South East Federation

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SEFFF PROFILE FOR CEFF WEBSITE

 

South East Fly Fishers Federation (SEFFF)

2010 Dates

Loch-style Qualifier 1   Sunday 30th May, Bewl Water                                                                    Loch-style Qualifier 2  Sunday 20th June, Bewl Water

Pro-Am                                                                               Sunday 13th June, Bewl Water

Rivers Qualifier                                                          Sunday 17th October, Lower Itchen
(Practice Day, Saturday 16th October)

Airflo/CEFF Bank Qualifier                         Sunday 25th April, Walthamstow Reservoirs

 

Contacts

Chairman                                     
Len Childs
Secretary                                      
Brian Beeney, Sparrows Green, Wadhurst, East Sussex
TN5 6TX Tel: 01892-783946 Mob: 07760-184853
Treasurer                                     
Jim Letham e-mail: jimletham@hotmail.com
Rivers Organiser                          
Andrew Green e-mail: andrewgreen@agreencopy.freeserve.co.uk                                                   Bank Qualifier Organiser                                                                                                                                Kevin Blackwell tel: 07954-425838

 

Loch-style

The South East FFF traditionally holds its loch-style qualifiers on Bewl Water. With its oast houses and rolling Wealden landscape, Bewl is one of the match circuit’s most scenic venues, offering a choice of drifts and sheltered water in each of its three arms, whatever the wind direction, in addition to the main basin where fish continue to feed at depth throughout the summer.
A regular National venue, this year will see the continuing modernisation of the boat fleet. Over half are already the type of Coulam 15 boats in use on the Anglian Water reservoirs, with more to be added throughout the season. These should make the main basin a far more comfortable proposition for pulling tactics in windy weather, on top of the nymphing possibilities up the arms.
This year, Bewl has adopted a sporting catch & release ticket (allowing 2 fish to be kept), a real bonus for match practice.
The 61,200 stocking, mostly cage-reared but supplemented by delivered fish, is distributed throughout the reservoir, so there is rarely a great concentration in any one place.
Who goes through the May and June loch-style qualifiers is decided on a total points score from  events (participation in both is compulsory). Unlike some venues, Bewl qualifiers rarely consist of a race to the fastest limit, with full bags everywhere.
Instead, while there may be a few limits, there can be just as many blanks, and everything in between. The ideal of a fair competition venue in many people’s eyes.

Pro Am
The fact that Bewl rewards the skilful fly-fisher is shown in the number of former Home International team members within the SEFFF. For the aspiring competition angler, the South East offers a chance to learn from the best, without paying guiding fees.
In fact, the Pro-Am event was formulated for this very purpose, pairing the competition novice with an England international. Combined weight is what counts in this event, giving the expert a real incentive to share successful methods and flies within the boat.

Rivers
For thirteen years the SEFFF has held its Rivers Qualifier on the Lower Itchen fishery near Southampton. This is run as a grayling competition after the end of the brown trout season, and regularly produces specimens in the 47-49cms range.
We have exclusive use of around a mile of chalkstream for this event, as well as the preceding practice day, which is treated by most as a fun day, with a relaxed lunchtime break, and a chance to introduce newcomers to this specialist and challenging discipline.

Bank Open
In two years this combined team and individual event, held at East London’s Walthamstow No4 and No5 reservoirs, has developed into one of the competition’s largest regional heats.
Entry forms can be downloaded from the CEFF website, or obtained from Bank Qualifier Organiser, Kevin Blackwell tel: 07954-425838.
The nature of these 30-acre and 41-acre concrete bowl fisheries, plus the rotating format (similar to that used in the final), ensures an extremely fair competition, with everyone getting an equal share of good and bad sections.
Individual catches of up to 13 fish have been recorded, which goes against the general perception that Walthamstow can be a tough venue.
Before these reservoirs closed for their annual six week break, trout were still feeding hard on bloodworm and hoglice, so there should be plenty of overwintered fish to supplement the new season stockfish.
2,000 more are due to go in before the reservoirs re-open on March 13th, topped up with an average of 600 every month into November.

 

SEFFF Rivers Eliminator 2009, Lower Itchen

The South East FFF 2009 Rivers Eliminator saw the Lower Itchen providing great clear water conditions for spotting grayling, with light winds helping presentation. After a prolific practice Saturday, interrupted only by an extremely social lunch break, it was all looking very good for match day. An overcast morning saw Michael Heritage, on 23 fish, almost double the numbers of the second-placed Bill Rankin (12 fish) with Harry Fox, also on 12, close behind. Brighter conditions in the afternoon session made it harder to avoid spooking grayling in the shallows, but Tony Fox still managed an impressive 25 fish, ahead of a good performance by Hector Rodriguez (12 fish) in only his second rivers eliminator. Best grayling – a 45cms specimen caught by Clive Collier. 

Overall Results

1. Tony Fox    
2. Michael Heritage    
3. Bill Rankin
4. Hector Rodriguez  
5. Harry Fox   
6. Ian Mitchell
7. Vince Brooks         
8. Gary Inwards         
9. Andrew Green       
10.Jim McGonigle      
11.Clive Collier          
12.Tankred Rinder
13.Bill King   
14.Steve Mills
15.John Ferguson