FLYMPH FORUM

With the new season underway for some and imminent for others its worth getting your brain into action and drawing up a roadmap for the new season.

I tend to take last seasons known failures and address these by contemplating what my approach will be when faced with similar situations on the water. If like me your time actually fishing is twarted by life then time spent in mental preparation as well as equipment preparation is incredibly important.

To make the most of whatever time you have on the water, the most important skill that you need is to learn where the trout are likely to be and how they are likely to be behaving. Acquiring this skill is generally based on knowledge and experience, beginners and relative beginners often are unaware of its importance, paying more attention to tackle, techniques and fly patterns. If you find find yourself in this category then you can improve your fishing significantly by being a good brain picker - find some experienced anglers on your river and ask not about patterns and techniques but ask them where the trout are likely to be at this time of the year and what their feeding behaviour is and what hatches are likely to be happening. Most anglers will be delighted to share their experiences but beware the boasters, they tend to talk a lot of fiction. Learning to ask the right questions of the right people is a very benificial skill and enjoyable in its own right.

On my local at the moment, the first hatches of the season will be starting to catch the attention of the trout and many will seek slightly slack water just on the edge of main flows, find the right water and you may well find dozens of trout in close proximity, ready to hoover up any nymph that comes their way. They will not yet have recovered fully from the winter so will in general not be in the riffles, but if there is a small hatch some riffles will be worth some quick attention and occasionally a bonanza may be had. To catch means going deep, unless you can find some trout on top taking midge etc...

As the trout feed more and more and their strength returns and the hatches increase they will start to distribute themselves into the normal feeding lies, riffles will become more populated with bigger trout and dry fly and soft hackles / spiders will be more viable methods. This is a great time of the year as the hatches are well defined and will be limited to one or two species of upwing. Dead looking rivers suddenly come alive before your eyes and as the miracles of nature unfold in front of you, your spirit will be refreshed and revitalised and one of lifes great pleasures of being a fly angler all makes perfect sense.

If like me , you fish in your minds eye well in advance of actually being on the water you will have two days fishing for the price of one and quite often double the pleasure.

Enjoy the new season, I know I will !!!!!!!!

Otter, Howdy;

You are a deep soul. I say that in a good way.

I tryed to fish in my mind's eye.....they were all to small, had to return them all so that they might grow some........

I do appericate your thoughs. They allow me to generate some of my own, and hopefully in the proper direction.

thanks,

hank

Hank, you are way too modest , you forgot to mention the big one under the bush

It took the soft hackle soon after it lighted softly a yard above the fish. Hank seen the flash of its belly as it turned and struck solidly. Having sat for half an hour watching and observing Hank already knew the fish would make for the log just below the bush and was ready. With sideways strain , manouvered it away from the log and coaxed it to mid stream. Every movement could be felt and slowly Hank gained control and could feel the trout reluctantly tire. As it came to the surface Hank reached back and released the net, almost dropping it as it became clear that a good trout was indeed a great one. Slowly he drew it to-wards the net but as the trout glimpsed Hanks beaming face it garnered all its instincts for survival and made one last dash for the log. Hank managed to divert it, but alas the dropper snagged and so the camera would have to stay in the pocket.

Hank slowly retreated to the bank, reeling in the line slowly , confused and saddened by this oh so close capture of a great trout. Saddeness however soon turned to elation. Hank had deceived a great trout with a soft hackle of his own tying with a perfect cast. There would be other great trout to pursue and when the next oppurtunity happened Hank would be sure to remember to remove all the droppers.

Otter wrote:With the new season underway for some and imminent for others its worth getting your brain into action and drawing up a roadmap for the new season.

I tend to take last seasons known failures and address these by contemplating what my approach will be when faced with similar situations on the water. If like me your time actually fishing is twarted by life then time spent in mental preparation as well as equipment preparation is incredibly important.

If like me , you fish in your minds eye well in advance of actually being on the water you will have two days fishing for the price of one and quite often double the pleasure.

Enjoy the new season, I know I will !!!!!!!!

Me too. That initial post is timely and well put. You've summed up several chapters in a few sentences, but they don't always mention the part about all the great advise you can get from strangers, or all the b.s. (smirk)

I fish when I can and sometimes not often so I enjoy the anticipation of the season a great deal. I like this post, especially the part where Hank gets his dropper hung up and loses the great fish. Not at Hank's loss, but getting to experience Hank's memory with him as he is remembering it in second person, for the first time. Very funny. I hope to lose a fish that nice this season too. I'm jealous of Hank's catch, but very happy for him. Congrats, Hank. Well executed.

w

Otter, Howdy;



I wish.....
Otter you do had the "Gift"
I thank you (bowing).

Maybe it will happen,
The State of Utah only allows the use of 2 hooks, maximum.
I am only a beginner (tyro ?), so I only use 1. If I get a trout equal to what Otter has described
I'll most likely fall om my arse when I first see him/her...

hank

Otter - You are a very gifted writer. I found this to be a very enjoyable post.

The first rays of sunlight came in the window and struck the laptop screen. William blinked at their arrival and glanced out the window thinking, great , spring has truly arrived. Back to the laptop, William put the final touches to the brassie soft hackle jpeg, posted it and well satisfied he sipped the almost cold coffee.
His thoughts turned to the river and wondered what wonderments lay in store this coming season. Could the brassie softhackle take a trout like Hanks, maybe at the inside riffle at Turners Cross. Brassie on a dropper, a gold ribbed P&O on the point, such a cast could not fail to entice a wild old trout.

So lost in thought, William did not notice Mrs A take away the almost empty cup and was startled when a steaming hot cup arrived beside his laptop. God you startled me he said. Where were you ,she replied , knowing full well where his daydreams had led him. No where, just figuring what I need to get to fix the fence this morning he replied. Mrs A was a fine poker player and knew a bluff when she seen one, Is that right Will she replied, in that case you may as well paint the outside doors and tidy up the garage she replied. Will looked up, "thats a good idea , theres lots of jobs to be done before .....", he thought he seen a strange glint in the corner of her eye, "Before What William ?", she replied cheekily. Before he could answer, Mrs A gave him a hug and whispered in his ear, " Go William, I know I am no competition for the river, just make sure to come back"

The second cup of coffee was hardly cold as he sped out of the driveway, all his gear was ready, it had been ready for weeks , slamming on the brakes , he raced back up the driveway for the box of wire softhackles, admonishing himself for being so careless. He caught fleeting glimpses of the river through the trees as he hastily made his way to turners cross. The soft air of spring enveloped his senses as with great urgency he tackled up, but soon the pleasure of being near the river calmed his being and slowly he made his way to the inside riffle. I wonder he thought, could a trout as good as Hanks be in residence, ah heck a 6" juvenile would make my day. A large boulder marked the entrance to the riffle, no better seat could nature design for a contemplative angler.
Brassie Softhackle on the point , gold ribbed P&O on the point he thought, tied his cast, double checking the knots and finally degreased his leader. Just as William stood he thought he seen a flash of a fish on the inside riffle, a big one like Hanks,,, nah nah, don't be silly, that only ever holds a juvenile. About to step into the water, William paused again thinking that mad Otter fella might be watching, took out his scissors , removed the dropper and the P&O and put the brassie on the point. Jezus, I need to see a shrink he muttered out loud as he slipped into the river.

Fishing what he knew to be barren water this time of the year, his casting rhythmn soon returned and he became one with the river. Moving slowly he missed nothing, a lone mayfly skittered in mid stream before taking to the air and a few midge fought for life on the inside slack. The river seemed devoid of Trout, but William knew they were there, they were there every year, nature sees to that. Not quite ready to feed in earnest he knew that patience was a must.
A flash again on the inside riffle, duly noted , the exact spot mapped, William slowly made his way upstream, no need to hurry , it will be a small fish.

Like all good anglers , William devoted himself to attention to detail. He grabbed the brassie, checked the knot and degreased the leader again. Letting the line out dowstream, 25 ft he estimated , a well practiced downstream roll, lifted line and brassie and the forward cast placed it perfectly two yards above and a foot inside the mark. "Not bad for an overworked, under paid son of a b..." , he thought. Shame the trout didn't agree as the brassie harmlessy drifted back downstream. Maybe a foot to the left , no, a foot to the right , no , 40 casts later no no no, nooooooooooooooo.

There is only one thing worse than a perfectionist and thats a stubborn one. Back on with the dropper and the P&O, "Feck Otter, Feck Hank... feck this bloody brassie" The cast landed in a heap, the current swung it out of control but the miracle happened. A trout flashed, William struck, the rod bent and just as the trout came to the surface William screamed as someone shook his shoulder.

"William, I don't know who Otter is or who Hank is and I don't really care , but you need to get out of bed and fix the bloody fence", Mrs A was not happy.

Aaaaagh he cried silently, was it as big as Hanks, was it a fish of a life time, "Yes hon, I'm on it"

And William she whispered as she left the bedroom, "Will I make you some sandwiches to take fishing this afternoon"

OTTER, HOWDY;


EXCELLENT, BRAVO !

If you fish only 1/10th as well as you set the hook on that one you'll sweep the streams.................

hank

Could not resist it Hank, William seemed a little jealous of your hook up with a great trout and in fairness he deserved a little life to be given to his wire soft hackles, they are after all a nice series of flies and need to be tested, even if that test is only in my imagination.

I wonder was it a good un, did it take Williams brassie or was it fooled by the provenance of the illustrious P&O...... hmmm