I believe all us social anglers suffer the same contradiction. When emerging off the water victorious, we bestow our wisdom with great gusto, confident that we’ve cracked the code, yet when the fish do give us the middle fin, we have a littany of ‘rational’ excuses as to why they aren’t co-operating.

No where is this more apparent than at the TOPS Corporate Challenge, largely due to the fact that when celebrating the catches, loose lips are quick to dispense pearls.

There are many legitimate reasons as to why Trout don’t feed or strike but environment aside, I must reluctantly admit the root of my blank days largely lie in my own hands.

Patience is one downfall, which is exacerbated by our modern world demanding that everything be sped up and the expectation of an instant result. Take casting, being the fundamental of our sport, or so we think. As soon as we get on the water we break out into a frenzy of line chucking, in part to get a rythym going and just because feeling that line whistle through the air is poetry in motion when we get it right. Yet , this prentense at artistry is lost on the fish, unless they elect to grow wings. In short too much casting reduces your chance of catching, which is simple mathematics really.

This wasn’t the fundemantal challenge on the 2nd leg of the TCC this weekend. Convincing this very festive bunch of anglers to rise and shine is where it started and in some cases team members were dragged to the waters edge. A little bleary eyed is what the waiting Trout were very pleased about, as strikes were missed and many fish lost at the bank. Quite frankly a good portion of the field just couldn’t wait to get back to the warmth and shelter of Notties, as that beastly Easterly drove the temperature gauge South. Surprisingly, considering the number hours spent on the water, 104 Trout were measured in the first day, with many fly fishing virgins landing their very first Trout.

The weather provided a reliable reason for the beligerant Trout not coming out to play but the age old question reverberated around the dinner table. What fly should I be using? Now I would always rather to be throwing the wrong fly in the right area of a dam than stripping the right fly in the wrong area, but despite this little adage, we remain transfixed by the fly.

Driving the demanding fly question, was entrants seeing fish rise on some dams and in the gin clear watching Trout chasing each other up and down. Couple this with some very accomplished fly fishers catching up to 13 fish in a session, where others didn’t trouble the scorers and confusion reigned.

And it was a real mixed bag on the fly front.

Select dams saw the dainty red eyed damsel getting the desired result, whereas on others only the bright ugly flies got any attention. The WildFly Wiggle Minnow certainly produced more than its fair share of fish, as did GPB’s.

Day two had 74 fish caught and released, interestingly with more fish measuring over half a meter due to balmier weather keeping the fly fishers on the water longer.Adding to the 1st leg’s result two weeks ago, it brought the tally up to 514 Trout landed at the halfway mark of the TOPS Corporate Challenge.

As always the festivities outweighed any fishing, as new freindships were forged over our social sport. The Fly Fishing Consultants took top honors, winning the 2nd leg, with Reel Wanderers, Fly Beserkers, Fish On and Unispan all qualifying for the grand TCC final.

John Larter was the man of the hour, winning the biggest fish of 56cm and top fly fisher with 22 Trout to his name.

Advice as always is easily given and rarely absorbed, but if there’s one unequivicol truism it’s keep your fly in the water longer and let the fish find your fly!