Over the past few years, urban fishing has become such a fixture in the Wild Trout Trust’s annual charity auction that it’s hard to remember when it wasn’t – and when it was a novel kind of idea for us to list all the urban lots in one place for our readers’ bidding convenience.
Still, it seems like just as much of a good idea now as it did then, so here’s this year’s listing (our 6th in succession).
Once again, of course, we’d highly recommend reading through the Trust’s whole auction catalogue of 313 lots, if only to glimpse how some of the other (more rural) half live… and how you could, too, if your bid is a winner. Then, whatever looks good to you, please bid generously to help this amazing charity carry on their work to make rivers and lakes all over the UK and Ireland better places for wild trout and countless other species.
As Kris Kent also explains in this recent article for Eat Sleep Fish, it’s the single most important fundraising event of the WTT’s year. And of course it’s more than likely to benefit your own fishing in years to come, too.
Lots 62 and 63: 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 Club. This beat runs right through the Scottish Highland capital, and is best fished for salmon with a fly.
Lot 98: Presented by Ffynnon Taff Angling Club and Nicholas Steedman: 1 day for 1 rod on the legendary River Taff guided by Nick Steedman. The Taff is a big 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…
Lot 113: 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. (Whisper it softly, but some of the best wild trout we’ve seen on social media this year so far have apparently come from Merthyr’s upper Taff beats… )
Lots 119 and 120: 2 opportunities to bid for 2 days for 2 rods on the waters of Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association, as above.
Lot 223: Wander up the Wandle for the day with pro guide Damon Valentine, who’s taking over hosting this lot for the first time in 2018. You’ll get all the latest news on this inner-city chalkstream’s rollercoaster recovery – not to mention a chance to meet other Wandle Piscators and hook a trophy dace, chub, barbel or trout somewhere in south London.
So, as we say every year… Bid early, bid often, and we’ll see you out there on one of our urban rivers!
