Midlands Fly Fishing — The Blog
Fishing Report May 2013
Clients enjoying their first day’s fly fishing.
Despite low temperatures until the last day in May, fly fishing proved to be good. On stillwaters, hatches of buzzers and olives, plus a good fall of hawthorn flies, meant action at and around the surface was superb. River fishing developed as May progressed, with the best fishing being lunchtime to 4PM. Once fly hatches got going, fishing proved very much worth waiting for, though the trout made us work for takes, with regular fly changes required to keep fish coming. The sort of interesting fishing we love to show people as you can learn so much.
Mayfly is the hot topic currently, with everyone asking what is happening. Hatch activity is around 10 days behind across waters both still and running. This means Cotswold waters are hitting peak hatch rather than tapering down, while around the Peak District hatches are only just starting. So you can still catch mayfly 2013 and we have a small number of June dates available. Pick your fly fishing trip here.
Fly hatches on the Coln and to a greater extent on the Wye are diverse and very productive, with a range of upwing flies, midges and caddis appearing. So moving forward things are looking good post Mayfly. Between hatches, huge numbers of caddis larvae and shrimps are available to imitate.
Stillwater fly fishing prospects are healthy too. Water temperatures remain good and recent sampling showed huge numbers of damsel fly nymphs and shrimp at both Bushyleaze and Loynton lakes. Two flies sure to figure well in coming weeks.
Tags: fishing reports, mayfly, midlands fly fishing
Posted in Fishing Reports
April Fishing 2013
A perfect Spring corporate fly fishing day. Lots of fun and plenty of fish!
It’s great to see my prediction from our last report come to fruition. The past 2 weeks have provided stunning stillwater fly fishing, with amazing buzzer hatches. Olive hatches are starting to become more abundant and with warmer average temperatures recently, Spring is starting to catch up.
We’ve enjoyed introducing several groups of people to the benefits of fly fishing, along with the many 1-to-1 lessons throughout April. May and June are the months everyone wants to come fly fishing, so already we only have a few dates available until mid June. Ensure you join the fun, book your trip today!
River fishing is starting to really get going now. Expect the Derbyshire Wye in particular to provide some really special fly fishing opportunities, right through to the seasons end on October 8th.
Tags: fishing reports, spring fly fishing
Posted in Fishing Reports
Spring 2013
Early spring might have been cold, however fishing is good and you great fun!
Stillwater fly fishing has led the way during early spring. No surprise really as early spring 2013 has been rather like winter! Having said that, overall fishing has been good. You will find what worked in winter is still working now. By April’s end we will be enjoying great hatches of buzzers, with olives, hawthorn and mayfly, lining up to trigger a trout feeding frenzy. Some of the most exciting, visual, fly fishing of the year.
With a new river trout fishing season open, we have found sport very mixed, with the majority of feeding activity limited to the warmer midday/early afternoon time. Get the weather right and you can experience good fishing though. As things warm up, so will the river fishing. I always think of the river season as starting properly from late April, anything before that is a bonus.
On the pike fly fishing front, very low water temperatures through March halted the pre-spawn feasting and as yet the pike have shown no inclination to feed or breed. As soon as temperatures steadily rise with some degree of continuity, pike fishing is going to go off the scale.
Steve Y
Tags: fishing reports, spring fly fishing
Posted in Fishing Reports
Fishing Report Winter 2013
Winter fly fishing can be successful and great fun!
While January and February are as far removed from traditional fly fishing as it gets, it’s important to realise good fishing opportunities exist. Recent weeks have provided periods of hectic sport on stillwaters, with big trout, big pike and good overall catches numbers wise too.
With modern outdoor clothing and a mobile approach to fishing, feeling the cold is no issue in any conditions that are likely to be productive. As you can see from the above photo clients have been having a lot of fun even when it’s their first time fly fishing.
Our spare time has been split between preparing for a busy Spring, (a time when most people think of fly fishing) and filming/producing new episodes for Fly Fishing Lessons TV.
Now is the time to look ahead to your spring fishing. If you want a refresher session after a winter layoff, would like to further your existing fly fishing skills or plan a guided day or two, drop us a line, we are here to help.
Best Fishes
Steve Y
Posted in Fishing Reports
December 2012 Fishing Report
Winter 2012 is prime time fly fishing for large trout!
With rivers continually blown out in recent weeks, lakes have offered sanctuary to fly fishers in need of a fishing fix. At this time of year the smaller to medium size stillwater fisheries offer great fly fishing opportunities. It’s really a question of deciding what you want from your fishing, then choosing a venue to suit.
With low water temperatures and high oxygen levels, most lakes remaining open for fishing, provide action with rainbows fighting above their weight. Recent lessons at Loynton Fisheries have provided numbers of trout from 3-7lbs to successful students. Most of the time all we’ve needed is a lure in 2-4 colours, blood worm and buzzers in black and grey. The real secret to success is knowing when, where and how to fish them in varying conditions. Lets just say the people who took a lesson now do!
If you crave catching large trout, this winter is prime time to achieve your goal. With ample water supply and overall mild weather, trout have packed weight on and the big trout waters have plenty of really big fish. Premier big trout lakes are the waters to head for. Yes they are more expensive, however the number one rule to catching large fish is, fish where the big fish are. Some top, recommended waters are: -
- Dever Springs
- Avington
- Lechlade
- Loynton
These venues consistently produce numbers of double figure trout, often fish to over 20lbs at this time of year. Read our tips for targeting big trout on fly here.
It’s great to see fly fishing for pike becoming so popular. Mild weather following the pre-Christmas cold snap, triggered a predator feeding frenzy on many waters. Look for weather changes like this, then hit the water to reap the rewards.
Steve with a cracking pike well into double figures & grinning like an evil pixie!
Tags: fishing report, winter fly fishing, winter trout fishing
Posted in Fishing Reports
Late Autumn Fishing Report 2012
Successful Autumn Rainbow Trout Fishing. A prolific time of year to be fly fishing!
With lakes full and great water flows from the springs, fishing continues to get better and better. Midge, late olive and caddis hatches have provided quality nymph and dry fly fishing. The most exciting fishing however is for trout smashing into shoals of baitfish.
No matter how long or how much fly fishing you do, the sight of baitfish leaping on mass from the water, attempting to escape hungry trout, gets the pulse racing! You see the water lift, giving away a trout’s position,then make a cast, dropping your fly to intercept that fish. The rod is almost ripped from your grasp, as the fish slams your baitfish imitation and it’s game on.
This is not fantasy, clients are experiencing this reality week in week out at the moment. Top flies for fry feeders are Loynton Guineas, Minkies and Zonkers in various colours and sizes, both weighted and non weighted. For nymphing trout, it’s been hard to beat size 14 midge pupa in black, olive and grey, plus the good old hares ear nymph.
With Christmas on the horizon, remember our ever popular gift vouchers. They make a flexible gift you can use towards any lesson or trip.
Hope to see you soon!
Posted in Fishing Reports
Awesome Autumn
Well we are half way through autumn 2012 and fishing has been awesome. We’ve been busy hosting corporate days, stillwater fly fishing lessons and ended the river trout season on a high.
The river season on the Derbyshire Wye provided visiting anglers with superb dry fly and nymph fishing. Be sure to contact us regarding dates for 2013 as bookings are already coming in. See River Wye fishing details here.
Lakes are getting better all the time, although at Loynton it’s hard to top the prolific catches anglers have been experiencing. Really good buzzer fishing, lots of fry feeding trout and some dry fly, which total up to some very exciting sport. Top flies have been black buzzers, hares ear nymphs, floating fry, Loynton Guineas, F flies, shuttlecocks, crane flies.
Now is the time to fish the lakes! If you are not succeeding, let us show you how.
Tags: autumn fishing, fishing reports
Posted in Fishing Reports
Big River Brown Trout
Austin with his biggest trout ever, a fabulous river brown trout of 4lbs.
It was Austin’s first ever time fishing a spring fed river ,where fish can be spotted, cast to and their reactions observed. By the end of his day, he could not only fish such streams much better, he’d also caught a new personal best brown trout. The successful fly being a size 20 tan caddis pupa.
Book your late season river trip here!
Tags: big trout, brown trout, fly fishing
Posted in Fishing Reports
Fishing Report Summer 2012
A stunning 3lb wild brown taken on a dry caddis.
Looking back, it’s hard to believe we were so concerned about water shortages for summer! River fishing has been and continues to be fantastic. Clients have enjoyed some memorable river fishing, with good numbers of trout and some really special individual fish like the big wild brown trout above. Best of all many of the larger fish are coming to dry fly tactics.
With the last few weeks of the river trout season approaching, fishing is only going to get better. Want to end your 2012 season on a high note? We still have some September availability, call or email for latest availability.
Early summer saw very productive fly fishing on the lakes, however once we hit late July, fishing predictably became tougher. Midge hatches and pin fry concentrations have been huge. This combined with extensive night feeding leads to very lazy unpredictable feeding trout. Get your fly right in front of them and you are in the game, otherwise you are not. Evening fishing has been fantastic when the rise has happened. Most of the time conditions have been against the evening rise and sometimes the fish frustratingly did not play ball even when conditions looked perfect.
Fortunately autumn will see conditions start to favor us fly fishers once more. One thing is for sure, targeting fry feeding trout sure is going to be great fun again in 2012.
Hope to see you soon!
Steve
Posted in Fishing Reports
Fishing Report June 2012
One of many fantastic brown trout Ben landed, during a guided trip to the Derbyshire Wye in June.
I’m delighted to report, June has been another fantastic month for fly fishing! Lakes have fished very well overall, with some top quality fish landed and many clients making great improvements to their fishing, something which is so rewarding for me to see. Nymphs came out on top overall, with buzzers, PTN’s, hare ear, damsels and mayfly nymphs top performers. Dry fly fishing was also productive on the right day, with mayflies, caddis, daddies and F flies scoring, one client had 9 fish to dries at Loynton.
River wise, the Derbyshire Wye experienced a superb Mayfly season and fishing was tremendous over the month, despite river levels fluctuating regularly. With fly hatches both abundant and diverse the fish had every reason to rise. The trouts larder further stocked with copious terrestrial insects, gave them further reason to poke their noses through the surface film regularly.
Looking forward to July, expect the lake fishing to become a little more challenging as food availability for the trout sky rockets. Earlier and later in the day will be most productive on average. On the rivers, expect further great fishing, especially during spells of consistent weather. If we ever get any that is!
Steve
Tags: fishing reports, june, midlands fly fishing
Posted in Fishing Reports