Not exactly coarse fishing...

[Anderoo]

Despite the stubbornly unspringlike weather I popped out for a couple of hours yesterday evening to see if the mayflies have started hatching at a local tributary - I really wanted a trout on the dry fly, it's been ages!

 

'Despite the weather' was right, not only was it rather chilly but the wind was a nightmare, really strong and gusty. It not only put the brakes on a big hatch, it also made casting and presentation very hard. It's a very overgrown little stream and I didn't need anything that makes casting any more difficult...true to form, a few more flies adorn its trees this morning

 

However, on arrival, several of these greeted me:

 

 

Yay!

 

There weren't loads of them and the hatches were very localised, but they did stir the occasional trout into making their presence known. I only managed to fool one (so much for duffer's fortnight) but that was enough for me, for now at least - I watched him rise a couple of times before covering him with a dry mayfly on my little #2 outfit, and watched him rise up and sip in the fly, absolutely fantastic to see and really exciting. I'll never get bored of that! He put up a very spirited fight on the light tackle too, and was a handsome fellow:

 

 

I only saw one other trout rising after that, and failed to convince him that my fly was just as good as the real thing. Hopefully the weather will improve over the next couple of weeks and I'll get a few more chances

[Sportsman]

"watched him rise up and sip in the fly"

 

A sight that is hard to beat, regardless of size

[Tigger]

I "tried" a bit of fly fishing myself the other day....

 

I took my Mrs fishing with me today, "to give her a laugh", whilst watching me have a go at fly fishing lol. Now i'm no fly fisherman and I found casting a 5wt line into a strong wind with a 7wt rod quite problematic, infact it was messy to say the least ! I'd gone with the intentions of catching some trout which I did :cool: but I caught more chub than trout ! At least casting a fly allowed me to get on the river instead of sitting by a still water targetting sluggs. Closed season for chub I know but I can't help it if they like me fly's...

[Chris Plumb]

Been blizzards of Mayfly in central Reading recently - the stretch behind the prison has been particularly thick with them this week...

 

C.

[chesters1]

Been blizzards of Mayfly in central Reading recently - the stretch behind the prison has been particularly thick with them this week...

 

C.

Thats them trained ones ,each one carries a bit of crystal meth to the convicts.

My old black golf car used to get covered in them ,something about it attracted them from the river !?

[philocalist]

I absolutely love fly-fishing ... after a single season my PB is a 7lb 4oz bluebottle!

 

Sorry - I'll get my coat ...............

[Chris Plumb]

Thats them trained ones ,each one carries a bit of crystal meth to the convicts.

Last convict moved out in 2013 - been empty ever since (and still costing £250Kpa to 'run'!)

 

C.