tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77892394693542818402024-03-05T06:18:28.497-08:00Small Stream QuestRamblings of a self confessed small stream addict ...Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-77209750539045617212018-06-23T12:54:00.000-07:002018-06-23T12:54:04.797-07:00Chalk - River MeonManaging to swing a last minute day off work I figured why not try one of the beats offered by Simon Cooper at Fishing Breaks. Having worked in Fareham for a few months I crossed the River Meon near Exton on the way to work and back. On a few occasions I stopped to have a look at the river and was instantly captivated. After scouring the web for information regarding this stretch of water I found the beats running near Exton on Manor Farm property as administered through Fishing Breaks: <a href="http://www.fishingbreaks.co.uk/chalkstream/meon.htm">http://www.fishingbreaks.co.uk/chalkstream/meon.htm</a>. Booking was very straightforward, received a confirmation email including three pdf's offering advise on flies, tactics etc for the time of year which was very useful. The website described the beat as follows: <i>"This is an all wild trout, all catch and release beat that rewards delicate presentation and careful fly selection. It is best fished with speculative casting in the riffles alongside the weed beds or waiting for a fish to peck the surface. Dry fly accounts for 95% of the fish caught or risen."</i> Just my kind of fishing !<br />
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Weather forecast for hot and sunny weather - not ideal trout fishing weather but being of South African extraction I'm not one to complain about having sunshine - especially after the winter we've just had.<br />
I got to Exton at about 09h00, parked up and walked a short stretch of the beat which included a small fishing hut. I couldn't see anything rising but noticed a few flashes as fish darted for cover.<br />
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Manor Farm - Exton</div>
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Small fishing hut</div>
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Waders on, trusty Hardy 2wt tackled up I was on the river figuring I'd try a speculative dry fly despite not seeing anything rising. Having only fished two small sections of a chalkstream in the past I needed to get my head right and game on - the water is gin clear and as a result the fish are long gone by the time you spot them. For the most part they hide beneath the Ranunculus weedbeds that are synonymous with chalkstreams in the UK, only to dart out when you are literally on top of them. Needless to say my first hour or so produced nothing other than a fear of being skunked and completing my entry on the fishing record book with a fat 0 ! </div>
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Tea break (including a read of the comments in the fishing record book in the hut in a somewhat desperate attempt to garner a few tips), a rethink and a short stroll down to the lower section of the beat that starts next to the "The Shoe Inn" pub beer garden. Another hour with nothing to show - not even so much as a knock. Several flies on and off and finally decided on a small (18) parachute adams. As I approached the upper beat boundary with thoughts of that 0 and lunch, something smashed the fly about 10 feet from me and a steam train took off sideways producing a very impressive bow wave !! After what felt like an eternity I managed to land a solid size brownie which must be nudging 12oz. Thank goodness !!! Feeling a sense of relief I figured it a good time to grab a bit to eat.</div>
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Back on the water half an hour later and it was like a switch had been flicked - a lot more trout visible and a number of rises, some of which aggressively so. The next two hours I'd have to put down to some of the most exciting fishing I've ever done - watching fish rising through the gin clear water to smash into the small blue wing olive on my line only to tear off under the nearest bank of weed. </div>
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One notable fish I spotted about 10 feet in front of me skirting along a bank of weed running parallel with the river bank casually sipping small emergers off the surface. I watched bemusedly for a few minutes before having a stab at landing him. First cast was a touch off target - second cast landed a few inches to his right - he nonchalantly swam over, inhaled the fly and the game was on !! I had him on for about a minute or so when he shook loose - I guess another in the region of 12oz or so. Simply awesome !</div>
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I'd estimate the biggest fish to be in the region of 14oz - overall I managed to land seven beautiful chalkstream brownies - I lost probably double that number though as they are feisty little numbers (some not so little) ! </div>
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My fishing companions for the day - a few hairy encounters with hissing parents !!</div>
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Gate to the bridge near the beer garden</div>
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One of the seven I managed to hold onto...</div>
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Managed to snap this one taking a breather after an almighty tussle !</div>
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Fly of choice</div>
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Little guys !</div>
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One of the smaller but no less impressive trout</div>
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No zeros (thank goodness !)</div>
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I cannot recommend this small stretch of chalkstream enough - an emerald gem in the Hampshire countryside - wild brown trout, some of the biggest I've caught to date - I'll most definitely be back... but for now I need another chalkstream fix !</div>
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<br />Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-5637283551868198352016-09-28T12:25:00.000-07:002016-09-28T12:25:09.807-07:00The Wye & Usk to close with ...Having not fished in South Wales for several years now I felt it as good a time as any to make a quick foray down the M4 for one final hurrah before the 2016 trout season comes to a close. My wife made the trip with me which made for a great weekend.<br />
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Starting with the Maes-y-Beran Beat on the Honddu and ending the the Escley Beat 4 which is a high gradient, fast-flowing upland trout stream that flows off the eastern edge of the Black Mountains into the Monnow at Longtown. Really tricky conditions (cold, windy, low water - am I sounding like a fisherman !?) made for only a single brownie of approximately six inches. Nevertheless great to be up there again and the opportunity to stumble across a kingfisher nest and have them flit about us for several hours on the Escley made it even more worthwhile.<br />
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A few photo's below ...<br />
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<br />Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-13002875746297105982016-09-02T14:15:00.000-07:002016-09-02T14:15:56.467-07:00Looking North...Another summer, another <strike>holiday </strike>fishing trip! Discussions surrounding potential destinations always start early season - a ritualistic shaking off of the winter cobwebs (blues) - an agitation or rather excitement at the anticipation of the coming season after the long dark haul that is the British winter. The likely choice of venue for any persons foolish enough to go camping for a prolonged period of time in the British Isles, would be to point your car in a southerly direction and drive until you reach the Atlantic Ocean hereby increasing your chances of reasonable weather (note the word "reasonable"). Injudiciously, we pointed the car northwards for our 2016 foray into the great outdoors - the Yorkshire Dales being the venue for this years outing.<br />
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Fly fishing in this neck of the woods requires deeper pockets than previous excursions to the likes of Wales, Devon or even the Lake District. An opportunity to cast a line in such picturesque countryside makes it all the worthwhile however. The River Wharfe which, for the majority of its length acts as county boundary between West and North Yorkshire. The name Wharfe derives from the Old English <i>weorf </i>or the Old Norse <i>hverfr </i>meaning winding river (thanks Wikipedia) which I can attest to most certainly is the case after having walked, fished sections.<br />
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Unfortunately due to me starting a new job and inclement weather (did I mention the weather in England tends to be better the further south you are !?) I only managed a single days fishing on the Wharfe at Bolton Abbey. If you could only have one day's fishing up here - this is where I'd most definitely do it.<br />
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Stepping stones at Bolton Abbey<br />
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Bolton Abbey<br />
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Cavendish Memorial Fountain<br />
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Local butterfly - seemed very prolific in the area - not sure of the species...<br />
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The Yorkshire Dales - Wharfedale<br />
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First few casts resulted in the first few misses - as it turned out this was not going to be an "easy pickings" type of day... the trout up here are by no means opportunistic and were very particular as to what they deemed to be a meal...<br />
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First trout of the day - after almost an hour of tying on different patterns (both dries and nymphs) the key was a) increase leader length to about 12 feet b) reduce tippets down to 6x c) add to this Size 26 CDC emergers before any interest was shown.<br />
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Biggest river brownie I've caught to date - I'm guessing a touch under 2lbs...<br />
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All in I had five fighting fit trout out on that single day - not a lot but definitely a very satisfactory outing. One of the locals I got speaking to said, "You'll certainly enjoy your beer tonight" - he was right except for the use of the singular "beer" ! Hopefully another foray up there again in October when the grayling season comes into play. Watch this space ...<br />
<br />Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-91571497914518755812016-06-19T11:49:00.002-07:002016-06-19T11:49:31.642-07:00A Late Start...New job, weather, family commitments all conspired against me this year resulting in June being the first time I managed an opportunity to cast a line this summer... and a great way to open the season it was. Hogsback's finest ale and sandwiches were served on the river bank a few hours in - a treat indeed... I could get used to this type of fishing! (And we managed to catch some of the Wey's residents)<br />
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A huge thanks to Val & EJ for a great evening on the Wey - here's to the next outing<br />
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<br />Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-44325897536823834512015-09-21T11:39:00.000-07:002015-09-21T11:39:11.285-07:00The Trout & The WoodcutterYou'd be forgiven for thinking this is the start of some vain attempt at writing a kids story - fear not !<br />
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Read on where all will be revealed...<br />
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In a bid to capitalize the good weather over the last few weekends of the 2015 trout season another foray on the Wey was called for on Sunday morning. Car boot coffee whilst threading rod eyes and flies in a misty autumnal morning saw us on the water at about 9h30. My main aim was to try and land a particularly large brownie I'd been fortunate enough to catch a few weeks back.<br />
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An inauspicious start comprising of a few hookups and other such blunders saw "The Woodcutter" take matters into his own hands by removing obstacles preventing a successful cast ...<br />
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Tactical "military style" trout fishing ...</div>
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That's better ...</div>
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Putting such tomfoolery behind us, we pushed through the undergrowth to the pool where the aforementioned trout was lurking (I'd hoped at any rate !) A few casts towards the head of the pool saw me come up dry. Alwyn on the other hand nailed it and well placed roll cast later saw the below beauty come to fruition<br />
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Catch of the day !</div>
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Spirits lifted and confidence back at an acceptable level we moved on. A brief interlude was taken which involved "The Woodcutter" attacking an ill placed tree with as much gusto and vigour as pensioner in a brewery ! A valiant effort opened up a significant stretch of water which was otherwise un-fishable. After a cooling dip in the river (hot work this bush clearing !) we forged on.<br />
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Fly of choice</div>
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The rest of the morning was whiled away, picking off small fin perfect little trout ...<br />
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It's a kind of magic !</div>
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Those colours ...</div>
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Tools of the trade</div>
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Yet another cracking day out !</div>
<br />Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-85803883718191971102015-09-13T03:36:00.001-07:002015-09-13T03:36:03.563-07:00Last of the summer wine ...Moving on downstream on the River Rother where I left off last weekend, saw myself and mate Alwyn tackling up next to the rugby club early Saturday morning. Not having fished this stretch of river for about three years I wasn't sure what awaited us but memories of fin perfect, fighting fit brown trout spurred us down the overgrown banks of the Rother. Straight away it became evident that roll casting was going to be the order of the day what with fallen trees and all manner of foliage making casting a challenge.<br />
A few hook ups, leader entanglements and an "incident" in the mud which almost prompted a mayday phone call to air rescue saw a small brownie make a stab at my parachute adams only to foul hook itself. Not the start I had envisaged !<br />
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Being the keen guys we are we forged our way, careful to avoid the tyres and various lager cans that seemed to litter the river bed (the residents here sure like their beer - pity they can't throw the cans in the bin !!) to the small open pool where dogs enjoy a good dip. Having always had a fish or two out here I felt reasonable confident we'd bring something to hand. And that's exactly what we did ...<br />
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Watching my small 2 weight contort itself into a near perfect circle to the point I saw pound signs flashing in the air anticipating the cracking of carbon fiber, the above beauty came to hand. Probably the biggest brown trout I've had from a river. Awesome !<br />
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So we pushed on - feeling a lot more confident having landed such a fish. Alwyn being the next recipient of a good sized brown trout.<br />
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A few more fish each saw us making a well timed exit from the river to make it home on time for family duty. I've fished this stretch many times in the past and have never landed fish of the size and quality we did today. Most definitely worth negotiating this little piece of river and dealing with the frustrations of fallen trees, brambles, nettles and near lethal hidden mud filled holes threatening to swallow a man whole to be rewarded with such incredible fish.Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-62118121839512850252015-09-06T11:25:00.002-07:002015-09-06T11:25:55.193-07:00River Gold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-86355924201700157292015-09-06T05:36:00.001-07:002015-09-06T05:36:36.308-07:00RotherIt was with some apprehension that I returned to the stretch of the Rother I've written about previously (see post "Fishing the Improbable") - I guess because you never know what you'll find after not having set foot in that area for a few years. My initial fears were realized when I saw the state of the river when dropping into the water in my usual entry point. A plethora of plastic, tin and other trash people have without conscious dumped into the river. A few yards up I stumbled across a dumping site for garden refuse including old plant pots, plastic bags - you name it ! In the past this was a near definite run and pool in which a fish could be extracted however this was not too be. I pushed on nervous as to what was underfoot as the going was dicey to say the least. Eventually I entered into a "cleaner" stretch which seemed to hold a bit more promise. A small rise up ahead elicited a stab of excitement and anticipation - fears of the river having been stripped of fish slowly abating. A gentle roll cast saw the parachute adams in the right vicinity - a few seconds followed a sip of the surface and we were in.<br />
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Relief ! Not bad at all for the first trout of the day.<br />
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I continued for another two hours, missing more than I landed but the fish that came to hand were of great quality. What a testament to these little fish that surviving the murk and waste that is this stretch of the Rother is in fact achievable. What a shame to those sociopathic individuals who see no issue in tipping all manner of waste into a small stream with so much as an iota of consideration for the environment or others trying to enjoy it.<br />
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<br />Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-40555012228487527832015-09-03T12:56:00.000-07:002015-09-03T12:56:28.015-07:00It's been a while ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
A long overdue trip to Dartmoor ...</div>
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<br />Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-83915943958146348402012-08-29T10:26:00.000-07:002012-08-29T10:31:34.555-07:00PilgrimageA trip to Dartmoor and it's myriad network of sublime streams I feel is set to become an annual pilgrimage for me, my own piece of Nirvana revitalizing the soul. Even the deluge which ensued over the two and a half days there did nothing to detract from the areas captivating beauty.<br />
Langstone Manor Campsite was as welcoming as always and it was great to catch up with the staff and hear about and see all the improvements to the site made over the winter months.
Saturday saw torrential downpours which scuppered fishing plans, however a walk to the atmospheric Wistman's Wood was a great albeit very wet outing. <br />
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Sunday dawned bright and partly cloudy resulting in a hasty move to Bellever Forest and the East Dart via Princetown for a permit.<br />
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Unsurprisingly the Dart was flowing strongly in comparison to this time last year, thigh deep waters in places where only ankles were covered. Clear waters flowed however, tainted with a brown hue caused by wash off from the surrounding moorland. The tell tale sign of a fish rising assuaged fears that the rain and high waters had put paid to any dry fly action. To my surprise a hatch of small olive upwings kicked off - on went a #20 olive paradun and several small browns came to hand.<br />
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A solid four hours of fishing ensued before the weather once more closed in. Twenty minutes saw me at the car and heading back toward the campsite during which time the weather lifted. Driving past the Upper Cherrybrook at 14h30 was too much to bear - waders back on and a fly tied onto the line followed by a few more precious hours on a Dartmoor classic.<br />
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All good things must come to an end as the saying goes and the move back to the campsite was made, avoiding any other potential fishing distractions - not without one final stop however - there's only one way to finish off a day like today :<br />
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<br />Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-13597242091450530962012-08-21T10:08:00.002-07:002012-08-21T10:33:54.006-07:00A few from the weekendAnother outing resulting in more surprises - I love this stream ...<br />
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Bank Holiday weekend coming up - destination ... Dartmoor.Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-14503891459886235372012-08-16T09:58:00.001-07:002012-08-16T09:58:46.394-07:00And Further Downstream...In true adventurous spirit and break in the weather, exploration continued this last weekend further downstream the stretch of water recently discovered (see earlier post 01 July 2012 "Something Old, Something New") - and it just keeps on getting better.<br />
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And there's still more to come - watch this space ...Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-70510475802974052272012-07-28T08:11:00.000-07:002012-08-02T09:56:01.492-07:00Forest of DeanThe Roving Voucher Scheme as run by the Wye & Usk Foundation has been extended to include three new beats nestled in the heart of the Forest of Dean. As with the other roving voucher beats on offer through the Foundation they did not dissapoint and I spent three days of quality fishing under crystal blue skies which have been at such a premium lately - food for the soul.<br />
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Of the three beats I fished the Bideford Brook (R61) twice - the first attempt occurred on one of those days when things just weren't happening. Of the four hook ups I only managed to land a single small trout which had somehow managed to foul hook itself - real dissapointment. I had to get back onto this stretch of water - the second attempt delivered what I'd hoped.<br />
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The second beat The Blackpool Brook (R60) is small stream fishing in it's purest sense - narrow enough in places to jump across without getting your feet wet comprised of small pools each of which containing a resident trout or more. Stealth is key here - a lesson I learnt early on as small shadows dart for cover the minute you approach a likely run.<br />
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The Cannop Brook (R62) is all that remains for me to fish in the Forest of Dean - more than reason enough to get back across there.<br />
<br />Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-28853761108670999042012-07-15T11:32:00.002-07:002012-07-15T11:32:47.741-07:00Anticipation...Usually by this stage the family summer holiday is booked and paid for - this year however we've decided to err on the side of caution due to the interminable weather we've been experiencing. Tactics have been altered and will be executed as follows:<br />
<ol>
<li>Monitor every meteorological piece of information until Thursday this week.</li>
<li>Throw in a few pounds of salt.</li>
<li>Divide the result by 6 for good measure.</li>
<li>Depending on the result choose a destination and duration of stay (or not).</li>
<li>The only caveat is that there is an abundance of trout filled streams (crucial to avoid a sulking husband for the duration of the holiday).</li>
<li>Pack a shower cap and leave sun up Saturday morning.</li>
</ol>
In anticipation of the above the flybox is in desperate need of replenishment - a few pictures depicting progress so far:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#22 Olive Paraduns; #26 Midges and #24 Chironomid Emergers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Variation on a theme - #22 Olive Paradun and the same pattern using #26 with grizzly hackle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#22 Reverse Parachute Emerger</td></tr>
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Here's hoping ...Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-43623452051080944032012-07-01T10:30:00.000-07:002012-07-01T10:30:24.702-07:00Something Old, Something New ...Summer 2012 hasn't really happened so far this year - drought and hose-pipe bans have made way for torrential downpours reminiscent of Kwa-Zulu Natal during Cyclone Domoinia in 1984 (OK maybe not quite but it sure feels like it...). Finally a break in the weather has allowed our local swollen rivers to drop to a more navigable, fishable level.
The bid to discover new stretches of local trout inhabited waters not controlled by fishing clubs demanding their members reside on the Queen's honours list and dress appropriately, produced a stretch of the River Wey offering a small yet feisty trout population. A frantic two and a half hour session after work on Friday night revealed all we'd hoped for.<br />
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Watching the weather forecast for the week ahead foretold the, what seems normal now, arrival of yet more meteorological misery in the way of rain and the like. Not to miss an opportunity saw an early morning Sunday start back down to our old favourite stretch of water, however this time to explore an area further upstream that we'd only looked at but not fished. The pictures below say it all - Matt landing one of the biggest fish we've seen come out of the river ...<br />
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Why is it that time dissapears so quickly on days like this - last casts were made with the usual anticipation and a path beat through the nettles out of the river. A quick look upstream before heading back to the car made it clear there is still much more to discover here - now if only this rain would stop ...Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-81342978834505400352011-11-27T10:15:00.000-08:002011-11-27T10:15:11.951-08:00An Evening with EdWinter is definitely here in terms of the short days - temperatures however dictate otherwise. I find it kind of disturbing wondering outside feeling comfortable in a t-shirt in late November. Could this be the calm before the storm I ask ...<br />
Anyway - frantic preparation for GAIA assessment aside it's time to get back to actually fishing and tying which has been sadly lacking over the last few months. I bought Ed Engle's "Tying Small Flies" last year and have really just glossed over it's pages - picking it up again a few days ago I'd forgotten what a gem of a book this is. I've poured over the pages building inspiration which I've finally got around to putting into some practice. That's winter wrapped up then !<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMno7otNLgTpF_3iQRJuFw4L6aAtUqQJ8BoR7P3SCb1j_XT5cVYh-zrpVXbv8kHTkhTuvIFsnDKEMRR8KyL17qzWxj6RVqAD-Kcs7izHkAUExOPdzo-x2xJ5g_kPoxtIEgzuSM52ZvLVmx/s1600/EdEngleedited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMno7otNLgTpF_3iQRJuFw4L6aAtUqQJ8BoR7P3SCb1j_XT5cVYh-zrpVXbv8kHTkhTuvIFsnDKEMRR8KyL17qzWxj6RVqAD-Kcs7izHkAUExOPdzo-x2xJ5g_kPoxtIEgzuSM52ZvLVmx/s320/EdEngleedited.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-91999057849422616672011-10-03T12:27:00.000-07:002011-10-03T12:43:06.144-07:00GAIA Pre-Assessment DayWith only six weeks to go until the November GAIA assessment, a mentoring/pre-assessment day was run by Rob Doyle and Tony King at Holbury Lakes Fishery on Sunday 3rd October along with group of top guys. A great day under an unseasonably warm October sun was had by all. Huge thanks to Rob and Tony for all their expertise and coaching (as well as a gastronomic supply of bacon butties - cheers Rob !).<br />
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Next stop, Riverdale Hall, Northumberland on the 11th November...Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-55378032247194430282011-09-25T11:02:00.000-07:002011-09-25T11:21:33.730-07:00Thank You and Good Night ...All good things come to an end as the saying goes and sadly the 2011 trout season draws to a close - but what a send off ! We had to choose one final stream on which to bid the season farewell and no more fitting a stretch of water than our little "Improbable" gem (See "Fishing the Improbable" 16 July 2011). <br />
The day kicked off just before mid-day - the water seemed a little more coloured than usual and definitely colder through the waders. Initially not a rise to be seen ... and then a small splash to the right of Matt. Instantly the nymph was removed from our trusty New Zealand rigs and the rest as they say was history.<br />
You sometimes just hit it right and today was no excepetion. No sooner had Matt's Klink hit the water when it was eagerly sipped off the surface by a stunning brownie - touching the 12 inch mark.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First to Matt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This set the tone for the rest of the day - each little pool revealing its resident in the way of brown trout.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final to me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The autumnal sun finally dipped below the horizon signalling the end of the day and season. The river stretched on, undiscovered by us as yet but already we've wished the next six months of our lives away and are looking with eager anticipation to uncovering her hidden treasure.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-58466109479212272532011-09-06T14:05:00.000-07:002011-09-06T14:26:42.811-07:00The Inevitable Return<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Benjamin Franklin is famously quoted as saying "...in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." Having had two weeks fishing the Duchy Of Cornwall Estate in Dartmoor earlier this summer, a further certainty was my imminent return before the winter nights draw in spelling the end of the 2011 trout season. My brother-in-law (Matt) had walked the area on a previous trip and had expressed in no uncertain terms the potential the place held. Having seen my earlier posting (see “West Country Gold” August 2011) he began to display the facial twitch so common in us fly fishermen followed by a frantic rush for the calendar. August Bank Holiday weekend was the obvious choice – so it was set. We met at Langstone Manor campsite just outside Tavistock after having sat in the usual Bank Holiday weekend mayhem that is the traffic and enough rain to impress Noah himself. Several pints of quality Devonshire Ale in the campsite pub saw us formulate a plan of attack for our three day foray into the hidden Dartmoor valleys where crystal waters run.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Favourite outfit - Hardy Flyweight 6ft 2wt</td></tr>
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After my success/failure on the Lower Cherrybrook during my previous visit I had to start on this spectacular stretch of river. Occasional showers and a fierce head wind upped the challenge somewhat resulting in a good outing but not one the scale I experienced back end of last month. Several fin perfect brownies came to hand though so overall a success confirmed by the ever widening grin on Matt's face.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJtawhWDxDmPt6RVedd9zYQ8buSwmU_FwJLN-Usvb6vJ-w0flJNNt4P7nEM3fa4Zpl56HLtPd-dsFKWaESg-wKhg2cZFRKwyIVRPtbiTwrGg1TM1NZm2aARM3G4w1E-AygUNAuWTvZOZq/s1600/DSCN4044edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJtawhWDxDmPt6RVedd9zYQ8buSwmU_FwJLN-Usvb6vJ-w0flJNNt4P7nEM3fa4Zpl56HLtPd-dsFKWaESg-wKhg2cZFRKwyIVRPtbiTwrGg1TM1NZm2aARM3G4w1E-AygUNAuWTvZOZq/s320/DSCN4044edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt starting out on the Cherrybrook</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzIvv3nn_p8JcVJ_hx1IVySjvcMloNBmnmLDDHGfXmNyKXbLXC-bi8HSqAsJQEvlF3O63qyBXwZHQ4AJaMPwtxSzIkpvQiDf2ffGfTH0rE6vxerStvC8_k8Yi3-6wVvk_FZlRu_T7VRh7/s1600/DSCN4054edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUzIvv3nn_p8JcVJ_hx1IVySjvcMloNBmnmLDDHGfXmNyKXbLXC-bi8HSqAsJQEvlF3O63qyBXwZHQ4AJaMPwtxSzIkpvQiDf2ffGfTH0rE6vxerStvC8_k8Yi3-6wVvk_FZlRu_T7VRh7/s320/DSCN4054edited.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Searching out fish amongst the boulders</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wc9J7jMlp-cMumBH8r_NWR8uAVlfBH_lNCpVz7SFH9CHWwLx2oggM-dsLdTOp5rXZAVLJRmaTO9NVJxZoYk1We_m5holto0HHrBTmFnPD9eAMHLAbiNiR6Dc-buyb-LxHnWcHw3_t2rk/s1600/Dartmoor+2+116edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wc9J7jMlp-cMumBH8r_NWR8uAVlfBH_lNCpVz7SFH9CHWwLx2oggM-dsLdTOp5rXZAVLJRmaTO9NVJxZoYk1We_m5holto0HHrBTmFnPD9eAMHLAbiNiR6Dc-buyb-LxHnWcHw3_t2rk/s320/Dartmoor+2+116edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... a just reward</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Saturday was concluded reliving each fish missed and landed over a curry and several more pints of Devonshire's finest. A quick glance at the BBC weather on the pub TV suggested a better day on Sunday but you can never tell up on the Moor - come rain or shine however the Upper East Dart above Postbridge was top of the agenda.<br />
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We arrived in Postbridge bathed in glorious sunshine but a stiff wind was blowing directly down the valley - both armed with only 6ft 2wt wands we were in for a testing day. We got straight into it as I lost a sizeable fish, Matt however had more luck when a fin perfect brownie around the eight inch mark sipped the dry off the surface - it was going to be a good day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-r1cq483Gl-oXUsVg-Tr5n9tVL0ZHssBY9DgI5y6q_kLQk_VKDy7Y4c4vazxkPt0S1XESCSEF_oBpI0SxNTkUsObo3-4BWvssYdUPex_BKpo1O1FQAsxwmu0vh8iGuXqRNycC8gmrXtCn/s1600/DSCN4072edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-r1cq483Gl-oXUsVg-Tr5n9tVL0ZHssBY9DgI5y6q_kLQk_VKDy7Y4c4vazxkPt0S1XESCSEF_oBpI0SxNTkUsObo3-4BWvssYdUPex_BKpo1O1FQAsxwmu0vh8iGuXqRNycC8gmrXtCn/s320/DSCN4072edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upper East Dart - First of the day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The stretch of the East Dart above Postbridge is in a word spectacular - the river altered her mood around each corner, amplified by the ever changing weather. No visible signs of fish rising belied the fact that there were several brown trout ever willing to take a well presented dry.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdq33hdui-TwXkKK-x-Pusd88Z02Atf04q5eb2KB_TKqqPaQljzYsyJo7Zy-e2YEYH7pqeBQ2B5cz0PhFFzEezqJTarnzcVyFMYRDV0XIg3ru91wsPay4A5WcP4VoYR20jUBX2vygkaa5t/s1600/P8270057edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdq33hdui-TwXkKK-x-Pusd88Z02Atf04q5eb2KB_TKqqPaQljzYsyJo7Zy-e2YEYH7pqeBQ2B5cz0PhFFzEezqJTarnzcVyFMYRDV0XIg3ru91wsPay4A5WcP4VoYR20jUBX2vygkaa5t/s320/P8270057edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gin clear waters</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zF5kazLEyh-LNvnk5ahIqtgsVNoe5yBjU5plugwJl4Kzu2U3HV6telWq79s0y6rI-i43R9nZGZ0IYHhy1fDh_ofTldRZUCReUxTEsil9j0AvYDTmGG7FdSioUx7sL17LGzqqN04oRwP8/s1600/P8280128edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zF5kazLEyh-LNvnk5ahIqtgsVNoe5yBjU5plugwJl4Kzu2U3HV6telWq79s0y6rI-i43R9nZGZ0IYHhy1fDh_ofTldRZUCReUxTEsil9j0AvYDTmGG7FdSioUx7sL17LGzqqN04oRwP8/s320/P8280128edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close quarters casting ...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmpEVkT_cM74ac8e_DO_S0hu-lRH4WZOCi4ZNIhMr8iihopyPsCUzPyGEQ47OqMzpolqOy887r4mRTNXzPcqa-kGcfeqGVueRSFHnGmJjalaDD3WxSswPzlAjH28yaCzzsZEWbsMrlVrG/s1600/P8280151edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmpEVkT_cM74ac8e_DO_S0hu-lRH4WZOCi4ZNIhMr8iihopyPsCUzPyGEQ47OqMzpolqOy887r4mRTNXzPcqa-kGcfeqGVueRSFHnGmJjalaDD3WxSswPzlAjH28yaCzzsZEWbsMrlVrG/s320/P8280151edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Result !</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The higher we got up the valley, the more sheltered conditions became, the wind abated and sun shone with a lot more enthusiasm than what we'd seen of late. It was one of those days you wish would never come to an end. We eventually called it a day and strolled back to the car discussing Monday's potential - our final day was almost upon us. Several more pints of Devonshire Ale and a Sunday roast at the Bearslake Inn seemed a fitting end to what was to be the best day of the weekend.<br />
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Monday morning arrived along with a mild yet definite hangover - this was handled as all hangovers should be with coffee registering 6 on the Richter Scale. The final outing was to be the Cherrybrook below the Higher Cherrybrook Bridge. According to the 2011 Dartmoor Fishery Guide the 600m below the bridge offers some good fishing which seemed as good a reason as any to conclude our visit by fishing it.<br />
The Cherrybrook in this location is true small stream fishing in all it's confined, overgrown glory - this small fact combined with the ubiquitous headwind that was determined to test our casting prowess to the max almost made me reconsider. Matt at this point was already tooled up and marching with purpose down towards the <strike>river </strike>stream. About 1000m downstream of the bridge we got down to the business of fooling small brown trout into thinking bits of fluff and feathers really are an insect worth eating. And fool them we managed to do. Several of Dartmoor's watery residents made their way to hand and were carefully released back to swim another day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsAaJpG55n_sHPg_urUHzAYQvgmDiI19mVn7jjgsRgbCJuJEYghM8QhiB3XyU1x10tUObH7_CmFY4sNpvL8j8elIdS5R9S4FNbmcaQUtWON9yDV484fnscpRKNyTAbtS6N7EXD7YQZPUm/s1600/Dartmoor+2+099edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsAaJpG55n_sHPg_urUHzAYQvgmDiI19mVn7jjgsRgbCJuJEYghM8QhiB3XyU1x10tUObH7_CmFY4sNpvL8j8elIdS5R9S4FNbmcaQUtWON9yDV484fnscpRKNyTAbtS6N7EXD7YQZPUm/s320/Dartmoor+2+099edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small stream trouting ...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKTKKT4HWe5LUkwkJkCEfDEOMaWlDvcIU2EoMIhn39bhGDs_111bT5vSLU1-jPzns0wdQl4V_J6l0vxrzy7ITFpwe-_qBkwwlBQozfT69P8311SZS4h0sW8H-wooSLzWHd1SfsXs54Vpf/s1600/Dartmoor+2+114edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKTKKT4HWe5LUkwkJkCEfDEOMaWlDvcIU2EoMIhn39bhGDs_111bT5vSLU1-jPzns0wdQl4V_J6l0vxrzy7ITFpwe-_qBkwwlBQozfT69P8311SZS4h0sW8H-wooSLzWHd1SfsXs54Vpf/s320/Dartmoor+2+114edited+%2528Small%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last of the 2011 Dartmoor season</td></tr>
</tbody></table>All too quickly the beat, and visit, came to an end. A hint of melancholy crept its way over us as the knowledge that this was the last visit to this fly fishers paradise for the 2011 season. I mentioned in my previous post that the fishing in Dartmoor exceeded my expectations on all levels, I wasn't sure if it was possible for it to get any better - it did. The weather may not have been as forgiving as my earlier trip but this certainly did not detract from the magical beauty Dartmoor has to offer. The 2012 season already has a visit planned - I'm certain that this is now an annual inevitability.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-20843212825000653232011-08-14T01:42:00.000-07:002011-08-14T07:55:59.779-07:00GAIA Mentoring SessionAnother great afternoon prepping for the GAIA assessment - mentor Scott Simmonds (fly caster extraordinaire) during a well earned tea break.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7royQ35uJRhGMhjEgthD4g6rN4OJGZae8QXv_eVZiIuo2qxgg-9hW0WmBX9l9XmtYGYjZKujwGOnQVO72-6vPa0bh9x4jvSJPo445UOnU0oQya04Es4oX2dELbuARNpjkbSk5wjAfPpfi/s1600/DSCN4039+%2528Large%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7royQ35uJRhGMhjEgthD4g6rN4OJGZae8QXv_eVZiIuo2qxgg-9hW0WmBX9l9XmtYGYjZKujwGOnQVO72-6vPa0bh9x4jvSJPo445UOnU0oQya04Es4oX2dELbuARNpjkbSk5wjAfPpfi/s320/DSCN4039+%2528Large%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott getting into the zone ...</td></tr>
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Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-10712253214314385772011-08-11T13:51:00.000-07:002011-08-18T12:14:45.906-07:00West Country GoldThis year's family summer break arrived as quickly as the latest global financial meltdown - the destination of which was decided six months previously. In order to prevent two weeks of sulking (childish I know but desperate situations call for desperate measures!) I'm prepared to go anywhere so long as there is an abundance of brown trout inhabiting several miles of small stream. I surreptitiously put forward the idea of Dartmoor in Devon which also happens to contain in excess of 15 miles of river on the Duchy of Cornwall estate of which fishing is available through the Westcountry Angling Passport scheme - <a href="http://www.westcountryangling.com/homepage.php">West Country Angling</a>.<br />
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True to form we arrived on Dartmoor in atrocious conditions - I almost expected to see the Hound of the Baskervilles running through the cloak of mist and rain that shrouded the moor. What with the infamous Dartmoor Prison as the backdrop I'd started to question my choice of venue for this summer's getaway.<br />
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In a bid to fish as much of the waters on offer I bought a week permit from the Post Office in Princetown for £30 - this would entitle me to fish all of the waters on offer on the Estate. First on the list was Upper West Dart above the Two Bridges Hotel.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQCuehOlzcdYpEKnPhcYbMtvYosiuJt8UyQzx6H8DKsnY9pkRe-t-uGvxugpAT_ItKX2_MoF_iAbCnGpTFghsRdZ-cwqdse3ce3v7gljsER2YQDrGQbLTTIzrh7hcP-FgvjFvgIXcXJiQ/s1600/DartmoorMap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQCuehOlzcdYpEKnPhcYbMtvYosiuJt8UyQzx6H8DKsnY9pkRe-t-uGvxugpAT_ItKX2_MoF_iAbCnGpTFghsRdZ-cwqdse3ce3v7gljsER2YQDrGQbLTTIzrh7hcP-FgvjFvgIXcXJiQ/s320/DartmoorMap.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dartmoor Fishing Map</td></tr>
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Upon arriving the water was alive with small brown trout sipping tiny emergers off the surface of the gin clear water. I tackled up my 6ft 2wt Hardy Lightweight - on the business end a 7ft 6in Orvis Superstrong leader tapered down to 6x and a foot of 8x Orvis Superstrong tippet to which a #30 Chironomid Emerger was tied. Stealth when small streaming is crucial to a successful day out, on Dartmoor however the crystal clear water and moorland environment devoid of trees and other foliage in which to conceal your intentions make the stealth factor even more crucial. This was highlighted on my first attempt when the previously active water became devoid of anything trout related as I entered the stream - this is by no means going to be a walk in the park - but then I like a challenge ...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjddn1jRaiYhgPU6woLD_yYWXx1fUudrZ9np1sLDbzW3R_EotyVlSF-MtBBtVBY_zuJQCkwZSGMd_74VIvgYxbZ2ld3Nwhj1YShLBBbqx6cmb4T6AXt_VNg_-WPRzlY8u9ADIBfmvE4HU9k/s1600/Emergeredited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjddn1jRaiYhgPU6woLD_yYWXx1fUudrZ9np1sLDbzW3R_EotyVlSF-MtBBtVBY_zuJQCkwZSGMd_74VIvgYxbZ2ld3Nwhj1YShLBBbqx6cmb4T6AXt_VNg_-WPRzlY8u9ADIBfmvE4HU9k/s320/Emergeredited.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#30 Chironomid Emerger</td></tr>
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A tactical rethink and SAS style approach was rewarded with the first fish of the holiday - small, perfectly formed and full of attitude.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-gAHyIed_PZlHyyeNZdkmGMG5dCqEHPd7QKGSylE5bT4SED3700UP-0pyJqbDlTV-Pms6649hwsX5719bpVc7fl95t0G5nVmxHz9aCXv-kPkygUHWnKYRYQC-A145GWQLao-gsgvPaZT/s1600/376+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-gAHyIed_PZlHyyeNZdkmGMG5dCqEHPd7QKGSylE5bT4SED3700UP-0pyJqbDlTV-Pms6649hwsX5719bpVc7fl95t0G5nVmxHz9aCXv-kPkygUHWnKYRYQC-A145GWQLao-gsgvPaZT/s320/376+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upper West Dart reward</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Dartmoor offers a diverse trouting experience from trickling moorland streams such as the Blackabrook, Cherrybrook to the other end of the spectrum where larger waters such as the lower stretches of the East and West Dart present a bigger river style challenge. The permit allows great flexibility in that if conditions on the upper stretches of a river deteriorate (as can happen quickly on Dartmoor) a short trip in the car takes you to a different catchment where a more favourable environment makes the day that bit more enjoyable.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTlUOO0Mu7VYCwcR6CzQ9BNdQ07nA_pQz0Dl2Lq7vzZOxyD8VB8ZWebXK97HkbCu2dqBUWEaYk-jL28GVeCWmoIRHHxcSIl9jvV1J53PY-7Q367NhiO_i9JHWZ7Y-7Vj7n5c7Pvb08ufV/s1600/377+%2528Medium%2529+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTlUOO0Mu7VYCwcR6CzQ9BNdQ07nA_pQz0Dl2Lq7vzZOxyD8VB8ZWebXK97HkbCu2dqBUWEaYk-jL28GVeCWmoIRHHxcSIl9jvV1J53PY-7Q367NhiO_i9JHWZ7Y-7Vj7n5c7Pvb08ufV/s320/377+%2528Medium%2529+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackabrook</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0mDUD3Tmp1J8Oo8V0pYzwkacHGANi3HObIo3GdvL8TX-MFbIAE0RBr9kMcXrS-USKYL8-5aC8Erst4oOhwWXoHRuyhfRvw7hK8Qm48bHEbqK08uQ0T7JryNVbmT4YuU22Pflw2iS4LEhx/s1600/379+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0mDUD3Tmp1J8Oo8V0pYzwkacHGANi3HObIo3GdvL8TX-MFbIAE0RBr9kMcXrS-USKYL8-5aC8Erst4oOhwWXoHRuyhfRvw7hK8Qm48bHEbqK08uQ0T7JryNVbmT4YuU22Pflw2iS4LEhx/s320/379+%2528Medium%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackabrook</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The variety of fishing each river has to offer, from smooth glides to deep pools and small pockets of water between rocks and boulders, is guaranteed to ensure you keep your tactical trout hat on.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Middle East Dart (Bellever) </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cqTgHU18t1iA-SCnVo9fv7np0ymZj2weocnbEmD7Czmx9K2sQzUDeolbiHri_59ApjGSuL6OC1TDqMbBtaLG4RAarsMurApYGWl5JMFSMoM1drVQ_Z1A3LmgTCwfHdME1T88qEjtIASC/s1600/150+%2528Large%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cqTgHU18t1iA-SCnVo9fv7np0ymZj2weocnbEmD7Czmx9K2sQzUDeolbiHri_59ApjGSuL6OC1TDqMbBtaLG4RAarsMurApYGWl5JMFSMoM1drVQ_Z1A3LmgTCwfHdME1T88qEjtIASC/s320/150+%2528Large%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smooth Glides and fine tippets (Middle East Dart at Bellever)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient Clapper Bridger (Middle East Dart at Bellever)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGi_UyBl3hi-rAfpdQ1A7PKEyXsJubHpuzE7T2MTjcc2sPhenkH0kLlJ_JCDC5Ky4gsoVgV9unKm4QnweBt-xWutaYRqgl367DUwdR4fjp3brAY9n7C7XN7-o5tg4CUoeoUxgoiWJhf0I/s1600/183+%2528Large%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGi_UyBl3hi-rAfpdQ1A7PKEyXsJubHpuzE7T2MTjcc2sPhenkH0kLlJ_JCDC5Ky4gsoVgV9unKm4QnweBt-xWutaYRqgl367DUwdR4fjp3brAY9n7C7XN7-o5tg4CUoeoUxgoiWJhf0I/s320/183+%2528Large%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foxgloves (<i>Digitalis purpurea</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Amongst family duties I managed to fish a wide cross section of the waters on offer on our 10 ten day break. It has to be said though that if I had to choose a favourite river it would be the Cherrybrook from the confluence with the West Dart up to the Lower Cherrybrook Bridge.<br />
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I'd walked a section of the Cherrybrook the first week of the trip and it seriously captured my imagination. On a brief visit with the family I could not but help myself and cast a few tentative lines into the peaty coloured water which revealed half a dozen small brownies. I had to get back before the trip was over - no matter what. Our last day was preceded by a night of torrential rain which had me conjuring up visions of a washed out boggy moor and river. Being the eternal optimist I convinced my wife to pack her camera and bring a shower cap in case/when the next deluge hits.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hostile weather trying to break us - never ...</td></tr>
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The river wasn't nearly as bad as expected - we made our way to the confluence with the West Dart spotting the occasional rise on the way down from the car park. It didn't take long - the small black Klink disappeared in a frothy swirl and a golden brownie made its way to my hand.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cherrybrook gold</td></tr>
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My spirit soared - all doubts from the previous evening washed away in the light Dartmoor rain - you simply don't get better than this.<br />
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The river led me through hidden treasure troves ...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picking a Cherrybrook pocket ...</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Occasionally revealing it's golden bounty by way of small brown trout.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cherrybrook brownie</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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The day was sadly coming to an end - I'd entered the usual "just one more cast" phase that just never seems to come when a small recess behind a rock mid-stream exploded in a maelstrom of brown and white foam. A sizeable fish came tailing out of the water about 10 ft in front of me - my 6ft6 3wt bent over into an obscure angle. This was the fish of the trip I was thinking - without a doubt! Fighting for its life it took off downstream - gently I eased it back until it was a rod length away when the line went slack. I stood there in utter disbelief! The brief glimpse I got as the tailing display unfurled in front of me is all I had to take away - the brief disapointment though was eclipsed by an enormous sense of satisfaction of having had the privilege of fishing some of the most picturesque, rich waters in the UK.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5D8DXbldvQGXcgsIoIoHkThomp3MbJsolpU_SFRnoYhB3kt2DC7n9pJwtnDuxyI6Du-_yM__CP3cN-SReKExO63WQa0WueoEvsF-YKpWweGlu-VkmkWKlOcJxZyAvd-URTn0HSUoYTdi/s1600/284+%2528Large%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5D8DXbldvQGXcgsIoIoHkThomp3MbJsolpU_SFRnoYhB3kt2DC7n9pJwtnDuxyI6Du-_yM__CP3cN-SReKExO63WQa0WueoEvsF-YKpWweGlu-VkmkWKlOcJxZyAvd-URTn0HSUoYTdi/s320/284+%2528Large%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I'd read magazine articles written by Mike Weaver and John Stephens (Trout & Salmon and Fly Fishing & Fly Tying) which fueled my desire to fish these waters. My expectations were high but they were met and exceeded on all levels. Dartmoor is a stunningly beautiful place - a stark, silent beauty which you can immerse yourself in and totally escape the pressures and anxieties of modern day life. Global financial meltdown - I know where the real gold lies ...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-1336601737053382022011-07-16T00:19:00.000-07:002011-07-20T10:52:48.194-07:00Fishing the ImprobableLiving in the most troutiest of UK counties Hampshire, puts me in the crucible of fly fishing and although this may sound nothing less than idyllic there is a downside - cost. Almost everything in the south of England is expensive so there's no reason why fly fishing should be any different. Obviously there's the historical significance of fishing such giants as the Test or Itchen which can command stratospheric prices eliciting nosebleeds. Local fly fishing clubs with waiting lists as long as the Itchen itself have acquired the rights to almost all waters and again the requirement to re-mortgage the house to cover the club fees. <i> </i><br />
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<i>Almost </i>all waters ...<br />
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Scratch below the proverbial surface and you will find some damn fine fly fishing right under your nose. Small stretches of river running through villages, along public rights of way and other council owned land offer a surprising amount of quality fly fishing, wait for it ... for free !<br />
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I find these stretches of water nothing short of a miracle in many respects - look back at the history of the area and more often than not the pollution levels were that to rival the likes of the Ganges in years gone by. Over time however, we've become more aware of our local environment and the need to preserve this resource for our kids - a direct result of this is a healthy brown trout population in many of these rivers.<br />
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Up until the back end of the 2010 season, I'd pretty much explored/fished most of the local streams on offer and was on a mission to find further sources to quench my insatiable fly fishing thirst. My wish was granted in the form of an article in Trout & Salmon magazine regarding a small stretch of river running through council owned land tucked away in Hampshire of all places.<br />
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After arriving and parking the car I made my way down to the river taking care to avoid the ubiquitous canine deposits and head high swaths of stinging nettles - no wonder this place is never fished ! Like Livingstone looking onto Victoria Falls for the first time I eventually found the mother lode - although it was anything but Victoria Falls.<br />
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It was at this point that my enthusiasm drained - chocolate brown water, tyres and all other manner of debris littered the river bank and bed. Mustering up some courage I pushed on upstream through the nettles, brambles and other horticultural tools of torture in the vain hope that things would improve. They didn't. After about an hour of thrashing around the riverbank, peering down into the water I decided to admit defeat and head for the comfort of home and several pints of Pressed Rat & Warthog. It was at this point that I heard the unmistakable splash of a fish devouring some unsuspecting insect of sorts - get in there !! Looking into the murk I saw the periodic rise of a superbly formed brown trout approximately eight to ten inches long sipping emergers off the surface.<br />
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The following weekend involved one times brother-in-law, two 6ft 2wt fly rods and both armed with a boxes of sub #20 flies.<br />
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We tackled up a New Zealand style rig - 7ft 6 inch tapered leaders down to 6x tippet onto which was attached a #20 Klinkhammer and #22 nymph. To start with, the fishing was difficult in that overhanging vegetation limited us to very close quarters casting and not being able to fish pools that I was certain held fish. Our efforts were soon rewarded though - we watched the Klink disappear as a small brownie took the nymph.<br />
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The remainder of the day was spent fishing some surprisingly deep pools and pocket water, all of which produced awesome fish the biggest of which was a respectable eight inches.<br />
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I've since fished this small gem of stream on several occassions and have been surprised on each visit - early summer afternoons can offer some of the best dry fly action I've experienced. Local dog walkers after asking, "And just what are you expecting to catch in <i>there</i>?" walk away tutting at yet another fisherman's tale in utter disbelief that nothing could survive in this most improbable of small streams.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7789239469354281840.post-67686784749963762142011-07-12T13:50:00.000-07:002011-07-13T11:06:03.087-07:00Early season foray<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4h-AqE1-cO8aUYwDlrkoOB9VpRR0bxqvrIC9j7hst7ccgS1Yi4-705wwjJqO3pI-h-rwQJk0YxJnNxGCaUnaLAC31V7eeWmAVy2ny2qkCppaz0eL1khTxWQIkBsfxETOE0bycVsupmsuh/s1600/DSCN3817+%2528Large%2529edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4h-AqE1-cO8aUYwDlrkoOB9VpRR0bxqvrIC9j7hst7ccgS1Yi4-705wwjJqO3pI-h-rwQJk0YxJnNxGCaUnaLAC31V7eeWmAVy2ny2qkCppaz0eL1khTxWQIkBsfxETOE0bycVsupmsuh/s400/DSCN3817+%2528Large%2529edited.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Mike Maxfieldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439434862309429953noreply@blogger.com0