What’s that, you say? Yes, it’s the famous Wild Trout Trust spring auction, back just in time to help you book a whole new fishing season of adventures – and this time offering a record 401 lots to choose from!
As usual, the Urbantrout team have scoured the listings for inner-city options to help you jump straight to the good stuff. Honestly, though, we’d really recommend reading the catalogue from end to end (downloadable here), and also enjoying these special curations from Sportfish and Fulling Mill.
In the meantime, here are all those urban-related lots, right here for your bidding convenience and pleasure…
Lot 82: A selection of dry flies and nymphs for use on rivers across the UK, tied by guide, fly-tyer and Fulling Mill ambassador Phillippa Hake (whose home water is a true Urbantrout favourite, the River Calder in West Yorkshire). All these flies are proven fish-catchers for Phillippa, and ones she wouldn’t be without in her box.
Lots 143 and 144: 2 chances to win a week’s permit for 1 rod on the Town Waters of the River Ness in Inverness, presented by the Inverness Angling Association. This beat runs right through the Scottish Highland capital, and is best fished for salmon with a fly.
Lots 173 and 174: 3 days for 2 rods fishing the waters of Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association, which offers not just the urban upper Taff and the restored Taf Fechan tributary, but also beats on the Tarrell and Usk.
Lots 180 and 181: 2 permits to fish on 4 weekends of your choice (Friday – Sunday) or 4 weekday blocks of any 3 days (Monday – Friday) across the waters of Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association, as above.
Lot 227: 1 day for 2 rods fishing the River Mells, also known as the Mells Stream, in Somerset, thanks to the Frome & District Angling Association. The Mells is a post-industrial stream with a history of iron milling, on the edge of the old Somerset coalfield, and its wild trout have been a (mostly) well-kept local secret for years!
Lot 230: 1 day for 2 rods fishing the waters of the Dulverton Angling Association on the southern edge of Exmoor. The club’s water includes some nicely urban stretches of the Barle, as well as much more rural beats on the upper Exe and Haddeo. Accompanied by a club member who will also provide a box of local flies.
Lot 288: 1 day’s fishing for 1 rod, hunting barbel on the Wandle with Hector Rodriguez. Hector has been targeting barbel on the fly for the last 5 years, and starred in a short film for the Wild Trout Trust’s Virtual Get-Together in 2020. With the chance of a specimen barbel, roach, chub or trout on these rejuvenated London waters, this will be a day to remember.
Lot 366: 1 day for 1 rod, streamer fishing with Martin Smith for trout or pike on a Yorkshire river. Martin designed the classic Martin’s Minnow streamer, and we’ve heard on pretty good authority that his favourite Yorkshire rivers are the urban ones…
Lot 373: 1 day’s fishing for 1 rod on the River Calder in West Yorkshire with Fulling Mill ambassador Phillippa Hake, targeting wild urban trout and grayling with simple dry fly and nymph tactics.
As we’ve said before, one of the biggest challenges for any charity is raising long-term core funds which aren’t tightly tied to delivery of specific short-term projects – and that’s why the Wild Trout Trust’s annual auction is so important.
Every penny raised makes it possible for their team of expert conservation officers to provide practical advice, deliver hands-on improvement projects, and bring in even more match funding from other sources. The Trust has low overheads, a small staff and an ever-growing group of volunteers, so the money from this annual auction makes a massive and measurable difference to our urban and rural rivers alike.
Once again… please bid early and often, right here on the WTT auction website, and we’ll hope to see you out there somewhere on our urban rivers!
(Photo: Wild Trout Trust / Frome & District Angling Association)
