River flies now River fly diary

Have just updated and modified the River flies page. I will now use it to post flies that I am currently using on the river, thus it is now the 'River fly diary' page.

One swallow doesn't make a summer

Well I have certainly seen more than one swallow whilst fishing, but they are staying quite high. No startling swoops along the river yet. In fact I have only fished on one day that was not very windy this whole trout season. That was the day that I saw the bunch of D of E lads on the bank of the Lathkill. Where there is no footpath. A quick phone call to Jan the river keeper showed nothing official taking place. So I headed down to speak to them. Clearly they were lost. As I got out of the car they picked up their bags. Their route would meet mine at the bridge. They started rushing. They dashed through the gate (new gate no stile now) leaving it open. They scuttled about like blind sheep between the fence and quite high wall. At this point I hollered at them to shut the gate. One ran back to do so. He was the one I met up with at the bridge. "Whats their problem" I said to him as his group ran off away from me (I am a 5' 3" female - wow, really frightening) rucksacs and arms flying as they ran down the lane and off over the wall into the field. What a sight! It turned out they were supposed to be going to Bakewell. The exact opposite route they were running. Clearly they had a guilty conscience about something they had been doing. Just such a shame I hadn't got the camera.

The toads are congregating. Out of the wind chill under a bridge they seemed happy enough. Though possibly not so for the one I saw floating down the river, feebly attempting to navigate whilst being swept down in the current. I think that one will have missed the party!

Goin fishin

Today I will go for a less public part of the river. So hope not to meet anyone shampooing their dog in the river! This occurred on the park stretch last Tuesday on the Wye. Just 20 yards up from where I was sitting eating lunch - all my fly fishing gear propped next to me.
I would have been on the other side of the river, but the relentless strong wind would have been in my face.
Absolutely staggered at this chaps behaviour. As he had to stand on the weir to wash the dog I am sure his trainers and the dog would still smell of river.
And I must tell you about the D of E youths by the Lathkill - but no time now, off fishing - just such a shame I didn't have the camera to hand.
Tight lines

If it wasn’t for the wind –

-  it might just feel like summer! After just 2 days of relatively warmer weather the blossom is bursting on the leafless branches.

 I saw 3 butterflies on Monday, despite that strong yet warm wind. The small tortoiseshell sat basking in the sun. If it was waiting for the wind to soften, it was out of luck.

Also came upon an empty egg shell. Had the chick hatched? Or had it been eaten by the stoat I saw running along the opposite bank? 

Having arrived at the river a little late to see a fly hatch in any numbers, a variety of flies were tried.

Fishing in fast currents and a strong wind meant I missed quite a few takes. Had trouble keeping fish on too. This may have been caused by the takes sometimes being downstream of me.

An experimental dry fly finally got tied on. I like to try these when I know there are fish about and approximately where they are, so I can test it. It was a sparkly little thing, so I guessed the rainbows would like it. One certainly did, it moved across the river to it. Unfortunately as I changed position to grab the net it removed itself from the hook. The tree above caught the fly a few moments later – it didn’t let go. I have put a photo and description of the fly on the ‘River fly’ page, under the name Polyprop glitter bug.

Fortunately ‘Dry fly expert’ blogger, Richard turned up at this point and suggested casting from the left shoulder, which neatly avoided the tree!

Yes Richard, I eventually caught and netted a fish. A grayling on a dry gold ribbed hares ear.

 

Give your flies more steam!

As you go through your fly box sorting flies for this years fishing and discover flattened hackle flies; a neat and simple way to bring them back to life is steam.
You can either hold them in tweezers to steam individually or put a number of them in a sieve and hold over a steaming pan, this will bring them quite remarkably back to life and perk up the hackles. Just remember to let them dry before returning them to your box!

Is that an AAPGAI instructor on the river?

Peter Arfield of Bakewell Fly Fishing shop into a rainbow trout on Thursday. The 2 tailed (damp) cdc fly that he caught it on is shown inset.

The intermittent and very cold gusts of wind routinely stopped casting. Occasionally you can use the wind to 'hide' a cast across the river, so as not too spook fish. But these gusts were far too vicious, and the only thing to do was pause and turn your back to it!

I forgot it was All Fools Day

Well I guess once the kids are grown, things like April Fools day slips out of the conscious mind. Had hoped the first day of fishing this season on the Wye might at least have been sunny. I expected it to be cold, but no sun and that vicious wind. Almost gave up until another fisher person on the opposite bank said he had caught a few fish!!! So, back to the car for lunch then back to the river.
Yes, I caught fish - on a dry fly of course - as this is the 'Peacock' Wye. I quite like that rule really, and the no wading. I get very cold feet, and only being able to choose dry flies, reduces the choice a little. In fact I was told recently that it isn't the colour of the fly, it is the size of fly that needs to be correct. So I used a bushy thorax Adams, mainly because I couldn't see anything smaller. Sipped down by a beautifully marked trout. No camera, the snow flurry when I set off, had meant I left it in the car.
Other rises didn't take the Adams, so changed to a March brown, tied Olly Edwards style. It vanished from the surface to a grayling.
I will put the pictures of the flies that I tied and caught on, on the 'River fly diary' page. Good to see a dipper and the wagtails up and down the river.