Food Not SO Glorious Food

While the current river fishing is great with small nymphs and dry midge patterns during the day and the odd decent evening rise thus far, lakes are now into their frustrating phase of the season.

Trout are moving every where at times, though catching them is another matter. We stand there rooting wild eyed through fly boxes, looking for a magic fly that will save the day. More often than not, it's not the fly that is the problem, it's where you fish it. You can bet the trout are feeding where they obtain maximum benefit for minimum effort, that is what they do! For the next couple of months trout are swimming in a soup of food, cruising leisurely around, sucking in juicy morsels as they go. They simply won't go out of their way (you can sometimes tempt them) for your fly so you need to put it right in front of them. Do it you catch, don't do it you blank.

OK if you fish a clear water, where fish can be spotted relatively easily, getting your fly infront of them can be achieved very consistently using stalking techniques. This is why stalking fish at this time of year is so effective, you massively increase the chances of fish taking your fly by putting the fly in front of fish, simple.

If waters you fish don't lend themselves exactly to the above approach, spending more time patiently watching for signs of moving, feeding fish, will better reward you than flogging the water to foam. This applies whether you are fishing early, late or during the day as it allows you to get your fly right in front of fish.

Look out for insect and fry activity in the upper layers as well as signs of trout, this will help work out what might be more apealing to the fish. Often a smaller pattern will outfish large gaudy lures. When you see a fish move get your fly accross what you judge to be it's line of travel, overcasting so you can pull your fly accross the fish's field of vision. BANG! You are in.

This won't happen everytime, trout will suddenly change direction after you cast (cleaver little blighters). Other times you won't be able to read the exact line of travel. In this instance waiting, watching, then casting into areas of consistent general activity often pays off. Remember though, your fly has to fish at the correct level, some days if you are two inches out your offer will be ignored.

It's not the first time I've said it, presentation rules.

Tight Lines

Steve