Sandbagged!

Sandbagged!
Photograph by Steve Barnett

Sunday 22 April 2012

More Brown Water...

The motivations for going out to fish even when conditions are not as good as we'd like them to be are varied.  Ego might make us want to prove, even if only to ourselves, that we can catch fish no matter what the conditions are.  Maybe we have only got a limited opportunity to fish the river and we have journeyed long and far to get here so the last thing we want to do is give up and go home.  Or else it might be that we are fed up of things getting in the way of having an hour or two on the water and so we will fish, right now, no matter what and if we catch nowt then so be it!

Even when things are not ideal, the dry fly angler can still find Sport, although it will be less abundant.  Abundance or short commons it matters not when the mood is: "I've got to fish and I'm bloody well going to..."

Yesterday my Mother river, the Derbyshire Wye, was running high and still on the coloured side, but not as thick as it has been lately.  The very welcome rain has percolated into the water table and coupled with the usual surface run off, this combination has raised the water to a pleasing traditional early season level.  This in direct contrast to the two previous seasons when the river opened for trout fishing with water levels more typical of high and late summer.  The picture below illustrates this. 


The dark water over rocks and vegetation in the lower left foreground is where I sat this time last year to cast up into the two currents that funnel into the neck of this bend.  No chance to sit down there right now.  It really will be summer before I can hide there, below the skyline, sitting crosslegged like a cub scout by a campfire.

The tactic for the three, post-meridian hours was simply to look for where there might be fish rising.  Flies were out in plenty so it was a case of looking for where the fish would be prepared to feed on them.  The breezy conditions and low angled sun made getting the artificial onto the right spot, controlling its drift and seeing it just a little harder than usual.  The flies were Large Dark Olives with some smaller olives that I think were Olive Uprights by their paler grey wings. No matter, the Grey Duster on a size 14 hook proved itself to be ideal for the job.

This spot that you might have seen in an earlier post had a few fish lined up and rising well.

Just to the left of this picture is the place the angler needs to be.  There is a snag though.  The ground is not firm.  In fact it is a bog!  Last season an angler stood there for too long and he had to be towed out with a rope under his armpits as he had not realised how deep he was sinking.  He was in past his waist by the time he realised he needed help.  Mobile 'phones can be a blessing!

In a bid to encourage anglers not to engage in their own, similar episodes the keepers have laid brash of alder branches over the dodgy area.  I thought the brash might be just what I needed...

It was.  By treading as lightly and as quickly as I could I reached the brash and...

SAT ON IT!

Perfect!  The brash wasn't sinking, it supported my weight, my head was below the skyline and the fish did not stop rising.  The only time I was at risk was when I had to stand briefly to reach over the reed mace stems to net the fishes.  After releasing each fish, the trick was to sit down immediately and work the feet up and out of the sink holes they had started to make.  Then attend to fly drying etc. in readiness for the next cast.


The reward was two or three brown trout, and another couple of wild rainbow trout, (one of which I just had to snap for a keepsake, it was so lovely) and then an out of season grayling came to the net.  I regarded this as a sign from above to move on in a timely fashion.  Easy fishing, even if it lasts only a few minutes, can easily lead to a lack of restraint.

I wandered on up river, fishing my way home. 


There was an attempt at the big rainbow trout that was rising the other day in the eddy by the side of the dirty water (I was on the opposite bank from where I took this photograph the other day) but as he took the fly my line was dragged into the branches of the little bush on the left of this picture, which impeded the strike and the Grey Duster was lost in the roots of this important little bush.  Important because without the bush's roots there would be no little promontory and no wonderful eddy here.  A fresh fly on and another attempt at a brown trout rising an inch from the bank proved more successful.  I was just thinking of packing up when a very good friend appeared on the opposite bank, with his dog Purdy, who just happens to be Henry's half sister (they had the same mother).  So packing up was the right thing as we had some catching up to do and home-made biscuits and tea to consume back at the house.

On reflection, a number of small things added up to success, in despite of the less than ideal conditions...

Reconnaissance through the winter had indicated where to look for rising fish during breezy, rainy, high and coloured water conditions.

The waterproof overtrousers let me stay low by sitting down to fish.

By deciding to fish no matter what, I just so happened to be there at the right time.

The Grey Duster, on the right sized hook, is a brilliant fake of the Large Dark Olive.



Regular Rod



14 comments:

  1. The Grey Duster has been part of my flybox since I started fly fishing over 20 years ago and it is a regular on the end of my line, a truly brilliant fly pattern. I'd just like to add that to catch a wild rainbow trout in the UK must be a great experience and that's one pretty rainbow.

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  2. Dear RR:
    Evocative and captures so well the dilemma of those of us who must travel to fish. These insights are the small voice that helps us when we face these universal challenges as practitioners of the dry.

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  3. RR that was a great post, thanks Rob on More Brown Water...

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  4. Great fly and great pics. Beautiful looking rainbow as well. Thanks for sharing the great advice too. Tight Lines.

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    Replies
    1. After your comments on the dangers of wading, I thought you'd be pleased to know we are not alone as we step gingerly into the great unknown...

      http://bit.ly/JStF37

      Delete
  5. After your comments on the dangers of wading, I thought you'd be interersted to know that we have company as we step into the unknown...

    http://bit.ly/JStF37

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  6. I enjoyed reading your blog from many miles away. I discovered fly fishing over forty years ago during my many years as a young lad in New Zealand. The Tongariro river used to be my beat off and on for some fifteen years, along with some of the other rivers and stream mouths in the Lake Taupo area. I would regard myself as fairly competent fishing the wet fly or nymph, but unfortunately not overly experienced with the dry.
    I will be in Derbyshire during the first two weeks of June and would love to be able to spend a day or two on one of your splendid rivers. I would ask for nothing more than some information on the availability of day tickets and the perhaps a general tip on what the fish would likely to be feeding on (according to the weather and time of day) during the early part of June. This rough guide will be good start so that I may enjoyably explore your fishing domain.

    Maz (smazari@gmail.com)

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    1. Maz you need to contact the Peacock Hotel as quickly as you can to have a chance of getting a ticket. The best bet is to book it on line now. Most regulars book their rods a year in advance, as I do. But have a go there may be some tickets left.

      This is the link to the on line booking page. Cut and paste it into your browser and get looking to see if there are any rods left on the days you will be coming.

      http://www.thepeacockatrowsley.com/book-fishing-online

      I hope that helps and that you are in time for a ticket or two.

      Regular Rod

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  7. Hello Rod! Great post. I love the look of the water, the rainbow is gorgeous and the fly superb.

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    1. Bless you Howard that is most kind of you to say so. It is so encouraging to find folk enjoy these ramblings. It proves I am not alone and that I am actually quite sane!

      Thank you.

      Regular Rod

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  8. Wahl, what an amazing looking fish! Is it OK if I copy and paste it into my blog here in New Zealand please? (With attribution of course in blog!)

    Here the trout are large, but I think the anglers often overlook beauty of smaller trout, and the finesse of all things small streamy, so I love your blog for that artisticness especially!

    Thank you for holding this space.

    Nick Moody

    www.flyfishingtheworld.blogspot.co.nz

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    Replies
    1. Hello Nick

      Be my guest and use the picture as you see fit. The wild rainbow trout of the Derbyshire Wye are unique and more beautifully marked than any Russian egg by Fabergé ever was...

      Best wishes

      Regular Rod

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