Flyfishing FWSW

Saturday I opted for another chub session at one of the syndicate’s downstream that
require a purchase of a permit for the day.
At first I tried my own fishing grounds but to my horror I spotted a boatload of kayaks
with kids on the stream.

Since it had not rained for 30 days now the water was extremely low, that combined
with the racket of the kayaks meant catching fish was impossible.
I still tried some spots way downstream from the advancing flotilla.
I did see some big fish but the where as wary as usual making me think that they
had already witnessed some kayak action earlier that day.

I made my way to the planned destination and saw that the grass was indeed greener on the other side. 

Loads of big chub on station in the clear water.
Lot’s of fish but I was only able to cast to them when they moved upstream.
I fished a hopper and dropped it extra hard on the water to coax a reaction from the chub.

The chub came up to investigate the hopper but at the last moment they turned away,
pretty exciting to watch.
The spot I fished boasted a floating dock probably installed to save the kayakers from
the weir downstream.
It was an ideal casting and surveillance platform.

I spotted a monster chub under a tree on the shaded bank and targeted it with the hopper.
Unfortunately the current conditions caused the fly to drag.
Luck was however on my side as the chub turned and pursued the hopper.
I managed to keep my nerves and waited for the chub to gobble the fly up.

I struck at the right moment and was into a fight with the big chub on the four weight
glass rod.  As chub usually do it ran for cover and that was the floating dock I was on.
I had trouble getting the big fish on the surface and feared entanglement any moment
but luckily the dock was anchored to shore by a beam above the water surface.

I eventually landed the fish that measured 53cm / 21”, my personal best for this stream.
After catching a few smaller chub along the stretch I made it to the final spot of the day.
The last spot boasted a walkway over the stream, remnants of an old weir.
The wooden planks had seen better days so I made sure I walked near the supported
edge just in case.

From high up I spotted various big chub and a monster carp moving about but
whatever I dropped on them, it did not work.
Hoppers, Mayflies and nymphs where ignored so in the end I called it a day and
finally landed at the pub early evening.

Last Saturday was a bust fishing wise as I had to attend the festivities of the fishing club’s 60th anniversary.

The peer pressure was to great to skip that event and go fishing instead (which I would prefer).
Anyway I made it through the speeches and the dinner but when the comedian came along to perform
his return one of my friends and I made a break for it..

Afterall I had to get up next morning early for a chub session.

During the last chub session I had regrets not buying a day ticket for the chub hotspot of the syndicate

downstream from where I was allowed to fish.
Not this time … armed with a license I entered the hotspot late in the morning and the fish where stacked,

small ones and the big boys.

Besides from some small fish on the sedge I had no hits from the big boys but they came up inspecting
the fly and especially the hopper seemed to trigger their interest.
I checked out some sections of the stream for patrolling fish and targeted some large fish but no hits.
After a small break I returned to the starting point and caught my first chub on the hopper.
Size of the fish improved also so I was happy.

Maybe Sunday was not the best day to fish the particular location I had chosen due to the amount
of daytrippers … it does not help when people stand on bridges and point to wary fish.

My last fish was of a decent size … like half of the big boys but I wanted more.

There was one other hotspot where I would have piece and quiet.

A dismantled weir where you could climb on the wooden walkway and spot the fish from high up.
I must say the wooden planks had seen better time and I made sure I walked near the steel
beams just in case.

The big boys where in place but current and wind made it tricky to place the hopper in a 

convincing way near the fish.
Fish came several up to inspect the fly and I missed about two strikes.
But then that one fish came along and followed the hopper to swallow it, fish one.

Now I stood high above the water and had to fight the fish waving the rod along the 
steel supports of the former flood gates.
I managed to get to the end of the walkway and was still connected to the fish.
The problem now was to get down in a respectable manner without loosing the fish.

The banks where darn steep but the section next to the concrete base was accessible 
so I could let myself glide down the bank.
It was a case of wet wading but luckily not particular deep and even better …. the 

floor of the form weir was paved.
I managed to net the fish and after measurements and a picture I crawled up
the opposite bank onto dry land.
Mission accomplished.

I tried one other spot and missed further strikes only to find out that somehow
along the way I had lost the hookpoint of the hopper.

It was later in the day than anticipated and since the 84F heat had gotten to
me it was imperative to get to the chub before dying of thirst…

With last Sunday being warm and sunny I once again tried the chub section.
Off course against better judgment since it was too early for successful chub sessions.
I was pondering to purchase a day ticket for another syndicate downstream from my
usual chub haunts but decided against it.

Still I visited the spot from the other syndicate to see how things where panning out early season.
In hindsight a bad move as the spot was teeming with chub including one monster fish.
All I could do was staring at the fish out of my grasp.

I headed south to the waters I was allowed to fish in and in contrast to last time I spotted more fish.
Big fish and quite a few of them but all as wary as hell.
Tried hopper and mayfly to get them to eat on the surface but they spooked once the fly
landed on the water.

I had one hit of a small fish that got off.
Spotted a larger fish upstream from my vantage point and served a hopper upstream.
The fish turned and was about to gulp the hopper in but my weak point surfaced … early strike.
So the fish bolted … no show.

It looked like I was about to skunk when I spotted a school of dace.
Tied on a small sedge and caught the only fish of the day.
Targeted some other chub in the surface late in the afternoon but just could not get them
to strike the fly.

Further exposure to the heat, tall grass and unwilling chub seemed pointless so it was off to the pub.
My friend where already there and had arranged a cold one for me as I arrived.
When I told them about the early strike the replies where …. again?  oh well, season is not over yet.
When the hoppers arrive chances will be better to get a fish.

After that rather fruitless day hunting for the chub in the open fields I went back
troutfishing.
Again a sunny day but quite a chilly start and again that constant northeastern wind
blowing strongly over the land.

The pool in front of me had clear water and I could see some of the small shiners moving about.
More intriguing was however a silver shimmering from something larger on the bottom.
It was a trout and it just would not take any of the flies I presented.
The fish did not respond to a juicy mayfly drifting on top or a nymph or squirmy.

Last resort was to change colour on the squirmy, from the trusty pink to a tan version with
an orange beadhead.
I fished the fly deep close to the adjacent bank and the trout went it, a nice fish indeed.
The usual bycatch consisted of small rudd an roach.

Under a bridge I spotted another trout but all offering where ignored.
It was still quite early which made me confident enough to sneak to a spot that was
officially off limits.
It was really shallow and the only fish I could see where small shiners.
Then again I didn’t have x-ray vision so there could be something lurking in the rapid
flowing water.

The squirmy did not yield some takes, only nibbles from the shiners and those where
tail biters.
I opted for the perdigon nymph as it had a heavy tungsten bead and would be less
prone to updraft by the current.
That approach did the trick as I hooked a very nice patterned trout.

Later I moved to sections upstream to check upon the fish I had missed during my last visit.
With the wind the insect activity was sporadic.
Despite that I spotted that big trout from last time rising to a mayfly.
Had to cast downstream but alas no hit and a final dredging with a streamer was also
unsuccessful.

At another spot I once again noticed a rising fish which I interpreted as rising dace.
Tied on a small sedge and tossed it upstream, instant hit of a fish.
It was a small trout and boy it went ballistic several times.
The rest of the spots yielded some dace on the sedge but no signs of rising trout
anymore.

My arrival at the pub coincided with the leaving of most day-trippers so no
extensive waiting time for drink and food.
Ran into one of the fishing club members who had ordered the baked potatoes
with eggs and bacon, it looked tasty so I ordered it also.
First though a nice mushroom soup for starters.
Was so stuffed that there was no room for coffee and dessert anymore…

Saturday I went to the stream of syndicate nr. 1 hoping to catch a trout on a big mayfly.
To my horror one of my favourite spots was turned in to a marksman fair so no peace
and quiet for me.
Since it was still early so I gave it a shot, spotted a trout rising but could not get it.
Further upstream I scared another trout away.

When the crowds starting to arrive I split, better luck next week.
Next I tried our day ticket stretch and at first I struggled to get anything.
Despite the strong wind I spotted some BWO’s and some of the big Danica mayflies.

At one spot I noticed rising fish but decided not to use the dry fly because of the constant
stream of chestnut flower debris on the surface.
The Perdigon nymph worked wonders and I hauled in some nice dace which were pretty big
for this stretch of water.

The pool above the one I fished had a fish rising which made such a racket that it could only
be trout.  It was impossible for me to reach the spot with the dry fly due to the foliage.
I opted for the streamer and entered the water upstream from the trout. I drifted the streamer at the last known location of the trout and boy it came out of its
lair and went for the streamer.
The fish missed though and I could net get it to charge the fly a second time.

At some other spots I caught a few more dace and lost a small brown trout.
The beginning of the day ticket stretch had some more hiding places for a trout.
Just by chance I spotted a big one as the sunlight illuminated the spot where the
trout was hanging out.
Again impossible to reach by cast but as the fish moved under a deadfall I saw a chance.
I moved down the bank and dropped a nymph just over the deadfall.
The reaction of the trout was not the one I had hoped, it bolted and off it went.

Soon I spotted another rising trout but again foliage and debris in the water made casting
though. After getting stuck two times the game was over.
The last chance to get a trout would be in a recently cleared stretch of the forest.
That action pretty much killed the cover for the fish but maybe some where left.

The wind was by now pretty strong and left and right branches where flying of the trees.
With quite a few big dead trees leaning over the water a tricky day to be outside so
I took care where to walk.
Alas no rising fish to be seen and even the shiners seemed to have day off.

The last spot of the day was a pool where I had done well last season but it seemed
empty. The pool had deepened since last season so I tried fishing deep.
That did the trick as I was soon into a good fish that fought so deep that at first I
had the impression that it was a brook trout.

With the light tippet I fished I had to take utmost care fighting the fish and eventually
got it to the surface.
I was after all a common brown trout but a nice fish and icing on the cake for me.