Here in New Zealand the 30th of April is the last day of the season for trout fishing so as it was a Saturday decided to visit a lovely spring creek known as the "L2" close to the small township of Lincoln in Canterbury. This is quite deep probably 1.5 to 2 meters deep and as is usual with spring creeks with plentiful weed beds and overgrown banks of very high grasses. An up stream stalk revealed no worth while trout, all that were left were small maiden fish less than 30cm, this is a renowned big fish water. Perhaps they had all moved up stream towards the spawning grounds. Stalking involves a total concentration on the water with the aid of polariods and to use a Kiwl expression " Bugger me days" I missed an earthquake crack on the bank and came a right pearler. Lucky me I didn't break a leg but all the gear went to hell and back including my fly box which flew into the swift flowing water; an eddy took it to the deep weter where it sank. So it was By-by to 300 flies, my prised nymphs, wee wets and spiders. I wish that I could report success but I blanked. So much for the "One fly competition" the great Gold Ribbed Hare Ear Nymph did not perform!
The blessing is that I have all winter to enjoy the cold dark evenings replacing the flies I lost at the vice and putting them in a floating box.
