The most important post on my blog so far

Right Now I have your attention

On a Uk fishing forum I visit there is a thread that is linked below.  Its purpose ? to raise money for cancer charities by way of a charity auction.  Please take a look or even better bid on one of the lots or better still join and put up a lot yourself. 

 There are many fishing opportunities offered on wonderful private stretches and many other items of tackle and stuff.. There is even a days fishing with yours truly on my local becks and rivers. Please visit the thread and if even just one of you bids on something it would be wonderful.   I am sure that all of you reading this will have experienced a loss of someone close to this awful condition. Heres your opportunity to do something to help.

http://www.flyforums.co.uk/lets-tackle-cancer/108676-lets-tackle-cancer.html

Whats in a Greenwells Glory and few thoughts on flies.

Ask a none fly angler to name a fly pattern and the chances are the name Greenwells Glory will be the one mentioned, it is certainly one of the oldest recognised patterns and yet its one that very few anglers I come across seem to carry.  Anglers now seem to want the newest trendy patterns and the older patterns seem to find little favour.  Personally along with the red tag family that I have previously mentioned the Greenwells is one of the ever present patterns that I carry,  along with the Kites imperial both tied in various sizes from a 12 to a 20 and with various shades of hackles will cover all the Olive family of flies. and a few others as well.
I am constantly mystified why anglers I meet have fly boxes stuffed with dozens of patterns and yet they only cover a couple of sizes which are nearly always 14s and 16s .  Personally I beleive that fly size and correct presentation is almost more important than the pattern. 

 I have given up wondering what the exact dressing Cannon Greenwell beleived was correct as every text you read seems to give a slightly different pattern.  However I tie a well waxed yellow thread body with a light gold rib and a few hackle fibres as a tail.  Hackles vary I will occasional go very light using a golden badger hackle but mainly though the colours I use are below...There is an Indian cape and a genetic neck and saddle cape

The Greenwell is one of the easiest of ties which suits me I like quick simple flies that I am happy cast into tight places and risk losing. Also I dont like using winged patterns.  I find winged flies lead to leader twist and offer no appreciable advantage over hackle only patterns. 

The fact is both the Greenwells and the Kites Imperial  in a range of sizes and hues and  tied on varied hook patterns tied sparse and full will I beleive provide more fish in the net than a load of patterns in a ltd range of sizes, They work very will tied parachute style as an emerger pattern as well.  I think It was said that Oliver Kite used his imperial pattern to the exclusion of all other dry patterns and he certainly knew a thing or two.  Give them both a go you wont regret it.....

First trip of the year blew away the cobwebs.

The cabin fever finally got to me today I found myself with the chance to go fishing for a couple of hours and even though the weather was ropey I was determined to get out there.The forecast was for more wet and stormy weather on the way.  So I decided to go,  I grabbed a 9ft 5wt,  my jacket,pulled on the waders grabbed my box with grayling flies and was  on the bank in less than 10 minutes.  Now the first thing that became apparent was that the wind seemed a hell of a lot stronger now I was down by the beck than it did in the garden.  In fact I was only fishing for a few minutes when there was a big crash as a rotten tree crashed to the floor taking several smaller ones with it. 

This stretch of beck runs west to east and the wind was funneling downstream and seemed to be getting stronger by the second...The swim I was fishing was getting bombarded by twigs and branches  and at times waves were lapping against me like on the beach a mile away.

The wind drove me downstream it was now getting difficult to cast and getting the leader to turnover even with a heavy nymph was impossible.  This stretch of beck holds quite a few grayling and a few chub which provide a welcome winter distraction when the trout are out of season.

So I went downstream to a stretch that should have been a litte more sheltered.  The extent of damage to the banks in this section is a worry The bank below used to have a 4ft wide path level with the base of the bushes now there was a virtually nothing left. All that has been caused by this winters spates.

These little fellows made me smile, first ones I have seen this year and where making the most of a sheltered sunny spot. Even though it was blowing a gale I couldnt help but come away with a smile knowing spring is coming.

About 50yds downstream you can see a nice pool opposite the trees on the left bank.  I fished pretty much every square yard of it with the nymphs but nothing at all stirred.  If I was fishing a strange water I would swear the river was empty but on the beck I know the fish are there there just holding fast and watching me struggle. So first trip of the year ended with not a sniff of a fish. But there will be more trips and in a couple of months we will have the new trout season and warmer weather , bring it on....