Bradford City Angling Association fly section.
The Association’s Fly section is very active. Our aim is to improve our rivers for wild sustainable populations of fish and the wider ecology, and hence the membership experience. For instance, stretches of the Aire & Wharfe have been fenced to exclude livestock, allowing us to plant trees on the banks for shade, for leaf litter, and refuge from predators. Many members volunteer for conservation work on the river, particularly in the winter months. If you would like to get involved, please contact the fly secretary.
We are actively involved in the Angler’s Riverfly Monitoring Initiative, a nationwide network of volunteers sampling aquatic invertebrates, to assess river health. Our samplers find that not only is it a good way of spotting possible pollution in our waters but also helps them to decide what patterns the fish may be interested in taking at different times of the year. If you would like to be part of the Riverfly Project and learn more about the fly life, please contact the fly secretary.
We have a number of events which our members can get involved with throughout the year. Over winter, we take stock of the waters, organising river walks to check the condition of fences & stiles, ensure signage is in place, and identify any other issues. We have a rolling programme of habitat improvements for which we put out calls for volunteers.
Our well-attended Open Day is in May and typically held on the Aire above Inghey Bridge. We usually have demonstrations from experts and experienced members on various aspects of the craft, plus casting tuition, and tea/coffee and some snags & onions on the barbecue! It’s a good chance to catch up with old friends and make some new ones. We charge a small fee, payable on the day, to cover costs. The remainder is donated to the Wild Trout Trust.
For 2024, the Fly Committee is considering running a few river walks for anglers less familiar with a particular water, or new to river fishing, led by an experienced member.
And, in November comes the Grayling day, a friendly competition chasing the lady of the stream.
All dates will be published here in advance.
