There are few business people in life as honest as the owner’s of the hundred’s of fly fisheries in the UK. The summer of 2006 has been scorching, with the hottest July on record, causing many trout fisherman to desperately try new fisheries in expectation of bucking the trend and experiencing an in form fishery for the first time.
I woke up this morning eager to visit a fly fishery in Cheshire for the fist time, turning my back on the usual haunts that have left me without a successful fishing trip over the last month or so. Without wanting to be disloyal to the likes of Danebridge Fishery and Marton Heath Trout pools I felt a sense that the grass must be greener on the other side of the fence.
In preparation for this I scanned my Trout Fisherman guide to still waters and firstly called on Clay Lane Farm in expectation that they may be peculiarly experiencing an unusual haul of Rainbow Trout. Despite my eagerness on the phone, the proprietor went out of her way to express the fact that fishing was slow and that I was more than likely to be disappointed. My best chance of a catch was not to spend the day thrashing the water but to wait until the late shift and try my hand at a floodlit session in the evening until 11pm.
The same honesty was in evidence after calling Meadow Fishery. Once more the informative and kind fishery owner instilled some realism in to my blind optimism. Rather than purchasing a day ticket for the remainder of the day I was advised that my best chance of catching Rainbow Trout was to postpone my trip until tomorrow and opt for a three hour session commencing from 7.45am.
In both instances the two fly fisheries opted for honesty and integrity at the expense of a day’s business from a new customer. This attitude to customer service is all to rare and must surely place UK fishery owner’s in a league of their own. The result of the exercise is still a desire to try new waters whilst still maintaining regular visits to my local trout fisheries in Cheshire.