2024
Invicta Tuesday Evening Fishing 2024
Image courtesy of Jamie Thomas
Our Summer Evening Fishing at Grafham will start on Tuesday May 7th and then every Tuesday, finishing on August 6th. This event is open to all and once again Anglian Water have agreed to give a free evenings fishing to those who have attended a course with Peter Hartley.
The Tuesday Evening League will run in conjunction again, but participation is not obligatory. Scoring will be on numbers caught to a six fish limit, no weigh in and best 10 results of the 14 weeks to count.
Boat partners will be by draw. Please note that Lodge Shop will be open until 5.30 pm and all participants must pay for half a boat and sign in with the organiser before the draw. Please book in as soon as you arrive and not after tackling up.
Pete Brewer, Paul Heavens and David Moore will be assisting with the running of the event but we could do with at least one more volunteer; if you can assist with one or two evenings please contact Paul Stevens, it would be very much appreciated.
Draw for boat partners will take place at approx 5.15pm and where possible less experienced fishermen will be teamed up with experienced anglers. All anglers who wish to be in the league that evening must go in the draw unless a beginner needs pairing with an experienced angler. The score for that evening will not count for those who decide to fish with a particular partner.
As in previous years, we have negotiated an extension of 30 minutes to the usual boat time, please make sure you are back in the harbour and tied up in time; late boat scores will not be counted and may result in us losing the extension in future weeks.
An Anglian Water Season Ticket or day ticket will be required, also an Environment Agency Rod Licence. Evening boat cost is £7.50 per person. A 1 fish C&R ticket is available for non season ticket holders.
Anglian Water have kindly agreed to provide a free boat ticket on any evening that 10 or more anglers are fishing. We will draw for this in the pub after fishing.
We go to the the Mermaid in Ellington after fishing for a drink and sandwiches and chips (optional but very enjoyable). Please pay for this when you book in, the correct cash would be very helpful. Cost of sandwiches and chips is £7.50 (an increase on previous years but the first one in many years).
The aim of the series is to have some pleasant summer evenings fishing at Grafham (weather permitting!), rather than a serious competitive event, also to give those who have done a fly fishing course the opportunity to gain some experience.
For further information or to volunteer please contact Paul Stevens.
Mobile: 07831 235069
Email: faith.paul@btinternet.com
The PILGRIMAGE 2024 – Grafham Water
Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th May.
To continue the long running tradition of the English, Welsh and Scottish Pilgrimage we are running the event on the 23rd and 24th May.
The event started around 40 years ago when some Invicta members were invited to fish with the star studded Welsh (Llanilar) and Scottish (Leslie) teams at Chew Valley Lake.
It was a daunting task fishing against so many international anglers but in those days the fishing was incredible and we made some lasting friendships over the following years.
Sadly, like most angling clubs, the lack of new blood coming into the sport and the passing of time has reduced the numbers of the original participants. We have lost some exceptional anglers and great characters over recent years.
Thursday will be a practice day with a meal in the evening, probably at the Wheatsheaf in Perry, and the match day will be Friday with presentations and a dinner at the sailing Club.
The match day is a relaxed affair and the intention is for everyone to have an enjoyable day and to catch up with some old friends.
There will be cash prizes for the best rod, best boat etc.
More information will be produced near the dates regarding the start times etc.
Should anyone wish to fish could you please contact Steve Middleton.
Email : stevemiddleton9@gmail.com
Mobile : 07826271153
2023
Hinckley Shield – Grafham – Saturday the 28th October 2023
This is an invite to all club members to send your interest to me if you are interested in being part of an Invicta team to compete in the Hinckley Shield match.
The Hinckley Shield is a bank match comprising of 6 person teams at Grafham on Saturday the 28th of October. The match typically has 8-10 teams competing mainly from the midlands fly fishing clubs.
It’s a great opportunity for new club members to be part of an inter-club event for Invicta and if you are new to angling, our committee will make sure you are overseen by our more experienced anglers. We normally form a simple WhatsApp group so you will always know what the whole Invicta team are up to and thinking.
When the list is complete, the committee will select the teams and appoint captains.
The match is a six-fish limit per person, with no catch and release (i.e., kill your first six fish) and no time bonus. Overall weight for the team will win.
There will be no entry fee, and consequently, no material prizes, other than the honour and glory, and the marvellous shield, plus the privilege of organising 2024’s competition.
Expectations are to fish from 9 until 3 or 3.30 – final details to be confirmed nearer the time, team members are required to be present in the lodge car park the pre-match briefing has concluded.
Neil Potts
Tel – 07824 465274
House.potts@btinternet.com
John Maitland Inter-club Trophy
Sunday 27th August
This year it will be a 4- way team match with RWFFA, GWFFA and MNTFA and fished at Grafham Water and hosted by GWFFA. We won this in both the past two years.
Andy Trafankowski will be captain and organiser of our team in this lochstyle competition fished to International Rules.
Cost will be the usual fishing fees plus a meal afterwards.
If you want to be in the Invicta Team of 16 rods please let Andy know by email or on the members WhatsAp Group.
Email: andy@trafankowski.com
“Back to Top of Page”Exciting New Venture
Dry Fly Fishing Day – The Bob Ayres Trophy
Ravensthorpe –Saturday 23rd September
This new event in the Invicta calendar is likely to be very popular therefore early booking is advisable and boats are limited. Ravensthorpe has a good reputation for trout taking dries and September is a peak month.
The Trophy is named in honour of Bob Ayres, one of our longest serving members who stood down this year after over 20 years as club historian and archivist.
£15 includes half boat. Purchase day ticket if not an AW season ticket holder. Payment by cheque or BACS with email confirmation to Alan Prevost and Mark Searle.
Sort Code: 20-43-63
Account: 70514004
For more information please contact Mark Searle.
Bank Fishing Day – The Norman Shippey Memorial
Saturday 18th March 2023
Elinor Trout Fishery
We start our season with the Norman Shippey Memorial bank fishing day which will be at Elinor Trout Fishery’. This informal and very social day is always popular and the fishing early season can see some fine overwintered fish being caught.
Fishing is from around 9:30am until around 3:30pm depending on the weather. There is no ‘weigh-in’ and the winner is decided on number of fish caught. No need to retain fish unless you want them, you can catch and release and keep a mental note of how many you catch.
Purchase own ticket in advance or on the day. Catch and release ticket £20.
Please let Mark Searle know if you would like to fish.
email Mark: Click Here
“Back to Top of Page”Invicta ‘Snowbee ®’ Floating Line Competition 2023
Invicta FFC can now confirm booking and payment details for this Inter-Club Floating Line Competition 2023.
The Invitation only competition is to be held at Grafham Water on Saturday 29th April and again will be sponsored by Snowbee® and organised by Invicta FFC. Booking forms have been sent to invited teams and sadly due to the popularity of this event and the space limit on catering facilities we are unable to extend the invitation beyond teams that competed last year.
All members fishing in an Invicta team must be fully paid up members.
Its a great day. Cost is £46 per person for Anglian Water G/S/B season ticket holders and £75 per person for non holders. This includes boat, fishing ticket, lunch and post match meal.
Teams Captains : Please send team member details and cheque to:
Gary How, 39 High St, Blunham, Beds. MK44 3NL or send form to Gary and pay by transfer using Snowbee as the reference into our Club Account:
Sort Code. 20-43-63.
Account No. 70514004
Gary How
“Back to Top of Page”The PILGRIMAGE 2023 – Grafham Water
We would like to keep the tradition of this event on our calendar since an Invicta team has fished the Pilgrimage for over forty years.
Our old chairman Norman Shippey was instrumental in involving the club in this event and originally it was fished at Chew Valley Lake.
Norman persuade me to go down with him, I hate to say it but it was probably forty years ago, and I had an amazing time catching wonderful fish on top of the water.
Many memorable trips followed and the Pilgrimage was the first event on my calendar each year.
I had the privilege of witness the great Tony Bevan in action and a host of other brilliant anglers including my hero at the time, the one and only Willy Patrick from Leslie.
Looking back I do not know how we did it, fishing from 10 in the morning until 10pm, drinking and eating late, tying flies early morning to be ready for the next day.
Since then we are all a lot older and illness, poor health and, regrettably, death have depleted the number of the original participants.
The event for our visitors from Llanilar and Leslie is the fifth and sixth day of a six day fishing expedition to our local waters, just how they do six days I do not know.
The event this year will be on Thursday 25 and Friday 26th May and will be the usual format of a practice day on Thursday and a relaxed match day on Friday.
I intend booking a meal at the Wheatsheaf in Perry for the Thursday evening and arrange a meal at the sailing club on Friday evening where prizes for the match will be presented.
Anyone wishing to participate should contact me as soon as possible so that I can determine the numbers for the meals etc and it is not necessary to fish both days, fishing the match day is the important day.
There will be a contribution of £10 towards the prizes on the match day and the prizes will be for the usual best bag, best boat etc with a couple of random prizes chosen from the final result table.
Unfortunately last year the numbers from Leslie and Llanilar were down due health issues and the overall cost of their fishing and accommodation, plus the odd drink or two!
With the current state of the country and the cost of living I cannot see this year being any easier but the stalwarts will always appear.
We had to make up three teams, drawing numbers from the overall list of participants after the results were finalised, and we will probably have to do the same thing this year.
The fishing was hard on match day last year and we can only hope that Grafham is a bit kinder to us this year.
So, if you have space in your diaries and you wish to fish then please let me know.
Steve Middleton
mobile, 07826271153
email Steve: Click Here
“Back to Top of Page”2022
Elinor Bank Fishing Day
Saturday 5th November 2022
Elinor Trout Fishery, Lowick Road, Aldwinkle, NN14 3EE
We end our season with a bank fishing day at Elinor Trout Fishery. This event is always popular and the fishing is normally very good with some big fish often being caught.
Fishing is from around 9:30am (start when you like) with a stop for lunch at 1pm with the finishing time decided on depending on the weather.
There is no ‘weigh-in’. No need to retain fish unless you want them,
Payment (cash) on the day.
Please let Mark Searle know if you would like to fish.
email Mark: Click Here
Invicta vs FFLR at Grafham –Sunday 10th April 2022
Fly Fishing Large Reservoirs (FFLR) have a fishing day booked at Grafham on the above date and have invited Invicta to put in a team. If you are one of our less experienced members, it is the day after our Improvers day at Grafham and would give you the opportunity to put into practice what you have learnt.
The FFLR members are a mix of experienced and new reservoir anglers some trying competitions for the first time, similar to Invicta members, so don’t be afraid to have a go if you are fairly new to boat fishing.
If you are interested in fishing this friendly event or would like more information, please contact me.
David Moore
email me: Click here
07874 372810
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