Fly Fishing in January
I don't know about you but I am no fan of January. Granted this year has been mild (very mild) so far, but generally it has been wet, grey and yuk. There is light at the end of the tunnel. January has flown by and in the next few days we begin the count down to March, the new river season and reservoirs opening their gates. But I cant wait for March, there is all of February to get through yet! So is there anything viable to chuck a fly at? Here are a few ideas.
On the reservoir scene Farmoor has enjoyed quite a renaissance and the good news is that it remains open throughout the year. Its a concrete bowl (comprising 2 separate lakes), so perhaps not every ones cup of tea, but if you want the chance of a full tailed, over wintered Rainbow this is definitely the place. Boats are available on Farmoor 2 and it sounds like it is going off. I have just spoken with one of the rangers and the boat rod average is over 18! Currently typing with one eye on the diary! There is also a catch and release lake, Farmoor 1, that is home to some monsters which just love a Buzzer swung on the wind, a Cruncher twiddled back slowly or an ultra slow fished Blob. Sunburst Yellow is a favourite. By the way if you like fishing Booby style tactics then F2 is just brilliant. Check out their fly fishing section on the Farmoor website
Farmoor Reservoir - open all year for fly fishing
But what about the rivers? I get several calls a week about the Exe and its population of Grayling. It is of course possible to catch these fish at this time of year but the major hassle is water height. The Grayling also seem to hide themselves away very well and the only way to extract one is by going super deep with heavy bugs, fished with an indicator of sorts and possibly a Czech/French style leader. This latter approach certainly provides a great deal of sensitivity and the ability to offer the most natural of presentations. A friend of mine did just that a couple of weeks ago in fairly heavy water conditions and managed one Grayling although I think it was the mended Salmon Kelt that snaffled a rubber leg nymph which surprised him most of all! If you are tempted then my advice is to keep checking the network of Farson Digital watercams for water conditions. You can see the Exe camera here
Or you could head to a chalkstream. Many have closed their doors for Grayling fishing by this time of year but John Aplins beautiful stretch of the Frome is still taking bookings and judging by his twitter post this morning it sounds like conditions could be just right. They also have a camera here.
The River Frome - Early Season
I have a few more hardcore days in the office to finish and then I have got to have a crack at one of these although there is something else. Fly Fishing for Pike. As we move towards spawning I guess our chances might diminish somewhat but there is always the chance. And even if now is not quite the right time, I have had some brilliant sessions by early March. Intermediate fly lines and highly mobile streamers proved irresistible to fish like the one below during a hectic session in early 2011. This is also budget priced sport which has to be a consideration after the expense of Christmas and now yet another hike in fuel prices on the horizon!
And I do believe the sun is shining through my office window … the season is on the way!
Wet & Wild on the Exe
It has been another year of unseasonable weather patterns. One minute we were fearing a drought and the possibility of requiring only slippers to wade, the next our drying room is filled with the smell of damp wading jackets. Where did the summer go? In all honesty bright blue skies and sunshine are not ideal fishing conditions but then neither is the requirement to wear thermals under waders to stay warm in August!
But enough complaining. I have to say that this year has been a great season for big fish and Friday last was no exception. My guests for the day were Jim Pool and JJ from the South East of England, which has witnessed more than its fair share of precipitation in recent weeks. So much so that I received a couple of nervous emails from Jim requesting a plan B if A fell flat on its face. I was keen to stick with plan A as during our correspondence I was surprised to see that the golden orb had decided to put in an appearance. The local web cam also beamed a reasonable river condition back to my laptop, a little high but certainly fishable and the gauges showed that the levels were falling. Even so I went to bed crossing my fingers.
The next morning I wondered if plan A, a trip to the lower Exe, was indeed flawed. The sun was well and truly hidden, masked by a thick grey sky which refused to cease pouring copious amounts of rain across the region. During breakfast I tentatively navigated to the webcam, fearing the worse. Instead I was pleasantly surprised to find that the river levels had in fact dropped some more. Result! At least Jim and JJ would get some fishing today. But for how long?
Fishing is all about preparation, especially when working as a guide and in particular if adverse weather conditions are to be dealt with. Boxes were stocked with heavy bugs and large dry flies the night before the trip and 10′ #5 rods packed just in case. On the way to the venue I collected hot pies from our local butcher, stocked some beer in the cooler and arrived at our meeting point with time to spare. When the guys arrived our first conversations were unsurprisingly weather related.
No going back now, the guys pulled on waders and we set off in haste … the river could blow at any moment. The web cam findings were confirmed and instantly confidence levels were boosted. Were we going to experience some good sport; even in these conditions? I will let the pictures do the talking!
Drenched but very happy. Jim Pool beats the weather and this stunning River Exe Grayling.
Jim had in fact already got off the mark with a couple of 8″ Browns taken on a Baetis pattern which was pleasing considering the conditions. However the good old French Nymph fished New Zealand style accounted for this superb fish around lunchtime … note the rain in the background. We continued fishing, leaving the pies in the truck!
Who cares about the weather?! JJ looks very pleased with his biggest Grayling to date.
That proved to be a good move. I guided JJ into a run just above Jim and before long his French Nymph had been spotted by this superb fish in peak condition.
Bigger again! Another Grayling for Jim.
My picture does not do this fish justice. I think this was down to a mixture of excitement and trying to keep the lens free of water!!! This was seriously fat fish and awesome to see these specimens in such good condition. Heading towards the magical 2lb mark and caught once again on a French Nymph not far from Jim’s first fish.
Wow! Plan A comes together as JJ lands his best ever West Country Wild Brown Trout
I had set JJ up with an extremely long dropper (4′ +) section hanging from his indicator fly and finished it off with one of our secret Orange rubber legs nymphs, a serious killer this season. I had waded JJ into a deep section of water after we had seen a big rise but covering the area with a dry repeatedly produced nothing, so we changed to sub surface tactics. This was the result … and still it rains!
Jim gets in on the Trout action
After a late lunch washed down with a cold beer (should have been soup, or hot chocolate!) we fished the middle to upper section. Fish were caught but nothing to rival the previous specimens, although we did manage to get the dry to work. The river had started to show signs of colour and was definitely cooling, especially after one particular deluge! It was so heavy I could do nothing but giggle uncontrollably! We all looked like drowned rats and questioned our sanity if only for a moment. Perseverance can and will pay off though and Jim finished off the session with this reasonable fish.
So even in such extreme conditions (it did not stop raining all day!!!) our wonderful West Country venues can still produce the results. To be honest I reckon the guys would have been happy with a few palm sized fish for their efforts. Well done to them for facing the weather and sticking with the original plan, it certainly paid off … even if it was a little wet and wild!
Exciting Exe
I am just loving the river fishing at the moment. Yes we do need water, that’s for sure, but the Trout are still willing to feed and it is very pleasing to see how well conditioned many of them are. However on our local stretch of the Exe they are by no means giving themselves up easily and standard Black Klinkhammers on a 10′ leader are meeting with little in the way of results. Instead long fine leaders coupled with tiny emergers have been the way to go.
Well stocked up with the relevant lightweight tackle I started guiding in earnest last week and enjoyed looking after a number of guests, including a party of four which included three generations of the same family. The Innes clan originate from Scotland and John Innes senior is no stranger to fishing, working as a trawler-man for most of his life. Anyone who knows anything about going to sea knows just what a tough (and dangerous) job that is. I marveled at this man who was incredibly agile for his 70+ years and an obvious fishing nut … our mission was to try and get John, his son John and Johns grandsons into their first ever River Trout.
Team Innes, wadered up and ready for their first ever river fishing session
Prior to the session we set up the obligatory team photo and then it was down to business with an hours refresher lesson on the lakes tuning up the casting; such an important part of river fishing. Instantly Lewis and I were impressed by the two sons Keiran and Tom, both teenagers showing some real casting skill and before long the two Johns were improving their loops while learning about those all important side casts. Lesson over we all headed off in earnest for the river with anticipation at fever pitch!
Lewis made a quick getaway for the upper beat with John senior and Keiran while I opted for the lower section. The sun was up which I like but this was the first day of the gusty downstream wind which we have been experiencing recently and an absolute menace when trying to cast long leaders upstream! Its a guides job to overcome these problems which are not solved by changing a fly but by continually offering encouragment and tuition where necessary to improve the cast. Practice tight loops when it is windy, coupled with high line speeds and it is quite possible to enjoy your fishing even on a blustery day.
Keiran with a Wild Trout. Who says we must dress in green to catch Trout?!
This was proving the case for John junior who started to pop some really nice presentations into an inviting looking run, often meeting with an acceptance of his emerger pattern. All we needed to practice now was the strike! We missed a few, hooked one that got off and then the silence was shattered by …. yes of course Lewis! Kieran had hooked a stunning wild Brown of above average size and Mr Calamity himself (I have many loooong stories!) had dropped his mobile phone into the river while trying to photograph it, all because he had forgoten to pack his camera. I can forgive Lewis quite easily because he is a top guide; indeed one of the best with an infectious enthusiasm. He grabbed my camera and ran back for a quick photocall …. well done Keiran, what a superb first ever wild Trout.
We got back to business and meanwhile little did I know that Lewis had hopped out of the River with John senior for a quick visit to Island lake. This is a sediment pool within the Exe Valley complex but fish thrive there on a rich soup of Bloodworm and Buzzer. Just look at the Brown that succumbed to dry fly tactics on a lightweight river outfit, I hear it put up quite a fight before once again being safely released.
John Innes senior gets in on the action with a nice Brown during an Island Lake raid.
Meanwhile we were still after a first fish which came in the form of a 6 incher to John juniors rod. I could see that Tom was desperate to get on the scorecard too as during his short fishing career he had taken part in four sessions and blanked every time! There was no way I was letting that happen again, but I could see Tom needed encouragement … we all know how important it is to bank that first fish. Post lunch we climbed into the back of Bend Pool and started to carefully fish up a smooth glide; the fish were feeding. I was blown away by the quality of Toms presentations considering his lack of experience and felt sure that any moment it would happen. It did!!! It is a privilege (and a huge buzz!) to stand next to someone when they catch their first ever Wild Brown Tout and even more special when it is their first fish ever. Small yes, but perfectly formed, wild and captured while fishing a dry upstream. It doesn’t get much better … Toms smile says it all.
Toms first ever fish!
He was now in the groove, confidence boosted and the sibling rivalry had kicked in. He wanted a bigger fish than his brothers. I reckon I had been gone a maximum of 10 minutes, guiding his father John along Bridge Run when I heard a shout and looked up to see a Trout mid air and Toms rod hooped over. Out of the water and off up the bank I went arriving just in time to net Toms 2nd fish, an absolutely stunning Brown with tons of condition and a definite contender for the best river fish of the day. All good but as I explained to Tom the fact that he had spotted the fish, made the cast and hooked up without any assistance was first class. Once again his smile says it all.
Tom with a cracking Wild Brown which fell to an emerger pattern
Later that day John senior and I hooked up for a quick session fishing emergers and I am pleased to say that he also managed to hook one although it managed to slip the hook, but as I explained river fishing is far more about the experience rather than just landing fish and it is only right that a few manage to get the better of us. Fortunately a quick visit to the lakes resulted in a few Rainbows for the table! All in all a day that both Lewis and I enjoyed organising from start to finish and made all the more special when we received this email from John junior the next day. Many thanks guys, it was pleasure to meet you and we hope to fish with you again someday.
Dear Nick and Lewis,
Sincere thanks for the time you spent with me, my boys and my father yesterday. I had set myself high hopes that the day would be good but you exceeded my expectations with your knowledge, patience, manner, good humour, and extremely professional delivery. You taught us an immense amount during the day, and if we can retain even a fraction of that, we will be richer anglers by far. The expressions on faces, laughter, and enthusiasm around the dinner table as each of us retold episodes from the day was proof of how successful, enjoyable and well received the day had been.
I will most certainly recommend both of you, the shop and the fishery, to any other angler, novice or otherwise, and look forward to visiting you again soon.
Many thanks for making yesterday so memorable for us, for the fish we caught and lost, the fish we caught and kept, and for the fish we caught and released. You covered everything I’d asked for in my original requests, and more. I couldn’t have asked for a more complete day.
It was an absolute pleasure meeting you both, and I wish you every success as you certainly deserve it.
Kind Regards
John
The Fly Fishing Jobsworth – Dress Code – Tweed
I am all for tradition. Its our roots after all. Nostalgia and all that. But today I came across the worst sort of tradition. The encounter was with a couple of individuals that (amongst many words a little strong for this blog) I could only come to refer to as a miserablists. I know miserablist is not a word in the dictionary, but it should be, there are too many miserablists around these days.
The first miserablist in question had arrived upon the other bank of the stretch of river we were fishing, obviously hoping to have a cast. But, before we could exchange pleasantries the gentlemen then disappeared inside his fishing hut, reappeared momentarily and then he was gone again. I think he was hiding.
The calm before the stormMeanwhile a guest who I have been guiding for many years was grinding out cast after cast, hoping for a last minute Salmon. I use the word “hope” because we should always really be “expecting” a fish, but in the current low water, hope is nearer to the truth. Meanwhile my other guest (the daughter of the Salmon angler) was flicking a nice cast upstream, around 50 yards down the pool. The fishing was slow, although the consistent aerobatics of several Salmon waiting for some fresh water maintained our enthusiasm. Everything was peaceful although we were all wondering what the stranger hidden in the hut was up to. We did not need to wait long to find out.
There was a commotion and a man burst from the woods. The angler in hiding appeared and exchanged a few words with the man, there was some general nodding (in our direction) and then the man from the woods set off towards us. Clad from head to toe in Tweed, sporting a tie and a flat cap we could tell from his body language that he was not about to enquire if we were having any success.
No good afternoon either. Instead there followed a barrage of “rules” and “in all the 70 years that I have been fishing”, topped off with “what do you expect, your wearing a baseball cap and shades!?” In essence we were made to feel that somehow we were not quite adequate. I guess that Tweed blokes plummy accent and the arrival of an interpreter in the form of a lady with an equally plummy accent did not help. Over his bellowing I doubt he could hear anything which his interpreter or I were saying. Or perhaps he just didn’t want to hear. He was after all a miserablist himself. My guests found it highly amusing and we dined out on it for the remainder of the afternoon. The fishing being slow it did make for some excitement.
But this encounter left a sour taste in my mouth, not only because I pay good money to lease the beat but more importantly because there is no room for this kind of behaviour. It does fly fishing no favours. I am not saying for one moment that those who wear Tweed all behave in such an ill mannered or ill tempered way and of course I understand that the sport that I make my living is steeped in tradition. However the kind of jobsworth I had the displeasure of meeting this afternoon personifies an element of fly fishing tradition that I hope disappears sooner rather than later.
