Thursday 23 June 2011

River Lugg, Eyton beat

Thought we would give the reservoirs a miss today and see if we could get some dry fly fishing on the river for a change.

As the stinging nettles and overgrown parts of the countryside are are their height at the moment, Phil had chosen great with this beat in that most of it was running through pasture land with Cows and Sheep and there was very easy access to perhaps two thirds of the water.
It was another untouched area of Herefordshire. No mass production, plenty of hedges still in place, loads of over grown areas and the trees left to rot where they fell. However amongst this the gates were well maintained and there was a bridge over the river that opened up both banks.

We decided to walk to the lower end of the beat and work up but we were nearly there but got held up watching grayling rise. Fortunately as impatient as I am I had set up while walking and just had to tie a fly on and give it a try. After a few casts with a hares ear klink and nothing so I changed to a black one and almost immediately I was into a small grayling, a very nice start!

It then went a bit quiet and I thought perhaps I needed fresh fish so continued my walk to the bottom of the beat and back. The river had many bends and gave it great character but also some gravelly runs with easy wading but also some very deep pools that you didn't seem to be able to get past. I am a bit of a novice when it comes to getting in the water so with open grassy banks I stuck to crouching and sitting. It seems to be more relaxed sitting and on one occasion i could see a fish rising on the far bank causing heavy ripples so I inched a bit closer making a couple of casts to check the distance. I was about 10ft short of where he had rose last and I cast to the far bank letting the line and fly float back into the main current when suddenly the water exploded and I was into a good fish. It looked like a brownie of over a pound but on my 4 weight rod it was giving a great fight. After a couple of minutes it headed up stream and then into the slack water when my line also went slack and he was off. Dammit!

When I got back Phil was still there and had had 3 grayling from the same spot on small black wets.

In the afternoon we explored further upstream and I managed another small grayling and Phil a small brownie. I had a really good grayling on for about 30 secs, I saw the flash of silver come up from the dark water, grab my fly and head back down again. It swam into what may have been a sunken branch and that was it. In need of consolation I went back to the Grayling shoal we found and had another small one there. There were fish still rising but they had slowed down a little.

It was now that we started to appreciate the wildlife around, Buzzards screaming up high, a kingfisher darting up river and Spotted Flycatchers amongst the tangled willows catching flies for their fledglings I presumed. No otters today though although we did see what we thought were spraints so they may be around.

As the evening came the hatching fly intensity increased. Midges were hovering above the water all day but their numbers started to grow.

Mayflies (Ephemera danica) had been hatching all day but again the numbers increased now. In addition to this this there were more upwinged flies coming off as well as a good number of different types of sedges brown, black and mottled. The fish however didn't seem to be feeding on anything other than tiny midge so they didn't get any easier to tempt. As a late flurry though Phil again found some rising grayling and managed another couple but on a dry klink this time.

Around 8 we didn't see any signs of it getting better so a quick reminder of the superb setting and we headed off home. What a really relaxing enjoyable day, and fish too!

Tuesday 21 June 2011

Wet fly and windy

A Pitsford morning boat today and I was convinced it was going to be a wet fly day and tackled up accordingly. Overcast, the rain missing us, loads of fish around, Phil with 2 already, feeding well in the evenings, it was all set up for a disaster.

We decided to head away from the fish we new off north farm and go and find those of the dam and creek. I had forgotten how long it takes to get there! First drift off the tower and it felt horrible. Windy, cold, very gusty and it seemed to get stronger as the morning went on. We drifted all around the creek, the pines and the dam and didn't have a single offer. They were not on top then!!

Ahh well I had better change then and out came the Di5 and blobs and boobies. I managed to move a couple of fish but they weren't really interested. Perhaps they had been feeding so well at night that they didn't need too. I could feel a repeat of Grafham coming on so we thought we would see if we could salvage the day and and anchored in North farm bay on nymphs including green buzzers, crunchers and daiwl bachs.

It wasn't long and Mike had the first on a green buzzer deep, whew, that feels better. Just as my negativity was showing through my line went tight and I was into a nice 3 pounder. Mike then had a second which was a brownie nearly 4 pound. Smiling like cheshire cats we had rescued a rough day.

Weather watching

Fishing over at Ravensthorpe today on a morning boat and I spent all the time watching the clouds. As the sun went behind up came the fish and when it came out down they went. It was frustrating but as you can see there was plenty of cloud around, in patches.

I was fishing a size 16 hares ear klinkhammer on the point and size 14 hares ear and black and peacock spide on the dropper. It was great dry fly fishing when the fish were up. I managed 4 fish and a number of other takes including this nice rainbow.

Perhaps i am lacking a little patience, but it's strange how you go for ages and then the sun goes behind the cloud, a fresh cast and bang your into a fish. There were a number of buzzers coming off but they were a bit small hense the small flies.

Very pleasant and good practice for the river later in the week.

Wednesday 15 June 2011

A quick chuck before it chucked down

It was chucking it down in Coventry as I left work so I rung phil and left it open as to whether i would be on Pitsford this evening although he was keen. When i got home though it had brightened up. With a warm gentle wind - why not!

As I arrived on North Farm Shore Phil was into one already and my confidence shot up. It's surprising how long it takes you to set up when you want to get fishing quick.

Phil didn't help either with "just had another take", "ooh just had another" "yeah got one on". I decided to to go along to the next point as I don't like fishing in peoples pockets and settled into nymphing a team of hares ears and buzzers. It must have been 15 minutes without a take when i changes to a hares ear booby on the point and just that lifting the depth made a difference and I was into a nice stockie on the sugar cube hares ear.

Another couple followed in half hour and it was good sport, Phil was still catching well too. For me they were on flashy buzzers but i was convinced it was the booby on the point as a washing line that was the key.

Over my shoulder we could see the big black cloud arriving. Would it miss us? No unfortunately not and it chucked down. After a good natter sitting on the back of the car sheltering under the boot, it looked as though it was settling in for a while so it was off home for an early night.

Back to normality after Grafham. Very pleasant!!

Sunday 5 June 2011

Not a single pull


I am sure that is Powie crying into a hanky after reading the results!

After Thursdays sublime evening today was ridiculous! I cannot remember another day that I fished for 8 hours and didn't even have a pull.

The day started with Mike forgetting his waistcoat so we went back for it. We didn't think we were behind but I felt so rushed that as we motored off I still hadn't tied my last dropper or tied on my flies.

My partner for the day was Sheena Goode who had just won the Brown Bowl and Gold medal in the ladies international last week on Bewl and was great company on a difficult day.

The wind was extremely strong and as usual upsets your rhythm. You would sort a tangle and you were in another and if you pulled your flies in they would catch anywhere. The boat was drifting awkward too as there was a current running left to right and the wind coming across right to left. The motor was again either fast or stop and I didn't seem to be able to set the drift right and together with not using my own drogue made it feel as though I didn't know what I was doing. There - its out now!

I still really don't know what I did wrong though as I seemed to be using the Di5 and Di7 in the morning and then the fast glass and nymphs in the afternoon. I think that I was poor at controlling my line and I hadn't practiced. I guess there's two good reasons.

Trying to console myself I asked around. Mike hadn't caught either and Ash and Powie were struggling too. Feeling better I looked around and there was Haskey sitting on his seat having bagged up - Great! Well done to Team frog hair and the boys who were top on the day with Gareth in second place.

We got back to the lodge and it was very mixed although it seems that the fish did come on in the afternoon to hares ears, daiwl bachs and the bung. Damm, the bung would have allowed me to get control of my flies.

The team had done rubbish with the winners on 41 fish and a rod average of 4.1. . Michael and Powie had three and ash two. Mick also managed to blank with me and Mike but not through poor fishing. His partner kept wrapping him a number of times and then had stuck a fly just under his eye and spent the afternoon in casualty. You can see the red mark on the day but when the anaesthetic wears off bet it hurts.

Never mind another day another fish!!

Thursday 2 June 2011

Fishing not drinking

What a lovely evening.

There were buzzer hatching, caenis around and loads of sedges fluttering in the sky. The fish were here too and although not going mad they were feeding, well at least for a while. I arrived after a very busy day at work at about half seven and ahhhhhhhhhhh - yes it was very relaxing.

With a few anglers already around i settled into the bay on Duffers with a midge tip, green and red daiwl bachs and a hares ear. They definitely wanted the hares ear on the point and i kept having loads of takes but unfortunately they wouldn't stick. Great sport! I did manage to catch a couple though before the sun set properly and they went quiet.

Mike arrived just after me and managed to talk his way onto the point somehow. Here there were probably the same number of fish but when they took they stuck and he had some great sport with 5 fish in a couple of hours on the daiwl bach and hares ear magic! This is Mike having evicted the guy, then goes and catches one!

A pint in the George afterwards and the day was complete - I must do more of that! Fishing not drinking that is.