Dozens Streaming Off

I’ve fished a bit over the weekend, and having seen some odd flurries of mayfly down on the lower water on Saturday, I went back there again today. The wind was challenging to say the least, but by late morning the mayfly were just starting to come off in ones and twos. After a quick lunch at the Wise Man, I returned to find the hatch well and truly on, and finally the better trout were on to them and showing themselves. It’s been a long time! I wouldn’t call it spectacular, and the hatch was very localised – some short stretches with dozens streaming off, and then round the corner nothing. Fish came pretty regularly up until about 5.30pm but the best time was around 3 o’clock. Nothing to break the record books, but it was pleasing to bring a number of good wild fish to hand and actually outnumbering the stock fish. The best went over 16 inches. It seemed like I had the whole of the Lower Water to myself today, so I hope that others were similarly enjoying themselves in more sheltered surroundings.

For those that tie their own flies, I have to recommend Davie McPhail’s videos on Youtube. These are my attempts at the Emerger Mayfly and Detached Body Mayfly – they are not exactly like his, but they work really well, and were rarely refused today. Of course the fish aren’t so fussy at the start of mayfly, so it remains to be seen if they are still working in a fortnight. Don’t be put off by the detached body, they are pretty easy to do, and I use a bit of foam from “The Range” in Dorchester which is just cut to shape and segmented in the McPhail style on a pin.

I have to say that the river looks an absolute picture at the moment, and our keeper John and his team have really been excelling themselves to get the Lower Water and elsewhere looking so good – thanks John! Of some concern was the fact that I caught two fish ( one stock fish, one wild ) with cormorant marks on them – the picture of one shows the telltale beak mark across the back. Perhaps now that there should be more fishermen out and about, these devils might reduce their activities.

Now, we just need the weather to behave itself for a while, or is that just asking too much?

Richard M