The Fly tying Boutique Big Fish Competition
The Guild runs an annual series of "Big Fish" competitions for members. The Guild is pleased to announce that Trade Member Phil Holding of The Fly tying Boutique has agreed to sponsor the 2012-2013 competition, providing a prize of £10's worth of flytying materials for each category. This prize together with a Guild certificate will be awarded to winner of each category at or after the 2013 AGM.
In recognition of Phil Holding’s generous support, the 2012/13 competition will be known as The Fly tying Boutique Big Fish Competition.
There are seven categories to enter:
- Rainbow Trout;
- Brown Trout;
- Salmon;
- Grayling;
- Predatory Freshwater Fish;
- Non-Predatory Freshwater Fish; and
- Saltwater.
The David Collyer Shield will also be awarded to the winner of the Rainbow trout category and The Founders' Trophy will be awarded to the winner of the Brown trout category. Please note, we will no longer be issuing small replica trophies for winners to keep permanently.
The full rules for the competition can be found below. Entries for this year's competition can be found on
Big Fish Entries. Details of previos winners can be seen on
Big Fish Winners.
Rules and How to Enter
The Rules
- The competition is only open to fully paid up members of The Fly Dressers’ Guild.
- The competition runs from 1st October to the following 30th September inclusive.
- The fish must be caught on a fly tied by its captor.
- The fish must be photographed and its capture must be witnessed. The witness need not be a member, but needs to be willing to be contacted by the Fly Tying Awards Secretary.
- All fish must be caught in the waters in or off the UK, Eire, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
- For the rainbow trout, brown trout and salmon categories, the winning entries will be the heaviest fish in each category, so the fish must be weighed.
- For grayling, the winning entries will be the longest fish, so the fish must be measured.
- For the predatory freshwater, non-predatory freshwater, and saltwater categories, the winning entry for a category will be the fish that reaches the highest percentage of the UK record weight (as at the date of the start of the competition) for the corresponding species, so the fish must be weighed.
- The deadline for submission of entries is ten calendar days after the closing date of the competition. However, members are welcome to send their entries during the course of the competition, and to submit multiple entries for the same category. Their names and category entered will be published on the website, but details of the weight of the catches will only be added at the end of the competition, to maintain interest in the competition.
- The winners will be notified as soon as practicable after the deadline for submission of entries, and their names, details of the fish caught, the fly it was caught on and the venue will be published in the following issue of Flydresser and on The Fly Dressers’ Guild website.
- The winner in each category will receive a certificate from the guild and their name will be engraved on the relevant trophy.
- The trophies will be presented at the AGM and may be held by members until 1st September the following year, when they should be returned to the Fly Tying Awards Secretaryin accordance with pre-agreed instructions. If a winner is unable to attend the AGM, they should contact the Fly Tying Awards Secretary to make arrangements to collect the trophy. Please note: Members should take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety and integrity of trophies in their possession.
How to enter
All entries should be sent to the Fly Tying Awards Secretary at awards@flydressersguild.org. If you do not have access to email, please contact the General Secretary on 020 8133 8222 to arrange for an alternative method of delivery.
Entries should include all of the following:
1. Name, email address or telephone number and membership number of captor;
2. Species of fish, weight (for rainbow trout, brown trout, salmon, freshwater predatory, freshwater non-predatory and saltwater fish) or length (for grayling) and category entered;
3. Name or style of the fly, dressing and method of capture (e.g. rod weight, type of line, stripping/ static, etc.);
4. Location and date of capture;
5. Photograph of the fish; and
6. Name and email address or telephone number of the witness.
If possible the actual fly should also be submitted, so that it may be used as a basis for an article in the Flydresser magazine.
Last modified on 13 April, 2013