Saturday 31 July 2010
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
Wednesday 28 July 2010
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
Monday 26 July 2010
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
Wellow Brook - Milk and Diesel pollution
~ Dave
Saturday 24 July 2010
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
... 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
Sunday 18 July 2010
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
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
Thursday 15 July 2010
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
Small, perhaps, but very welcome in less than ideal conditions:
~Dave
Tuesday 13 July 2010
Sunday 11 July 2010
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
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
Wednesday 7 July 2010
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
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
Tuesday 6 July 2010
Sunday 4 July 2010
Thursday 1 July 2010
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
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