All Show and no go

All Show and no go

Tracy&James | Thursday, 27 February 2020

Organising casting events can be fun as you generally deal with people who are also keen in encouraging others to improve their casting or perhaps learn how to fly cast and start fishing. However organising them can also be frustrating.

For the last few years the BFCC have supported the Game Fair in running fly casting competitions as an attraction to encourage people to attend the show. We started small by running just a couple of events, then as the years progressed, we ran a few more with some aimed at everyone to enter and others at the competitive casters.

We have had a few issues at some of the previous Game Fairs, such as broken rods, damaged marquees and horrendous weather that resulted in stoppages due to safety concerns. However we’ve always carried on regardless. This year we joined forces with UK Fly Casting Sport to support the show and had intending to concentrate on promoting the UK Team who are entering the World Fly Casting Championship in Sweden in August. However the organisers of the Game Fair have different ideas and as such we are not supporting this year’s Show.

Over the last few years it was evident that although the Fair is stated as being an “annual gathering for people passionate about countryside pursuits” fly fishing is not one of the important aspects to the Show. The Fishing village (as it was always known) became more of a fishing ‘hamlet’ and there appeared to be less funding for fishing pursuits each year. This year there was no funding for the pontoons on which we normally ran the competitions. Also the lake is apparently being used for another watersport, so no room for the casting competitions.

This approach can be understood as there really is more money in shooting and dogs, and perhaps the organisers have noticed that the fishing industry as a whole has dwindled over the years, with less anglers prepared to pay money to enter country shows where they generally have to spend more money to enjoy the day and rarely are there any deals that make it worthwhile. So is this really our own fault as anglers?

As a club, this is a disappointment, however we have many more events to organise for the year and other shows to support where fishing is seen as an important part of the event. In fact the next BFCC Meeting is less than two weeks away. Currently I’m expecting a good turnout at the Devon event, hopefully it won’t be too ‘wet’ and the weather will be pleasant.

As James and I will be entering the Worlds, not supporting the Game Fair means that we have more time to prepare and focus on our training, so there is always a positive outcome to any situation. Perhaps we’ll be asked back for future Game Fairs, or maybe we’ll support other shows that are prepared to encourage more fishing aspects. Whatever happens the BFCC are happy to continue to support any events that encourages people to get into fishing and improve their casting. Though at the moment I personally would be happy just to find a river that is fishable! Hoping this will happen over the next week or so,

Whatever you are doing this weekend, enjoy,

Cheers, Tracy