Had a cast for a last minute trout on the Ribble. Ended up spearing a minnow and catching a Chub.
Category: Fly Fishing
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End of the Trout
Had a day on the Eden, water was low and gin clear so I struggled. Everyone else had the same idea so it was a bit busy. Had one trout on for a few seconds but that was my lot for the day.
Can’t grumble spending a day on such a beautiful river.
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Failing upwards
With some rain this week and a small lift it felt right to have a go for Salmon. Cashed in half days flexi to enjoy a wild summers afternoon on the bank, all clear blues skies, torrential rain and rainbows.
Went armed with my new spinning rod and the monumental net. Fished hard from 2pm till 8pm and didn’t get a touch. Tried spinners and various flavours of toby. Saw a few fish moving again but they showed no interest in joining me on the bank this time.
That concludes my first real attempt to catch a salmon. If it’s a fish of a million casts then I am approx 400 casts closer. Onwards.
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Struck Gold
Finally got into the first proper trout from the Ribble today, oh such buttery golden goodness! Saw more evidence of Salmon or maybe Sea Trout as well, big bastards jumping under the trees.
The river level was pretty low (0.50m) but it was still falling from recent spate with a bit of colour in the water. I fished that long glide and found Trout and Grayling at head of the run in the more oxygenated water.
Fished the usual New Zealand style with small pheasant tail UV bugs and fish were caught in surprisingly skinny water.
Note to self: These are the kind of days for bunking off work. If the river is level on point then cash in that flexi and get on it.
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The Prime Water?
Nothing caught today, the river rose 0.50m while I was driving down so I was under gunned with the sea trout gear. I also didn’t fancy wading into that unknown chocolate water. Unsurprisingly, my punk ass sea trout fly attracted zero interest.
Word on the street is this is fly water below 0.80m and spinning above that level when its clearing down after a spate. This has triggered me into buying a new rod (n+1) a bunch of Toby Spoons and a monumental net.
Some noted lies have been noted on this beat and I’ll be back.
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Jungle Warfare
Saw the first sea trout/salmon of the year jumping this evening. This beat is a bit too canalised and featureless on first inspection. Tough going moving along the bank as well, it’s jungle warfare, nettles and electric fences.
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Sea Trout Mission
First night on the sea trout gear tonight. The less said about the dramas with the land owner the better.
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Out on the Hodder
River still on its arse but I got out for the first proper trip on the Hodder today. Not much doing until midday when the grayling came on the feed in the farm pool. Snaffled a couple of pics of a bigger one before leaving them to it. Nicked a trout at last orders, tungsten bug at the head of a pool. Standard.
Overall… fly life poor for mid April but this beat should fish well with a bit more water. Reckon its good for a Sea Trout but the bankside jungle in summer could make my life difficult.
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Eden 2023
Notes are a bit sporadic this year on account of buying a house. Didn’t get out as much as I would have liked but there was still some magic out there.
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Back to reality
I purposelessly went fishing today in the miserable weather to try and bring myself back to reality after catching that Salmon. It rained for a solid 5 hours which was a bit cold and grim but… I caught another incredible, out of season, clandestine trout, I was buzzed by kingfishers, I saw a salmon leap clear out of the water and I was hissed at by an otter.
And then I caught a couple of stonking grayling on tungsten bugs. Grayling are such a revelation for me. I never used to dream of catching grayling but now I do, they are majestic and fight like demons. Wriggly, slippery bastards in the net and they look stunning in photographs. I must catch more.
