Blind Fishing
Armed with lightweight Greys XF2 Streamflex #2 or #3 outfits the plan was to extract one of the Culms large Trout for Henry’s lens using bugs. This venue has become a firm favourite and just a couple of weeks ago produced some far better than average Trout for Lewis and I during an evening session. The fact that we had taken most of them on dries should have told us something! Unfortunately we forgot that session and blindly went about the business of flicking our heavyweight team of bugs into all the likely looking nooks and crannies. We did bump a few fish, but obviously our tactics were not right during the blustery wind, intermittent showers and harsh sunlight. Even so we continued to fish, blind to the conditions and with very little success!
The fish we had hoped to catch! This fish was taken in late May during a session on the Culm.
During our previous session I had cottoned on to the dries and quickly started to land some decent fish, this time it was Lewis who made the switch and finally we began to catch. Of course the plan to extract a big fish was not the right one for such changeable weather conditions although I did blow it on one fish which would have pushed over a pound. It took a small Retirer Sedge fished on a double dry rig and blew up my leader after an all too hasty strike! The take was also a little hesitant, which was not surprising in the conditions and also because these fish see a lot of flies.
One of Lews decent fish from our previous "evening" session
So what should we have done differently? Well it would have been sensible to head to the venue in the evening, this is when the large fish are likely to play ball, often showing themselves at the surface. Our second mistake was to blindly fish with bugs for so long. Some venues, the Lyn being a classic example, respond incredibly well to this technique, but the Culm is a very different river. Meandering with cut banks and the odd riffle, plus slow deep pools … perfect dry fly water! And one more thing, that wind! It was howling and yet even when I decided to adopt a dry approach my leader remained at 14′! This year in the low water conditions it has been necessary to fish longer leaders than ever before and I must admit to being blown away by the Varivas Yamame versions, but in such a high wind I needed to go shorter. As soon as I cut the leader down, scaled up my size of fly (good silhouette in the ruffled surface) and went looking for an opportunist Trout hoping to intercept a surface meal the rod began to bend … although to add insult to injury most of the fish then managed to slip the hook! But who cares, I came away with a lot from that session and it will be a long time before I second guess what the fish are up to again … and next time we will get that big fish for Henry’s camera!
There are some decent Chub in the Culm - these do like bugs!
Seasonal Fly Thoughts
It is around about this time that I start thinking about my fly boxes. Forgotten, battered and often in need of replenishment after another long season of guiding.
There was a time in my life that I was able to tie flies every day, line up neat rows and gaze adoringly at them while dreaming of future adventures. But that was a long time ago; in fact I was a kid. During my late teens I was still tying a lot and even in my early twenties, but the day to day responsibility of running a shop soon stopped that lark. Slowly but surely all those patterns got lost, given away or moved on during one of my mass “pre-season” clear outs. Eventually my tying gear was boxed up and the vice lay dormant.
So for the last few years I have been relying heavily on what the commercial market has to offer. For my Trout flies I certainly have no hesitation in stocking up with the many, varied and innovative patterns offered by Iain Barr. Based mainly around still-water fishing, Iain has also started to introduce some interesting river patterns. Meanwhile Fulling Mill launched their very popular “Tactical Series”, comprising a range of well proportioned barbless patterns aimed at river anglers. There is no doubt that these flies have scored hundreds (quite possibly thousands) of fish for my clients during the last few years. But …. just sometimes I want something more. Perhaps a little less hackle; or maybe a bit more? A scruffier body, a more visible (and buoyant) wing post and frequently just a little more weight in the case of many subsurface patterns.
There is also a great deal of satisfaction to be drawn from the process of taking a bare hook, lashing a few materials to it and winding up with something that a fish will mistake for its food. So, I am going to dust down those boxes, oil up the vice and try to tie a few flies each week. Daily will not be possible; that’s for sure. But I reckon if I add 20 per week to my collection then each month I will have those “fall back” patterns that I so often wish I had while at the waters edge.
I guess that a New Year is a great time to make plans like this and also a good test of will power which is why I have signed up to this WordPress postaweek2011 scheme to make sure that I blog at least once a week. There is a once a day scheme too. Maybe next year!
The Dirty Pink Shrimp
This is the first post in the new fly pattern section of my blog and I have dedicated it to the Dirty Pink Shrimp.
What a Fly! It may have been more obvious to pick a Black Buzzer, a Hares Ear or even a Cats Whisker, but for me the Dirty Pink Shrimp has become a “go to pattern” whenever I manage to break away from the shop for a Grayling session.
There are a ton of Pink Shrimp varieties available but the version pictured here has become my firm favourite. Not over tied, heavy enough to sink quickly and constructed on a quality barbless hook by Fulling Mill who launched their Tactical Series Flies in 2010.
It is versatile too. Give the Pink Shrimp a go by sight fishing to Grayling on chalk streams or rig up a multi fly Czech style leader for spate rivers. Mix the patterns up using this latter technique, alternating the Shrimp between droppers and you will be amazed how often this fish puller gets snaffled …. Trout love them to!
When sight fishing chalk-streams such as the Anton in Hampshire I have watched as heavily fished Grayling have staunchly refused even the most accurately positioned general nymph imitation but bolted several feet to intercept a Pink Shrimp. I have even witnessed them fighting over this fly as one fish sucks it in, spits it out and another woofs it. Exciting stuff!
Of course it is not a miracle pattern (Is there one? I hope not!) and it pays to have plenty of different sizes, weights and shades to cope with whatever your venue decides to throw your way. As with all imitative patterns aim for the most natural presentation which tends to be dead drift, although try imparting a little life to with the odd sudden strike while fishing Czech style or a smooth “induced take” lift when sight fishing clear water. Couple the Pink Shrimp with a decent quality fluorocarbon and for ultimate control try using a 10’0″ or even 11’0″ rod.
Click Here to see the Dirty Pink Shrimp at Hart Flyshop
