gwffa and edff

GWFFA host EDFF day out at Grafham Water!

Grafham Water Fly Fishers hosted the 7th annual day out on Grafham with the English Disabled Fly Fishers on 27th April 2008.

Over the past six years it has, under the excellent guidance and management of GWFFA vice-chairman Gordon Watson and Danny Peet of EDFF, become a first rate social and fishing occasion. Sadley due to a very bad infection Gordon could not be with us. You were very badly missed and everyone sends there very best to you for a speedy recovery.

Gordon Watson chaired the committee with GWFFA that organised an event at Grafham at which a disabled angler was paired with a skilled local angler. This proved to be highly successful and it was decided to make it an annual gathering. The event was a social affair intended to provide a platform which friendships would develop and make future access to the reservoir that much easier.

Significant numbers of friendships have developed between members of the two organisations, the atmosphere is informal, friendly and conducive to a super day out, regardless of the fishing. With 90 anglers taking part it has become one of the biggest days in the Grafham calendar;

This year members of the Invicta club, Welsh team, England ladies, 2 of the Irish team, Mid Northants team, and of cause the GWFFA and EDFF clubs, had been invited to join in the day and we were delighted that significant numbers attended. I’m sure most sufficiently enjoyed the day to make this an annual diary fixture. Thank you to you all for making it a great day.

The match was fished from 10am until 5pm, and with the wheather conditions being sunny with a slight wind everyone had enjoyed a good days fishing and also made some new friends.

The John Hawkings trophy was awarded to Roy Palmer& Harley Smith who caught16 fish weighing in at 43lb 03oz. Well done guys.

1st prize John Hawkings Trophy	Roy Palmer & Harley Smith	16 fish	43lb 03oz
2nd	Rick Varley& Peter Hartley	15 fish	36lb 10oz
3rd	Ray Crompton & Dave Waters	12 fish	36lb 07oz
4th	Tony Dighton & Dia Evans	16 fish	34lb 13oz
5th	Jim Watts & Andy Linwood	12 fish	32lb 09oz
Best Fish	Dave Waters		5lb 05oz
Best Bag	Roy Palmer		22lb 06oz

Total No of Fish 255 with a rod average of 2.77.

This very enjoyable day concluded with a meal in the lodge, followed by a raffle. Special thanks are due to John Norris of Penrith and Fly-Fishing & Fly-Tying magazine for donating the main prizes, AWA for providing subsidised boats and to John Mees and all the staff for whom no task was too much trouble.