Keith Passant will be enduring his 24 hour Fly Tying Marathon at the BFFI in October this year. A huge success last year, this year is promising to be even better. Keith's hard work has been well supported with many superb donations. Please take a look at his website - you can purchase raffle tickets using your Paypal account.

Keith Passant's 24 Hour Fly Tying Marathon 2010

Good luck Keith!

A list of supporter's to whet your appetite and persuade you to buy even more tickets can be found here: 'Supporters of the Cause'

More details about the great work done by Casting for Recovery can be found here: CFR

~Dave

Today's venture, targetting shallow, streamy water, small rainbows gave a good account of themsleves on a light tippet.



~Dave

I was pleased to see the river looking clear and clean yesterday. Clearly the pollution risk from the day before had not made it down to the lower sections. In truth, the river needs a good push of water to liven things up. I found the fish to be spooky and showing little interest in feeding. It'll be evening sessions that score.



There were a few olives hatching, but there were sedge showing in better numbers. A few turned stones exposed many cased caddis - hence the success of the cased patterns.



There were a few solid rises to be heard, but many were tucked away amongst the dense scrub at the side. No cast could get amongst this lot!



~D

A close call for the Wellow Brook

The EA responded quickly today to avoid a possible disaster for the Wellow Brook:

Wellow Brook - Milk and Diesel pollution

~ Dave

Amongst the shallower water and against pale gravel, big grayling are given away by their torpedo-like shapes and deep magenta fins:


... although it is often their smaller cousins that oblige:


... swimming alongside the Brown Trout:

A better sized wild brown trout puts in an appearance, taking a long drifted dry fly.



When the terrestrials are falling, a simple, bushy dry with a palmered hackle will work. This example has a barred ginger and badger hackle wound together:


Even in Summer, after a little extra water, a small, but heavy shrimp pattern can produce the goods:


~Dave

Spiders

Whether you are faced with an hatch of olives or the fish are latched onto terrestrials, spiders work a treat. Fished upstream, they work well fished just under the surface. A deeper presentation can be achieved if they are fished with a heavier nymph. Here's an example that works well, espeially when faced with those frustrating, dimpling rises.



Hook: Partridge SLD #16
Thread: Sheer 14/0, orange
Hackle: Greenwells Hen
Tag: Tying thread
Rib: Hends 0.09, gold
Thorax: Squirrel

I find tying a thorax, but leaving a longer section of bare hook can be very effective. Perhaps the hook helps the fly's translucency?



When fishing the upstream spider for grayling, watch for the flash of sliver as the fish turns to take the fly - this gives you an early sign of a take well before the leader moves.

~Dave

The rain's hammering on the window, and whilst I too am beginning to wonder when the warmer fronts will be with us again, and perhaps a more gentle breeze, it's safe to say that the rivers will be all the better for a flushing through. The fish certainly seem to increase in activity, and with a few terrestrial patterns in the box, expectations are suddenly hightened.


Small, perhaps, but very welcome in less than ideal conditions:


~Dave

This unweighted nymph works well fished 'Klink & Dink' / 'New Zealand' style:



Hook: Varivas 2120WB #18
Thread: Sheer 14/0, tan
Abdomen: Squirrel
Rib: Hends wire 0.09, shell pink
Tail & Wing buds: Lemon Woodduck
Thorax: Light hare's mask

~Dave

Sedges

With most of the significant up-wing hatches behind us, thoughts turn to terrestrial patterns. However, in the evenings, there is still some superb sport to be had with sedge imitations.

Here are a couple to try; a version with CDC and another with an Elk wing:

With the CDC wing:


...and from beneath:


With an Elk wing


Hook: Varivas 2200BL #18
Thread: Sheer 14/0, tan
Abdomen: Porcupine quill
Thorax: Squirrel
Wing: Either CDC or Elk

~Dave

A couple of useful patterns; both quite generic. A change of size allows you imitate many different upwings emerging and as the dun.

Theses two examples are in the box to imitate Large Dark Olives:

Ascending S-loop Nymph:



Hook: Partridge BIN #16
Thread: Sheer 14/0, tan
Tail and wing: Woodduck
Rib: Hends 0.09 wire, gold
Abdomen: Wapsi Superfine #12 olive
Thorax: Squirrel

Dun:






Hook: Partridge SLD #16
Thread: Sheer 14/0, tan
Tail: Coq de Leon
Abdomen: Wapsi Superfine #12 olive
Thorax: Squirrel
Post: Funky Fibre, grey
Hackle: Barred Dark Ginger

~Dave

Hook: Partridge SUD #10
Thread: Sheer 14/0, tan
Wing: Lemon Woodduck
Tail: Coq de Leon
Abdomen: Wapsi Superfine #5
Rib: Tying thread
Thorax: Hare's mask
Hackle: Silver Badger

~Dave

A little variation on the loop emerger, this time tied with a copper tag:



Hook: Partridge YK12ST, black #20
Thread: sheer 14/0 Orange
Tag: Copper tinsel, small
Abdomen: Wapsi Superfine #7
Rib: Tying thread, darkened
Wing: CDC
Thorax: Hare's mask

~Dave

During this last year, many of you will have noticed I've been using materials from Funky Fly Tying. Well, their website is now live and taking orders: there are some great materials: Fly Tying Materials from Funky Fly

Please follow the link and take a look - you will not be disappointed!

~Dave