Off to a flyer

[OwdTrout]

What a difference a week makes! After last Sunday's great start, I spent all week looking forward to getting back to the Irwell. work rules out a mid day trip in the week. Yesterday dawned bright and clear, not too windy, it looked ideal. by 7 am I was sat at the tying table cranking out flies at a good rate. Sustained, as usual, by a steady flow of coffee. Anticipation was building nicely, until 9:20 that was. When I was disturbed, mid whip finish, by my door bell. It was Mr Plod. He kindly informed me that they had just had to break down the front door of one of the residents. The property couldn't now be secured so could I attend until the emergency joiner arrived to replace the door. Ah the joys of being an estate manager.

 

At least there was time to get to the river so long as the joiner turned up soon. To my joy he did, but, there is always a "but", Mr Plod had not been restrained in effecting an entry, and the joiner didn't have a door to replace the wreckage with. The resident was safe. At least I didn't have a body to deal with. Finally I got away just too late for the fish. Back to the vice, and finish Alan's flies then. There is always tomorrow.

 

This morning it was a good bit cooler, thanks to a strong gusty wind. On the way to the river I have to cross it via a road bridge. Looking over the parapet revealed that the water level was down about 18 inches on last Sunday. Hmm, not promising. As I set up my rod a few minutes later, the trout started to rise.

 

This stretch is sheltered by high banks. Access isn't easy. I had hoped for some shelter from the wind. I had hoped in vain. Gusts of wind found their way into the steep valley, and made casting difficult to impossible. two fish rose half heartedly to a Klinkhammer, but it soon became obvious that they had their sights set just sub surface.

 

Once again the Large Dark Olives trickled off. I didn't see a single one taken from the surface. The big splashy rises should have given me a clue sooner, that the fish didn't want a dry fly. They were just turning at the surface for insects just below it.

 

Well what to fish? I decided to go back to something that has worked for hundreds of years, and fish North Country Wets. A Polt Bloa on the point, Orange Partridge and my favourite Hare's Lug 'n' Plover on the top. From bob to point about 4 foot. fishing them upstream as one should. (Was it Pritt who said, about fishing these flies across and down "'tis the devils work, my son, and do not let me catch you about it."?) After about ten minutes the Orange Partridge brought a nice brownie to hand.

 

By this time the rise was petering out so I made my way back to the bank. My feet being numb with the cold, (some would say to match my head) I stumbled on the bank falling and jarring both shoulders with the impact. I certainly don't bounce as well as I once did. My knee pads earned their keep as I landed heavily on my right knee as well. A pair of strap on knee pads to go over your waders is a worth wile investment. That was it for me, not a total loss but the river had the better of me today.

 

I wouldn't want it any other way. Sometimes the river should win. Otherwise where is the sport. we'll see what next weekend brings.

 

Cheers,

OT

[OwdTrout]

p.s. The problem of Alan's thirteenth cast is now solved. I've tied him a bakers dozen!!! There will not be a problem with a fourteenth... The season only lasts 6 months.

[Alan Roe]

p.s. The problem of Alan's thirteenth cast is now solved. I've tied him a bakers dozen!!! There will not be a problem with a fourteenth... The season only lasts 6 months.

 

Cheeky Sod!!

At least my cross border raid was successful with two belting Brownies of about 18" apiece being coaxed out of the Aire and on dry fly too I raised and missed several more though I suspect they were really feeding just subsurface. They are in supprisingly good condition especially after the long hard winter they have been through. Needless to say the fish were returned.

The only downside of the day was the meal in the pub afterwards it was one of those beefeater places and quite frankly the meal was poor my own fault I should have known better and gone to a proper pub further down the road like the Maypole at Long Preston

[OwdTrout]

I showed you a good pub in that area, the Airedale Heifer. Still it is a bit out of your way. You should have escaped back across the border before seeking nourishment. Or you could have had fish and chips in Long Preston.. Wrapped in chicken wire of course!!!

 

Come here next weekend and I'll introduce you to the monochrome brownies of the Irwell. They do seem very black and white. Not really buttery brown at all.

 

Looking at your new photo I can't help thinking that you must have amazingly long arms and small hands. Also the depth of field on that lens is very good. Did you use a long telephoto to squash the perspective? once I get Photostrop up and running again I'll be "examining" that image to reveal the truth.

 

Cheers,

OT

[Alan Roe]

Examine away bud the pic is genuine and unretouched your photostrop will be in the post sometime tomorrow....always assuming I remember to post it..........!

[Moggy]

You've taught me summat new OT...I've always fished Northern Spiders in the conventional wetfly way...I've never tried them upstream...Do you let them drift down ot do you put movement into them?

 

Are you already getting mayfly hatches in the uk? I've seen nought but wee mozzies up to now, here!

[OwdTrout]

Yes Moggy, upstream is the way. No movement, dead drift. Just like dry fly. There is no insect that can swim across current like down and across spiders do. It is normal to fish them on a long rod with just a gentle roll cast upstream and track them back down. you can also fish them from across and up to across and down controlling the drift. From about 45 degrees upstream to 45 degrees down. An aerial mend in the cast will increase the length of drift.

 

No mayflies yet, its too early. Towards the end of May and into June for the Mayfly hatches though they will hatch into August. Ho I see, you are speaking colonial to me. Yes we have hatches of up winged flies most of the year. Even so they are very sparse during the colder months (like June, July and August last year). The most common is the large dark olive baetis rhodani.

 

Cheers

OT

[Moggy]

Thanks for that OT...and one more question (On this subject anyhoo) if I don't have access to the various soft hackles (The only ones I have are partridge) are there any I can use as subs? I have plenty of teal for example...and as they're fished upstream, is it then better to tie them on a fine wire hook as opposed to a typical wet?

Thanks in anticipation!

[OwdTrout]

Moggy, many of the old patterns now have to be tied with alternatives as the originals are not available. You can tie them with just about any soft hackle. You may note that above I have used the term "Orange Partridge". That is a traditional pattern tied with Pearsall's 6B silk and a grey partridge hackle tinged with brown. No rib, no dubbing. Tied short in the traditional way. If it was anything else I would have said "Partridge and Orange" which covers a range of monstrosities from using 6A silk to dubbing with seal's fur and ribbing with stripped peacock herl.

 

I tie spiders on light wire hooks generally. often the modern down eye barbless dry fly hooks. I have some original hooks for these flies and they are very light wire, but they would have had horse hair as a tippet snelled to the hook, under the dressing. Making the body much fatter, slim is what you are after, but not to an extreme.

 

Should you want to tie some of the originals the best source of materials is Steve Cooper at Cookshill. He has all sorts, and at a good price. Another thing to look at are the Bramah Hens from Whiting's Farm.

 

If anyone out there has a cat that brings them a present of a water rat (vole) don't throw it away! Put it into a couple of plastic bags and freeze it. I'll call and collect it! Water rat is usually substituted with mole. It is not a good substitute. The texture is right but the fibre length is way too short. Making the proper effect of a water rat dubbed body impossible to reproduce.

 

Cheers

OT

[OwdTrout]

I've been having an explore around this site, and have found the "Blogs". So I've started one off. Further tails of my misadventures will appear in OwdTrout's Pursuit of Brown Spotty Fishisessess for anyone who can be bothered with my ramblings.

 

Cheers,

OT