Get into Competition Fly Fishing with Craig Barr

Friday 8th January 2021, 15:01PM Feature

Are you interested in taking up competitive fly fishing and want to know where and how to start? 

Top competition angler Craig Barr needs little introduction to many on the competitive scene. Craig has been extremely successful on the competitive scene and some of his accolades include qualifying for the England team on multiple occasions, becoming the National Bank Champion and winning the Bob Church Classic just to name a few.

Wychwood Game caught up with Craig for an insight into getting started with competition fly fishing.

 

WG: What inspired you to take up competitive fly fishing and how old were you when you started?

CB: I was inspired to take up competition angling by seeing a poster for the chance to represent England as a youth angler. As a competent caster by the age of 12, and having a natural competitive streak, I couldn’t wait!

 

WG: What advice would you give a new comer wanting to take up competitive fly fishing about getting started?

CB: The best advice I can give would be, to try it! I am sure some anglers may simply feel “I could never compete with these guys”. Let me tell you, I felt this where my foundations were made, by pitting myself against competition anglers. To think I could sit alongside, at the time, the well know Chris Ogborne in a competition, was a no brainer. I did fish alongside him, and got beat, but boy did I pick up a trick or two!! There are many well run competitions throughout the year, so take a look, and give it a go.

 

WG: You have had a very successful competition career, what are your highlights and proudest moments?

CB: I have had many personal highlights, however the one that sticks out is gaining my first England Cap at Rutland Water – what a moment, to know you have put yourself up against the “cream of the crop” of England’s top fly fishers, and made it into the qualifying positions, on what can be one of the toughest venues to do it on. A second proud moment was only a recent one, and that was in the Airflo Spring Invitational in 2018. I was the top individual over the two-day event, and to look at the field of anglers that I was up against, it was a great achievement. Competition angling has got me to where I am today as an angler, combined with my instinctive desire to succeed.

 

WG: What would you do differently when you are preparing for a competition as opposed to normal pleasure fishing?

CB: Practice, practice, practice! On the odd occasion when I have not been able to get a day’s practice in for a competition, I have felt all at sea on match day. It is like starting with a clean sheet, as opposed to starting with something already written on it, so to speak. After a day, or two day’s practice, I will have a set plan in my mind, of what lines and flies I am more than likely to be using. I prepare a box of flies for EVERY competition, finely tuned by my practice, and this gives me confidence, as I am now using flies that have caught me fish just the day before! I fish hard too. I am constantly looking for a fish, a take, or something, something to give me some information from the water I am fishing at any given point.

 

 

WG: Can you give us your top 3 tips for becoming a successful competition fly angler?

 

CB:

·     Get out fishing when you can, and when fishing, just think what you are doing, and WHY you are doing it. The fish are there, therefore If you are not catching, then try something, or somewhere different.

·     Fish with other competent anglers where you can, and feed off each other when fishing. Knowledge is power!

·     Never give up. There will be highs and there will be lows, but all the time you will be learning. I regularly tell myself during competitions, when things may not quite be going to plan, “ you’ve been here before” and I draw confidence from this, that things can change in minutes when fishing. A sudden line, or fly change, is often all that is needed, and when you do this time and time again, over the years, you soon build the confidence and knowledge you need to know when to make these moves at any given time.  A good friend of mine, and myself often say we are in the “never give up club” after a competition, we just keep going!

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