Since arriving some three months ago now the new Vision Sub Zero Jacket has become a permanent fixture on my back. Obviously, it’s been designed with fishermen in mind, but Vision have come up trumps with a stylish garment that doesn’t look out of place on the highstreet, a nice touch for those who travel and feel compelled to carry only one jacket. In fact, my better half has taken quite a shine to it, asking if they’re available in women’s sizes, praise indeed..!

So, what makes the sub Zero so special? Loaded with 100g of Primaloft synthetic filling means it’s a winner when it comes to insulating properties. It’s very light and compressible so the bulky fleeces we relied on for years seem somewhat dated now. Some might argue those fashionable soft shell type jackets are where it’s at, but even these fall way short by comparison. This warmth isn’t compromised when wet either, as the breathable filling happens to be water resistant and adding a DWR (durable water repellent) coating, keeps moisture out. Granted it’s not aimed at being fully waterproof, just a functional thermal layer that will cope with the ever changing conditions. Staying warm is best done by wearing some kind of headgear which is why the Sub Zero comes with a comfortable zip off hood that can be removed when not in use.

All this packs down into a stuff sack about the same size as a bag of sugar, leaving plenty of room in your vest or backpack for all the other essentials. Remaining at the cutting edge of fishing the Vision Sub Zero jacket offers unequalled protection, allowing you to get on with more serious matters, like caching fish…

Tight lines,

Tony Riley,

Vision World Team Member

For more information on the Vision Sub Zero Jacket: click here
To visit Guide Fly Fishing: click here
To visit Tony Riley’s ‘Lake District Fly Fishing’: click here

Light winds and overcast conditions saw the boats spread out around the reservoir with all the boats opting for Gaynes Cove, Hedge End and the Dam. We the Rio Masters had caught well in practice on Midge Tip lines and intermediates with a mixture of Cat’s Whisker Boobies and crunchers fishing the washing line method.

We all decided to fish Gaynes Cove or the Dam area and along with most of the other anglers we were quickly into fish, that seemed to fall to the nymphs rather than the lures; like many matches fish were caught consistently for the first hour or so before boat pressure seemed to kill off area’s forcing anglers to move or adapt their methods in order to catch. I had two nice rainbows from the corner of Gaynes Cove by 11:30am but had not had another take for over an hour. My boat partner Peter Jones had also taken a nice fish (a touch over 4 lb) and had been unfortunately snapped but was also not getting any action. We decided to move and headed for the bowl of the dam. There were distinctly fewer boats in this area; and we felt the less disturbed water would give us a better chance of a fish or two.

I changed to 3 hare’s ears, a pattern that had worked so well in practice for us, especially on Grafham’s notorious shrimp feeders that seemed to be hugging the shoreline, almost instantly we were into fish I took 3 nice fish in quick succession while Peter lost two. We steadily worked the length of the dam and in one glorious 45 minute spell I took my final 3 fish (all of which were over 4 lb 8 oz) to finish my limit by 14:00pm

by 16:30pm quite a few anglers were sitting on their hands and had clearly “bagged up” weigh in would be tense and nervous and it was difficult if not impossible to predict who would go through, the size of the fish would play an important part in the final placing.

At the weigh in Elinor had again all bagged up, a remarkable achievement and again setting a very high standard for the other teams. Their tactics were a Coral Woofta Booby on a Type-3 sinking line with nymphs on the droppers, fished roly – poly in Gaynes Cove or the Dam area – consistent fishing at the highest level and rightly so from one of the pre-match favourites.

We Rio Masters had 44 fish just 4 short of Elinor but we had some quality fish, a quick count up and we thought at least 7 over 4 lb would this make a difference to the placing – we certainly hoped so

The results were as follows:- (top 4 qualify)

1st  – Rio Masters 44 fish  for 121 lb
2nd – Elinor 48 fish for 117 lb
3rd – Greenwell Persuaders 42 fish for 114 lb
4th – Hanningfield 40 fish for 104 lb

5th – Solider Palmers 42 fish for 102 lb
6th – Kent & Sussex Fly Fishers 36 fish for 90 lb
7th – Grafham Water Fly Fishers 35 fish for 85 lb
8th – Sieghford Sharks  34 fish for 80 lb
9th – RAF Fish Hawks 34 fish for 74 lb
10th  -FWTFA 28 fish for 65 lb

I was fortunate enough to take the overall top bag with 8 fish for 26 lb 4oz (including time bonus) a couple of pounds ahead of Paul Mitchell of the Greenwell’s Persuaders and my team mate Ron Gent who both weighed in just over 24 lb.

With the other two regional finals taking place over the next month it’ll be very interesting to see how things pan out and who makes the international final…..will it be new up and coming teams or the old establishment ?

Finally my angler of the month award goes to Ron Gent my Rio Masters team mate. This year his angling has been nothing short of sensational, he’s not only worked out methods and area’s in practice but also produced the goods in every match.

Fishing in the AMFFC match just a week earlier on Grafham Ron bagged up by 1:00pm  by fishing a DI-5 sweep with a Cat booby and diawls again in Gaynes Coves while all others struggled and took a convincing victory; this was followed up by a third individual place and a team victory in the Anglian Water Midlands final.

It is difficult to know what put the kybosh on the fishing on Norway’s River Gaula around Storen in the last full week of the 2011 season but here’s a thing: The previous week a ‘Flood of a Hundred Years’ saw a huge lump of water measuring 1300 m³/second at the Haga Bridge in Storen and further up the river five bridges and a few houses were damaged or carried away, writes Henry Giles

So I ventured out to fish the week with a nagging feeling of how many fish in taking mood would realistically be left to target with my tube-flies in the higher water.

In the event the levels fell and cleared quickly and after the first day I was settling on my shooting head line of choice, the RIO AFS (or Advanced Flight Spey) intermediate 9/10wt. I’ve used these lines for over two years now and they have revolutionised my enjoyment of salmon fly-fishing. I looped to the end of this a fast-sinking VersiLeader with a 5.6in per sec sink rate and a nice longish 19lb fluorocarbon leader, all fished off the powerful Orvis Helios Spey 15ft 10wt hire-rod I was using (with RIO 25lb shooting line on the reel).

There’s the hi-tech bit but the fishing itself for my first fish on Day 2 was a bit lower tech. It was classic ‘mountain goat fishin’ as I hopped from rock to rock on the right bank of the Norwegian Flyfishing Club’s Upper Railway Pool, flicking out line in what can best be described as a ‘reverse switch’.

But it worked. A nice fresh grilse of 7lb grabbed the Dark Horse Templedog I was fishing, turning with my loop of line then running hard against a tightened drag. NFC guide Thies Reimers helped me tail the fish after a strong fight and we photographed then carefully returned this sleek late-season fish. Delightful!

A couple of blank days followed as it was not the most prolific week but all came good on the Friday. After a pleasant but fishless morning,  glorious noon sunshine at last started to dim as a bank of dark cloud passed overhead and I decided to turn my silver Citroen hire car down the track off the left-bank E30 road on which I was heading towards my designated afternoon’s lower Gaula beat, to first have a cast on the Home Pool. (I’d caught a glimpse of it from the road, it just had to be done.)

The place was deserted and the water looked perfect. The fast shallow stream at the head quickly deepened as I waded out over a submerged gravel bank and sent the same set-up described above (my sink-tip Versileader’d intermediate RIO shooting head) out on its mission – the one-inch Park Shrimp tube with its battered red conehead searching out the lies below.

It was about the tenth cast and five yards down from the head when the yellow shooting line ‘ssss’d’ back through my fingers in a smooth but insistent double pull and bizarrely I thought ‘sea-trout, big trout?’ such was my disbelief. But gyrating in the fast stream below and zig-zagging on a tight line was a salmon pulling strongly now and it looked substantial – and silver!

As I played the fish all went okay with my only worry the shallow rocky water closer in then came one strong head-shaking episode followed by a long run and jump I heard voices. ‘It’s Henry – hey nice fish on, Henry!’ And there approached award-winning US filmmakers Daniel Göz and Anton Hamacher – whom I’d met staying my first night in their Maela House – plus cameras over the Gaula boulders.

The Americans provided brilliant back-up, the charismatic duo encouraging and entering into the spirit of the moment. My rod was hooped round but I managed to glance behind and give a smile of sorts at the camera running. The fish had made the Angel reel shriek on two decent runs but it was only a matter of time and just the twists and turns of direction of the fish in the fast flow caused any concern, although I sensed it was well hooked.

We beached the fish, I forget whether they got a hand round the tail or I did. Then Dan took lengthy underwater shots of the fish (with a housed camera the size of a small TV set) as it recovered which didn’t take long as I’d been able to play it with a decent pressure. As I held the fish gently around the tail I just mused on the wild beauty of the salmon, its spots on its back showed clearly through the cool water. We kept it in the water throughout (lifting it out only for a couple of photos, between which we put it back in) and closed the barbs of the size 12 Sawada treble hook in the fish’s scissors before removing it. We measured the fish on the rod – 32 inches we can call 5.5kilos, or 12lb plus. The fish lay in the stream then disappeared very quickly indeed.

It’s hard to beat the feeling of carefully releasing a fish like this. Gaula silver (“Late Gaula Silver!” said the filmmakers jumping around delighted on the bank as they had more footage for a film they are making called Gaula – River of Silver and Gold’) and five days before the end of the season. A great moment of shared joy on the bank before Anton and Dan left me to a happy lunchtime pause in the wooden shelter there (yes I fished more – I never did make it downriver to the ‘E’ beats that afternoon – but to no avail).

Salmon fishing eh? Sometimes those beautiful and perfect pools that look like they always should produce a fish for you, but don’t … do. And that is good!

Post by Henry Giles
Henry’s Salmon Adventure Blog
www.salmonadventure.wordpress.com

Fact: the River Varzuga is salmon fishing paradise. At one o’clock in the morning of the final Saturday we were due to return home, I was photographing my lodge mate Craig land his 100th salmon of our week at the lower camp’s home pool.

The handshake that followed was one of many highlights of a truly amazing week of non stop salmon fishing action with big, strong, fresh spring salmon coming to our rods in awesome numbers. The sport was sensational and varied and it wasn’t just a numbers game although I managed to catch 71 salmon without the inconvenience even of having to fish early and late. (Just one pre-breakfast fish I think but then the 8am camp breakfast equates to 5am UK time – you decide!)

Frankly, fishing the Varzuga is a huge adventure and as far as I’m concerned it’s the best there is.

The week started with a helicopter drop in to the Middle Varzuga camp, on its island about 15 miles north of the hub camp, Lower Varzuga, where I was destined.

Biggest of the week

It’s well known that the prolific run of Varzuga salmon does not always comprise the biggest fish among the Kola rivers. But for the record, here’s a shot of the biggest fish I caught last week. A shade over 11lb? It’s hard to say but this well-built chap was caught at 12.30pm on the Tuesday, from Bear Island. One of those fish that leave you turning up for lunch feeling somewhat animated and yet without the powers of speech: ‘How did you get on Henry?’ ‘Ah… Ah…Good!’

Just say you’ve had an amazing morning, because, out on the Kola Peninsula armed with a 15ft salmon rod, you probably have..

As to tackle, throughout I fished my trusty 15ft double-hander, tried and tested on Norwegian salmon, with a Waterworks ULA Force Spey kindly lent me by Guide Flyfishing MD, John Legg. And the shooting head attached to the Vision shooting line on my reel was the light-blue RIO AFS (again sourced via John, many thanks) – it’s a slow sinker basically, with a short fast-sink Versileader on the end to turn it into a slow-sinking sink-tip. A shortish fluorocarbon leader led to an orange shrimpy tube or a black and greeny conehead. Or a bloody great 2 inch brass tube Cascade when the water coloured up as it did on the final day, giving me one of the most

One from Jackson’s Pot. Looks cold eh? It was at times exciting 1.5 hours of the week with running fish smashing into my fly and yanking line out of my hands as they hooked themselves in the middle of the Bearlets pots.

The week really was superb and any worries as to a delayed start to the season with ice banks on the river and a first night frost of minus 6 Deg C were erased. By the final day I was on a high and ready to finish off with what was the most enjoyable two sessions. Ten fish the day before had bumped me up to 58 fish for the week, but I planned to finish off by fishing hard and, I hoped, well within the 9-6pm hours left to me but above all I aimed to seriously enjoy myself to cap off what had been an unforgettable salmon-fishing week. And see where that left me.

Camp manager Jess James’s beats board was welcome viewing. I was on beat 2 am and 3 pm. In my own mind there was some debate about the state of the river after heavy overnight rain but Jess only seemed to think it would improve sport further and it was hard not to be carried away by his enthusiasm.

The morning was unforgettable. We went to Bear Island with the river starting to rise. In a typical Varzuga reality check I lost three fish in a row then, as Jess motored down I was playing another which turned out to be this 9-pounder (pictured), which we took for the kitchen, so I took the photo. John’s trusty reel and the RIO AFS Hover 1 shooting head firmly estlished as the go to set-up.

Then things went quiet and the water started to colour up fast. We went up to Bearlets where, in the middle pot I was greeted by water that was getting on towards milk chocolate brown but was still see-able into. I put on a two-inch brass tube Cascade complete with fluo orange tubing and after a while started to hit running fish, resting briefly as the current swung over to the left bank. One smashed into the fly. Then two more. Furious at being hooked they cavorted off into the swelling river and fought very hard indeed. It was like everything you dream of during quieter times on quieter rivers, and yet it happened three times in 40 minutes. Then another fish came from the lower ‘pot’. An added excitement was when a big bar of silver came up from below and bumped my fly near the surface. A classic take but he didn’t grab hold.

Then back to the island for another cracker before lunch – all but one smaller grilse, decent fish of 6- 8lb.

The last afternoon at upper Jannaways, with its ice wall which kept crashing behind us as lumps fell off!

Lunch at the lodge and Jess reminded Craig he had eight fish to his 100 and turning to me said I had six fish to get to reach my 70. I honestly thought it wouldn’t happen but like so many Varzuga dreams, during a red-hot afternoon at Jannaways when the orange Flamethrower could do no wrong, it did. The sheer sport of the fishing – after a quiet hour or so, casting to a fish we spotted running up the bank only 15 feet out and hooking him – was superlative – really really good fun. My first after lunch was a smaller one, but was hooked as Losha and Sergay talked downstream and new dad Losha (my guide last year) gave a wave as he wheeled off in his boat watching my bouncing rod.

Now, back in Cambridgeshire, I am thinking about the subsequent parties out there fishing with Roxtons orchestrating their centrepiece operation. And memories of that Friday afternoon ten days ago when having caught my 70th fish I was then encouraged by Sergay to try for one more and was so thrilled to net a final one at 5.55pm Russ-hour (three hours ahead of UK).

Anyone interested in following the remainder of the short, 6 week Roxtons Varzuga season can do so via their blog www.varzuga.com

Post by Henry Giles

Henry’s Salmon Adventure Blog

The Vision VSS4117  has the performance to go with its bespoke look, and this fish (hopefully the first of many) on its first day out.

Thanks Vision

Gary Champion AAPGAI & FFF Master fly casting instructor.

April 1st saw the team descend en-mass to Rutland for the opening day extravaganza. Favourable conditions saw the lads target the Sailing Club, Normanton and Whitwell area’s of the reservoir. Light winds meant that rather than the usual approach with fast sinking lines and boobies the lads could adopt a more subtle approach; in an attempt to target some overwintered resident fish – The ultimate prize for any Stillwater angler.

Tackled up with Midge Tip Lines; 8 lb Rio Fluroflex and a selection of nymphs the lads were soon into fish with Rob Sosbe the first to catch a limit for just over 18lb from the Sailing Club. He was closely followed by Rob Edmunds who weighed in 8 fish for 23 lb that included 4 overwintered fish in the 3.5 lb class.

April 8th saw the team fish as individuals in the first match of the season.  The converted Alan West Memorial Match. Leading the way was Graham Pearson who made an estimated gamble on match day and chose to target overwintered fish at the top of Rutland’s North Arm. Once again his Midge tip coupled with 2 buzzers and a cruncher on 8 lb Rio Fluroflex proved deadly and he quickly bagged by  12:30pm….when all around struggled. His fish were all overwintered and averaged over 3 lb; giving him a bag weight of 24 lb 11oz and a convincing victory in a field of over 100 competitors.

April 9th saw Rob Edmunds fish a qualifying heat on his favoured Grafham water; when all struggled to catch Rob successfully conquered the conditions to bank 7 fish and a place in the converted Troutmasters Final on May 9th. Tactics were simple a black leadhead and with 2 black buzzers on the droppers fished with a slow figure of 8 retrieve on a Rio Gold Floating Line This set up enabled Rob to fish  a variety of depths with multiple flies and so increase the chances of catching.

The team are now looking forward to competing in the Lexus and Airflo team events so have begun practicing hard.

Photo Credits

Graham Pearson  – Holding The Alan West Memorial Trophy
Cruncher – successful nymph pattern as used by the team
Quill Buzzer – successful nymph pattern as used by the team
Rob Edmunds with a 5lb 8oz overwintered Brown

A simple set up is often best a 12 ft leader of 8 lb Rio Flurofex with 3 nymphs (heaviest fly on the point to aid turnover) spaced equally at 4ft allows the angler to cover a variety of depths and increase his chances.  A Midge Tip line has been essential as it allows the angler to fish deeper without the need for long leaders that can often cause difficulties when casting and playing fish.

A cast is made followed by a single long pull to straighten the line and get the angler in contact with his flies (should any fish take on the drop) it’s then just a case of an ultra slow figure of 8 until a resident fish decides to take your fly; at which time you merely lift into the fish. Takes at this time of the year are confident; especially when the fish are already pre-occupied with feeding on nymphs.

Tying your fly straight to the end of this leader is fine but my preference, where conditions and surroundings allow tend to be towards a longer leader for most of my river dry fly fishing with fly’s in the 16 to 12 size, a length usually about 14′ to 15′ is good for me.

While adding a couple of feet of tippet to the 12’ leaders is ok, this for me leaves to long of a level section which can hinder turnover, so a slight rebuild of the front (fly) end helps me get a more positive and predictable turnover, and although a tight line on the river can often be detrimental because of problems with drag, adding a little slack to the system during the cast is my preferred method.

To rebuild the front end I tend to cut back a 12’, 6.4lbs tapered leader to approximately 8’6” or 0.24mm diameter, basically cutting of a tiny bit of taper and the level section at the front, then add 12 inches of 8.2 lbs (0.20mm), and 18 inches of 6.4lbs(0.18mm) these additions are made with Rio Powerflex tippet material, then the final tippet is made from 2’6” of 4.7lb Rio Suppleflex, this as the name suggests is a really supple tippet material which helps to minimise any drag or unnatural movement of the fly, then if i need to go finer i simply cut the 4.7lb back to 12″ and add 2’6″ of a lighter breaking strain.

This leader coupled with the Moss colour Rio Gold or the Rio windcutter2 fly line in a 4 or 5 weight is my setup for river dry fly fishing this season.

Post by Tony Riley – http://www.flyfishinginstruction.co.uk/

The front taper and weight distribution is awesome for spey casting and forms tight, sweet loops with minimum of effort.

Swinging a fly? Overhead casting? No problem! This line will easily cast streamers and handle sinking VersiLeaders, and will load a rod deeply for very long, effortless overhead casts.

It is the perfect all round line for Switch rods.

Available Weights: #6 #7 #8

Technical Info:
Length – 100ft
Head Length – 55ft
Colour – Beige / Pale Green

Features
• 12oz waxed cotton canvas (Silt)
• “One-size-fits-most” adjustable shoulder and waist strap design
• 13 exterior and interior pockets
• Large “easy-access” back pouch for raincoat or gear storage
• Mesh backing for warm weather comfort
• Vertical chest pockets hold large and medium boxes
• Quick access Hemostat dock
• Gear attachments tabs, cord loops, and D-ring net lash
• Fleece-lined hand warmer pockets

One size fits most.
Colour: Silt (waxed canvas)
Code: MV-S

R.R.P. £119.99