Adrian Freer is the author of books on reservoir fly fishing, fly dressing, trout fly patterns, religious topics, children's stories and poetry.

FLY FISHING 'FUN' QUIZ No 2

 

In the event of any dispute, the quizmaster’s decision is final – even when he is wrong!

 

An easy one to start.

 

1] Eyebrook Reservoir stands in two counties. Which ones are they? 1 point for each one.

 

2] The G & H Sedge is named after the two famous anglers who devised it. Who are they? 1 point for each surname and a bonus point if you get both Christian names correct. It does not stand for Green & Hairy!

 

3] How many anglers’ boats are there in the Rutland Water fishing fleet?

 

4] There are five major groups of winged insects which anglers will come across – the two winged flies including buzzers, gnats & daddies etc (diptera), the stoneflies (plecoptera), the alder fly (sialidae), and the dayflies also called upwinged flies or mayflies (ephemeroptera). Which is the fifth group?

 

5] Who devised the lure the Sweeney Todd?

 

6] Saddle Bank is a feature on which Midlands Reservoir?

 

7] Carsington Water, which used to be stocked with nothing but brownies, is closest to which of these three towns? Ashbourne, Derby or Matlock?

 

8] The Bob’s Bits is a very simple but very successful emerger pattern. Who devised it?

 

9] One of the earliest major handbooks on fly dressing was Fly Dressers’ Guide  first published in 1952. Who was the author?

 

10] If you were motoring to Savages, what water would you be on?

 

11] The ‘Haul a Gwynt’ is a Welsh trout fly. What does it mean in English?

 

12] David Train of Swindon devised one of the most successful trout lures of all time. What is its name?

 

13] If the specific gravity of water is 1.00 and nylon is 1.15, what is the specific gravity of fluorocarbon? I will give you a 10% margin for error either side.

 

14] There is a new material for making fly rods called Sintrix. Who introduced it?

 

15] The mayflies or upwinged flies have four life stages. What are they? You get one point for each one.

 

16] The Invicta is one of the most famous flies of all time and was originally tied by a fly dresser from Cheltenham. What was his name?

 

17] The Mickey Finn is a hairwing lure pattern. What country does it originate from?

 

18] Who popularized the Black & Peacock Spider?

 

19] If you were fishing the Scaldwell Arm, which reservoir would you be on?

 

20] Do you remember the book Mr Crabtree Goes Fishing which collected together the angling picture strips which were originally published in the Daily Mirror. Who wrote the series?

 

21] In 1943 Eyebrook Reservoir was used for target practice by bombers in preparation for the raid by the Dam Busters. What type of aircaft were used in the raid?

 

22] What was the number of the  squadron which took part in the raid?

 

23] One of the classic books on fly fishing, which focused on the importance of nymphs, was entitled The Way of a Trout with a Fly and was subtitled and some Further Studies in Minor Tactics. Do you know who wrote it?

 

24] Arthur Cove devised a fly which he called the Red Diddy. What is the unusual material found in it?

 

25] What is the capacity of Grafham Water in cubic metres. I will be generous and give you 10 million gallons either side. It is between 1 and 100.

 

26] The Imperial is a broad spectrum chalk stream dry fly which was designed by which famous angler?

 

27] How many acres is Eyebrook Reservoir? I will let you have 10 either side.

 

28] Who devised the Ace of Spades lure?

 

29] As the crow flies, which reservoir is 126 miles from Ipswich, 132 miles from Southampton, 152 miles from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and 75 miles from Liverpool?

 

30] If I was talking to you about a Reeves, Argus, Silver or an Amherst; which type of bird would I be referring to?

 

31] The Battenkill range of fly reels are marketed by which famous American fishing tackle company?

 

32] Veniards are probably the best known, and one of the oldest, suppliers of materials for the fly dresser and we all probably have a packet of their materials in our collection. In what year was the company founded? It is on every packet. I will give you a 5-year margin either side.

 

33] Now a question for those entomologists among you, if I was talking about a Gammarus Pulex, what creature would I be referring to?

 

34] Who was the originator of the Nailer? It was banned at one time at Ravensthorpe Reservoir because it was deemed to be too successful.

 

35] Geoffrey Bucknall devised one of the earliest buzzer pupa imitations which he introduced in his book Fly Fishing Tactics on Still Water. It is still seen in tackle catalogues today. What is its name?

 

36] What colour is a Greenwell cape feather? We may disagree on this one but I have researched it as best I can and the quizmaster’s decision is final.

 

37] Among the features at Eyebrook Reservoir there are three cabins. Name all three. You need all three to get the point. I am not counting the Cowsheds as one of them.

 

38] Who wrote the classic fly fishing book Where the Bright Waters Meet which was first published in 1924?

 

39] No one these days fishes with Kingfisher fly lines which were in common use during the first half of the 20th century. What were they made from?

 

40] To finish with an easy one so you all get at least one point. What is the predominant colour of a Black Lure?

 

 

 

 

The answers are listed below.

 

ANSWERS TO FLY FISHING 'FUN' QUIZ No 2

 

1] Leicestershire & Rutland

2] John Goddard & Cliff Henry

3] 66

4] Sedges or Caddis flies (tricoptera)

5] Richard Walker

6] Draycote

7] Ashbourne

8] Bob Worts

9] John Veniard

10] Grafham

11] Sun and wind

12] Cat’s Whisker

13] 1.77 [1.59 -1.95 gets the point]

14] Hardy

15] Egg, Nymph, Dun or sub-imago, Spinner or imago

16] James Ogden

17] America

18] Tom Ivens

19] Pitsford

20] Bernard Venables

21] Lancaster Bombers

22] 617

23] G. E. M. Skues

24] A red rubber band

25] 59 million m3  [49M to 69M gets a point]

26] Major Oliver Kite

27] 400 acres [390 – 410 gets the point]

28] Dave Collyer

29] Foremark

30] Pheasant

31] Orvis

32] 1923 [1918 – 1928 gets the point]

33] a Shrimp

34] Dick Shrive

35] The Footballer

36] Ginger with a black centre stripe

37] Robbo’s Cabin, Watson’s Cabin and Black Cabin

38] Harry Plunket Greene

39] Silk

40] Black

 

If you find any errors please email me on the contact page and I will correct the answers!