THE TIPPET - NUMBER 77 - October 2025

"ON THE LINE" - EDITORIAL FROM THE FOSAF CHAIR - ILAN LAX

It is suddenly October, and spring is rightly upon us. The rains are back and with them the misty almost cold, drizzly, cold front evenings followed by hot blustery berg winds and dry and nosey middays, which seem to swell and swell the clouds until the thunder and lightning relieve the cycle once again.

In reflecting on Spring, I was reminded of the e e comings' poem:

"Spring is like a perhaps hand
(which comes carefully out of Nowhere)arranging
a window,into which people look(while
people stare
arranging and changing placing
carefully there a strange
thing and a known thing here)and

changing everything carefully

spring is like a perhaps
Hand in a window
(carefully to
and fro moving New and
Old things,while
people stare carefully
moving a perhaps
fraction of flower here placing
an inch of air there)and

without breaking anything."

Some of you may know e e comings also used the metaphor for Spring of an omnipotent, slovenly Goddess with bounding sensual, bawdy, energy. This sounds a bit like the state fish get into in spawning season. But we won't go down that stream in this missive.

Fortunately, the river season has opened and the rains are back. Although according to the boffins and the reports being received, some rivers a still a bit thin, the flyfishing has by all accounts been pretty good. Some excellent fish have come to the net. I have unfortunately been chained to my desk. But I can't wait to get out on our favourite waters soon.

While the end of the year looms with much unfinished business remaining, Fosaf has been busy as usual.

As we have reported over the last while, the progress at the Ministerial Trout Task Team has been extremely slow. Despite some initial positive engagements at which we proposed a pragmatic approach based on self-administration with mandatory reporting, scrutiny and the application of the maps agreed to by all stakeholders in the extensive mapping process that took place from 2015 to 2017, very little has happened in the interim.

We shared the saved mapping data which has now been sent to the provincial authorities for further consideration and approval. This was in our view a fitting step despite the previous agreements reached in view of the time lapse since 2017 when the process was finalised and the turnover of some staff since then. We remain hopeful that a common sense and practical approach will carry the day especially given the State's lack of capacity and resources and the much higher other priorities and demands on the fiscus.

We have been working with other stakeholders on aspects of the implementation of the Wild Capture Freshwater Fisheries Policy. This has included discussions aimed at the formation of national and provincial working groups to oversee some of the activities foreshadowed in the policy. Among these is the UN FAO funded programme with the DFFE, aimed at providing "Support to Unlock the Potential of Small-scale Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture sectors in South Africa". The programme has two distinct component projects, namely: a legislative review of inland fisheries – which will analyse the fairly outdated and complex suite of provincial and municipal legislation, including any overarching national statutes regulating freshwaters, with a view to rationalising these into a more enabling environment for sustainable management of our fresh water fisheries' resources; and a small-scale fishers support programme review, which will assess the existing support frameworks and projects being undertaken currently by DFFE and other stakeholder in this sector, with a view to making recommendations for improvements to the kinds of support being offered by the state. If any of you would like to be involved in these initiatives, I would be happy to liaise with you.

What has been heartening at some of the virtual meetings held recently, is the fact that all stakeholders, including many small scale fishers and their supporting organisations, have all bemoaned the current overfishing, use of gillnets (which all regard as unsustainable) and lack of supportive oversight. A key concern also relates to equitable access by small scale fishers to certain areas on public dams and waters. There is thus a growing awareness that the freshwater fisheries resource needs to carefully stewarded and that some sensible oversight is essential if we are to ensure that future generations can have access to and benefit from these vulnerable resources.

We will keep you updated on developments on these and other important issues facing our fisheries.

I must again express our appreciation to the many people and entities that provided the funding for both FOSAF and TSA (many from the NTA) which has enabled and bolstered our various activities both in relation to the Task Team and the related campaign as well as our other endeavours.

One aspect that has left me puzzled and slightly downhearted is the ever reducing FOSAF membership. While I really do understand that many people are experiencing straitened purses and that there is a thus a need to economise, the EXCO in recognition of this situation agreed to keep the subscription at R360 p.a. This equates to at R30 a month which is a small price to pay to show your support for the work that FOSAF does in protecting your flyfishing. Please encourage other to join or rejoin, because together we are stronger and our combined voices matter and do have impact. [https://www.fosaf.org.za/join.php]

As I said in the last editorial if you have a beef with what or how we are doing, or you have suggestions about how we do things better or differently, I or anyone on the EXCO would really appreciate hearing you views and thoughts in this regard.

One of the articles we will be introducing in the next few Tippets is a focus on the various flyfishing clubs around the country. Thanks to Jan Korrubel for this edition's article of the NFDS.

May I remind you that our website [https://www.fosaf.org.za/], is a veritable treasure trove of information from our history and who we are to the latest fishing reports and even parts of the flyfishing guide. FOSAF has so much to offer the South African flyfisher, why not take the opportunity to join us.

I wish you all a wonderful summer's fishing especially for those of you who are able to visit our many streams and rivers.

Yours on the Line

Ilan Lax – FOSAF Chairman.

NATAL FLY DRESSERS SOCIETY

" ...a series of fly tying classes presented in the early eighties at the Imperial Hotel in 'Maritzburg. These were the heydays of fly fishing. Africa's first, and at that stage, only, fly-shop had just opened in town, and there was a buzz. Classes were put together first in 1981 under the banner of the Natal Fly Fishers Club (founded 1972) and then in 1982 under the banner of the Natal Fly Dressers Society. " ( Andrew Fowler: https://truttablog.com/2013/03/24/the-fmd/ )

The inaugural meeting of the Pietermaritzburg Fly Dressers Society was held at the Imperial Hotel, Pietermaritzburg, on Wednesday 23rd September, 1981, at 6pm. In the Welcome address by Sean Larkan, mention was made that the idea for the Society had originated from Jack Blackman about a year previously, and that idea had resulted in the evening's meeting.

Dr. Neil Hodges was nominated, and duly elected, as Chairman of the first Committee; with other committee members Dr Tom Sutcliffe (President), Barry Lewitt (Secretary), Kevin Culverwell (Treasurer), Neil Maxwell (Editor), and Win Whitear, Hugh Huntley, John Robinson, Sean Larkan, Hamish Gerrard, Jack Blackman, Bill Duckworth and Chris Bateman filling General Committee Member positions. (Can guess who each person is?)

A Constitution had been drafted by Sean Larkan and after lengthy discussion, the name of the Society (proposed by Dr. Sutcliffe) was changed to the NATAL FLY DRESSERS SOCIETY, and duly accepted by the meeting. After a further brief discussion, it was proposed that the membership fee (for the first year) would be R10-00 (p.a.) – accepted as cash, postal order or cheque! It was also decided at this meeting that membership of the Society be open to all race groups.

11 membership applications were received on the night (fly dressing experience as requested): Hugh Bailey Huntley (35 years), Thomas James Sutcliffe (20 years), Neil Hodges (5 years), William Calvert Duckworth (3 years), Sean Hector Wallace Larkan (9 months), Christopher John Hadley-Grave (1 year), Robert Mark Henderson Wilson (15 yrs), Winston Edward Whitear (1 year), Neil Edgar Maxwell (2 years), Hamish Innes Gerrard (12 years), and Philip Digby Braithwaite (3 years).

The following few years saw the membership ranks swell, some of whom are still members to this day, with a number of South African fly fishing and fly tying cognoscenti passing through the ranks at some time or another.

Pre-dating the inception of the Natal Fly Dressers Society, there was only sporadic mention of flies and fly tying in "The Creel", the official publication of the Natal Fly Fishers Club. There were articles of a scientific nature; for example, describing the life cycle of insects that trout live on. "The Artificial Nymph (Part I)" in issue #7 of Summer 1973/1974, followed by Part II in issue #8 of Autumn 1974, had Tom Sutcliffe singing the praises of nymphing (as opposed to the old school approach of large matuka style flies on a fast sinking line fished downstream ... oh the horror! )

Of interest, is Bill Duckworth's article "Dry Fly in The Dargle" of Autumn 1979 (vol.5, issue #5) – no points for guessing which fly he was writing about ... yes: this was: The "Dry Dargle Deerhair" ... never heard of it? ... Neither have I, but it was of course, the now (in)famous D.D.D. that Tom Sutcliffe had tied for Bill using klipspringer hair, and later renamed as "Duckworth's Dargle Delight".

Tom Sutcliffe's article "Fly Tying and You" (Vol.5 #8, November 1982) makes mention of the early fly tying lessons given by Hugh Huntly and himself helped by Don Bradshaw, which were held under the banner of the NFFC, and goes on to introduce the new body NFDS as taking over as the patron of the course.

"Fly tying is more than a hobby. It is an experience. So put R10,00 in your pocket, and come and join us at the Imp! " - Tom Sutcliffe.

Based in Pietermaritzburg, Society members came from around the greater Midlands, but also from Pinetown, Hillcrest and Durban, prompting the development of a Durban Branch of the NFDS.

The minutes of the Committee meeting of April 1983 record Jack Blackman as standing down from the Committee because of the distance that he had to travel to attend the monthly meetings. From this, the seed for the Durban Branch of the NFDS was born, the inaugural meeting of which was held on 24 November 1983.

At a Committee meeting of the NFDS on 21 July 1993, it was proposed by the committee of the Durban Chapter that the Durban Branch run as an independent club. Members were sent a form letter on 23 July 1993 on which they could indicate which club they wished to be a member of. By year end, the Durban Fly Tyers (DFT), as we know it today, was formalised with Kevin Cole as Chairman.

In summary, the NFDS is a group of like-minded enthusiasts with a serious passion for fly tying (and of course fly fishing). Meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at the Victoria Country Club in Pietermaritzburg, KZN. We invite anyone with even so much as a passing interest in fly tying to attend, regardless of skill level or experience. Junior members, the very future of our sport, are especially welcome. Guest tyers are invited to showcase and demonstrate their specialist fly patterns (Peter Brigg is a well known and regular face at the vice, on the agenda), which run the range of salt water to fresh, small streams to dams, and everything else in between!

The monthly fly tying meets are generally tuned to the fishing season, with prevalent fly / flies for that period. Each month the demonstration fly / flies will be notified to members, along with the recipe(s) so that members can prepare for the meeting. On the day, it's a case of bring your own vice, tools and thread, and materials where possible ... harder to find materials are either provided by the Club or shared from other members.

At the time of writing this article, it was remiss of me not to have noted that Tom Sutcliffe was an Honorary Life Member and served as President of the Society until his passing last year, on 08 April 2024. At the Society's AGM on 27 July 2024, the Society recognized the long service, and past Chairmanship of the NFDS (and NFFC) of Jim Read, and bestowed upon him Honorary Life Membership, as well as the position of President.

For more information, please contact NFDS Chair, Jan Korrubel, on anglerfish.ffs@gmail.com / 083 99 33 870. Jan can also be found at The Kingfisher tackle store, in Victoria Road, PMB.