Davie McPhail (Peter Ross)

Just been looking on Davie McPhails Youtube site at the Peter Ross fly. This is a firm favourite with me down here in the Lake District.
The site is a great resource for helping me with my tying. His site is the best that I know of for fly tying. The videos are easy to follow, as you can pause and rewind if you missed something.

Glasgow Angling Centre Blog (Hidden Waters)

Just been on the GAC Blog where they have a cracking little video made by Wychwood called ‘Hidden Waters’ filmed on location in the Lake District, my stomping ground. The film work is exceptional, showing of some of the more remote tarns at their best with some cracking brown trout to boot.
Very inspirational so much so that I will be getting the maps out over the next few weeks planning my fishing trips for next season.
Follow the link below to watch.

http://blog.fishingmegastore.com/

Rescue Services Open Day

The open day has been advertised here for the last couple of weeks, and I have been hoping that I would have the day off to be able to attend along with my son.
Well the day arrived and I was off work, so I took my son round to the open day a little later than planned due to having to go to do the food shopping with the wife. We arrived too late for the river rescue, but were able to walk around the Fire, Police, ambulance and Mountain Rescue bases. Kendal Mountain Rescue had a display of all their equipment that they need to take on any rescue including stretchers climbing gear etc. they had a young volunteer getting his leg put in and inflatable splint.
My son was interested in the Fire Service more than anything else. We had a walk around the fire station and watched the Fire service do a rescue display along with the Ambulance service. I didn’t realise the amount of effort and hard work that the Fire Service actually have to put in on any given rescue. They do a great job and I feel safe in the knowledge that they are there should I ever need them.
The next thing that we had a look at was the Bay Search and Rescue vehicles. These are used in Morecambe bay to get across the quick sands that are in the bay. The vehicles on display were used when the Chinese cockle pickers were caught out with very fast rising tides a few years back. We went for a walk around the other vehicles that were on display, when my son caught sight of a police motorbike, which he made a beeline for. We had a chat with the police officer and he got to sit on the bike.
This was a great day out and would recommend that if you get a chance to go to one of these types of events that you should go along and see the work that the Emergency Services do.

Salmon Fishing

I was informed of a place to trot a worm or two for salmon, by the coal supplier to my work. I managed to get out on the Kent at Staveley for a couple of hours yesterday before having to go to work for 3pm. I watched the river for any signs of life for about 15 minutes before making a cast. I was set up with a float and cast in to a nice pool where there is reputed to be salmon at the moment. I continued on the pool for about ½ hour with no luck. I moved further round the river to a nice section with a few riffles and glides and cast out again. I got what I thought was a take but no joy. I continued along the river for the next hour or so before reluctantly packing up to go home and get ready for work.
There is massive potential on this stretch of river for both fly and worm, with Brown Trout, Sea Trout and Salmon making home in the river. Will be out again next week with I hope a bit more luck.

Tour of Britain 2011 (Stage 2)

I was a Marshall at the Tour of Britain stage start today. I arrived at 8.30am to start my duties. I was stationed at the bridge in Abbot Hall Park Kendal, where the team buses were parked up. The riders would have to cross the bridge to register. The plan for the day was that we would control the public coming over the bridge in order that the riders would be able to cross without too much interference. The riders were only too happy to stop and sign autographs for the school kids who came down to see the stage start.
As the morning went on and the wind increased there were urgent meetings with the team directors and the tour organisers as to whether the race would go ahead today.
Some of the top cyclists in the world were here today including current World Road Race champion Thor Hushovd (Garmin Cervelo), Tour de France Green Jersey winner Mark Cavendish (HTC Highroad) & Geraint Thomas (Team Sky). The stage was due to start at 10.30am, at around the same time the days stage was called off. With the north of England being battered by winds of up to 65mph with stronger winds forecast, this was the tail end of Hurricane Katia. The reason for the stage being cancelled was for safety reasons.
All the teams agreed that not to disappoint the schools kids who would be waiting at the schools to watch the tour pass by and all the public who were lining the streets of Kendal, that they would do 2 laps of the town. This was very well received by the schools and general public.
The Council are in talks with The Tour of Britain directors already about the tour visiting Kendal next year.

Kendal Torchlight Carnival 2011

A day later than planned, but better late than never. Friday started off with light rain in the morning getting heavier as the day went on up until about 2pm. then it brightened up and stayed dry for the rest of the evening for the carnival.
Construction of the school float, whose theme was Stramongate has Olympic Talent started at around 9am, with about 8 parents including myself making the start. The scaffolding went on to the wagon, and was fastened securely to the sides as a safety barrier for the kids who would be on the float that night.
During last term the kids had made flags, also Date boards with city names of the previous Olympics. These were than attached to the scaffolding and the float started to take shape. We had borrowed 1st, 2nd & 3rd podiums from a local gymnastics club. The Olympic rings were made from paper mache and painted these were hung up in the middle of the float. On the evening the kids and some of the teachers and parents were dressed as athletes and Olympic officials. The evening was a great success although we did not win a trophy for all the effort that was put in. At the presentation awards afterwards my kids got to meet and get a picture taken with Steven Hall, one of the finalists on last season’s Britain’s Got Talent.

Weekly Round Up (Week 32/33/34)

Not been out much at all over the last 3 weeks, due to work & family commitments. I should now be back on a more regular basis, and not just river updates. I have been out with my son a couple of times at Sandside sea fishing and catching the odd flounder. Well the last couple of days has seen torrential rain with flood alerts issued for the rivers Brathay, Mint, Sprint and Kent. The river Kent is today about 8-10ft above normal levels for this time of year. I went out this morning when the rain had stopped for a little while and managed to get a few pics of the river in its current condition. The river is far too high to even attempt to fish it. Wading is definitely out for the time being, The flow is that fast that it is carrying small trees and lots of other debris, which makes it too dangerous to venture onto the river.
Here is hoping that the weather improves before Friday for Kendal’s annual torchlight carnival. I will put up a report of the carnival on Saturday. My son’s school has a float in the carnival which I will be on. I will be helping out with the construction on Friday during the day, also setting up the music and lighting.