The sixth defence of the Petre fishing trophy was held at Felix Farm Trout Fishery in Berkshire on 4th June. Twenty-five fly fishermen (pictured above) represented several London lodges along with two fisherwomen. Southgate Lodge B team, captained by WBro Mark Vincent LGR, made a valiant defence of the trophy but were no match for the winners, Johann Guttenberg Lodge, captained by WBro Geoff Bailey LGR. A good head of rainbow trout was taken during the morning session before the anglers enjoyed a four-course lunch provided by Carole Selway and Lydia Dutton, wife of the event organiser WBro John Dutton PAGDC.

The afternoon session proved equally rewarding, and at the final weigh-in, 54 rainbow trout had been captured. Johann Guttenberg took the day with a total bag of 34 lbs 4 ozs.

WBro Dutton presented the Petre Trophy and a cheque for £560 to the winning captain for a charity of his choice.WBro Bailey requested that half the prize be donated to aid ‘Fly-fishing for Children in Adversity'.

Fifty-six youngsters and at least twice that number of adults, many carrying flies, sped into Syon Park , Brentford, on a windy but fine day in June. Awaiting them were field kitchens manned by volunteer caterers serving breakfast and, in the long crescent-shaped lake, up to 400 trout lay in wait.

For the youngsters, this was an eagerly anticipated day out from their specialist schools and centres in the area. Organised by the Masonic Trout & Salmon Flyfishing Club as part of their continuing commitment to Freemasonry in the Community, the day was aimed at giving an interactive fly-fishing and countryside experience to disabled and disadvantaged young people.

The smiles were already in place as the young and the old paired up to find their own

spaces on the long banks of the Syon Park lake.The experienced angler was there to cast the trout fly and to supervise the youngster's retrieve of line and fly and, hopefully, the playing and landing of the fish.

Safety by the water is paramount, of course, especially where children and the disabled are involved – even more so when a gust of wind can misdirect a tiny but very sharp fly.The experidenced angler has a responsible job to do while keeping up a dialogue with his charge, giving snipside, pets of information about the countryside, the wild life, what the fish think about the humans on the bank, and “A funny thing happened to me on my way to the lake!” and other fishy stories.

Trout were caught and trout sometimes lost. Those which stayed on the bank were destined to be taken home by their young captors and enjoyed at family suppers that evening.Those which were hooked and lost gave the youngsters great thrills which they would remember long after disappointment had faded.

The arrival of a fire crew and gleaming red appliance from the nearby fire station received a warm reception from the youngsters, especially when a brief sound from the siren brought the boys and girls in for a barbecue lunch.

To wrap up the day, every youngster attending was presented with a framed certificate, and there were medals for the best young anglers and the captor of the biggest fish (which was a monster ten-pounder!). Many of these were presented by representatives of Metropolitan Grand Lodge, the sponsors for the day, and Russell Race, Graham Roper and David Jeffries were there to give support.

The children were also able to meet the Pro Grand Master, now Patron of the Masonic Trout & Salmon Flyfishing Club (MTSFC), a registered charity.

As Lord Northampton said in his address at a subsequent Provincial Grand Lodge meeting,“The MTSFC is a very good example of how masons should actively get involved with charity work, and thereby get better PR and satisfaction than just presenting a cheque.

“I hope the charity continues to flourish and expand into other Provinces as it is such a worthwhile cause.”

If you are a fly-fisher (Mason or not) and want to help at future events around the country, please check the website www.mtsfc.co.uk and speak to Jim Webster on 01296 424284 or Ken Haslar 01923 231606

Wonderful day

Another recent MTSFC excursion took place in the Hertfordshire countryside on a sunny day, with a marquee, barbecue, falconry display and fly-fishing lessons.

This was the Rib Valley fishing lakes at Ware, on a day organised for the benefit of 30-plus physically and mentally handicapped children and adults from homes, on this occasion, across Hertfordshire.

One of the first-time helpers, Bob Scully of Eleanor Cross Lodge No.7033, commented, “I went with my son Richard, intending to offer what help we could and perhaps pick up a few tips on the noble art.

“I had no idea what a wonderful day lay ahead of us
– to experience at first hand Masonry at its very best was mind-blowing.”

On this occasion, RWBro Colin Harris, Hertfordshire's PGM, also mucked in and, at the close, presented certificates and medals to all the participants.