Stillwater Bank Competitions

[Dejon Hamann]

Stillwater bank fishing, imho, could be a great asset to the comp. scene here in N.America.  Sometimes finding proper skiffs/motors/etc is one of the major blockers in organizing a stillwater event.  Personally, I considered the 2007 US National bank sessions on the RedFeather (i think) Lakes in CO a great success.  Not as elegant as a full loch style round but a darn good second.

[Randy Hanner Sr.]

I remember watching your first session on the lakes and the beat assignments were brutal for several competitors.

[Dejon Hamann]

How so Randy? Access? Lack of fishy water?  Casting room?

[Randy Hanner Sr.]

If I remember your first beat was a cove where you were able to wade out about 150 yards, and the beat to your left was Kurt's and he took two steps off the bank and was in also to his neck. Randy's beat was to your right and he couldn't step into the water without drowning. 

[Dejon Hamann]

Yeah, I think that's right.  So, casting room in that case?  I wonder how they do it across the pond as far as wading and scoping out equal beats, etc.

[Todd Oishi]

... I wonder how they do it across the pond as far as wading and scoping out equal beats, etc.

Perhaps this should be spilt into its own thread. But in response to your question Dejon...

I have fished a fair number of bank sessions at various national and international competitions, and have found that a lot of them seem to enforce a "no wading" rule in order to keep things on a more level playing (for situations such as Randy mentioned).

I personally have mixed emotions about bank sessions, especially when competitors are placed on opposing shorelines on windy days, as you can be at a HUGE disavantage (in regards to casting) if your beat has the wind blowing directly into your face for the entire session, while others can benefit greatly from having the wind at their back or even slightly to the side. Such was my experience at Portugal's WFFC; while trying to cast into gale-force winds (never had so many tangles), as the waves and current churned up the silt and sand all along the shoreline infront of my beat, which made the water very unproductive for fishing.

On the other hand... sometimes wading is restricted purely for the concern over the competitor's safety.

[Randy Hanner Sr.]

Todd I thought you fished those lakes also in 2007. I believe they were Parvin and Dowdy.  Do you remember how your beats were?

[Todd Oishi]

Todd I thought you fished those lakes also in 2007. I believe they were Parvin and Dowdy.  Do you remember how your beats were?

They were both decent venues, but my beat on one of the lakes (can't remember the name) was a bit brutal, as I had the wind blowing directly into my face for the duration of my session, and I had very limited opportunity for a decent backcast due to the steep bank and the brush and trees.

My beat was positioned right next to Michael Drenin's (Irish team member), and he and I both finished with blanks for that particular session. Unfortunately our water wasn't nearly as wadable as some of the beats that were positioned over to our immediate right...

[Paul Bourcq]

spey casting would come in handy here.  My 10 foot 7 weight rod with a single hand spey line will grenade line with very little back cast.  i like the idea though.  i would love to compete in a bank session

[Robbie Bell]

Hi There,

Our Stillwater Bank Competitions are all day affairs as opposed to a three hour session in a National etc.

My local water and indeed the location for our recent Bank International have 24 “pegs”

Anglers draw for a starting position and then move five pegs every forty minutes with five minutes for the move. There is a lunch break and we have four sessions in the morning and four in the afternoon so you cover all the lake just about twice. This means that you get to fish in all wind conditions.

The venues we use are generally fairly small, about five to ten acres so you can go round in a circular manner. Larger venues may have to be on one shore with perhaps a longer interval between sessions for moving or you move about ten pegs at a time to get round once.

Smaller venues also have the advantage of being able to watch what everyone is doing which helps level the playing field and increases the learning curve! The odd bit of banter is not unknown but is of course frowned upon……….

Venues can be a bit peggy but then so are rivers and a team event should even things up.

I thoroughly enjoy these comps and there is a more…..much more to bank fishing than meets the eye.

Best Regards

robbie

[Mark Hanes]

I like the rotation idea that would be a good way to even things out a little.  It also gives me some ideas for venues now in the future. 

Thanks for all the insight Robbie it really helps us with some new ideas over in the states.

[Janos Boda]

I was just wondering how stillwater bank competition works, so thanks Robbie for the explanation .

It was nice to meeting you at Roblin, MB and I enjoy reading your comments on this board.

Best Regards,
Janos from Winnipeg

[Dejon Hamann]

That's great Robbie!  Another simple solution I hadn't thought of yet.  As Mark said that gives us some new water to think about.

[Robbie Bell]

Hi There,

Good to meet you Janos and everyone else as well.  Roblin was fantastic…….I would not have missed it for the world.

A few random thoughts on Bank Competitions;

The moves can be 4 pegs then 5 pegs then 6 pegs and  the same again in the afternoon, that way you do not follow the same person on to every peg.

I recently had the “pleasure” of following Simon Robinson during a comp. Educational but he had just about emptied every peg I went on to…………………

We now score our comps as two points for the first fish on each peg and one point for each fish after to a maximum of 5 fish (6 points) on each peg.

In the event of a tie you can use the time of the first fish or the number of fish on the first peg then second peg etc.  This saves the stress of trying to weigh or measure every fish and reduces the numbers of controllers necessary.   If the pegs are reasonably close and the fishing is not too hectic you can control each other. Sign the scorecards after every session.

You need to have one person doing the timings  and fly checks and your line is dead in the water when the session end whistle goes.  Anglers who manage their five fish on a peg have to stay there until the whistle goes but can prepare casts etc or just sit around looking smug……….

Bacon Rolls and Coffee go down well at lunchtime and you can move say 9 pegs between the last morning session and first afternoon one so as to fish all different pegs during the day.

Distance casting and perhaps the right tackle to do it can be paramount especially as the day goes on and the fish get pushed out.

It is quite an intense if fairly artificial way of fishing but is very sociable and is a great skill builder.

Have fun.

Best Regards

robbie

[Janos Boda]

Robbie:

Do you have competitions that are "open" for everyone (people coming from other countries)?

I heard many great things about Scotland and England and I am pretty sure it would not be hard to convince my wife to visit the area one day  . If I am there, I would not mind to trying out some of these competitions; also I really like the socializing part of these competitions . Just a thought.

Cheers,
Janos

[Robbie Bell]

Hi There,

Janos the Airflo Bank Competition has many heats in England and a few in Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

It is open to anyone from anywhere. In due course information will appear here for next year.

http://www.ceff.org.uk/

You can enter as many heats as you like.

Best Regards

robbie

[Janos Boda]

Thanks Robbie for the information, I really appreciate it.

Janos