BY ALLISON LEE
Lewis Clark first started fishing with his grandfather. While fly fishing for trout, he was introduced to the countryside, and his grandfather taught him about the life cycles of various insects and the different species of birds that fed on them.
Lewis’s passion for fly fishing continued while he worked in London, and he spent many weekends fishing the chalk streams of Hampshire and Dorset, where he would catch salmon and sea trout. Six years ago, Lewis and his wife decided to move their young family to a small village outside Chichester. They now enjoy the area’s natural harbour, which is home to large numbers of bass and mullet, and is also a designated Area of Outstanding Beauty, with rare species of flora and fauna. He tells me that his family have always been happiest in their Wellington boots, so the move to Chichester was a natural choice for them, with the ancient yew forest, steep chalk hills, salt marshes, and the lagoons and shoreline of Church Norton. He does, however, add: “It helps that there’s always a country pub close by to duck into if the weather turns!” Lewis tells me that living so close to the harbour and knowing it well enables him to “snatch a few casts after work or during one of the family’s regular picnics on the beach”.
Lewis has won multiple awards at the national competition, held each year and attracting competitors from across Europe to the area. He says with pride that he has caught “impossibly large bass and specimen mullet”, which has enabled him to win these awards.
Fishing is a wonderful way to clear the mind and immerse yourself in nature. Lewis describes it as a way to “focus on trying to momentarily fool a perfectly proportioned wild creature, which seems almost unobtainable when facing the vastness of water before you. I can honestly say I’ve never had a bad day fishing.”
Lewis has written articles for fellow anglers on techniques and tips to help people improve their fishing, and this is what he has to say:
“Fly fishing looks far more complicated than it really is. At its heart is the cast, and we use highly flexible rods that bend under a weighted line and, if our timing is right, propel the line and a fly out onto the water. An hour with a casting instructor will likely have you ready to go, but I taught myself on a garden lawn, and there are plenty of instructional videos available on social media.
But why complicate matters when sitting back and using bait is likely to be just as effective? It could be the satisfaction of meeting a challenge, the pleasure of watching the fish take your fly, or the feeling that bringing everything together is more like an art than an activity. However, for me and many others, it’s the unforgettable sensation of the tug on the line in your fingers – which can be savage and is felt well before any pull on the rod.
Saltwater fly fishing is the fastest-growing branch of our sport. It’s accessible to all and ultimately fun, being highly visual, physical and satisfying. We are fortunate that many of our most sporting species, like bass, pollock and mullet, frequently come close to shore, and on balanced tackle they’ll bend your rod over and drag line off your reel! Such is the variety that you can keep learning by chasing different species, or choose to focus your fishing on your favourite method – whether that be sight fishing for mullet in inches of clear water on sunlit sandy bays, watching bass rise to hit a surface fly amongst beds of kelp, or hauling pollock from their hiding spots whilst standing upon kelp-encrusted rocks.
Trying to find a wild fish in the vastness of the sea can be intimidating. Estuaries are a wise choice for beginners, especially those that cut between hills or forests, offering protection from the wind and the chance to spot your quarry and observe its reaction to your flies. Mullet and bass venture along the margins and edges of the main current, so you can use your trout gear if you have any. The open coast requires slightly stronger gear to deal with strong winds and larger flies. For bass, Deceiver and Clouser flies work everywhere, whilst smaller shrimp and worm patterns are used for mullet.
Saltwater environments can be dangerous, and I always recommend fishing a new venue on the ebb tide – the second half of the tidal cycle, when the water retreats from high water to low water. This rules out the risk of being cut off by a rising tide flooding around you. Nonetheless, anglers must be cautious of uneven bottoms, particularly those with sharp rocks or soft mud. Local knowledge is golden, but fishing with a guide or friend is always a good idea and speeds up the learning process. In addition, Orvis runs a Saltwater Fly Fishing Festival near Chichester each summer, which caters for beginners and experienced anglers alike. Either way, study your tide timetables, take your time, ensure loved ones know where and when you’re fishing, and carry a fully charged mobile phone at the very least.”
Allison Lee is a smallholder from North Yorkshire who has written for the Yorkshire Times and other publications. Her website can be accessed here.