Helpful Hint - Simple Knot to Learn "The Half Blood Knot"

Cygnets here is a simple knot you can use when attaching your leader to the braided loop on the main fly line and for tying your fly on to the leader.

Here is the step by step instructions on how to tie the knot

The Half Blood Knot

THREAD THE LINE THROUGH THE EYE

WRAP THE LOOSE END (TAG) AROUND THE LINE 6 TIMES

PASS THE LOOSE END (TAG) THROUGH THE LOOP CLOSEST TO THE EYE.

WET THE LINE WRAPS WITH SALIVA FROM YOUR MOUTH, USE YOUR FINGERS TO WET THE LINE, PULL BOTH THE TAG END AND THE LINE AND PULL TIGHT. TRIM THE TAG END CLOSE TO THE KNOT

THE HALF BLOOD KNOT

Cygnets have a go at home tying this knot, if you are having any problems ask one of the waterside assistants to help you.  We will be doing a session on tying the various knots that can be used when fishing. This is a simple knot to get started with. 

We will be adding more helpful hints to the blog. If there is anything you would like added, just speak to your Junior Committee Representatives Morgan or Robert.

Tightlines. Alasdair

Second Meeting of Cygnets

Eleven members attended the second meeting of Cygnets.  The day started with fly tying – Jimmy Miller instructed them in how to tie a ‘Kate McLaren’. 

"Kate McLaren" was todays fly tying lesson

After this they moved outside where the five new members practised fly casting under the instruction of professional casting instructor Tam Anderson.  The other cygnets went fishing with the waterside assistants in attendance (Jim Allan, Jimmy Miller, Dave Armour and Alasdair Fyfe). 

Conditions were overcast and dry and the sun came out later in the morning. 

The catch - the Cygnets had a productive morning – 10 fish caught and one returned.

Morgan McDougall – 2 trout (1 blue and 1 rainbow) and 1 returned caught on the ‘Kate McLaren’ she tied with Jimmy Miller prior to fishing.

Abbi Hutton – 2 rainbows

Thomas Penman – 1 rainbow

Robert Fyfe – 2 rainbows

William Addison – 2 rainbows

Calum Doherty- 1 rainbow

What was catching?  The Cygnets were using dry flies, wet flies and lures. 

Committee and Instructors

Chairman

Angus McDougall

Vice Chairman
Waterside Assistant

Alasdair Fyfe

Treasuer/Secretary
 Morna Lohoar

Match Secretary
Waterside Assistant
Jim Allan

Professional Casting Instructor
Thomas Anderson

Fly Tying Instructor
Waterside Assistant

Jimmy Miller

 Waterside Assistant
      Dave Armour




















Junior Committee members - Morgan McDougall and Robert Fyfe

Cygnets if you have anything that you would like discussed or raised with the committee, speak to Robert or Morgan who will them speak to the adults committee.

Wintery Start to Cygnets 2011/12 Season

The first day of the Cygnets Junior Angling Club 2011/2012 season got off to a wintry, cold, wet start with snow on the ground.

Nevertheless the young Cygnets were there bright and smiling faced this morning eager to get started their fishing.  The day started off with fly-tying with Jimmy Miller, where the Cygnets were tying "Cormorants".

This was followed by the start of the fishing season on the Mill Pond.

There were 11 Cygnets today. Jim Allan took the new members on to the grass to teach the basics of fly casting a single handed rod.

"The basics of fly casting"

The established members drew their pegs out of the hat and headed off to start fishing.  The Cygnets fish each podium for 45 minutes and then move to every third podium in order to give each angler the chance to fish any "hot spots", However, the fish are usually well spread out around the pond so can be caught really anywhere. Those who were fishing were supervised/assisted by Jimmy Miller and Alasdair Fyfe.

"Cygnets fishing the Mill Pond"

The conditions were not ideal today, with it being "really cold and wet". However, the Cygnets braved the elements. The Cygnets tried their best to catch fish, the successful Cygnets today included -

Robert Fyfe -  2 fish and 4 fish returned (caught on the Cormorant he tied with Jimmy Miller prior to fishing)

Abbi Hutton  - 2 fish and 2 fish returned

Thomas Penman  - 1 fish

The Cygnets permit entitles them to retain two fish and following this limit they go on to Catch and Release, using barbless hook, one fly and return their further fish. Any fish returned is still awarded points.

"Fish on"

The fish appeared to be showing around many parts of the pond. The successful patterns today included buzzers, lures and Cormorants (which the Cygnets tied at the start of their fishing session)

"Waiting for a take"

Start of 2011/2012 Fishing Season

The Swanswater Cygnets Junior Angling Club start their 2011/2012 fishing season on Sunday 13th March 2011. We are all looking forward to the start of the season.

We start at 09:30hrs with fly-tying and then fishing on the Mill pond until 13:00hrs.

During the coming season we will have trips to other fisheries (to be confirmed in due course) and up to the main Swanswater.

Fishing the main water - Swanswater

Swanswater 

Trout Fisherman -Troutmasters Swanswater Fish Off - Saturday 5th March 2011

Swanswater Cygnet Robert Fyfe was the junior winner of the Trout Fisherman -TroutMasters Swanswater Fishery Fish Off - held on Saturday 5th March 2011.

Robert playing his 5lbs rainbow trout

Robert now has the opportunity to fish the Troutmaster Junior Final at Stonebridge Fishing Lodge, North Yorkshire, later this year.

Swanswater Cygnets Junior Angling Club

The Swanswater Cygnets is a club for junior anglers aged 16 and under which was set up in September 2000 and is based at Swanswater Fishery. The aim of the club is to promote the arts of fly fishing and fly tying to youngsters.   It was the brainchild of Tom Postlethwaite, a retired gentleman with a lifetime's experience in angling both for pleasure and in competitions, who started giving lessons at Swanswater in the summer of 1999. In September 2000 the Cygnets Club was started.

The Club Constitution states that the members are to be encouraged to take group responsibility for running the Club and they have a healthy input in all decisions.  There is a friendly atmosphere within the Club although the members are very competitive and like to do their best!  However it is nice to see older members helping out some of the younger ones who have not been fishing for long. The club meets every second Sunday morning between March and the end of October for fly fishing classes, and during the winter months for fly-tying. 

Points are awarded for fish caught and weight of fish and at the end of the season the Club Champion receives a trophy.

Points are awarded for fish caught and weight of fish and at the end of the season the Club Champion receives a trophy.

Swanswater Cygnets Junior Angling Club held their Annual AGM and Prize Giving on Sunday 31st October 2010 at Swanswater Fishery, Stirling.  Prizes were presented by Mr Angus McDougall (chairman) Swanswater Cygnets JAC

 2010/11 Club Champion Robert Fyfe and casting Instructor Mr Thomas Anderson

Prize Winners for 2010

B Team (junior members)

1st - Robert Fyfe

2nd - William Addison 

3rd - Abbi Hutton

A Team (senior members)

2nd - Paul Taylor

3rd - Thomas Penman

Overall 2010 Cygnet Club Champion - Robert Fyfe

Mr Jim Allan (Match Secretary) explained that the overall Cygnet Champion with 1421 points, nearly 400 points more than Paul Taylor, with 17 out of 18 attendances, catching 30 trout and returning 11 trout was 11 year old Robert Fyfe (Perth) who is a junior member.  He received a rod and line, donated by Beulah UK, trophy and shield.

Heaviest Fish - Blair Fergus with 5lb 10oz rainbow trout

Fly Tying Shield – Robert Fyfe

Any junior angler aged 16 and under who is interested in joining the club, or any youngster interested in learning to fly fish, should contact Swanswater Fishery on 01786 814805 for further details.