July Reports

Phew what a scorcher! That is the only description for July's fishing, though we must not complain as guests caught fish on every outing this month. I think that backs up my comment from the last post!

The best fishing has been consistently during the morning on all waters, with evening sport rather unpredictable. As the days went by so the water temperature warmed on all waters and as this happened the trout moved deeper. Providing waters have sufficient depth (i.e. areas of a lake where the depth is in excess of 10 feet)water temperature will remain low enough in some areas for the trout to actively feed.

At this point please remember that trout won't feed continually. Rather like us eating a meal, when they are full, trout will rest and digest their food.

Anyway, getting back to reports, at Carsington it has been a case of fishing deep with fast sinking lines. Nothing special in terms of flies (usual lure and nymph patterns will work), the key being to locate feeding fish. Anglers doing this have caught some nice rainbows and browns.

This has been the pattern at Loynton and Marton Heath and during the last few days at Willington and Lechlade. The latter two waters being blessed with good flows of spring water saw us taking fish in the margins for most of the month. Again flies that worked in June picked up the fish at all these waters.

If I had to choose one fly to fish in July it would be a pheasant tail nymph (PTN). Tied big it is a good match for the mature damsel fly nymphs and in smaller sizes is taken by trout feeding on a hole host of aquatic nymphs. As the guys on our July course found during the practical entomology and fishing sessions a correctly sized PTN fished correctly catches plenty of trout. If you are interested in attending the August Course drop me a line.

Chalkstream fishing was good, with the wild browns as beautifull as ever, colours reflecting in the sun light. Watching, waiting and fishing according to our observations brought plenty of fish to the bank.

Looking forward August will see the sedge hatches really get going, while damsels will continue to be prolific. Don't forget to carry a few corixa, shrimp and snail patterns this month too. When nothing seems to be working these can make the difference between catching and blanking.

Tight Lines

Steve

Fly Fishing in Summer Heat

For those of you leaving rods in cases during our current heatwave, I have one question. Why?

Yes I understand that not everyone can regularly fish the quoted "best times" of early and late in the day. But providing you select where you fish with care good sport can be enjoyed during the daytime heat too!

The key to all this is water temperature. Forget about bright light putting fish down, anyone who has watched carp sun bathing at a lake's surface can see them enjoying it. The often heard excuse for trout moving down in the water is because they have no eyelids like any other fish, so if bright light is enjoyed by carp, why should it be so detrimental to trout?

The main reason as I see it is that bright sun light in summer usually means higher temperatures, so surface layers in a lake warm up. This in turn reduces dissolved oxygen in a lake's water close to the surface. As trout require approximately five times more dissolved oxygen in water than carp to live happily, they move down in the water to seek cooler more oxygen rich water.

So how does this affect our choice of where to fish? I hear you say. Well you have a choice! You can a choose to fish waters that have very deep water and fish fast sinking lines to reach the fish. Nothing new in that you all say.

Alternatively you can seek out waters that are spring fed and clear. Such lakes exhibit less water temperature variation during the year as springs constantly trickle in a supply of fresh pure water. Now providing you work out where these springs are and study the fish, good fishing can be had for spells throughout the daytime.

Want to know more about summer fly fishing? Go to our Fly Fishing Tuition page.

Tight Lines

Steve

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Tight Lines

Steve

Fly Fishing Weedy water

As a professional fishing guide I often here anglers complaining of extensive weed growth during the height of summer. This seems to be largely due to weed catching the line, flies and in some areas preventing us from fishing the way we usually do.

That last statement "preventing us from fishing the way we usually do" is the key to improving your catch rate during summer! No matter what species you fly fish for, their food will live/shelter in and around weedbeds at this time of year. Based on this guess where the fish are?

Correct patrolling the weedbeds picking of food items as they go. By selecting the correct flies and lines, then fishing them around and over these fish holding meccas your catch rate will sore.

Using this philosophy I have caught various species of trout plus pike, perch, carp, chub, grayling and barbel consistently with fly fishing techniques.

If you would like to learn how to catch more fish and improve your fly fishing, we still have a few places remaining for our July and August courses. For further information see our summer fly fishing courses.

Tight Lines

Steve