Matt Hayes and Fly Fishing

dezza · Mar 28, 2010

It's been known now for some time that our hero Matt Hayes has taken up fly fishing, and It's been said by a few that Matt is foresaking his roots as a coarse angler.

In this week's Angling Times, Matt admits a new found enthusiasm for game fishing and an overall dis-illusionment with what a lot of coarse fishing has become. He says that he wants to "be inspired" and that "game fishing is ticking all the right boxes for me",

He goes on to say that a monkey could be taught to employ some of the "bore-them-out" methods employed on many coarse big fish waters.

And do you know, I tend to agree with him.

Because within the discipline of fly fishing, there will always be skills in casting that have to be learned, and both art and craft forms in the fields of fly innovation and tying.

A lot of modern coarse fishing techniques have eliminated the need for these skills - haven't they?

But what do you think?

Peter Jacobs · Mar 28, 2010

I'm not sure that I would agree totally Ron.

Let's be honest, some of the new 'techniques' in Fly fishing have also eliminated the need for a knowledge of entymology (boobies and 'fly floats' etc.) so it isn't quite a one way street.

As for Coarse fishing, yes, some techniques have been devised for the wait-and-see anglers, but the original skills are still necessary for most forms of float fishing, traditional legering and freelining.

I don't see much 'new' in the art of trotting a stick float, or fishing and feeding a distant waggler line, nor with laying-on or stret pegging either.

I hate to see this division creeping into the sport, with an 'us versus them' approach where, in reality, both disciplines are very mutually beneficial.

I fly fish from about now until the late Summer because I believe in the close Season on rivers for Coarse fish, but a lot of the skills I have learned over the years with the fly rod are then put to use when I start my coarse campaign.
For example, last Autumn I caught some lovely Avon Dace by dapping a small black fly off of the surface, something I'd tried before but never employed much to be honest.

This coming season I have decided to fish more for Carp and Tench than in previous years, and I'm really looking forward to the late Summer. But until then, I'll be found on the rivers in search of the Brown Trout, and a few sessions for the Rainbows on the stillwaters.

Each to their own I reckon.

dezza · Mar 28, 2010

Interesting response Peter.

The pre-cursor for boobies was of course the Rasputin by Walker, and the Rassler by Parton. Coupled with the foam headed emerger by Neil Patterson and then Gordon Fraser came out with his booby nymph, which was supposed to be imitative, and the booby was born.

As far as I can see, boobies are an excellent design of fly for imitating slow moving deep swimming damsel and dragon fly nymphs. They have all the exaggerated main points of recognition such as the large eyes and waggly tail that are part and parcel of imitation.

I have been designing a lot boobies recently and very successful they have been too, especially in the ability to present an accurate imitation to trout swimming about in water deeper than 25 feet.

The main objection against boobies is that in the wrong hands, trout swallow them and this is not good in waters that allow catch and release. But if you hold the rod and hit the fish at the first pull, you will hook the trout in the mouth.

I have recently caught 26 reservoir trout up to 4 lbs on boobies and all have been hooked in the mouth.

But if you cast out and put the rod down, you will gut hook the fish. And hell, there are many "fly fishers" who do that.

Matt Hayes is obviously having a go at the Bolt Rig, Bivvy, Boilie, Buzzer and Bedchair Brigade.

r1paul · Mar 28, 2010

Ron The Hat Clay said:
" our hero Matt Hayes"

Your hero maybe Ron , definitely not mine .

:j

Mark Wintle · Mar 28, 2010

Matt still has a dream to catch an 8lb chub and also wants to do more pole fishing - sounds good to me!

dezza · Mar 28, 2010

Mark Wintle said:
Matt still has a dream to catch an 8lb chub and also wants to do more pole fishing - sounds good to me!

Les Clark said:
Your hero maybe Ron , definitely not mine .

And so do I.
Poor old Matthew!

:j

Dave Burr · Mar 28, 2010

I've got a lot of time for Matt , I think that he has become a great ambassador for the sport. He rose to fame as a carp angler and some of his early attempts with the fly were laughable so he is entitled to 'discover' his new passion and to specialise for a bit. Living on a top salmon stretch in Norway won't be a disadvantage either.

I once spent four years fishing fly almost exclusively. It's a phase, he'll be back.

As for the 'bore 'em out' anglers. Well, Matt and the rest of the angling journalists that advocate the use of static fishing, are as much to blame for the trend as anybody. But having inspired the masses to sit it out under their bivvys it leaves room for the stalkers and wanderers to go and do their own thing.

dezza · Mar 28, 2010

The interesting thing here is that some of the finest fly fishers, started off life as coarse anglers. I can think of Cyril Inwood, Brian Leadbetter, Reg Ryghini, Bob Church, Arthur Cove and Tag Barnes - who taught me a lot about fly fishing.

**** Walker started off the other way, a very competent fly fisher who became a coarse angler later in life.

But for goodness sake let's have no antagonism between coarse and game anglers. Matt Hayes is obviously bored stiff with sitting behind a set of bite alarms.

In coarse angling there are still many highly skillful techniques that the angler can learn. It's just that certain methods have rendered many skilfull techniques obsolete in the eyes of some, but not all.

Graham Whatmore · Mar 28, 2010

I would guess that Matt's idea of game fishing is that which is done in foreign climes like Cuba, Florida etc. I have seen a few progs he did on that very thing quite a while ago and I often thought if I had the opportunity to do it I would, even more if it was a freebie for filming.

Keith Arthur goes twice a year to do that type of fishing, at his own expense I hasten to add, and he absolutely loves it but the secret is to enjoy it to the full but in addition to that which you love as well, in their case coarse fishing. Matt was born on the Severn and grew up fishing because where he lived there wasn't a fat lot else to do but fish, he will still coarse fish of that I am 100% certain.

dezza · Mar 28, 2010

The problem with a lot of what is called: "Game Fishing", is that success in much of it is due to how much disposable income you have access to, rather than how much skill you possess.

Don't get me wrong, those who can afford many thousands of pounds for a couple of days on the best beat of a top Scottish or Norwegian salmon river, I say good luck to them. If I had the money, I would probably do the same.

But to me the ultimate form of angling is catching some nice roach on the float, or a 1 pound brown trout on a fly I have tied myself.

And I don't have to travel more than 10 miles or spend more than a fiver's worth of diesel to do it.

flightliner · Mar 28, 2010

Ron The Hat Clay said:
a new found enthusiasm for game fishing and an overall dis-illusionment with what a lot of coarse fishing has become. He says that he wants to "be inspired" and that "game fishing is ticking all the right boxes for me",

It's many an anglers dream to be able to fish full time, any time , anyday, but the reality is that for many who have the opportunity to do it eventually "burn out" and drift off to other pleasures. It must become almost like going to work and having to produce the goods every time out. Angling has many examples of such "lucky individuals" -- guys who are up there week/month after week/month who drop out of the angling scene altogether.
The secret is to pace yourself, the days at work when you are unable to go fishing rev us up for the time when we can, another good thing is not to be a "one trick pony" by specialising in one particular form of angling but to enbrace it in all its diversety

dezza · Mar 28, 2010

The great delight in fly fishing is the fact that you are moving around all the time, hunting your fish. You don't have to carry loads of gear, nor baits and groundbaits. Sometimes all you need in addition to your rod, reel and line, can be got into your pocket.

And you are also involved even if you are not casting a line. This is because the complete fly fisher is constantly creating and tying flies. Only perhaps in the field of lure fishing do you get the chance of making your own baits. And only a very few do that.

Yet with fly fishing, most people of average skill can create fish catching flies with a bit of practice. One thing is for certain, If I couldn't create and dress my own flies, I don't think I would want to go fly fishing.

And nothing beats the thrill you get the first time you catch a fish on a fly you have created yourself.

Oh yes, I can understand why Matt Hayes has fallen under the spell of fly fishing.

jcp01 · Mar 28, 2010

Ron The Hat Clay said:
I can understand why Matt Hayes has fallen under the spell of fly fishing.

But hasn't quite left the fold of pure bait fishing just yet....

tigger · Mar 28, 2010

Ron The Hat Clay said:
A lot of modern coarse fishing techniques have eliminated the need for these skills - haven't they?

But what do you think?

He needs to try fishing rivers and still waters where a bit of water craft is needed to have a chance of catching one fish let alone nets full like he's used to doing fishing on waters where you just can't fail to catch. He's most likely never fished a really hard venue....to hard for him. I've been watching re runs of his programe total fishing and the waters he fishes are just teeming with fish. I can't think of a river round my area where I can donkey dangle for large chub and barbel etc !

Paul H · Mar 28, 2010

Can't say as I'm a huge Matt fan but I reckon he's probably fished his fair share of hard waters and I have no doubt he is an excellent angler. Mick Brown certainly thinks so, and I heard that from the horses mouth.

When filming a show or series of fishing techniques and methods they're bound to choose fairly prolific waters, to be in with a decent chance of a few fish for the cameras.

How boring (for most) would a fishless series about fishing be?

tigger · Mar 29, 2010

Paul H said:
Can't say as I'm a huge Matt fan but I reckon he's probably fished his fair share of hard waters and I have no doubt he is an excellent angler. Mick Brown certainly thinks so, and I heard that from the horses mouth.

When filming a show or series of fishing techniques and methods they're bound to choose fairly prolific waters, to be in with a decent chance of a few fish for the cameras.

How boring (for most) would a fishless series about fishing be?

Actually I don't mind him and enjoy his shows.
Obviously it would be boring watching a fishless fishing show. Thing is if he's always fishing prolific waters he's most likely got complasant (spelt wrong) about catching and that's probably the reason for the fly fishing.

treecreeper · Mar 29, 2010

matt hayes

i especially like his shows with mick brown
but unfortunately they do have some fishless days.
gets on my nerves abit but i can live with it.

matt should do a program with my dad, so my dad says, because hes good at fly fishing, he evan somtimes brings home a trout for my tea.

Peter Jacobs · Mar 29, 2010

treecreeper said:
matt should do a program with my dad, so my dad says, because hes good at fly fishing, he evan somtimes brings home a trout for my tea.

What a refreshing post to see from one of the newer and more junior members.

Thank you.

frippe · Mar 29, 2010

I'm a fan of big Matty Hayes and do enjoy his shows with Mick Brown, I would happily (if I could afford it) pay for a day with him and many more..

I can understand his feelings towards getting bored, he has pioneered his whole life in course fishing, maybe wants a fresh challenge. I couldnt blame him with the money/contacts/tackle at his disposale I would be galavanting all over too searching for big beautiful fish to land on the fly.

I look forward to catching some of his latest productions.

dezza · Mar 29, 2010

Matt Hayes is not stupid. Let's face it, fly fishing is probably the only form of angling showing any form of really dynamic growth in the world.

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