Beginners corner

Tuesday this week Robbie Windram was in the lodge at Pitsford and advised that there were a few fish in the small half so I thought I would drop into the Willows, not as easy as I thought as the guy that was in the lodge was all but running out of the lodge and down the bank.

As I arrived there was already another guy in here as well. After a look round the corner, sod it and muscled in, nicely of course.

With a hole in each of my wellies - I must take these back on guarantee this week- I didn't want to wade but there was about 4 yards of low level reeds so it was going to be interesting landing fish. I took a look around and a few green buzzers were around so on went two of my best green buzzers and a black one, cast out and bang a fish first cast. Returned, sorted lie, cast out again and bang a second one was on it's way in. This was going to be fun.

The guy that raced down from the lodge had been the night before and was also straight into fish. He was fishing a single green daiwl bach on a floater and I ended with just two green buzzers on a midge tip. Both of us bagged up easily even after we both lost fish. I lost loads until I got the knack of playing them out in clear water and then head up and pulled over the reeds into a net.

There were tons of snags and I would definitely recommend sorting your flies, flick them out into clear water, then sort your line and then cast out. It sounds standard but you would be really surprised how many tangles everyone was in. I guess the other way is put the chesties on instead and wade out, fair point!

The good news was that there were two beginners in here to and after a bit of coaching they were both well into fish. Ian was next to me and although I passed over all the catching flies, he struggled until the other guy set his cast up identically, checked the rod himself with a fish and then coached him through his first few. very impressive!

If this was Nathan's secret st ache for beginners then fair play, I know these two beginners are hooked!