Gin clear –
We have one of our loyal followers to thank for providing us with a further insight that can be added to GINblogger’s little lexicon: “The different meanings of that word Gin”.
Since retiring from a long career in the military and security work around the world, Kev Rose has more time now to indulge his love of fly-fishing, and has also recently started his own website – Framed Flies. And he emailed to point out that chalk streams are frequently referred to as “Gin clear”.
He told us: “Crystal clear – or gin clear – chalk streams offer fly fishermen a different experience of actually stalking their prey, as compared with water that is carrying a lot of sediment. And of course, if the angler can see the fish, the fish can see the angler, making for a more challenging day.”
Kev continues: “I have had some great days’ sport on rivers such as the River Test and Pang, and look forward to fishing many more of the 160 chalk streams we are lucky to have in this country: which incidentally is over 80% of the world’s chalk streams.”
Intrigued I did my own quick web search and discovered there is a whole sub-section to the tourist and angling industry offering trips to chalk streams as far away as New Zealand. And while the elegant display cases which Kev’s business sells contain selections of the dry or wet flies, lures and nymphs normally employed to hook salmon and trout, my on-line investigation also turned up a video demonstrating how to tie a Gin-and-Tonic Pike fly. I thought people went after those monsters with a harpoon.
