Evening on the stream…
After the strong winds and mixed weather of May, it was a welcome suprise to wake up to 20+ degree heat at the beginning of June.
Having missed the majority of duffer’s fortnight due to one thing or another I was keen to get out in the hope that a few Mayflies were still knocking about! Me and Graham decided an evening session would be a good idea.
We arrived at the river about 5.30PM, donned our waders and began to walk up the stretch. It wasn’t long before we spotted fish, I think I had first cast at a fish, a good one too but a suicidal smaller fish launched itself at my grey wulff before the bigger one had a chance. The fish shook the barbless hook shortly before reaching my hand – the “perfect” release!
Graham’s go next and there were still fish rising just a few yards upstream. After covering them numerous times he couldnt get a confident take until he cast to a small slack. BAM! Another small fish was on before, once again shaking the hook after a number of spirited jumps.
We moved on to a spot where Graham had previously caught Trout and Roach on a Damsel nymph. After a number of casts he fnally connected, and this time it was another species… A dace, and a good one at that. probably pushing 12oz+. A few snaps later and he was on his way.
After working our way further upstream I spotted a good fish confidently ‘head and tailing’ under some trees. It looked like a hard cast but with the size of the fish, it had to be worth a go. I covered the fish a couple of times, with Graham peering through trees on the bank and feeding back to me. Suddenly I saw a good fish appear to follow the fly and turn back upstream, but with a flash of silver it wasn’t a trout. I looked to Graham and stunned he said it was “a Roach around a pound and a half!”
I stepped foward one pace and could see the trout I was after, another cast and I was sure I could get it, unfortunately another smaller fish nipped in front of it once again. I like catching all trout and in some cases the smaller ones are somehow more satisfying, but when they ‘steal’ the fly away from a monster its always disheartening!
Once again we moved on, and with the river unusually quite in it’s upper reaches it felt like we were casting at shadows. Before we knew it, it was 9PM, where had the evening gone?!?!?!
We began to walk back down towards the car but upon reaching the pool where Graham had his dace, it was alive with trout throwing themselves out of the water. We assumed it was sedges they were on becuase of the fading light and the manner in which they were exploding through the surface. We covered the fish plenty with every shape/size/colour sedge we had with no luck. We searched the surface film for any signs of what they could be taking, a lone ‘cherry spinner’ was circling an eddy. But by the time we had found it, the fish were no longer feeding and the light had almost gone. I wasn’t aware the Blue Winged Olives were on this stream but hopefully some more good hatches will happen in the coming months.
We arrived back at the car at 10.15PM and although we hadn’t caught an awful lot it felt somehow satisfying and educational tonight.
AR…
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