As the whole concept of urban fly-fishing moves steadily into the mainstream, the Wild Trout Trust’s annual charity auction has become a regular feature of our publishing calendar here at Urbantrout.
For your usual bidding pleasure, this is the fifth time we’ve filleted out all the tastiest urban lots, and we reckon there’s no real need for more preamble except to say: the WTT hopes to raise tens of thousands of pounds in unrestricted funds from this legendary auction each year, and it’s an easy way to make a real difference to all our rivers, not just the urban ones, and get some really exceptional fishing as well as a nice warm glow of charitable satisfaction.
This year’s auction runs from Friday 3 March to Sunday 12 March. Go to it!
- Lots 64 and 65: 2 chances to win a week’s permit for 2 rods on the Town Waters of the River Ness in Inverness, presented by the Inverness Angling Club. This beat runs right through the Scottish Highland capital, and is best fished for salmon with a fly.
- Lot 94: Presented by Ffynnon Taff Angling Club and our good pal Nick Steedman: 1 day for 1 rod on the legendary River Taff guided by big trout hunter Nick. The Taff is an impressively large post-industrial river with some difficult wading, but hit this one right, and you may find huge trout and grayling rising freely to exceptional hatches…
- Lots 107 and 108: 2 opportunities to bid for a full season permit to fish the waters of Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association, which controls not just the Taf Fechan and urban upper Taff, but also beats on the Tarrell and Usk.
- Lots 114 and 115: As above… but if you can’t commit to a whole season on Merthyr Tydfil AA’s waters, why not fish them with a friend for just 2 days instead?
- Lot 179: If you’ve ever stood by the Old Barge water in Winchester and wondered what’s through the woods on the opposite bank, here’s your answer. One day’s fishing for 2 rods on the hallowed chalkstream Itchen through the grounds of Winchester College, where Skues, Grey and many others learned their trade. (Yes, it’s urban, though the college may not thank us for reminding you!)
- Lot 212: Wander up the Wandle for the day with this blog’s very own Theo Pike, getting the latest news on this (now officially hipster) inner-city chalkstream’s rollercoaster recovery – and a chance of hooking a trophy trout somewhere in south London!
- Lot 275: One day’s fishing with Phillippa Hake on Yorkshire’s River Calder, targeting trout and grayling with simple dry fly and nymph tactics. Phillippa is a member of the England Ladies’ Flyfishing team, and the urban Calder is her home water.
- Lot 295: Shrouded in mystery (likely for a very good reason – and you’ll be sworn to secrecy too), this is 1 day for 1 rod somewhere on west Yorkshire’s urban free-fishing trout and grayling rivers with local expert Dave Hudson.
So, as usual, bid early, bid often… and we’ll see you out there on one of our urban rivers!
