Dry-fly fishing is probably the most visually exciting and enthralling part of our sport. It also demands a certain degree of skill to cast to locate the fish, to match the hatch and then to present your fly in a natural manner. These skills are as important today as they have been for more than […]
Drifting On Giant Waters
Thunderflash Variant (Salmon)
Flies such as the Stoat’s Tail and the Thunderflash fly featured here also have the bonus of being great attractors for sea trout. Such patterns can be fished effectively from spring through to late summer and will often pick up fish where many have failed with the usual orange-based colours. Tie this particular fly in […]
Steroid Dry/Indicator (Stillwater)
The Steroid Dry can be used as a dry fly – strange, yes, but it does actually work. Obviously with a pattern this size it can cause a fair bit of wind resistance, so go with a tapered leader if you fish it on its own. It’s also very handy for suspending small nymphs underneath, just […]
Bird’s-Nest Pupa (River)
It’s a great pattern to have on the middle dropper when fishing Czech Nymph style or ‘high sticking’ faster areas of the river.When it comes to clear water, use it as an ambush pattern for stalking individual fish, making sure you use a tapered leader for presentation purposes.This pattern is tied with a green body, […]
A Backpacker’s Guide To Salmon
Norway has to be high on the hit list of any game angler’s must-visit destinations. Dreams of roaring rivers and goliath Atlantic salmon are only ever crushed by the sudden shock of the price to fish there. But it doesn’t have to be that way.Last summer I tagged along on a trip to one of […]
Bank House Fly Fishery
I was probably around one year old when Jan Dobson opened her trout fishery to the public. Now, 32 years on, Lancashire’s Bank House Fishery is doing better than ever, so what’s the secret, or, pardon the pun, ‘the key to success’? It’s simple – supply the demand. Bank House, over the years, has grown […]
Let’s Hear It For The Beetles!
Beetles, both aquatic and terrestrial, are often neglected by the fly fisherman and, considering that they are a main component of the trout’s diet, I think we are missing a trick. Here in the West Country, where we have fewer buzzers than in some parts of the country, beetle patterns can give us great sport.I […]
Salmon
With the British climate being less than predictable in the last few years, we can almost throw the spring fishing rule book out of the window. The early part of the year can include the water and weather conditions of just about a whole season, so it’s, therefore, a good idea to be prepared for […]
Stillwater Nymphs
Even early in the season there are times when trout definitely respond better to realistic-looking patterns. When this happens it’s likely that the fish will be feeding naturally just sub-surface. This is the ideal time to fish a single fly. However, it often pays to fish a team of flies because this way you can […]
Stillwater Lures
Early season is a very busy time for stocked waters because there are plenty of fresh stock fish to be had. To make the most of this early season bonanza, go with lures. These gaudy creations tend to bring out the aggression in fish and they will often attack them with gusto, so make sure you’re […]
River Trout
Spring is a great time to target trout on rivers. After a long close season the fish are keen to get some weight back on and they can often be that little bit easier to catch. Successful spring fishing usually occurs around midday when things warm up a bit to allow a hatch of insects. […]
Hill Lochs And Upland Reservoirs
Throughout the country there are loads of out-of-the-way places where you can wet a line for rainbows and ‘proper’ wild brown trout. When tackling one of these venues it’s always best to travel light because you’ll be covering loads of water. The best way to fish them is to cast and step; this way a […]
Speyside Dreams
A couple of summers ago I joined a group of friends for a few days’ salmon fishing on the River Dee, just upstream of Aberdeen. As it turned out – like most of my fishing trips – the water conditions were hopeless. The river had, thanks to a couple of weeks of near-Sahara weather, dropped […]
Apache Tube (Salmon)
This is a cracking adaptation of a classic Irish shrimp fly. Dressed on a plastic or aluminium tube and with plenty of hackle, it’s also very ‘light’ in the water, helping it stay mobile in even the slowest of currents. This pattern works throughout the season, and can be dressed in all sizes from a […]
Creeping Caddis (River)
Designed to imitate the caddis larva, encased in its home made of river or lake-bed debris, this should be fished on the deck. This particular pattern incorporates crimped deer hair legs – a nice touch that gives it that extra bit of realism. Try this on the point position on a floating line; fish it […]
