According to the Met Office I wasn't going to be able to fish today for high winds. When I looked at the weather it was bright clear and still. Another great forecast form the Met Office. I wouldn't mind if we didn't pay them so much to get it wrong. Met Office weather presenters are the highest paid civil servants. I wouldn't pay them in washers.

Once again work conspired to stop me getting out, but I made an escape today, though it was a little late. At the river there were plenty of fish rising. A lot of them much lower in the pool than before. Before I had tackled up it started to rain then hail. Sheltering by a wall I added a new tippet to my furled leader. I must make some more of these this one is starting to show its age. Its only 3 seasons old and will probably last another two, but they are easy to make so why not?

Two came to my stuck shuck emerger and another to the Muller. The Muller is a parachute style fly the creator of which I can't recall. It was published in FF&FT a couple of years back. It is distinctive in the way the hook is shaped. The shank is bent down a little about 1/3 of the way back from the eye, where the "wing" is placed. Mine are tied on some small keel hooks I acquired a few years back so I don't have to modify the hook.

After that the rise started to go off the boil. Fish still rose sporadically, but I couldn't get them to come to my flies. The river was higher today after the rain through the week, and noticeably warmer. If anything more fish were showing so its looking good for the next few weeks.

This afternoon I discovered some new scissors for my fly tying. What's great about them is they are very small, with big finger holes and fine blades. What's even better is that they come with a lifetime guarantee. The blades are Titanium bonded Much better than stainless steel. Especially the cheap stuff most tying scissors are made from. These are they

Now I'll have to get to the vice and use them.

Cheers,

OT