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WEEKLY FISHERY REPORT

Report for week ending 24th August 2004
Temperature at 6ft 18.5C; Clarity 2.0m

Water temperature has started the annual climb down and clarity has reduced to 2m. Fishing has been close to the surface or above – with larger lures (e.g. boobies, sparklers, white cat) or dries (CDC, yellow owl)and hoppers being successful. Top areas have been the Road Shore, Rookery, Gateside, Dog Isle and Malling shore. Some nice looking ongrown specimens appearing in the bags – these two above taken by Bob Fitzpatrick on dries.

Results of SANA Open Finals August 23rd 2004
53 Anglers took place to contest the SANA Open Flyfishing Final – and the Final of the SANA Open Pairs. In total 214 fish for 427lbs were boated - an average catch of 4 fish for 8lbs per angler. The Open Champion for 2004 was Policeman Alan Hill (from Ayrshire) with a bag of 8 trout for 18lbs 2oz. Alan (pictured left) was fishing on the top with a pair of boobies (white cat and orange and white). Alan’s technique was a high density line but to get his boobies close to the surface he fished in shallow water with 14 ft of nylon. Perhaps one advantage in “coming up” to the fish is that the fly line is not so silouetted against the sky? May be someone should produce a floating tip on a sinking line – if they don’t already do so! Alan won a Quaich, a Grey’s Rod, £100 and a fleece.In second place and entitled to feel very unlucky was Royal Scot Jock Kettles. Jock lost out on the title by an ounce. Unluckily won of John’s fish had a large predator bite in the flank and these missing ounces would have made all the difference. In third place was Jim Litster with 8 fish for 17lbs 4oz and 4th was Kenny Millar with 8 fish for 16lbs 7oz. The top four all had limit bags of 8 fish but no time bonuses were awarded due to the similarity in finishing times.

The pairs event was won by Jim Litster and Jim Crawford (pictured on right), also from Ayrshire, with 14 fish for 32lbs 4oz. They received £100 each, a quaich and a fleece. 2nd were Jock Kettles and Mike Connet with 14 fish for 30lbs 11oz. 3rd A.Hill and T.Wilson and 4th A.Cannon and Hugh Law.