Wild Trout Trust:

The great and the good gathered in Appleby, Cumbria last weekend to attend the WTT AGM.  Obviously, most discussions centred around habitat improvement, insects and trout recruitment.  Thankfully there was also room for more light hearted, informal talks.  Along with Stuart Crofts, I earned my supper by giving such a presentation.  Sadly, Stuart couldn’t sign off until his after dinner speech which was well received.  It was then down to some serious banter over a beer or three!  Despite any number of opinions on how best to winkle out trout, all agreed that anyone pursuing them really ought to support the Trust: www.wildtrout.org

 

 

~Stuart Crofts gesticulating as only a Yorkshireman can~

 

 

 

 

 

The day before saw WTT Research Officer Peter Hayes (below) and myself pestering a few trout on nearby Eden.  The cruel easterly might well have kept fly hatches pinned back, but we found a few willing takers to dry flies'.  Like myself, Peter’s not shy when it comes to casting at fish-if that’s what you call “research” then count me in…

Under Cover:

Blistering heat and a fierce sun might well have curtailed hatches to the witching hour.  However, on more tree lined sections, undercover trout still went about their daily business if nothing had changed.  In fact, you could argue that the unwelcome heat wave benefited many terrestrials which in turn provided lunch for our spotted residents.  Of course these fish were tucked away in the shadows, which required a fair bit of observation to locate them.  As they say “time spent watching is never wasted” and never a truer word has been spoken in such circumstances.  Paul~

 

 

 

 

 

~The spotted flank of a good trout is just visible as it rises to nab a terrestrial in the reflection of a verdant canopy~

 

 

 

 

 

~Nudging 3lb this thickset beauty sipped down my NDT~

Spates bring success:

Up north we’ve been experiencing endless bouts of rain.  So much so that at times it’s been difficult to get near a river.  That said, such replenishment seems to have benefited countless upwinged species which are now hatching in abundance,  Currently, we’re enjoying good flushes of Olive Uprights, Iron Blues, Large Brook Duns and one of the “unidentifiable” Medium Olive family.  Not that the trout care one jot what species they’re chomping, all they want is an honest, easy to catch meal.  Thankfully the cold, damp weather has hampered emerging flies, keeping them stuck to the surface for longer.  Knowing this, once a hatch gets underway, some fairly hefty trout have taken up station and gorged themselves.  I happened to find such a trout sipping down duns and following some rather tentative moments the net finally folded around a massive, if not defiant fish.  Paul~

 

 

 

 

 

~Glued to the surface this Large Brook Dun is certain to end up as trout fodder~

 

 

 

 

 

~5lb plus of pure wild brown trout, it doesn’t get any better~

Rain, rain, go away:

Nearly 24 hours of relentless rain drenched our region yesterday.  At 1pm the level hovered just under 2 inches in my rain gauge and by 4 o'clock this had risen to a smidgen over 2 inches.  Consequently,our local rivers are in some turmoil and it’s going to be a few days before things come good.  At least I’m missing nothing by demonstrating at the Sportfish Show this coming weekend…

Paul~

There’s Gnats about:

It’s usually about the end of April when Black Gnats begin to appear.  Last year the 29th of April saw them swarming over rivers and streams in Cumbria.  This season they’re a week or so late and not in any great numbers yet thanks to a chilly nor’easter which has pestered us for weeks now…bugger. These tiny terrestrials might appear humble to you and I, but the trout go potty for them.  Fingers crossed a spell of warm weather is set to kick start them proper when their numbers should swelling to epic proportions.  Paul~

 

 

 

~This plump trout couldn’t resist a CdC black gnat pattern~

 

 

 

 

~Despite the cold, another victim of a carefully presented dry fly~

Deveron Festival:

Last week seemed to flash by as I spent it in NE Scotland attending the Deveron Festival close to Turriff. This event is beginning to gather pace as following an action packed Open Day the river Deveron is then opened up to visiting rods for 3 days of full on fishing.  Despite high, coloured water, salmon came off many beats.  As for trout, it was possible to find a few risers tucked away in a quiet corner or two.  Paul~

 

 

 

~Deveron ace Allan Liddle searches a likely run using dry flies~

 

 

 

 

 

~Deveron Trout are truly handsome creatures~

Bumper Hatches:

It’s not often you get to witness multiple species of fly hatching at once.  First up, several things including water height, temperature, wind strength, cloud cover, etc. etc all need to slot into place.  Then of course we actually have to time our visit accordingly, which is down to pure luck rather than good judgement as we don’t really understand the exact criteria that prompts bugs to emerge.  Though when it does occur, scores of mature nymphs make for the surface all at once. Despite unsettled conditions, I was fortune to enjoy a couple of days when Iron Blues, Olive Uprights, March Browns and to a lesser extend Large Dark Olives carpeted the water.  Of course, the trout went bananas when more notable trout could be tempted using dry flies-the stuff dreams are made of…

~An absolute pearler taken during the mythical multi-hatch~

March Browns in Yorkshire:

During a recent week on the river Wharfe at Bolton Abbey we experienced hatches of mottled winged flies.  As Large Brook Dun (Ecdyonurus torrentis) are common in these parts I initially put the activity down to these.  However the hatches resembled those of March Browns (Rhithrogena germanica) which often emerge in definite flurries or pulses.  Inquisitive as ever I managed to nab a few of duns.  Exhibiting a dark fleck in the upper femur and with a clear window in the wing with no apparent cross veins, amazingly these were March Browns.  Rumour has it there’s been no official record of March Browns in Yorkshire.  With that, doubt crept into mind, nothing for it then except for the experts to cast their beady eye over my findings.  Craig McAdam (Invertebrate Conservation Trust) and Stuart Croft kindly confirmed that these were indeed Rhithrogena germanica-excellent news then.  Paul~

It’s easy to see why fishermen mistake Large Brook Duns (below) for the true March Brown (above).  Although images are no substitute for examining bugs first hand, you can clearly see a more olive-yellow tinge to the wings of the Large Brook Dun whereas March Browns tend to exhibit a monotone shade of brown.

An ill wind:

Apparently “It’s an ill wind that blows no good”.  On the face of it, never a truer word seemed to have been whispered during a visit to the Eden last week. A brutal nor’easter carrying arctic temperatures, brought overnight snow.  Granted the white stuff may well have melted by lunchtime but come 2pm (apparently the warmest part of a day) we were still suffering a windchill factor or –4 degrees C.  Amazingly some 30 minutes later Olive Uprights decided to trickle off.  Thankfully the trout seemed just as pleased to see them as us and finding a sheltered corner I managed to prise out a handful of fish on dries. Though sport did get restricted to some 40 minutes for just as quickly as they showed the duns were gone, taking with them any stragglers which cared to rise.    Paul~

Back on home turf:

Whilst destination fishing takes me far afield there’s something special about being reacquainted with an old friend-my home river.  Low, clear water might well have put trout on high alert, but plenty of bugs flitting about  encouraged a few of them to eat flies from the surface.  Bright sun brought me my knees and once in range of feeding fish, longer leaders helped present the fly like thistledown.  Given the presence of terrestrials a small, beetle like imitation seemed wise and when fish nosing 3lb odd move to snaffle your fly, you know you’ve cracked it.

Paul~

 

 

 

~This sleek beauty moved some 3ft to engulf my small terrestrial pattern~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~The signature of a clean spring fish is one bearing a butter yellow belly~