TIGHTLINES NEWSLETTER
MARCH 2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Editorial: New Year, New Leaf!
You should all have received a letter from the ELFA Chair explaining that the last 12 months have been anything but easy for the association, and we realise that we have not communicated well or been as proactive with the membership as we intended. We have experienced a change of personnel in some key roles and the transition has been less than smooth. BUT, please read on:
Hopefully from reading the rest of this newsletter you’ll see that a lot has happened and ELFA has been doing some sterling work in some fairly key activities. The main aim for 2008 is to get the focus back on the membership, hold more get-togethers and give chance to share skills and experience.
I hope you enjoy the newsletter, we will produce them every 3 Months. Suggestions for improving the newsletter to the editor please. Some members have drifted away from the association in light of the lack of events and communication and we understand why. Please review your decision during 2008, and hopefully you’ll see a difference.
Ed. Darth Wader (may the fish be with you!).
paulsue.sissons@btinternet.com
=============================================================
Future Publications of Tightlines:
Tightlines will be published to the following deadlines:
End of: May 2008, August 2008, November 2008, February 2009.
If anyone wishes to have an article or item published then please ensure they are with the Editor at least 2 weeks before the deadlines.
=============================================================
Did You know?
The Trout and rose logo was designed for ELFA by Charles Jar dine who was manager of the England Ladies team up to 1999.
‘Trout n About’:
Dates for the Diary (full diary on the website www.elfa.org.uk/events):
We expect this diary to grow so please watch for updates.
Get Togethers:
These offer the chance to come along and meet others members, meet some of the team or committee.
Various dates will also offer; Demonstrations, Tuition, Tackle Sales, Friendly Competitions
Events in date chronology:
Orvis Open Day at Press Manor Trout Fishery, Derbyshire.
Saturday 24th May 2008. 10am-4.30pm. Free to attend
Several world-renowned fly-fishermen will be present to show you how to get the best out of fly-fishing. There will also be free casting tuition from several local instructors, rod testing and distance and accuracy casting competitions. Demonstrations on the day will include:
Bakewell Store Manager, Jonathan Tomlinson, on saltwater fishing.
Owner of Press Manor Trout Fishing, Bernie Maher, and Steve Rhodes on boat fishing techniques.
Paul Procter will be giving talks on the new Orvis light weight Helios Rods and other new products as well as talking about the entomology of the lakes.
Charles Jardine on ‘Basics of Casting’
Philip White on salmon casting and fly tying
Fly Tying demonstrations
Exhibitors
- The Wild Trout Trust, Grayling Society, Fly Dresser Guild and Salmon and Trout Association will all have stands for you to visit throughout the day.
- Izzack Walton Cottage Charity
- Antique Fishing Tackle
Enter a free prize draw to win a Zero Gravity Rod or a £150 Orvis Gift Card.
This event is growing all the time. To find out the most up to date details about the event please visit www.orvis.co.uk/bakewell
Whilst this is not directly an ELFA event it should offer something for everyone.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EYEBROOK PAIRS: Friendly Competition.
Sunday 1st June 2008
Floating Line and Drifting Boats Only (Any Sized Flies)
Match Times: 10am – 6.00pm
Entry cost £60 per Boat Pair
Entry will be limited to 20 Boats, so book now to avoid disappointment …
For an entry form please ask at Eyebrook Lodge or email Jayne at jaynealecock@aol.com
Organised by Jayne Alecock and Hilary Tomlinson (ELFA 2008 team members)
========================================================================
CLA Game Fair 25th to 27th July 2008: The premier Game Fair of the year, come along and meet some of your fellow anglers and join us in some refreshments and talk about fishing nor anything else. (more detail in the next edition)
Carsington Open Day, 2nd August 2008: Casting and Flytying Demonstrations, Items for Sale, Refreshments, Have a Go Casting or Improve your casting (£5 per half hour with qualified instructors). For this you can just turn up on the day.
Alternatively:
6 hour boat fishing competition, prizes to 10th place (£45 per person). This needs to be booked in advance, anyone interested: paulsue.sissons@btinternet.com 07885 269073
(more detail in the next edition)
We will issue news dates on the web site and in Tightlines as they get arranged for 2008.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If anyone wishes to arrange a get-together in your local area, please feel free to do so. We will advertise it in Tightlines and on the Website. You do not need to be on the committee to do this!
ELFA Competition Dates:
Home International: 17th – 19th June,Lake of Menteith,
Loch Style National: 24th August, Bewl Water (Ä to compete and maybe fish for the team 2009)
Rivers National Ä : 20th September, venue TBA (Ä to compete and maybe fish for the team 2009)
Ä note: These events are primarily to identify teams for the following year. However you do not have to join the team, maybe you’d just like to come along and have a go, experience the event, gain some knowledge. There is no commitment expected from fishing these events, its up to you!
Casting For Recovery, UK and Ireland
A major success of 2007, managed by members of the ELFA committee was to pair up with the Countryside Alliance and Casting For Recovery USA to bring CFR to the UK;set up retreats to aid ladies to overcome and recover from breast cancer operations.
Casting a flyline and fishing in great surroundings has been found to be very therapeutic. This combined with qualified counselling has helped many breast cancer sufferers in the US.
Two retreats were held in the UK in 2007 and more are planned for 2008
2008 Dates: 20th - 23rd March Arundel Arms, Devon
11th –13th April Caer Beris, Powys
20th – 30th Spetember, Duncton Mill, Sussex
Such a large undertaking takes a lot of time and effort and key members of the ELFA committee have been very heavily involved in this project. I hope you’ll agree what an excellent opportunity this has been, and what a difference ELFA can make to the life of many people.
For anyone wishing to find out more, please visit: www.castingforrecovery.org.uk
=============================================================
Committee News:
Committee members hold their post for 2 years and then have to be re-elected at the AGM (March annually).
The current committee members are:
Chair: Wendy Miller
Treasurer: Wendy Miller
Secretary: Sue Hunter
Sponsorship: Susan Sissons (GAIC)
Press/Publicity: Sue Shaw (GAIC)
Press/Publicity: Mary Hopper
Web Site: Lousie Callow
Support Role: Martha Thomson
Support Role: Jacqueta Hamilton
Tightlines Ed: Darth Wader
Loch Style Manager: Paul Miller (GAIC)
Rivers/European Manager: Paul Sissons (GAIC)
If anyone wishes to undertake a main or supporting role with the ELFA committee, please let us know. You do not have to sit on the main committee to make a difference, you may want to support one of the members of the committee to undertake their role.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ELFA is currently looking for:
Treasurer: Wendy Miller is covering this on a temporary basis until a replacement can be found.
Loch Style Team Manager: Paul Miller will step down after the Home International in June 2008.
Rivers Team Manager: Paul Sissons will step down after 2009.
Coaches: For the Loch Style and Rivers Teams
Anyone interested in any of the above should submit their CV to Sue Hunter.
====================================================
Website News:
Our new ‘webmaster’ is Louise Callow, supported by Martha Thomson, whom took over the management of the web site mid 2007. Inheriting and taking over something of this nature is never straight forward when you’ve not designed it yourself (the wonders of modern technology!). Louise and Martha now seem to have come to grips with their task and the web site should be maintained better from now on.
The website will be used to keep current information and events up to date (latest news items), post a copy of the previous tightlines etc. If anyone wishes to get anything advertised or posted on the website, please send details to Louise at her email address: admin@scamptheatre.com
====================================================
Jokes; well sort of!
What is the fastest fish in the river? The motorpike and sidecarp!
Who is the highway robber of the river? Dick Terrapin!
Who did Marlon Brando Play? The Codfather!
Better or Sadder jokes gratefully accepted. Unless you want more of these!
====================================================
This Quarters Fly:
For future editions of tightlines we are aiming to include a fly per quarter. The fly will be enclosed in the newsletter and there will be details of the materials used to tie it and how to tie it.
We are currently discussing this with Andy Kitchener at ‘The Essential Fly’
=========================================================================
Recognise anyone?
Go to www.beulahusa.com, click on UK flag.
You’ll see the European Team from Norway.
Beulah sponsored the team, have a look at their great products!
The 8ft #4 guide rod is on of the best river rods we’ve ever used.
Cook it Up.
Buckwheat Blinis –
Tried and tested by Jennifer Sutherland
(This editions recipe guru!)
Serves 8 as a starter
Ingredients
2 oz (50 g) buckwheat flour, 6 oz (175 g) strong white plain flour, 1 level teaspoon salt
6 g easy-blend dried yeast, 7 fl oz (200 ml) crème fraîche, 8 fl oz (225 ml) whole milk
2 large eggs, separated, 1½ oz (40 g) butter
For the topping:
1 lb (450 g) smoked or gravalax trout, 10 ½ fl oz (300 ml) crème fraîche, a few dill sprigs
Method
Begin by sifting the buckwheat flour, plain flour and salt together into a large roomy bowl and then sprinkle in the yeast.
Place 7 fl oz (200 ml) of the crème fraîche into a measuring jug and add enough milk to bring it up to the 15 fl oz (425 ml) level. Place this in a small saucepan and warm it gently – it must only be slightly warm, as too much heat will kill the yeast.
Next add the egg yolks to the milk, mix them in with a whisk and after that pour the whole lot into the flour mixture. Whisk everything until you have a thick batter, then cover the bowl with a clean tea cloth and leave it in a warm place for about 1 hour – this can simply be a matter of placing the bowl in another larger bowl filled with warm wateAfter 1 hour the batter will be spongy and bubbly, now you whisk up the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and gently fold them into the batter. Cover with the cloth again and leave as before for another hour.
When you're ready to make the blinis, begin by melting the butter in a heavy-based frying pan, then tip the melted butter out into a cup and use it with the help of a tightly rolled wodge of kitchen paper to brush the pan all over as you make each blini. To do this, keep the pan on a medium heat and add 1½ tablespoons of batter – (1 tablespoon goes in first, then another ½ tablespoon on top) – it won't spread out much and the underneath sets as soon as it touches the pan. This amount should give you a blini about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. (JS added – for mini blinis use a teaspoon and follow the same process)
Don't worry at this stage if it looks too thick, it isn't, it's just light and puffy. After 40 seconds, no longer, flip the blini over and give it just 30 seconds on the other side. Transfer it to a wire cooling-rack and repeat, brushing the pan with butter each time. This mixture should give you 24 blinis.
When all the blinis are made and have cooled, wrap them in foil parcels, with 6 laid out flat in each one. To serve, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 1, 275°F (140°C) and place the foil parcels on a high shelf for 10 minutes.
Serve the blinis on warm plates, giving each person 2 to start with, and top with slices of smoked salmon or gravadlax trout, about 2 oz (50 g) per person, add a tablespoon of very cold crème fraîche on the side of the plate and garnish with sprigs of fresh dill.
This recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s Winter Collection.
If anyone has an interesting recipe they would like to share with the members please send it to the editor.
====================================================
Did You know?
The only financial support ELFA receives is £1500 per annum from the Sportscouncil, and this is expected to cease within the next two years, hence fundraising is vital for the association.
All other funds are raised through the various events held annually.
"FROM COLOMBIA WITH LOVE!"
A mothers memories of visiting her daughter for the Home International, Grafham Water, 2007.
It was the end of 2006 when I had made up my mind about visiting my daughter Martha for her latest challenge. All her short life she has achieved many things to make us proud, however this has to be top of the list, fly fishing for England! Well..... that certainly raised few eyebrows over here I can say, in a good way though.
Anyway, after sorting out all the arrangements for the trip I was ready to go, very scary experience as I have never been abroad before without my husband. He unfortunately passed away some years ago and sadly unable to experience the recent achievements of his beloved youngest daughter.
I arrived in England and how exciting it was to see Martha in her new life, together with my favourite son in law Stewart, their home, friends, work and her love for fly fishing, which is very much all around her and a huge part of her life. I then realised for the first time that my baby girl is now a grown up, although still very much full of sweetness in her heart, a characteristic and attribute of hers since she was a very little girl.
Although I spent several wonderful months with Martha in England, I wish to comment specifically on the Ladies International event at Grafham. This was was an incredible experience for me, fantastic accommodation, wonderful fishing venue, everything organised superbly.
I had such incredible pleasure meeting and getting to know so many very beautiful people within the team and their supporters. I would love to name you one by one, however would probably be taking up all of this page, although you know who you are and the special place that you are having in my heart. Thank you!
I was and still am devastated England did not win the gold medal, however you are still all winners to me, especially Sue Hunter, an exemplary Captain and friend . Good luck, best wishes and 'tightlines' (as you taught me) for Menteith this year and the following years, you wonderful girls!
Back in Colombia now, a little sad, however full of great memories and already planning my next trip, can't wait to see you all again!
Martha’s Mum!
Looking For an Instructor?
Only use GAIA qualified Instructors (GAIC and APGAI):
See http://www.gameanglinginstructors.co.uk