Fly Fishing Report 19th-25th August 2007

This weeks highlight has undoubtedly been the chalkstream fishing. With good hatches of midge, various upwings and some huge sedges (caddis for our US readers ,as pointed out to me by several clients), anglers have enjoyed dry fly action through the day almost every day. Wild browns to 1.75lbs and the grayling are in great shape, looking as truely beautiful as only the lady of the stream can.

If you are planning some late season river fishing, we have rods available on the river Coln during September, plus guided days for the 2nd half of the month. We also have places available on our Grayling Weekend in October. Email to disuss your requirements.

Watermark Trout Fisheries produced some good sport for clients again this week, with rainbows to 7.5lbs and browns to 4lbs landed. The water is very clear and the fishery looks fantastic. A mixture of our damsel nymph, buzzer, leech and stalking bugs bought trout to bank.

Loynton was very tricky during the early part of the week, fish were showing but not playing ball! The later part of the week saw more fish coming landed. Blustery days, crane fly and beetle patterns seem to be atracting surface cruisers, otherwise using an intermediate with a variety of mini lures and nymphs picked up fish.

Willington has fished well to deep nymphing tactics during the day, with some excellent evening rises to sedge in the last 2 hours of light. As per last year 10-15 fish in 2 hours is achievable some evenings, great sport by any standard.

I have 28th and 30th of August available for guiding/tuition due to a late cancelation, so drop me a line for a last minute trip. Otherwise I may just treat myself to a full day on the water somewhere! With such a wealth of great fishing available, my only problem is making a decision where to go.

I do feel like a change from trout, recently I have a hankering for chub on the fly. Having left them alone for 3 years, a couple of hours sight fishing on the river churn has grassed a few nice 2 pounders. If this good weather holds I may just go after a carp. I'm also tempted to do somthing rash and hit saltwater for bass! Decisions, decisions, ain't life hard? All this on top of having the best office in the world!

Tight Lines

Steve

Midlands Fly Fishing Report 12th-18th August 2007

Well we get a few days of good weather and those lake temperatures start to edge up at this time of year! Not that fish activity seemed to drop at all, they were just dammed hard work. But then again that's half the fun!!

Over at Loynton fish showed comtinuously, teasing anglers with both their displays of slashing into fry and their reluctance to grab offerings attached to a fly line. Smaller fry immitations like PTN, HE nymph and Dawl Backs ribbed with wide pearl tinsel received some attention, while the odd fish accepted a small black nymph or buzzer.

Watermark was also tricky, but the water is crystal clear so you can ensure you work your fly right accross a fish's nose to trigger that take we all live for. Some nice fish with browns and rainbows to 4lbs landed and still plenty of activity from larger fish holding deeper and playing hard to get.

Chalkstream fishing has been nothing short of fantastic, moving around we have found hatches coming of most days, the whole day through and wild browns or grayling in mint condition have been right their waiting. Some good fish landed to around the 1.5lb mark, great fishing after all the rain!

Carsington is also seeing some decent sport, fish are down in the water during brighter spells, moving up as the light fades or on more overcast days. Rig up with a floater and medium sinker, move around and find what the fish want on any given day.

Tight Lines

Steve

Essential Fly Fishing Tips for August

Well I promised I would post some advice on what is working for us this month, so here it is!

August is perhaps the most difficult month of the year for freshwater fly fishing in the UK. This assumes we are talking trout here, it's a great time to go after carp, chub, barbel and pike on fly gear!

For the trout angler, here's what you need to catch consistently: -

1) Whether heading to lake or river do hit the water early if allowed. Many stretches of river and some stillwater fisheries allow fishing from dawn at this time of year, get out of bed and fish.

2)If you can't make the AM start do make sure you stay for the last hour of light. The evening rise is not famous for nothing, given settled whether from now to late October is prime time.

3) Daytime fishing is far from a waste of time, you just need to pick the water you fish carefully. Go for spring fed lakes if visiting a small stillwater, trout priorities are oxygen, food and cover. Don't just run to the water and start thrashing away, survey the lake, read it, pick out areas you think provide the three crucial needs of trout, then think about how to fish. If you fish a river, trout needs are just the same!

4)Yes somedays trout will want a big mobile fly, fished well damsels, tadpoles, etc. will catch a lot of lake fish. On the river a big sedge, beetle or daddy may bring a trout to the surface. However don't be scared to go small, it often catches more fish during the day. Size 16-18 midge pupa, olive nymph and PTN patterns on the lake. River fishing has plenty of scope for tiny midge patterns from size 16-20 and always expect an olive hatch at some point. Forget size 12 imitations, even 14 at this time, 16-18 will get you far more confident takes and more fish on the bank.

5) Do make use of high grade co-polymer and fluorocarbon materials. Yes they are considerably more expensive, but materials like Orvis Super Strong co-polymer and Riverge Grand Max fluorocarbon make a big difference to quality of presentation and the number of takes you get. The extremely fine diameter to breaking strain means you can fish as small as you need to without sacrificing tippet strength to the silly levels I've heard used. Simply put, using 1lb breaking strain tippet and less for trout of any size is crazy in weedy conditions or where your average size fish is 2lb+.

OK that's all for now, just to say we've had some great fishing this week, more info in this weeks report!

Tight Lines

SY

Midlands Fly Fishing Report 5th-11th August 2007

With settled and somedays hot weather this week, the summer rule of early and late providing the best sport has very much rung true.

The river Coln now looks fantastic, flowing fast and full, with water clarity and a lively feel I've not seen for several years! Trout can be seen everywhere, early morning dry fly with spent olives, ants or midges, daytime nymphing, then evening fun with sedges on top again.

Carsington looks a picture, so nice to see a full reservoir in August. Anglers still need to stay on the move here, seeking out feeding fish. Hot bright days mean switching to a sinker, mixing lures and nymphs to locate the fish. Don't just stick to the margins, some drifts accross open water are picking up decent catches.

Plenty of fish again moving at Watermark and Loynton trout fisheries throught the day. Morning sees the majority of activity, with fish switching back on late afternoon. Various flies scoring, with trout changing their taste throughout the day, just to make fishing a little more interesting! In the main a selection of buzzers, dawl bachs, olive nymph, Damsels, stalking bugs and HE shrimp will pull fish during the day. You do need to work your flies well though and keep covering the water.

That's all for now, but look out for a few posts this week detailing some useful tactics I've been playing with on day's that seem impossible.

Tight Lines

SY

Fly Fishing Report 29th July - 4th August

Fly fishing this week has been frustrating for lake anglers. The main focus of our days on the water have been short tuition and casting lessons at Loynton and sight casting trips at Watermark. Both venues have seen lots of trout activity, with morning being better than afternoon. Fish have then fed again late afternoon.

Both venues have trout crashing into fry, sipping nymphs, midges and spent damsels. I have seen so many anglers blanking, because although fish are moving all around, their fly is either not what that fish are feeding on or the fly is too far away for the fish to bother taking.

This is time for spending more time in observation and stop yourself flogging the water in desperation! Patience is the key during August, fish less observe more and catch trout, that is the formula working for me and our clients. Top tip fly wise for August, make sure you have some olive nymph patterns in your box. Next tip is don't leave them in the fly box, fish em!

River fishing has been zero again, the water has now finaly cleared but has remained high, it's proving impossible to antisipate the level post July's flooding. I'm now really hoping we can get on the river this week, the number of delayed trips is backing up! The good news, water levels will be good for the next 12-18 months, boading well for the fishing to come.

Willington has been patchy daytime, with good evening rise sport on good weather days. Sedge pupa and and dry caddis patterns are must have flies if you plan to stay on to dark (I suggest you do). Don't go too big with these flies, big sedges (10-12) work some days, more success is achieved fishing size 14-16 though.

Tight Lines

Steve

Fly Fishing Report 22nd-28th July 2007

Having spent more of last week phoning round, reorganising Cotswold trips than actualy time spent on the water, I'm glad conditions are settling down! We were thankfully spared the flooding in the north midlands, Gloucestershire was however another world!

As it happened most bookings last week were scheduled around the Cotswold waters and hence were disrupted. Rivers were and still are out of order, you have to see the volume of water to believe it. General access to the region had improved by the end of the week and we at least got some of you out lake fishing.

Fishing was restricted due to the above scenario, to Watermark in Gloucestershire and Staffordshire's Loynton Trout Fishery. Both venues are full of clean fresh spring water and trout are feeding well.

Geoff Lane enjoyed a day at Watermark with me, where he landed 4 fine trout to just over 5lbs. Geoff also narrowly missed out on a double. Having spotted the big trout, Geoff cast a stalking bug right in front of the big rainbow, which took instantly, Geoff struck, but the hook hold failed and another big one got away! Next time Geoff.

Loynton saw rainbows to low double figures landed, the fish switching between damsels, corixa, midge pupa and fry. Keep covering feeding fish and watching to check what you are fishing is what they are feeding on.

If weather conditions remain settled river fishing will be back on later this week. Those of you with bookings I will be in touch as the week progresses. If you are thinking of a trip, then August is looking a better bet than expected. With plenty of fresh water about the trout are feeding heavily. Contact us to discuss your requirements.

Tight Lines

Steve