Alba Orvis Flyfishers
Lexus International Final Winning Team 2011 - Alba Orvis Flyfishers
Our Lexus International Final trip began with a rendevous in Edinburgh at 02:00 on Thursday 15th September. All 6 team members were filled with the eager anticipation of a trip south to Rutland Water, Mecca for the UK Competition Fly Fisherman. We set off on time and picked up Calum Crosbie from the back of beyond, en route. Unfortunately due to a piece of incredibly dodgy driving by Jamsie Boy Gardiner, when Calum opened the mini-bus rear door to load his kit, 6 bottles of Marks & Spencer’s finest wines hit the deck with a minor explosion. Amid the tears of laughter, there was a minor rant followed by tears of sorrow from the Deny Daredevil, Paul Garner, who had carefully selected and paid for 6 of the best! The journey from then on was very relaxed and the banter as sharp as ever. Next stop was 10 miles north of Rutland for a fat-boy fry up. This was the first trip for Alba recruit Gregor Fleming as we all quickly decided over breakfast that if he could fish, half as well as he could eat then he’d fit in just fine!
On arrival at Rutland and the normal friendly welcome from John Seaton and Nigel Savage, we had heard on pretty good authority that Stockie Bay – Sykes Lane was loaded with fish. Full of fun and excitement, we had a £10 wager for the first fish and all 3 boats headed across to the monument for a little fun. Fortunately I had added a caveat that the wager would only have a 20 minute duration. After 20 minutes in what can only be described as perfect conditions and not even the faintest indication of a pull we shouted obscenities at our source, scratched our heads and headed off in a fit of laughter
Specimen hunter Paul Garner - AKA the Squirrel.
I decided in advance that even though the North Arm hadn’t been fishing too well that we would split the boats as usual and Davie Bonnington and Calum drew the short straw and headed North. Paul and James headed for the Basin and Gregor and I headed South. We decided not to meet up for lunch due to Rutland’s geography but kept in contact throughout the day. The Inter-Services match had been held in very high winds 2 days previously and we had been given all the areas, tactics and flies which had worked on their match day and practice before hand. Ideally we wanted our first practice day to be a re-acquaintance with an old friend and as such decided to save some energy for the obligatory first night madness. We docked at 17:00 having all caught fish and Gregor the young pretender received a free casting lesson to boot! A lively night followed with much laughter and Gregor made his mark for a second time by keeping us all awake due to his incessant snoring. Note for next years room pairings!
Over the next 2 days we searched every avenue for the best method and dropped into our fish holding areas throughout the day to confirm firstly that the fish were still there and more importantly that they were feeding. Throughout practice, the fish seemed to be feeding up until around midday then a lull until around 15:30. Although the South arm had produced good quality fish, especially around the margins, we had caught more fish in the basis particularly the Normanton bank than anywhere else. We therefore decided to hit the X-W buoy area in force for the first couple of hours on match day 1. The fish were around 4’ down and could be caught on a variety of methods. We were convinced that depth was more important that fly choice. Black patterns had been working well so our Booby – the Squirrel was a favourite along with a couple of pearly cormorants.
I was drawn with England International John Braithwaite and we had a super day together. In a slight ripple, John started on his default set up of nymphs on a floater whilst I settled for the fast glass and washing line. After the first drift I was 2-0 down so quickly changed to a more traditional approach. A mini armada had been formed at Fantasy so although we were now both catching fish, we headed down for a quick check. After 10 minutes and a chat with team mate Paul, it was clear that there were far too many boats and not enough fish being caught, so we returned to the X-W buoys. By now Gregor Fleming was wearing his blue hat which indicated he was on catch & release. He had a flying start with 6 fish by mid-day. John and I ended the day with 7-6 respectively and when our team weighed in 29 fish, we knew that we had done well enough to be in contention for day 2. Having fish in major finals now for almost 20 years, experience has taught me that a great deal can change from one day to the next therefore all you can ask for after the first day is to be in contention. There had been a slight drama during the competition in that one of the Rio Masters team members failed to de-barb properly resulting in him losing his 10lb time bonus from 5 released fish. The rules had been made very clear however, I have found that over the years fly checks are not routinely carried out in England as they are north of the border. The entire Rio team took the penalty on the chin without complaint and looked very determined as day 2 began.
We stuck with a similar game plan and due to the fact that we were less than 2lbs off the lead, we had been given control of all 6 boats by our boat partners who were all in teams further down the field. This may seem a minor detail to some, however I firmly believe that it clearly illustrates exactly what competition fishing is all about. Yes we are all competitive at heart, but firm friendships developed over the years play a huge part in our sport and it’s great to see the support for teams in contention spread across the field.
Relaxed look after Day 1 - All to play for.
Our 6 boats began between Normanton Church and X buoy. Paul Garner was first to land a fish and when he indicated it took a damsel, I almost fell off my boat seat! My damsels were in a big box, which you only ever get that out when you are up one of those strange creeks without a paddle. The armada stationed at Fantasy yesterday had moved to the middle of the dam and Calum headed off to investigate. Our team had been picking away and I had hooked 4 fish so far but only landed 1. The armada was growing in size so Kenny Hunter my boat partner and I decided we should check it out. Calum was drifting down the outside wearing his blue hat so after a quick de-brief, we headed up wind and were soon into fish. Gregor spotted our hats and joined us for the last 2 hours of the match, giving a shout of joy as he eventually put his smart ass hat on. En route back to the lodge Paul was now on 6 fish, James was fishing the blue pipes and had a double hook up as we motored past, landing one and Davie had added 3 to his bag.
It was pretty clear even before the weigh-in that we had done very well on what was a very challenging day. A quick count indicated 26 fish therefore we were 7 fish ahead of Rio Masters and 11 ahead of yesterdays leaders Blagdon FF. The results confirmed that we had won by over 14lbs which delighted us even more as it took away any deliberation over the 10lb loss by the Rio Team on day 1. From a Captains point of view it was an incredibly proud moment to lead 5 great friends up during a standing ovation to receive the trophy. If I were to pick one thing which gave us the edge, it was our team spirit. Our determination, willingness to fish for one another and our communication on and off the water was second to none. The Alba Team ethos is based upon trust, mutual respect, fun and most of all friendship. There are no individuals in our team and I’m certain that these points added a good number of fish to our total. For anyone under the impression that Competition fishing is a dark art, I suggest they enter the Lexus or AWAI Competitions with 5 friends next year in the hope of getting to the final where they will see at first had the camaraderie and openness that exists. It’s amazing just how much you can learn from and about someone over 8 hours in a boat.
2 great pals Rio Masters Ron Gent and Alba Calum Crosbie.
As a team, we felt totally confident throughout the competition with our Orvis Helios 10’ 7 weight rods and the crisp action coped with a full range of lines from floater to DI7 with consummate ease. The soft feel ensured that we remained fresh even after 5 consecutive days on Rutland and the power shone through especially with the dogged fighting Rutland rainbows. We all felt that Helios coupled with mirage 8.5 Orvis Mirage Fluorocarbon gave us additional fish in the boat and would highly recommend this outfit for those competition anglers seeking to rise above the rest.
Methods
Day 1.
DI3-5 Sweep with washing line Black Booby (Squirrel) – cormorants.
Straight line nymphs – Red nemo and Crunchers.
Day 2.
DI3 Sweep HiD and Fast Glass depending on cloud cover.
Washing line Black Booby (Squirrel) – cormorants.
Heat Winners at Lake of Menteith 2011
L-R Calum Crosbie, David Bonnington, Gregor Fleming, Paul Garner, Jock Royan, James Gardiner.
Team Profiles
James Gardiner
James Gardiner is a Multi-Capped Scottish International Fly Fisherman of renowned quality. As a tackle consultant James's expertise is highly sought and he is delighted to advise beginners through to experts on the finer details of the sport. An exceptionally knowledgeable angler in any discipline, James is as happy in the river as he is bobbing around on a Stillwater or wading the flats in search of bonefish. Married to the lovely Joy, who shares his passion for angling and has also fished for Scotland, they regularly spend their week-ends afloat at Mentieth with the dogs enjoying 'friendly' competition. A very modest man, James has won many events over the years including the SANA Open and Fishtec Top Individual, to name but a couple. Not only did he win the Fishtec Top Individual Prize over the 2 days of competition, he was also Top Rod both Days - a truly remarkable achievement considering the quality of the field. To have an angler like James in your team is absolutely essential, as he has the innate ability of inspiring the team, no matter what the conditions. Away from fishing James is a highly accomplished artist and has a superb portfolio ranging from abstract to original. The latest addition to the Gardiner Clan is a wee grandson who gives James & Joy a great deal of pride and pleasure.
Paul Garner
Paul Garner is again a Scottish International Angler of renowned quality and has represented his country 3 times is succession. Paul is the only founder member of the Alba Team remaining and to his credit has fished in every major International Final that Alba has entered. His mantlepiece is littered with sliver and bronze medals but he has kept a special area aside for the gold which in his view is just around the corner. Optimistic and inspirational words indeed but he does play poker every Thursday night without sunglasses! Paul’s occupation is a Radio Engineer and thankfully his company pick up his monthly mobile phone bill! When not at work, he is either on the banks of his beloved Teith, or assisting Quint and Douglas at the Lake of Menteith, Scotland’s premier Rainbow Trout Fishery. Paul knows every Trout by name and can regularly be found feeding and chatting with his ‘Pets’ Paul is a naturally gifted angler and enjoys the pursuit of Salmon as much as that of Trout.. He is now a tenant on the' World Famous' Kinermony beat of the Spey and has landed a fish so far on every trip. He is married to the delightful Claire and is a very lucky man. Another 'Top Bloke' Paul, in addition to his proven angling ability, adds that extra bit of dry humour to the team and lets face it, as a follower of Scottish Football, he has to have a great sense of humour!
David Bonnington
David Bonnington is a very genuine guy and is well known and highly respected on the Competitive Fly Fishing scene. He is a very consistent angler and has had a great run in Scotlands premier team event - The Scottish Club Championships. He has led his 3-man team to victory on 2 occasions as well as other top 3 finishes. Davie has also proved his versatility by winning the Loch Leven championship in 2002, a fantastic achievement. Last year, Davie set a new record at the Lake of Menteith, catching 25 trout in the Scottish Final of the Lexus International. A truly remarkable catch considering that the lake was slowly recovering from a very traumatic period and hadn't been fishing well at all. Davie, a joiner by trade, runs the very busy and succesful family business in Edinburgh. He is a devoted family man and enjoys nothing less than teaching them all how to tie creepers whilst he looks on from the distance in admiration, a glass of claret in hand! In the winter Davie packs away the rods and dusts off the gun. With a keen eye and an ever sharper wit, he certainly holds his own in the field as on the river or loch. A regular Spey visitor and excellent Spey caster, Davie leads the Alba boys with regard to catches and this year landed some lovely salmon without a rapala in sight!
Jock Royan
My passion is competitive trout fishing, and I have been competing, mainly in England, since 1988. Over the years, I have represented the RAF at every level and have 10 Inter-Services caps. Additionally, I have won every RAF competition at least once, including the coveted Inter-Services Individual Top Rod. I have also had notable success on the civilian circuit, fishing in 12 International finals of major competitions, where I have finished in the top 10 individuals on 8 occasions. 2003 was quite a year and I was most fortunate to win the RAF Championships, Partridge Invitational at Bewl Water in Kent, followed quickly by the Top Individual Rod over 2 days in the 2003 Today’s Fisherman European Open International Final. Apart from my first Scottish cap, this has been my greatest individual highlight so far, as the majority of the 150 Anglers competing had represented their country at some stage. I firmly believe that in the Orvis Alba Flyfishers, we have a team capable of great things. 6 Scottish International Anglers with a passion for Competitive Game Angling, where most importantly, friendship, trust and mutual respect come well above any personal agenda. Our experience and friendship linked with a desire to win is a perfect balance and we look forward with eager anticipation to the season ahead.
Calum Crosbie
Having fished from a very early age, Calum Crosbie began competition fly fishing with the Newton Stewart and District angling association club outings. He became firmly hooked and was club champion for 7 years. Calum first qualified for the Scottish National Fly-Fishing Lochstyle Team in 2000. He qualified from the final at Loch Leven and had the company of fellow Alba team mate James Gardner as his boat partner. James also qualified and a great friendship began. Since then, Calum has amassed 8 Loch Style Caps and was Scottish team Captain at Rutland Water in 2007. Calum then qualified through the world eliminators in 2008 and was part of a very successful Scottish World Team, with the added bonus of representing your country at the highest stage on home soil. The team finished in 3rd place and were duly presented with their Bronze medals - Scotland’s best result to date! Additionally, Calum finished in a highly creditable 5th place individually - A truly fantastic achievement. As a means of becoming a more all round angler, Calum took up competitive river angling in 2008 and qualified to fish in Scottish Rivers Team 2011 in Ireland. On a roll, he competed in the European Fly Fishing championships in Bosnia in 2010, where the Scottish team finished 10th overall. Although the team didn’t perform particularly well, on an individual basis, Calum returned as top individual from the UK, again great consistency at the highest level. With the onset of winter, the vast majority of anglers tidy away their tackle in preparation for the next season. Not so Calum – away goes the Trout tackle and out comes the Graying gear. I think it’s fair to say that Calum is a fishing fanatic, however first and foremost, a great family man and hopefully one day in the near future his son Rory, already an accomplished anglers will emulate his father’s success. Callum is no stranger to the Alba team, having previously fished for us in our Lexus bronze medal winning team in 2009. His addition to the team on a permanent basis can only be of benefit and we are all looking forward to renewed friendships and continued success in 2011, both on and off the water.
Gregor Fleming
Gregor Fleming began fishing at the very young age of three, using a hand-line and some bait off Irvine pier. His greatest ambition was to learn how to fly fish and hopefully one of these days it will become a reality!Joking aside, Gregor developed his natural ability and began to fish competitively at the age of 16. At 19 he came a very credible 3rd in the Trout Masters Final of 2000 at Grafham Water. He followed this, showing a growing maturity and consistency amongst a large number of Scottish Internationalists, with a 3rd place in Gleninckie Boat League of 2004 run at the Lake of Menteith. In the National final of 2005, held at Loch Leven, Gregor qualified to fish for the Scottish Loch Style team and fished his International match in Ireland at Loch Lein, along with fellow Alba team members Paul and James. More recently, Gregor won The Champions of Champions final at the Lake of Menteith in 2009. Gregor will be a great addition to the Orvis Alba Flyfishers and has already shown a real passion and commitment.
Lexus International Final 2009
John Horsey, Jock Royan, Ronnie Glass, Davie Bonnington, John Marshall, Calum Crosbie, Paul Garner, James Gardiner
