The covering photo of this edition portrays our new Club Mascot enjoying an outing at Hat Head. “Izzy” joined our Club courtesy of the wonderful knitting talents of member Julie Eccles and is sure to be a popular fellow, especially with a couple of our members who are known to have a slightly warped sense of humour.

Why “Izzy”? After Izaak Walton of course! Izaak first published “The Compleat Angler” in 1653, long before Zane Grey or Hemingway, and it was originally written in the form of a dialogue between an experienced angler named Piscator and his pupil Viator. The book details methods for catching, eating, and savouring all varieties of fish, from the lowly carp to the lordly salmon.

Some may argue that “Izzy” did not fly fish and perhaps our mascot should be named after Charles Cotton who was the author of that section of the book that deals with fly fishing. His treatise titled, The Compleat Angler. Being Instructions how to angle for a Trout or Grayling in a clear Stream, was added to the 5th edition onwards.

So again, why “Izzy”? Simples! I think it suits him better than Charlie and, since noone took up my challenge to submit entries suggesting a moniker, my choice prevailed.

The Ed.

View/Download HFF Flycast February 2019