My Lot in the Wild Trout Trust Auction
Come fishing and camping with me!
It's that time of year again for the annual auction in aid of the Wild Trout Trust. This wonderful conservation charity (which I've supported since it began in 1997) provides advisory and hands-on help to improve river and lake habit for the benefit of wildlife – especially our native trout. The lots are listed on eBay, so you can see them here.
This year I have donated a lot to the auction, for the lucky winner to come and fish and camp with me for a weekend on my local Welsh Dee. It's a first, as it's the first time I've donated a lot and the first time I've offered to host someone in this manner.
My lot is number WTT087. The auction runs until 29 March 2020.
One of the top two lots in the auction
Trout & Salmon magazine noted my lot as being one of the two standout items amongst 300 lots (the other being a day's fishing with Luke Jennings, writer of the Villanelle 'Killing Eve' books). This is a huge honour, and sets expectations for something special. Which, of course, it will be.
The auction prize
The lot is for a weekend's bushcraft fishing for trout or grayling, hosted and guided by me. The winner will stay with me in my Tentipi tent on the banks of the River Dee, cook over a wood fire and fish in some of the most spectacular scenery in Wales.
Here's what the winner can expect:
The location
Location will be the Welsh Dee around Corwen (see the CADAC website for details of the fishing). This is in north-east Wales, above Llangollen on the way towards Snowdonia.
The Plan
The agenda will be flexible to accomodate what you want from the weekend. We can focus more on the fishing, camping, bushcraft, natural history, relaxing or socialising – whichever you want.
This will be a relaxed weekend. Urgency will be discouraged. As a Fennel's Priory experience, it will be designed for you to 'Stop – Unplug – Escape – Enjoy'.
The logistics
Come up on the Friday afternoon/evening (either drive, or I can collect you from Chester train station). We can take a quick look at the river, then get settled and start relaxing and chatting around the campfire.
Saturday will begin with a breakfast cooked over the fire. We'll then fish together through the day. A packed lunch of local Welsh produce will keep us going, then we'll return to the Tipi and/or pub for dinner.
Flexible plan for Sunday, depending on your travel. Likely relaxed start (sore heads expected) and big brunch followed by fishing. Wrap things up in the late afternoon/early evening (light conditions to determine, depending on time of year). Possible dinner in The Grouse Inn before you depart.
Date to be agreed, depending on whether trout or grayling fishing is required. (May/June good for trout; summer great for camping and evening rise; late October/early November is good for grayling and 'not too cold' camping; winter good, subject to river conditions.)
No time limit on when the lot can be taken. Coronavirus concerns may put us in 'lock-down' for a while, though a second tipi can be provided if more space is required.
The fishing
The Dee is one of Europe's best grayling rivers. It also contains trout, sea trout and salmon. It's fairly wide river (about 30-60 yards) with average depths of 3-4ft making it good for wading. Bring chest waders and a wading staff.
Dry and wet fly tactics work well, as do Czech nymphing in autumn/winter. Long trotted worm is permitted between mid-October and mid-March.
I'm a famously relaxed angler, a traditionalist focused on the pleasure side of fishing, so am likely to spend as much time being distracted by the wildlife of the river as the fishing at hand. I'll guide you on the beats, either sitting on the bank while you fish, or fishing near to you. There's a good chance your knowledge of fly patterns will be better than mine, though I'll seek local knowledge for the time of year.
If you want to try fishing with a bamboo rod and vintage tackle then I'll bring spare kit for you.
The camping
You and I will stay in a quiet corner of Carrog campsite, location of the UK Tentipi Camps for many years, near to a lovely steam railway, a 17th century bridge over the river, and a rather excellent pub.
We will camp in my luxury Tentipi Safir 9, the top of the range tipi (one of the world's best tents), which sleeps three people comfortably on carp bedchairs. You just need to bring a sleeping bag and pillow. The tipi is heated by a woodburning stove, keeping us warm and on which we can cook if required.
The campsite has toilet and shower facilities, so there will be no need to bring a supply of dock leaves for 'essential business'.
Here's a video I made of the Tenipti camp at Carrog Campsite.
Take a look around my Tentipi Safir 9.
The cooking
I'll do the cooking on a skillet over an open fire (or on the stove in the tipi if the weather's bad). If you want to experience cooking on a Kelly Kettle hobo stove, then we can do this as well. We'll have a fire pit around which we will sit on the evening, so you might want to toast some marshmallows or cook a sausage on a stick while warming the bottle/s of port.
The food
We'll agree a menu that you like. Ideally one that will get you salivating and which will compete with your desire to go fishing...
I will provide all the food, though you might wish to bring a bottle or two of something red.
Those will allergies or high cholesterol levels would be advised to steer clear. We're likely to be eating red meat griddled over the fire, plus a full Welsh breakfast cooked on the skillet for breakfast. Those who've fished with me know that I have been known to spend all day eating and cooking...
The bushcraft experience
Let me know what you'd like to experience – it might be some firelighting techniques, or carving/whittling, or making cordage. Depending on the time of year, we could also tie some flies using nettle fibres and locally-sourced materials – then see if we can tempt a fish on them – or keep them as a souvenir of the trip.
The signed book
Talking of souvenirs, the lot will include a hardback of my new book Fly Fishing, which I will inscribe and sign for you.
Some writing
I'll be writing about the event for an upcoming article, so be prepared to be photographed and written about with glowing praise. It will focus on the overall experience, so there's no pressure to catch a fish for the camera.
The company
I will be your host for the weekend. I assume you know all about me and my books. If not, please click here for an introduction.
It's possible that I will buy a second Tentipi this year, which would give us up to six spaces on the trip should you wish to purchase additional spaces.
Our friends from Wilderness Pioneers bushcraft school are lined up to join us. They also enjoy their fishing, and are known to like a bit of fireside cooking and company...
Please bid in the auction
The Wild Trout Trust is a very important conservation charity. Please support them by bidding on my lot and others. Moneys raised go towards hugely important river restoration and habitat improvement projects, which benefit wildlife, wild trout, and the quality of sport for anglers.
My lot has a starting price of £175, though with the cost of food and drink, two day's fishing, camping, signed book, and the services of my handsome self, I hope it goes for a 'lot' more. Please help to get the amount up to what we know it should make.
Support the Wild Trout Trust
The Wild Trout Trust is a conservation charity working across Britain and Ireland to help anyone interested in making a better world for our rivers, lakes and their wildlife, including our native trout. Flourishing wild trout populations are a sign of the health of our waterways and the land around them. Our team of expert Conservation Officers work with landowners, local communities, fishing clubs, rivers trusts and government agencies to offer practical advice and hands-on habitat improvement projects.
Various membership types are available, from as little as £25 per year. You can join the WTT here.