Sunday 8 April 2012

Springtime a time of ups and downs



The weather this year has been weird and I have found the fishing hard.   The combination of dead low water then water levels going up and down  like the proverbial drawers seems to have hacked the fish of as much as it has done the same to me .  Surface fly life has been almost zero and all in all its been a frustrating start to the season.  This combined with copping for the worst flu style virus I have had for many years hasnt done much to put a smile on my face .




Anyway Saturday afternoon presented a chance to visit my local beck for the first time this trout season.  Its a pretty place at this time of year and I figured the mud and cold would keep the local kids away .  It is nice to get out and be on a river with a fly rod knowing the season is in front of you and as the day panned out there was some hatching flies, a few olives were on the water but not in great numbers . They certainly didnt inspire the fish to any great activity.  The water was still quite well coloured after the last few days rain . On the ground the trees are still without leaves and these sheltered sections are good places to cast a fly at this time of year but not today ,certainly the rain has given the wild garlic a real boost and as you walk through it the smell is wonderful.



The bottom mile of this beck is my favourite , it has a few very big weir pools a short section through deep wooded ravines and an open valley as it approaches the sea.  Sometimes when I take guests they can hardly believe the variation.  Anyway on the day I caught half a dozen ,  all small stock fish and all in back waters where the recent spates had made them hole up.  It was nice to see they were all like little footballs the flush through must have bought plenty of food down with it.  I am not a fan of stocking rivers but the club only stocks small numbers and I think most of them end up with the poachers.  



The highlight of the day came when I had packed up and was coming away I was amazed to see another angler on the bank.  A youngster who had bought a day ticket.  It was great to meet a young lad who was obviously keen on the sport, there arent enough kids trying it, I was able to give him a few flies and some finer tippet and pointed him to a place which would give him the best chance of a fish.  Rivers this time of year arent easy places to fish and I hope he did some good.  He deserved to,  hats of to his Dad as well decent gear and some casting lessons are the perfect way to start fly fishing . If he is up this way again I hope he gets in touch hopefully I will be able to put him on a few fish..  


1 comment:

Mark Kautz said...

Always good when the next generation gets involved in fly fishing. It doesn't happen often enough.

Mark

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