Tom Sturdy was the first Tanfield Angling Club River keeper and he became Water Bailiff on £1 per week in March 1899. ‘Silent Tom’ (as he was known) was credited with the ability ‘to train fish to be free risers to the fly’. No one has ever worked out how but perhaps it was something to do with his ‘Sturdy’s Fancy’. This was a particularly successful grayling fly he designed (tying instructions are given in the September 2016 edition of Fly Fishing and Fly Tying).
Following in the fly-tying footsteps of Tom Sturdy, the club held its first fly-tying event on Sunday 10 Oct, with half a dozen members attending, and by all accounts it was a journey of discovery for attendees, we even managed to tie some F-Flies. How effective they are remains to be discovered!
The next evening will be at The Bruce Arms, in West Tanfield on Sunday 10th November at 18:00. For those interested and new to tying we will by tying the Brassie Nymph, and for those more experienced tiers just come along for the social.
We have devised a beginner programme and included several of the Fly Dressers Guild Award Scheme flies, so you can follow the one that works for you, alternatively you can just come along and do your own thing.
There will be a small fee per evening £10 per evening, and a supplement of £5 for materials if you would like to follow the beginners programme (which is open to everyone).
If you would like to attend please drop Owen an email – [email protected]