Mayfly Monday

Not one to sit and watch TV,  I decided the only flotilla I wanted to see was a procession of mayflies down a meandering stream.  So with a flask and a pack of butties I left before lunch with the intention of returning when I couldnt see the water any more.  I had three different river beats in mind ,  midday, afternoon and evening.

I prepared myself for a strenuous afternoon and evening.  For those not familiar with the types of stream I fish .  They are hard work, if you arent clambering up steep banks you are sliding on your arse back down one and hoping the pool you are sliding into isnt deeper than you think.   You are either casting bent double or trying some ridiculous improvised weird spey cast.  It always makes me laugh when I read on forums about will the rod cast a full line.  A perfect rod for me is one that will work with virtually no fly line.  I reckon I fished 8 hours yesterday and not once fished more than a third of the line.

The rivers and streams are now in fine form the higher up ones still have a healthy flow and the valley bottom rivers are running full but have now dropped clear.  The recent cold and wet weather seemed to have stopped everything dead in its tracks and now everything seems to be hatching in profusion and trying to out do the mayfly, which in itself is developing into a good hatch with large numbers of cripples and spent flies drifting into the backwaters.

Yesterday there was a ridiculous amount of hatching insects in fact I think it even took the fish by surprise. There was everything on the wing I even saw a cloud of caenis and a few sedges in amongst the clouds of olives and columns of mayfly. There were fish rising everywhere.   One fish came from between the posts and the bank in the pic above , an interesting cast...

I laid on the bank for a while studying one rising fish I watched fascinated as mayfly after mayfly passed above it and it refused every one yet small olives were taken with enthusiasm.  Other fish were obviously taking the mayflies. Whilst laid I became aware of a roe deer she didnt seem to alarmed by my being there  and it was nice to know I was making minimal inpact by being there.

Interestingly virtually all the fish I took in the evening on mayfly were recently stocked fish.  The wildies seemed to be sticking with the other small stuff. Earlier in the day I even took a few out of season Grayling . The river I fished mid day is never stocked and the fish shown here are from there.  I caught decent trout in the evening fish of two pounds plus. They were full finned and looked well. But they somehow lack something its like the difference between a fine tiny original oil painting and a damn great glossy print in a nice gilt frame .   It looks the same but we know it isnt.  and certainly for me its value is diminished.  

It was a cracking day , not huge numbers of fish but the fish came regularly enough.  I guess they were as unsure of what to rise to as I was unsure of what fly to try.  But certainly on days like this its great to see the river in such robust health.  Also Its good to see Grayling numbers seemingly on the rise again.