Small Flies

I spent time comparing my diary notes on the last three years fishing late last night. The idea was more to see if I had learnt anything about the fishing on our venues during the hardest part of the season August-September.

It seems I have! Despite guiding on more days each year at this time, we have less blanks year on year. Another interesting feature was that of the bigger fish landed 80% were on small flies during this period. However the number of fish caught was split roughly 50/50 between small fly patterns and larger mobile flies.

Why should this be so? I believe that from late July through to late September the trout are surrounded by food, it a feast and they know it! Not only that, much of this food is small, tiny in fact and often olive or black in colour. Midge pupa immediately spring to mind, but if you sample the waterlife as we did during our courses this summer you will find most of the nymphs are a lighter shade of olive and small.

Why? By this stage of the year most of these nymphs are immature having hatched from eggs only weeks ago if that. These nymphs are what will mature and hatch into next summer's flies.

So make a note now to tie plenty of size 16-18 buzzers and nymphs this winter, it will pay you back well during summer 2007!

Tight Lines

Steve

Report update Mid September 2006

I have to say I'm enjoying some good fishing currently. We have had many great evenings at Willington during the past weeks, with several hundred fish often feeding on the surface during dusk.

Unfortunately this fantastic fishing has been missed by many clients who prefered to fish the daytime, when fishing was testing. I do wish more people would be more flexible in their fishing times, it would make my life easier and they would enjoy the fly fishing far more!

At Midlands Flyfishing start and end times for tuition and guiding is kept totally flexible to accommodate clients requirements and the best fishing times. So in high summer we can offer early starts and in autumn offer evening fishing, both of which see plenty of action on dry fly.

For anyone interested in making the most of the evening fly fishing before it tails off, I am offering 4 hour sessions at Willington until the rise tails off as temperatures drop. For further details call the office on 01782 394564.

Tight Lines

Steve