
L Lockey 4 9 2 - - 18 22 5th
G Butler 4 13 3 4 10 2 6 1st
G Cotterill 4 8 2 - - 8 12 9th
T Williams 4 8 11 - - 0 4 6th
J Salisbury 4 10 1 - - 5 9 4th
D Sandbach 4 7 2 - - 8 12 11th
N Taylor 4 11 0 - - 6 10 3rd
“Sunday 25th November.
This year we decided to try a very popular local venue for our Xmas match, Westlow Mere in Congleton. Compared to recent weather we were very fortunate. Although cool, the rain stayed away with a gentle wind down towards the deeps, although it did increase as the day progressed.
The fishery is always well stocked and fish could be seen topping all day. Everybody set off at 9:00am. Each hour the competitors moved around clockwise. The fish seemed to be concentrated under the wind in the deeps. The shallows fished poorly all day. Throughout the day the deeps produced. Mr Cotterill, Mr Salisbury and Mr “GB” Lockey started well with their four fish early on. These were not the large fish but all good quality hard fighting rainbows. Later on Mr Morgan produced a large trout but was surpassed by a cracking fish by Mr Butler. However, our Match Secretary showed it’s quality not quantity that counts with a lovely 5 lb 6 oz rainbow.
The day ended well with Mr Butler winning the Turkey for having the heaviest bag of the day of 4 fish for 13lb 3oz.
Overall it was a very enjoyable day with everybody catching. Many thanks to Dan for organising the match and thanks to Westlow Mere for producing such a lovely venue with such superb fish.
And the day was completed with a superb meal at the local hostelry the Davenport Arms in Marton Heath.”
Ty Mawr – Sunday 2nd April 2006
The first trip of the season was the annual competition against the Dee & Clwyd Branch of the Fly Dressers’ Guild. The contest was held at Ty Mawr on Sunday 2nd April 2006. This is a 22 acre reservoir owned and operated by the Welsh Water Authority. 11 Members volunteered to attend!
Unfortunately on the day, the conditions were, well how can this be put politely, horrible, terrible, horrendous!!!
The forecast was for a cool day with a strong wind and the chance for showers. When we arrived it was cold with a strong to gale force wind blasting towards the valve tower. Unusually the water was very high resulting in the need for very long handled landing nets (you can but hope). But these were the best of conditions.
Early successes were few and far between. It was very hard with only a few fish coming out before lunch. The exception was our Big Fish Expert Mr Bradley – a trout of around 4lb is was a good start!
Lunch was taken around 12:30 and not a moment too soon.
The afternoon got better. The tower valve dam was unfishable without taking a shower as the water crashed over the dam. There was a swell of 18” – 2 ft. (And this is a reservoir.)
In the middle of the afternoon it started to rain, horizontal and with hail mixed in for good weather. A decision was taken to end the match early.
The result was a win for the North West Branch by a very healthy margin. Les “GB” Lockey managed the best of the day with 7 rainbows, mainly on a small silver/olive marabou tadpole.
However we have a challenger for the big fish this year with Simon Wright also managing a big fish late in the day.
At the weigh in, both fish topped the scales at over 3 “stones”. (A very interesting weighing system). In the end both were 4 lb 8oz.
Overall it was a cold miserable but enjoyable and successful start to the season for the North West FDG.
On to Brenig!!
Trip to Coldingham, thanks Alan.
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