..sometimes it happens that a marine biologist, wishing to study some related problem, will transfer a whole colony of the worms into the laboratory, there to establish them in an aquarium, where there are no tides. But twice each day Convoluta rises out of the sand on the bottom of the aquarium , into the light of the sun. And twice each day it sinks again into the sand. Without a brain, or what we would call a memory, or even any clear perception, Convoluta continues to live out its life in this alien place, remembering, in every fibre of its small green body, the tidal rhythm of the distant sea.
Rachel Louise Carson
The sea around us
The edge of the sea
Under the sea-wind
“Poets, like detectives, know the truth is laborious; it doesn’t occur by accident, rather it is chiseled and worked into being, the product of time and distance and graft. The poet must be open to the possibility that she has to go a long way before a word rises, or a sentence holds, or a rhythm opens, and even then nothing is assured, not even the words that have staked their original claim or meaning. Sometimes it happens at the most unexpected moment, and the poet has to enter the mystery, rebuild the poem from there.”
Colum McCann – Thirteen ways of looking
Holding out for the weather now we don’t have long more to wait, fingers crossed! I’m happy that the time has nearly come round at last, it seems like an age since last October when I made the first post regarding the workshops at Kilmore Quay. To say its been a difficult year is an understatement (poor health) and the fast approaching week of workshops puts a line in the sand for me. I can hardly wait to be back on the coast for a few days.
Contemplating the distant horizon in the midst of good company and a sea breeze is hard to beat, but not only do we get this opportunity, we also have the added value of Gary Bell and his brilliant casting tuition coupled to Andy Elliots saltwater fly tying skills – we will be taking a blended approach to your fishing tying and casting throughout the workshops.
Pat at Quay House is ready for us, Mary Barrys, The Silver fox, and Kehoes Pub will no doubt feature in the evenings. After high tide has gone and darkness approaches and you’ve tried your best during the day – a shower a pint and something good to eat among fishing friends and chat is uniquely relaxing and rewarding.
Maybe just one more and then home quickly, Autumn evenings a little cooler, you hear and smell the sea on the way and as you fall soundly asleep to the high calls of arriving winter redwings you think to yourself – there’s always tomorrow……..
See you all soon (October 2-8 2016)
Jim.
We have a vacancy on the second of our workshops as one of the attendees is required to be at sea for research purposes – this workshop is being held on the 6th 7th and 8th of October.
All workshops cover the three disciplines of Fly Tying Fly Casting and Fly Fishing over three days with Gary Bell Andy Elliott and myself, more details can be found here . You will be joining a group of eight other anglers of varying degrees of experience on this workshop
If you would like to attend any of these workshops please do not hesitate to contact me for details on jimhendrick@live.ie
Jim
The time is fast approaching for our Autumn workshops. Some recent questions regarding what ‘I might need’ are answered below. If you happen to have any of these or indeed similar items please bring them to your workshop as I know people are fond of using their own gear. I am also of the mind that if this is completely new to you DO NOT buy any gear at all until after the workshop. If you do not have or are missing some/all of the items listed below do not worry there will be plenty of spare saltwater outfits and material available for both casting fishing and tying. I’m afraid your fishing wear is entirely your own responsibility.
A comprehensive and tactical guide will be provided in relation to specific rods, lines, and reels, plus leaders and fly tying equipment during the workshops.
Fishing wear
- Waders
- Jacket
- Boots – felt and stud combo if possible
- Hat
- Thermal layering system
- Polarised glasses – essential for safety.
Fly Fishing gear
- Fly Rod – #7, #8 or #9 saltwater type if available
- Suitable reel saltwater resistant
- Intermediate matching saltwater line
- Leader material fluoro and mono
- Line tray
- Flies – available at the workshop
Fly tying gear
- Any suitable material
- Vice and tools
- Specific requirements
Wexford coast
There’s no doubt being able to catch them with the fly in places like this goes beyond compare – at times, especially in the beginning, the culmination of so many ‘worked at’ things can be so rare it’s both incredibly rewarding and new each time it happens.
And then there’s always the element of surprise too!
Less than two months away and what was once a distant plan is shortly about to become a reality. There’s a certain sense of coming home with this project and having spoken to and organised a lot with Pat from Quay House today I am now very excited about the October saltwater fly-fishing workshops.
Our week starts on Monday of October 03 through Wednesday with the 3-day workshop for the first group of nine saltwater fly fishers. This is followed closely on Thursday through Saturday for the second group of nine anglers. Tying casting and fishing, groups of three anglers will rotate three times through each discipline over the three days in a blended learning environment. Kilmore quay in south Co.Wexford will provide us with an ideal base for our week. From a fishing perspective we have a solid jump off point to many different shore locations. Locations that I know intimately and where I have guided over for more than ten years.
The essence of the workshops is based around bass fishing techniques but will crossover into both seatrout and mullet. This will be carried further into comparisons and strategies for bonefish fishing techniques. Our main objectives and areas of focus will be
- Tying flies for drifting
- Concepts behind drifting flies to fish
- Casting and line management techniques for drifting flies
- Fishing in moving water with the fly – giving the fish the fly
- Line and equipment types
- Fly types
- Fishing strategies ~ leaders, timings, presentations
- Tying flies for approaching weather fronts
- Concepts behind understanding weather patterns
- Casting and line management techniques for windy/wavy conditions
- Fishing in difficult conditions / water with the fly – expecting the fish
- Line and equipment types
- Fly types
- Fishing strategies ~ leaders, timings, presentations
- Tying flies for hunting the fish – blind casting tactics
- Concepts behind hunting for fish
- Casting and line management techniques for ‘quartering’
- Fishing whilst moving on the water with the fly – hunting the fish
- Line and equipment types
- Fly types
- Fishing strategies ~ leaders, timings, presentations
Light double handed fly-fishing techniques for bass fishing will also be covered briefly in the casting workshops with Gary – casting will be conducted at the sheltered beach area at Kilmore Quay, tying will take place at Quay House and fishing will take place in many locations along the southern Wexford coasts according to the whereabouts of fish!
Evening time will find us no doubt in the many local restaurants in the area – Mary Barrys, The Silver Fox, Kehoes Bar and maybe even a drift into Wexford to visit La Cote or The Yard.
THIRTYARDS 
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