A Sharpe Test

I recently acquired a lovely Sharpes fly rod . I dont know why I bought it , but it looked lovely and sure enough when it arrived it is a thing of beauty . Its impregnated blank a lovely shade and the feel of the rod in the hand is superb . So now to get out and chuck some " fluff" !

My fly fishing days ended a while ago , and my stuff was soon excavated from the shed . A quick check revealed a new line was required for the rod and this led to a whole string of essential items being purchased !

So now where to go ? The rod looked ideal for a spot of river dry fly fishing so I began to scan my local waters for an opportunity .
Then it happened !

We were booked for a few days away in Hampshire . At Leckford . On the Test ! Could I get to fish the hallowed waters ? Some chance ! But ...

A few enquiries revealed that my host could get me a day on the Leckford estate . I was to fish the hallowed waters ! Still my beating heart !

Well the day dawned and I was off like a long dog down to the river for my 0930 start ! Office hours fishing I could get used to this !
What a place . Now I know why people pay the prices they do to fish it !



My beat ( I had the place to myself ) was a carrier stream and a section of the main river . I walked the beat ( I am used to that ! ) and checked out the watery inhabitants . Grayling , Pike , some huge Trout and Eels soon materialised . I watched and watched . I walked and watched . I had made a pact with myself that I would not cast unless I saw a fish rise . ( I did have a practise to make sure this upstream dry fly fishing lark was as difficult as everyone says ....and it is a real drag ! I mean the flow gets in the way ! )

By the time I had walked about 5 miles ( really ! ) the first fish began to show about lunch time .

My banker fly as sold to me by one of the local dealers did not get a second look form the Trout . My second choice was a hawthorn fly as the blighters were everywhere on the bankside vegetation . Again no interest from the Trout . So what to do ? Well my last trip to a river with a dry fly set up years ago resulted in a load of Trout to a Grey Wulf . No Mayflies today but a big fly might get some interest .

First cast and the Trout I was after came up and looked at the fly then turned away . I am on it ! I then fluffed the cast and scared the Trout away .
However I soon found another and first cast up he came and engulfed my fly . Game on !



A lovely Brownie .

If only I can get back ! Still dreams can come true !