Midlands Fly Fishing Tips and Reports

October 09 Fishing Report

2009-10-29T15:36:00.003Z

Where the great river trout season we had this year left off, stillwater trout fishing has taken over. To qualify that statement, fishing at Loynton Fisheries has been hot. Over 50% of fish we've landed here during October have been over 4lbs in weight, that is a staggering statistic. The fish have been fry feeding at times, however the very mild weather has seen them continuing to predate on terrestrials and nymphs, many of the larger fish falling to buzzers, PTNs and similar patterns. Checkout Alan Charlesworth with his new best rainbow of 5.5lbs. He also landed it's twin later in the day!

Cotswold waters have been much tougher, only starting to improve as the month closes. The milder conditions seem to have endowed trout with plenty of food, making them very choosy over what they consume. Water conditions are crystal clear on the lakes however, perfect stalking conditions during brighter days.

River wise, the Coln is producing the goods with numbers of grayling over the pound mark. In crystal clear water fishing is both a challenge and extremely rewarding, as big grayling inhale your flies!

We are going to have some awesome fly fishing for the remainder of 2009, stalking those trophy trout on the lakes, big grayling on the river, while at the same time conditions being perfect for continuing or fly fishing lessons.

Book your pre Christmas trip now!

Tight Lines

Steve

My Fishing Holiday

2009-10-27T12:48:00.002Z

OK October posting has been light, in fact so light this is my first! At the beginning of the month once the river trout season had ended I took up an invitation to visit Scotland and continue my quest for salmon.

Now you may think having guided throughout the year, fished just a bit myself and introduced a lot of newbies to the sport of fly fishing, that I would not be in the mood to fish hard? Not a bit of it, 5 days hard fishing produced 2 fabulous fish of 6lbs and 9lbs. Both were cock fish in their pre spawning colours and while many would prefer to catch a fresh run bright silver salmon, I rather thought how very handsome these fish looked, not unlike a big male brown trout!

It was a great trip all round, my only frustration being that we could not go for the trout. We had 2 days of low clear water when the salmon had no interest and trout were rising to BWO's. Some real crackers too! Ah well, their is always next time!

Tight Lines

Steve

Fishing Report September 09

2009-09-28T15:59:00.002+01:00

On the rivers, we are ending the trout season in style with some cracking fish. On the wye we've had browns to 2lbs, plus some of the prettiest wild rainbows I've seen. Virtually all have come to dries as we experienced good hatches of BWO's, stone flies, midge and caddis. On the river Coln, some superbly marked browns to 3lbs have fallen to a range of dries, emergers and nymphs fished to sighted trout.

Looking forward our river fishing on the Coln switches focus to the grayling from October 1st and their are plenty of them to be caught! For the Wye, that will be end of fishing until 2010.

Stillwaters are picking up steadily in the main, Loynton is now fishing very well. Clients have enjoyed a run of fish to 8lbs during September to daddies, buzzers and a mix of bait fish patterns. Over at Watermark the sight fishing for trout between 2-7lbs has been good overall. Some day's have been tricky with lots of follows,that's all part of the game when stalking fish. A mix of buzzers, daddies and stalking bugs have done the trick. Bushyleaze and Lechlade have been a little tougher, however fish are moving.

Looking into October the above stillwaters will get better and better. Plenty of bigger fish to come and more fish hitting fry!

Can't wait!

Steve

World Record Trout

2009-09-16T16:32:00.002+01:00

It seems September 2009 is living up to the months reputation for producing truly huge trout. We are seeing some brutes starting to move, a couple of clients already having encounters with double figure fish. This all looks good for the autumn/winter fishing to come.

However nothing quite compares to not one but two potential world record breakers caught within just days of each other.

On 5th September a potential new all tackle class world record rainbow trout was landed from Canada's Lake Diefenbaker just a year after it produced the previous monster rainbow. See the photo's here.

The on 9th September the all tackle class brown trout world record was smashed by a fish of 41.45lbs from the Manistee river, Michigan. Images and full story here.

While details of the rainbow's capture are sketchy as yet though it was not on fly, the brown took a 3.5" black and silver plug. Now get those bait fish patterns out and hit the water (as if you need further motivation!).

Steve

Fishing Report August 09

2009-09-03T15:58:00.002+01:00

River fishing continued in the same positive, productive vein we have enjoyed since the start of the season. Dry fly was the dominant force and continues to be into September as I write. We've just guided 3 day's guided fishing on the Wye this week, all but 1 fish caught on dries, good hatches still occurring, plus terrestrials too. Shame last night's storm put the water out of condition today! Look for excellent sport right through to the river season's end on October 8th.

Lakes were tough through August, however most people got into fish or at least some takes as fish fed hard. It was just a case of getting flies right in front of fish. We even managed to stalk a few margin cruisers at Loynton and Watermark saw several clients hooked into some sizeable fish which we stalked. Day's are getting shorter now and while I'm no fan of that, at least the water holds less food and the fish have to work harder to fill their bellies! Net result, fishing is more productive.

Tight Lines

Steve

Pike On Fly

2009-09-03T15:50:00.002+01:00

A new international pike fly fishing tournament is being organised by pike fly fishing guide Simon Graham. It is planned for May 2010 in Finland. Further details at Simon's blog.

For details of our own guided fishing trips, check out details at pike on the fly!

Tight Lines

Steve

Hatches - August

2009-08-10T16:04:00.002+01:00

We have 2 opposites that are poles apart this this month. Day time fishing can be based around small patterns, while the evening can be time for the big fly (though not always).

Midges are hatching in profusion and they are small, real small. A size 16 often looks big in comparison with naturals so it's time to go light and add some emerger and pupa patterns in 18-24 to your collection of flies. Caenis can also be encountered, the good news is you can use the same flies as with the midges.

At the other end of the scale, it's sedge time, with many evenings filled with emerging adults and egg layers, dancing to the sound of snapping trout jaws! Note 2 things here. 1 daytime hatches occur, something we have enjoyed this past week on both lake and river. 2 Not all sedges or caddis are huge, in fact most are best represented on a 14-16, while some are really tiny.

Terrestrial insects abound this month, with daddies a must have fly in addition to ants, beetles and even a moth pattern.

One often overlooked prey on the stillwaters is the corixa or water boatman. August is the month when migration to other waters takes place, increasing both their activity and vulnerability, often ensuring some trout target them. Another late summer favorite are snails. They will be egg laying on the underside of water plants, ensuring a procession of trout cruise along to intercept them at some point during the day. All this plus masses of fry and it's easy to see why targeting trout is far more effective than blindly casting.

Tight Lines

Steve

Fishing Report - July 09

2009-08-06T04:12:00.002+01:00

OK so July arrived and stillwaters provided their usual challenge, loads of insect life, masses of pin fry and in some but not all cases warm water. However a great bunch of clients did really well, most at least getting into some fish during beginners day's, while improvers really moved things forward.

Probably the best venue proved to be Loynton Fisheries, where providing we located the depth of feeding fish (and holes on this fishery go to 40 feet) we were typically successful. Flies were indeed diverse, small buzzer and nymph patterns, mini fry, sedge pupa, damsels and bloodworm all working.

Rivers, well the fishing is simply superb, heavy rain lost a few day's on the Wye, though fishing small nymph and dries was superb in between. The Coln is in cracking form, lower water persists, though the sight fishing to sizable browns and grayling is good. Expecting more of the same through August.

A couple of early morning sessions for pike brought some good action, while unsettled weather made carp rather more unpredictable. Given half decent weather through August, we should get some cracking top water sport with both species!

Tight Lines

Steve

Mid July Update

2009-07-18T20:28:00.002+01:00

Fishing wise we keep producing the goods and the weather is helping in that department currently. Rivers are fishing well and Loynton is producing steady sport once you find the fish. For the latest catches and images check out our Facebook page via the link on the home blog page.

If you not seen them yet, our new "must do" trips are pike on fly and carp on fly. We are getting some serious action at the moment with fish well into double figures and with summer and autumn the time for these species on fly, get your dates booked now!

Best Fishes

Steve

Hatches - July 09

2009-07-07T07:35:00.002+01:00

July is blessed with an abundance of food that makes life good for trout. In general a plethora of sedge species will hatch during daytime and evening and explosions of caenis can occur any evening given settled conditions. Where you are able to fish at first light, superb sport can be had from the caenis spinners, if you can drag yourself away from a warm bed at an extremely early hour?

Midges, various olives and on the rivers a few stone flies will be in evidence. Damsels have an almost mayfly like appeal on some lakes, with the nymph and adult flies bringing fish to the surface. Don't discount this fly on rivers either, in slower sections it can be a very productive fly.

Fry are very much in evidence now from this year's coarse fish spawning. They make a readily available food source for trout, though do bear in mind sometimes your fly needs to match size very accurately. Other than that most flashy nymphs will take fish. If fish appear to be supping buzzers and you fail to catch them, it's well worth trying to imitate pin fry. Very often in July this approach proves successful.

Tight Lines

Steve

Fishing Report June 09

2009-06-30T19:45:00.002+01:00

Mayfly provided further superb sport in June, see further details here. Post the event, fishing has continued well on the rivers. On recent hot days, fly hatches may have been lower during the main part of the day, however nymph activity remained high and we have enjoyed fabulous fishing to sighted trout. Grayling have also been landed to around 1.5lbs since they came back into season mid month, all have been in good condition having recovered from spawning.

Surface sport has been by no means slack, with plenty of fish caught and plenty of anglers overcoming their fear of fishing small flies (i.e. anything smaller than a size 14).

Lakes have again been unpredictable, though the fish are there and the opportunities have come with persistence, working out what they want and where. Buzzers, bloodworm and PTN often out fishing larger mobile patterns. A few fish were caught on dries, shuttle cocks, daddies and damsels, plus mayflies. Sight fishing has been good, with a few nice browns landed and some cracking rainbows. Some days we followed the fish out in the boat, continuing to target sighted fish as they cruised subsurface clearly nymphing.

Looking forward to July the best sport will undoubtedly be early and late in the day. During the day using your eyes more and casting less will catch more where visual location of trout is possible. If July is bright and hot, we will be following trout deeper as they search out cooler oxygen rich water during the day. Settled evenings will see some great evening rises, make the most of them and leave the pub until dark nights, they come round all too soon!

To give clients the best chance of success, we offer late starts during July and August. If clients desire, we fish lunchtime through evening providing fishing both subsurface and on the dry.

Tight Lines

Steve

Mayfly 09 Part 2

2009-06-16T07:52:00.002+01:00

Following on from part 1 of our mayfly 09 season, this second and last part reviews the hatch for us this year.

So right now we are at the end of another main mayfly season, and what fishing it has brought with it! I believe Gordon Mackie summed mayfly season up perfectly in the June 09 issue of Fly Fishing & Fly Tying saying "The Mayfly interlude has been called the ultimate hunting experience".

I have often been rather disenchanted with mayfly, for several seasons catching more fish on tiny midge patterns than mayfly imitations. However I have to say that while many large fish caught and lost this year have been taking flies other than mayfly, it's the creamy slabs of butter that bring the big fish to the surface in the first place. Without a doubt I have seen more large river trout during the 09 mayfly period than any other year I have been fly fishing.

We landed several fish over 2lbs, 2 fish over 3lbs and several others have been lost, including 2 I estimated at well over 4lbs. If you are wondering which magical river this is, it's not any one single water. It is the result of me being on the water everyday, locating and observing the habits of these big fish, so clients can then have a shot at something very special. It's my job and I love it! I also managed a couple of rather nice fish too.

Lake wise bushyleaze had a pretty big hatch and Loynton while not having an explosive hatch, produced a steady hatch over several weeks, which at the moment of writing continues. The fish have at times actively sought out the nymphs and provided some thrilling takes to emmergers.

No doubt a few mayfly will continue to trickle off over the next 2-3 weeks, however in most cases fish have had their fill of them. The game changes again and now it's time for the small fly to rule once more!

Tight Lines

Steve

June 2009 Newsletter

2009-06-11T07:43:00.002+01:00

Just incase you've not signed up to our free monthly magazine yet, check out our June issue here!

To subscribe visit our website and complete the form located in the left hand column.

Enjoy!

Steve

Hatches - June 2009

2009-06-04T05:28:00.002+01:00

Months seem to fly by at present and this column seems to be one I'm always writing!

On the rivers June sees continued emergence of olives such as the large dark, small dark, medium and blue wing species plus iron blue and pale watery. Look out for some great spinner falls if we have weather similar to recent days, plus pale evening duns. Mayfly will figure to a greater or lesser extent depending upon water for the next couple of weeks, while sedges start to increase in presence too as will caenis.

On the lakes upwings continue their domination with pond/lake olives and in some cases mayfly remaining a dominant force. Midge pupa too remain high on the trouts menu, however expect pupa to become smaller from now on. Sample your own waters to develop a better idea of local variations. Damsels are a major food source from this month through summer and pin fry start to show, while sedges and caenis figure as the season of the evening rise progresses.

Tight Lines

Steve

Fishing Report May

2009-05-29T07:40:00.002+01:00

Possibly the most anticipated report of the year! It's mayfly time again and life is good. The Coln is having a superb mayfly season with some wonderful browns landed and a couple of huge fish lost. Some day's I don't know who gets more excited, clients or me!

The Derbyshire Wye is fishing superbly, with mayfly just getting going, though most of our fish have come to small midge patterns, far out fishing anything else this month. Expect June fishing to be just as good and to everyone who packs their rod away post mayfly, don't, the rest of the season holds much opportunity too.

Lakes have been as unpredictable at times as the weather has during May. One day everything is fine, the next not so. We've enjoyed some really good days at Loynton, Bushyleaze and Watermark, interspersed with the odd day which has been much harder work. That as they say is fishing!

Some great nymph and dry fly sport using midge and lake olive imitations such as, buzzers, F fly, shuttlecock, PTN, parachute adams. Mayflies have also been taking fish on the lakes, this year trout seem to have hit them the moment hatches started. Very unusual as they often scare trout during the first days. Even sparse hatches have triggered aggressive takes to nymph and dry. Look for this to continue in the first half of June, with damsels becoming an increasing factor later in the month (they already are on some lakes).

Tight Lines

Steve

Cool Posts May 2009

2009-05-29T07:28:00.002+01:00

Another short one this month, though an inspiring one. If you need a reason to hit the water at this time of year (and I doubt you do) or need a little escape while stuck in an office, check this out!

Charles Jardine Chalkstream Fishing

Steve

Wet Weather, Leaky Waders & Dry Fly

2009-05-21T06:15:00.002+01:00

It's that time of year when we all love nothing more than being by a river. Consequently this month has been spent almost exclusively by flowing water, guiding clients with dramatically varied fly fishing experience.

I've noticed however some recurring similarities which keep happening. Number one is it keeps damn raining, not too much, just enough to keep us damp throughout the day! Number two is my waders developed an irritating leak, which, after a couple of attempts I thought I'd solved. Yesterday saw me with a wet left foot again, so after last nights fix I guess we will see if we get wet or stay dry today.

Third point is regardless of weather, dry fly is now almost exclusively catching all the river fish. Not because nymphs don't work, there are just so many rising fish, it's great fun! If it rains, we get terrestrials and a few LDO's. In between midges, medium olives, olive uprights, iron blues, pale wateries, mayfly and a few sedges explode, depending upon which river we visit.

The moral of the story, I can put up with rain, leaky waders and wet feet when dry fly fishing is this good! Must dash, more clients and trout to attend too!

Best Fishes

Steve

Mayfly 09 Part 1

2009-05-12T07:20:00.003+01:00

Tuesday 5th May I saw the first few mayfly of 2009 hatch, heralding the start of the hatch period for this year. We are now seeing hatches most days at Lechlade, Bushyleaze, the river Coln and latterly, at Loynton Fisheries and trout are onto them too.

If the fish don't go for the dries at the moment their is plenty of nymph activity to exploit, with either classic Walker Mayfly nymphs or a large pheasant tail.

We currently have a handful of late mayfly dates remaining available. To secure your day out for 2009, call me on 07901 744869 or email here.

Tight Lines

Steve

Fishing Report April 09

2009-05-01T07:21:00.005+01:00

That slight warming effect April brings, certainly worked it's magic once again! Fly life is abundant, with spring fishing now in full swing.

Rivers have been in superb trim during April, the Wye crystal clear, enabling us to quietly stalk some superb trout to 2lbs. As the month progressed hatches became more consistent. Top water sport with dry fly is now superb.

Cotswold rivers are also looking very fine too, producing some blissful early season days, sighting browns and delicately presenting your fly to achieve the ultimate deception!

Stillwater fishing saw large buzzer hatches making midge fishing almost compulsory some days, those tiny little pupa extracting fish up to 8lbs for clients during April, including a few nice browns. Windy days also saw many terrestrials meeting a watery end. Beetles, midges, hawthorn, alder and the occasional early crane fly and sedge. These tempted some superb resident trout at venues such as Loynton, Bushyleaze and Watermark.

Latterly, pond and lake olives have started to hatch in numbers, further adding to the feast. At Lechlade and Bushlyleaze the first Mayfly are hatching too offering a glimpse of things to come during May and June.

As you can see their is plenty of fly and fish action to enjoy currently and moving forward. Now is the time to forsake lures and switch to nymph and dry fly. Go on give it a try! Alternatively learn how to identify what fish are feeding on and fish natural imitations with our fly fishing lessons.

We had many really good days during April with our courses well attended too. Thanks to everyone who has fished with us so far and we look forward to seeing many more of you during the coming weeks and months. If you are planning a spring trip and have not yet booked, do get in touch ASAP to secure dates as they are going fast!

Tight Lines

Steve

Hatches May 09

2009-04-29T20:18:00.002+01:00

As expected rivers are just hitting their stride during the last 10 days in terms of more consistent hatch activity. With a multitude of stone flies, olives of one species or another and many other tiny upwing flies and midges bursting forth, matching size, approximate colour and perhaps more importantly behavior beats exact match the hatch imitation and a long string of latin names!

Stillwaters are bursting with buzzers, the largest I've seen so would match a size 8 hook perfectly though most have been around a size 12 with colouration varying from water to water, it pays to sample your lakes and any trout retained. Main colorations have been black with an orange tint and a sooty dark olive with prominent silver banding. I mentioned last month sees a very early hawthorn, well the lakes at Loynton are now seeing large numbers, many hitting the water during recent blustery conditions.

I've also seen the odd early crane fly on several lakes and the Wye, numbers of these will only increase as spring moves on and trout will start to take notice of them particularly during windy conditions.

Looking to May, olive hatches will build strength on lake and river, while at some point during this month Mayfly will start to hatch, dates varying from water to water. Be sure to catch our Mayfly Madness newsletter out at the beginning of May for further details of the Mayfly and fishing opportunities.

May brings more than Mayfly though with fish snacking on tiny upwing species, gnats and midges both between mayfly hatches and at times in preference to Mayflies. Be sure not to see what you want to see, instead watch feeding trout carefully before deciding what to throw at them.

Tight Lines

Steve

Cool Posts April 09

2009-04-27T20:36:00.002+01:00

You can tell it's spring when the number of posts go down. Simply put, we've gone fishing!

Top post this month goes to a gem of a new find on the subject of fly photography, with plenty of info for those of us with non specialised macro equipment. Check it out over at Fly Art Studio.

Best Fishes

Steve

Spring Open Weekend at Orvis Loynton

2009-04-17T07:12:00.003+01:00

Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th April sees the spring 09 open weekend for Loynton Trout Fishery and the onsite Orvis Store.

With fly fishing demonstrations, whiskey tasting, the chance to test and buy the lastest kit, plus talk with fishery staff and go fishing, make these dates for your diary.

Details and directions for the fishery here.

Steve

April 09 Newsletter

2009-04-04T07:04:00.002+01:00

Our April newsletter was released to subscribers yesterday. You can view it here.

Like the content? Want to get the latest news monthly? Click through to the main website and sign up on any page, it's free!

Have an idea to improve the newsletter? Great, we would love to here it! Simply click on comments at the end of this post and let us know your thoughts.

Best Fishes

Steve

Hatches April 2009

2009-04-01T19:58:00.006+01:00

I can take plenty more days like yesterday, gentle breeze, warm sunshine and fly fishing or at least teaching people how to. Does life get any better?

Yes is the answer, fly life is bursting forth, bringing increasing opportunities for imitative fishing. To celebrate this we start a new monthly series, "Hatches" as a practical anglers guide to some key fly species trout will find at the surface during the year.

Yesterday we were treated to sporadic midge hatches through the day at Loynton Fisheries and while most action occurred subsurface to midge pupa, sufficient surface activity was apparent for sport with emmergers.

I even noticed a single lonely hawthorn fly, the first of the year. On stillwaters during April, look out for increasing midge hatches and later the month, numbers of hawthorn flies, plus pond and lake olives.

On rivers the main interest for trout at the surface comes from larger dark olives, with some stone flies and later in the month medium olives. Once trout get back into the swing of surface feeding they will often also rise during the hatches of tiny midge and terrestrials such as beetles and again hawthorns.

Have some major hatches on your waters not noted above? Let everyone know in comments!

Happy Fishing

Steve

March Fishing Report 2009

2009-03-30T13:56:00.003+01:00

March certainly lived up to it's reputation for unpredictable weather this year, meaning lots of variation in fishing tactics to keep those fish coming.

On stillwaters, buzzers, bloodworm and the usual mix of lures, accounted for plenty of fish overall. During milder spells however, we enjoyed some top water action to hoppers and shipmans buzzers. Clients have had a high average size at Loynton fisheries, at around 3lbs, while I've personally landed fish to 9lbs (it was a mint fish too, full of bright colours and spots) during a handful of short sessions throughout March. Mind you with 2 fish over 20lbs landed, plus a good number of doubles, there were many fish larger than mine.

River wise, our fishing on Derbyshire's river wye has flowed as a continuation of my last report. Surface action being dictated very much by what day we were on the water. The fish and the river are in cracking condition though and I'm looking forward to many day's out there with clients during April.

April 1st sees the start of chalkstream fishing and the stillwater brown trout season. While good sport on the Cotswold streams can be expected from the start, classic chalkstream fly fishing really comes into it's own from late April onward.

Stillwater browns are on the wish list of many anglers. So if you want to learn how to consistently fool them, we are providing tuition at Lechlade, Bushyleaze and Watermark in the Cotswolds. While Lechlade is a shot at some very big browns, the other 2 venues provide really good imitative fishing. To discuss your trip, call or email us. Contact details can be found here!

Tight Lines

Steve