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Against the Odds:
~Richard Tong with a stunning 3lb 3oz wild fish (note the clear blue sky!)~
Generally speaking, spring hatches seem best of dull days with a hint of drizzle in the air. And dare I say it, even a chilly edge on the temperature often sees emerged duns resting on the water surface that bit longer, making them easy targets for trout. Yet, here we were in wall to wall sunshine with a thermometer reading more akin to a summer's day. You could ask what self respecting fly fisher would even contemplate heading out in such conditions? Frustratingly, the weather people had got it wrong again! We'd been promised a layer of cloud with a light breeze. Our saving grace (if you can call it that) was a river running high on the back of a spate. Beery tinged water would surely take the sting out on the blazing sun, hopefully encouraging the odd fish out from the safety of bankside cover. It started at at 1.30pm with a wave of Large Dark Olives. Sure enough the trout were on cue. Ten minutes later, a flurry of flies with flecked wings appeared, the much revered March Browns were hatching off. Sport lasted all of 50 minutes though boy did some quality trout show.
Generally speaking, spring hatches seem best of dull days with a hint of drizzle in the air. And dare I say it, even a chilly edge on the temperature often sees emerged duns resting on the water surface that bit longer, making them easy targets for trout. Yet, here we were in wall to wall sunshine with a thermometer reading more akin to a summer's day. You could ask what self respecting fly fisher would even contemplate heading out in such conditions? Frustratingly, the weather people had got it wrong again! We'd been promised a layer of cloud with a light breeze. Our saving grace (if you can call it that) was a river running high on the back of a spate. Beery tinged water would surely take the sting out on the blazing sun, hopefully encouraging the odd fish out from the safety of bankside cover. It started at at 1.30pm with a wave of Large Dark Olives. Sure enough the trout were on cue. Ten minutes later, a flurry of flies with flecked wings appeared, the much revered March Browns were hatching off. Sport lasted all of 50 minutes though boy did some quality trout show.
Paul~