Guiding Service

My guiding services are now available to assist fly fishermen on both game and coarse rivers. I'd be happy to advise and arrange your special day anywhere from one of Derbyshires finest trout and grayling rivers to your own local coarse river. Email Mick Martin for details and options. Please copy and paste into your own email info@rivererewashfoundation.co.uk











Wednesday 18 May 2011

Willersley Castle

Lastnight I popped up to Willersley Castle for a few hours after work arriving at 5pm. There were only a couple of rods out ahead of me so I slowly began my stroll inspecting the river wich is still low, clear and still pretty cold to be honest. There were plenty of fly life including sherry spinner,sedges and a sprinkle of mayfly which were being hit by some big hungry trout if you took the time too spot them.




All fish pictured were taken on drake patterns but I did swap to VW sedge to take a few more and too my suprise sherry spinners were ignored, maybe there switching onto the bigger meal deals lastnight. Overall it was everything I'd hoped for with plenty of big browns but the one noticable dissapointment was as the evening took hold things slowly died down, usually I'd expect rising fish until dark but I found myself leaving before 9pm with little movement on the surface and a hungry belly.



I would say daytime through to early evening would have produced best on the dryfly, but down to dropping temperature and the water needing to rise a couple of degrees the witching hour isn't quite available yet but we are definitely in the season of the drake and with a little help from the Gods utopia is close at hand.



One thing I will mention to provide food for thought, I sat for 30 mins watching a large pool which appeared void of rising fish. Even to my suprise I had counted and located 9 rising fish in this dead pool just by observation. Its just no good staring into a pool for 2 mins and moving on, patience really is a virtue so try parking your but for a good length of time to really see whats on offer. It may seem to be banged on about but thats because so few anglers actually practice observation.
To finish on a funny note I never caught one of those rising fish cus I'm a crap git.

2 comments:

Baslowfisher said...

Hi Mick, Couldn't agree more about observing a pool. Have you noticed that sometimes your dry just disappears without any indication of a take as they are so crafty at taking the dry? I don't know if its cos they are taking a specific insect or at a specific stage of emergence.
Happy times!
Colin

Mick Martin said...

Hi Colin
Yep! usually followed by a tight line. I believe a well fed trout can mouth things not unlike most animals - a bit like us delicately trying a new bum burning curry in a tiny amount, unless your Robinson Crusoe and burn the lining out of your mouth.
Mick