Hatches - August

We have 2 opposites that are poles apart this this month. Day time fishing can be based around small patterns, while the evening can be time for the big fly (though not always).

Midges are hatching in profusion and they are small, real small. A size 16 often looks big in comparison with naturals so it's time to go light and add some emerger and pupa patterns in 18-24 to your collection of flies. Caenis can also be encountered, the good news is you can use the same flies as with the midges.

At the other end of the scale, it's sedge time, with many evenings filled with emerging adults and egg layers, dancing to the sound of snapping trout jaws! Note 2 things here. 1 daytime hatches occur, something we have enjoyed this past week on both lake and river. 2 Not all sedges or caddis are huge, in fact most are best represented on a 14-16, while some are really tiny.

Terrestrial insects abound this month, with daddies a must have fly in addition to ants, beetles and even a moth pattern.

One often overlooked prey on the stillwaters is the corixa or water boatman. August is the month when migration to other waters takes place, increasing both their activity and vulnerability, often ensuring some trout target them. Another late summer favorite are snails. They will be egg laying on the underside of water plants, ensuring a procession of trout cruise along to intercept them at some point during the day. All this plus masses of fry and it's easy to see why targeting trout is far more effective than blindly casting.

Tight Lines

Steve

Fishing Report - July 09

OK so July arrived and stillwaters provided their usual challenge, loads of insect life, masses of pin fry and in some but not all cases warm water. However a great bunch of clients did really well, most at least getting into some fish during beginners day's, while improvers really moved things forward.

Probably the best venue proved to be Loynton Fisheries, where providing we located the depth of feeding fish (and holes on this fishery go to 40 feet) we were typically successful. Flies were indeed diverse, small buzzer and nymph patterns, mini fry, sedge pupa, damsels and bloodworm all working.

Rivers, well the fishing is simply superb, heavy rain lost a few day's on the Wye, though fishing small nymph and dries was superb in between. The Coln is in cracking form, lower water persists, though the sight fishing to sizable browns and grayling is good. Expecting more of the same through August.

A couple of early morning sessions for pike brought some good action, while unsettled weather made carp rather more unpredictable. Given half decent weather through August, we should get some cracking top water sport with both species!

Tight Lines

Steve