Paul Procter Fly Fishing

Busy Week:

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:55:00 +0000

What with all the fly life kicking about, our big trout have gone into overdrive by looking up for longer periods. In fact there’s been days when several notable specimens have been hard on the go, giving us ample opportunities to tangle with these usually elusive beasts. With that, my last half dozen outings produced some glass case specimens, all taken on dry flies during decent hatches or falls of terrestrials…namely, black gnats.

…This bruiser was busy scoffing black gnats late one afternoon. He snaffled a size 16 NDT without a glance before towing my around the pool…

~Another terrestrial feeder tempted during the recent spell of balmy weather~

Bits n Bobs…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:22:00 +0000

Recently, more settled weather has encouraged many of our flies and bugs to stretch their wings. Admittedly, nature is a week or two behind, but the last 10 days or so have seen a diverse number of fly flitting about that in turn had trout looking up for longer periods. The first of our fabled Mayfly have appeared (above) and close on their heels were decent falls of black gnat too. More obscure findings include the Gravel Bed Fly, a gangly-legged terrestrial that’s not too common. However, trout love ‘em where they occur. Then there’s Large Brook Duns (LBDs) that some claim fish rarely bother with…my local trout population have different thoughts! Yes the bulk of LBD nymphs might well haul out of water to emerge, yet breezy conditions soon see them crashing back to the surface.

…Large Brook Duns, represent a decent meal and are popular with trout in my neck of the woods…

…The humble Black Gnat has appeared in hordes to send our trout daft…

~Gravel Bed Flies might not be that common, but trout relish them where they occur~

More than just a Spider hook…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 13:04:00 +0000

The Partridge Spider Hook (L3A/S) might well have been designed with North Country patterns in mind, however, it’s a lot more than just a Spider hook. The “Captain Hamilton” bend and wide gape make it an ideal choice for a range of emerger and terrestrial dressings too. Whether using deer hair (al a Bob Wyatt’s DHE) or CdC, it’s my first choice when tying shuttlecock style emergers so popular with river angler’s today. Though for black gnats, hawthorn flies or beetle imitations you couldn’t ask for a more balanced hook. My favourite sizes are 12 down to 16.

Partridge Spider Hooks @ www.partridge-of-redditch.co.uk

A clutch of flies that have served me well recently…dressings below

Hook: Partridge Spider #14

Thread: Danville’s Primrose

Butt: Pearly tinsel

Body: Olive dubbing

Wing: Elk/Deer hair

Thorax: Hare’s Fur

Hook: Partridge Spider #16

Thread: Danville’s Wine

Rib: Danville’s Wine

Body: Mole’s fur

Wing: Natural CdC

Thorax: Hare’s Ear

Hook: Partridge Spider #14

Thread: Sheer 14/0 Black

Body: Peacock Herl

Shellback: Black Ethafoam

Post: Fl Yellow TMC Aero

Thorax: Peacock Ice-Dub

Head: Ethafoam folded over

Uprights & Gnats…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Thu, 30 May 2013 07:45:00 +0000

It’s been a strange few days on the rivers. Monday saw heavy rain and masses of Olive Uprigths (right), which tempted fish to the surface. Tuesday and Wednesday were dull with a chilly northerly wind. As expected, Uprights showed up on cue, but joining them were Black Gnats by the bucket load, odd given max air temps of only 12oC and persistent drizzle. Anyway, I for one wasn’t complaining as these welcome terrestrials turned the heads of some pretty substantial trout.

Initially, trout like this beauty were in the offing as they wolfed down Olive Uprights

A lone black gnat amounts to nothing, yet a whole army of them can make the trout go berserk…

…This bruiser accepted a tiny size 16 black gnat imitation before towing me around the pool…

At last…Black Gnats…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Mon, 27 May 2013 08:01:00 +0000

Given a normal spring, we’d generally expect to see black gnats about the third week of April…the 26th to be precise. This season however, things are a week or three behind. Some welcome sunshine over the last few days have at last encouraged black gnats to stretch their wings (right). At times, thousands of naturals littered the water, making it vital to a; knot on an appropriate imitation and b; deliver it accurately. I had the pleasure of guiding Mark Whitmarsh who quickly got to grips with several gnat feeding trout.

~Keeping a low profile by kneeling, Mark winkled out a basket of trout from surprisingly thin water~

~Happy as a sandboy, Whitters displays a solid wild trout well over 2lb and his best of the day~

Grannom…a blessing or a curse…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:57:00 +0000

Those frequenting Dales rivers wax lyrical about the appearance of Grannom (a daytime hatching caddis). According to reliable sources the trout can go positively daft, making surface tactics worthwhile. West of the Pennines however, my findings are different. Come those blizzard hatches, it’s been an uphill struggle. In fact, more than once this week, finning trout have ceased rising, only to drop down in the water and hoover up Grannom pupae. This became obvious one afternoon where from a high vantage point, fish could be seen through polariods swinging this way and that to intercept ascending pupae. A dry fly enthusiast at heart, maybe it’s time I turn to the dark side…a nymph…

At one point, discarded pupal shucks carpeted the river from bank to bank

Adult Grannom doing what they do best…mating. Over recent years Grannom have increased on many rivers

A haze of Grannom, how the hell do you compete with their numbers…?

Iron Blues keep coming:

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:43:00 +0000

We’re lucky to be blessed with one of the most distinctive of Ephemerids the Iron blue Dun. Equating to about a size 16 hook what these inky coloured upwings lack in size they more than make up for in numbers. Admittedly, hatches might have petered out a wee bit from last week, but there’s still enough about to get the trout excited, including some of the larger specimens too. Best of all, following the main hatch, duns continue to trickle off, frequently getting ushered into a quiet corner where these larger, secretive trout prefer to lurk. With a little bit of patience and slice of luck…I managed to connect with a couple of these trout during a recent hatch.

…Nearly there… Leaning on a good fish to keep his head up

~Trout like this are well worth staking out~

A Race against Time:

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Fri, 17 May 2013 06:59:00 +0000

Tuesday’s rain pretty much scuppered the whole of Yorkshire. I thought we’d got away with it as levels seemed normal. However, come lunchtime a few tributaries where pumping in flood water and some fairly mucky looking stuff at that (right). Scurrying upstream of these offending limbs, thankfully, clear water existed (bottom left on above photo), but with pelting rain, who knows for how long? Just when you want flies to emerge the buggers delayed their hatch… It was now a race against time before a lifting river would spoil any hope of dry fly action. Finally, a flush of olives showed shortly before 3pm, encouraging some pretty impressive trout to feed. Sport lasted a good hour before a threatening spate had its say. It’s frustrating watching rafts of olive drift by on angry currents the colour of oxtail soup, though several fish had been fooled, including a couple of thumpers…

~Solid trout like this beauty were in the offing, if you looked hard enough~

Despite heavy rain, swallows were working the water, indicating things were afoot

Another cracking trout to the olive CdC dry and one of the prettiest fish I’ve seen this season

~By 4.30 the water had turned a yucky brown, bringing an abrupt end to sport~

Touch ‘n Go:

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:37:00 +0000

Eager to get out and see if the weekend hatches weren’t just a one off, a day of blustery showers really didn’t promise much. Repeated heavy downpours (right) laced with hailstones dropped temperatures by several degrees, which in my book isn’t conducive to good fly hatches. And when the magical hour of activity well passed, I was beginning to get worried. As Ephemerids often do they kept me waiting until gone 2 o’clock…nine minutes past to be exact… With Olive Uprights and Iron Blues bursting into life the trout went positively nuts, treating me to a good 3 hours of intense action. The often blustery wind that hindered casting also flattened countless duns which became easy pickings for stationed trout.

~First of the day, a fit looking fish~

…The squally conditions kept knocking both Olive Upright and Iron Blues onto their sides. Swamped at the surface these duns became easy pickings for trout…

The Iron Blue Cul (IBC) accounted for the bulk of my haul though any trout which snubbed this would usually be tempted up to an Olive Upright imitation

Mass Hatch…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:45:00 +0000

Against the run of recent form our latest spell of nasty weather blessed us with an unforeseen, yet extremely welcome fly hatch of biblical proportions! Not only did Olive Uprights treat us with sustained activity, Iron Blue Duns joined in too, making it a day of days. For the first time this season, numbers of trout where discovered topping in several pools, making those weeks of scratching about a distant memory… These trout literally went berserk, mopping up everything in their path. Even fish hell bent of targeting Iron Blues couldn’t resist a size 14 CdC dun. Sadly, a strong breeze blew many duns into marginal scum lanes, trapping them there (above). And whilst these winged adults perished, many more made it to safety. Fingers crossed this has signalled the start of our season proper and not before time.

~When compared side by side an adult Iron Blue Dun (left) is a mere shadow of the lofty Olive Upright (right). Thankfully this didn’t matter one jot to trout as they greedily snaffled both species~

One of a number of larger specimens which pounced on a carefully presented fly

…Nearly all my trout fell foul of this hackled CdC dun, despite fish often favouring natural Iron Blues…

Bank Holiday (Iron) Blues…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Tue, 07 May 2013 07:35:00 +0000

Bank Holidays are notorious for throwing nasty weather as us and whilst the wind blew, come May Day a light breeze stroked the surface. Initially, a belt of decent cloud provided enough cover for a flurry of Iron Blue Duns to hatch. These inky black ephemerids remain a favourite of mine, which seem to be increasing in northern regions. With duns littering the surface, time to try a new pattern. Thankfully, those trout sipping down flies were quick onto the concoction of mole’s fur and CdC, giving us a good couple of hours of top drawer dry fly sport. By early afternoon though a blazing sun burnt off cloud bringing a halt to the hatch. Though a careful bit of scrutiny revealed the odd fish still prepared to feed and picking our way upstream, we managed several trout to 2lb plus.

~This solid lump snaffled the IBS first cast~

…Another victim to the the IBS…

Iron Blue Cul (IBC):

Hook: Partridge Spider #16

Thread: Danville’s Flymaster 6/0 claret

Body: Mole’s fur

Rib: Danville’s Flymaster 6/0 wine (claret) thread

Wing: Natural CdC (2 plumes)

~A tad scruffy this little tinker had tangled with several trout during a sparse hatch of Iron Blue Duns. That marriage of claret thread and mole’s fur gives a wonderful translucent and segmented effect when wet~

Calm before the Storm:

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Fri, 03 May 2013 07:15:00 +0000

Yesterday, we were blessed with light breezes and warm spring sunshine, rendering our river valleys (right) a promising place to be. With forecaster predicting heavy rain, gales and even snow on high peaks I managed to sneak out before the anticipated storm. The warmth lulled me into fishing a terrestrial pattern and whilst black gnats were absent (long overdue now…) thankfully, plenty of tiny beetles filled the air and the trout weren’t too fussy.

~Even trout that were nailing olives were quick to grab a #16 terrestrial pattern~

~Big enough to warrant netting, another beauty to the terrestrial~

Picture perfect, with spots from snout to tail this fellow could easily be dealt with by hand

Well Worth It:

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 07:31:00 +0000

The plan was to spend a few days north of the border, even going as far up as Aberdeenshire. As ever, nature dealt us a cruel hand with rising rivers and strong northerly winds. Aborting our mission, we managed to find one likely spot though again the wind proved a problem. A good few hours walking and deliberating on where might be favourable passed before a handful of fish were eventually discovered. Richard was first to score with a fit 1lb 10oz trout. But, shortly afterwards the albeit meagre trickle of olives dried up. A team of spiders worked through some tumbling water produced a modest pounder for me then out of nowhere this large snout poked through the surface film. A quick flick upstream of this disturbance produced our best for the day (above), making our long journey and walk well worth it.

~Specimen trout like this hen fish are our future and need to be turned loose~

Big Boys come out to play…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 06:36:00 +0000

A fair dollop of rain and breezy conditions have kept us off the rivers lately. However, things settled down enough for me to nip out and spend a few hours on a favourite stretch of water. Best of all, a half decent hatch of LDOs had some thumpers looking up for lunch. This bruiser (right) weighed well over 3lb and towed me about the pool before he finally rolled over. Another three notable fish followed, all were tucked up in daft spots, quietly sipping down a steady stream of duns…happy days!

One of the lucky ones this Large Dark Olive dun found sanctuary on a dry boulder. Yet, when they’re on the water nothing excites trout (or fishermen for that matter) more!

~You’d be hard pushed to find a better looking specimen than this lump. Another that topped 3lb, making it the best session so far this season and one to remember~

Salmon on Dries…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 08:33:00 +0000

With temperatures at last reaching into double digits, yesterday pretty much ranked as the first day of spring in my diary. Best of all were rafts of Large Dark (right) drifting down the soft edges of current lanes. Some nice trout were quick to take advantage, which got me off to a nice start. Though what I didn’t expect were topping salmon, two of which latched onto my size 14 DHE drifted down to them. Well, you see a rise at this time of year and automatically think of trout! Making my 4-weigh groan the tussle was epic and the best of them weighed just over 7lb. Granted they were well mended kelts which were dropping back, but it does raise that question of salmon feeding in fresh water…

Two pound plus of solid spring trout which snaffled the olive DHE (Deer Hair Emerger) without a second glance

Salmon kelts too had a liking for the DHE and nailed it with a satisfying head and tail rise

~Firmly embedded into the jaws of a decent male trout the DHE scores again~

A Steady Stream:

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:52:00 +0000

Despite the unwelcome return of that nagging easterly, a day on the Lancashire Colne saw a staggering number of Large Darks congregate quieter parts of the river (right). I was with successful urban landscape artist Liam Spencer who happens to be just as skilful with a rod in his hand rather than brush. For three hours a steady stream of duns lifted off making it possible to target trout using our beloved dry flies. Granted, struggling water temperatures did seem to make some trout lethargic, but we found enough fish to make the trip more than worthwhile.

~Liam pitches at a trout holding tight against the far bank~

~Following a welcome response, minutes later a feisty Colne fish comes thrashing to hand~

…Phew, safely in the net…

The Beginning of the End…?

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:18:00 +0000

Zephyr like breezes and much needed sun lifted weekend temperatures to nearly double figures. In turn our coveted upwinged species responded by emerging in reasonable flurries. Best of all though was the anticipated appearance of that iconic creature the March Brown, which trout really do relish. As for the fishing, well the action might have been short lived, however, if you flitted from pool to pool it was possible to find rising trout before the curtain came down. Hopefully at last this slight increase in temperatures signals the beginning of hatches proper and the end of winter’s icy grip…

It’d always nice to get a fish under your belt and I tend to make sure by using the net…

…Large and elegant, March Browns are perhaps the most wonderful of our upwinged flies…

~Despite March Browns being on the menu this trout snaffled an olive loopwing emerger~

Clean and in good fettle, you couldn’t wish for a better example of a spring trout

Magical Moment:

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:33:00 +0000

Another gruelling day of a relentless easterly with sub zero temperatures. In truth, I was staring a blank in the face when for no apparent reason those icy gusts just died away. Suddenly, a degree or two warmer, up popped Large Darks Olives (right). In fact for the first time this season, several littered the surface at once. Best of all though were dimpling trout, right on theirs heels and there in front of me. What followed was 15 minutes of pure magic that concluded with a solid 2 pounder. Sadly this welcome activity was brought to an abrupt end by that bloody wind, which spread cat’s paws across the surface, rendering the river lifeless once more.

~My day concluded with the stunning and well marked 2lb plus cock fish~

…An ill wind killed the hatch stone dead to rob me off any further action~

A Steady Trickle:

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 06:40:00 +0000

A glutton for punishment, I was out again yesterday. Well, ever the optimist, my reckoning is that despite a horrible cold snap, things are bound to to kick off soon! OK, so the hatch didn’t deliver, however for the first time this season, a steady trickle of Large Darks filtered downstream and joining them were a fair number of midges too (right). Idle flows on pool tails and inside bends saw these two food sources gather where the odd dimple or two made it possible to pick off feeding fish. Of course, such trout are often grateful now and although many were sipping in tiny midges they rarely refused a large CdC dun pattern.

~This spotted fellow might well have been knocking off midges, but couldn’t resist a CdC dry.

~Another fit fish about to be turned loose~

A semblance of life:

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 06:47:00 +0000

At last, there’s signs of life on the river. Spells of welcome sunshine yesterday afternoon clearly provided enough warmth to awaken reasonable numbers of Large Darks (right). With trout close on their heels and steadily rising, you felt there was some sense in showing them a dry fly. Best of all, my first fish went 2lb 5oz and although a tad lean, put up a hell of a scrap. Others followed too making it a day to remember. Granted the olives might well be stretching their wings, but I’ve yet to see a March Brown. Word has it they’re starting to appear elsewhere so hopefully it won’t be long now.

~This beauty of 2lb 5oz made my day by pouncing on a dry olive pattern~

Flurries of snow instead of Olives…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 06:51:00 +0000

More in frustration rather than hope, I headed to the river for another dose of frostbite… With plenty of snow blanketing surrounding hills the drive down dirt tracks to a favoured beat was pictureque if nothing else. Tackling up pretty much prompted the arrival of more snow too. With eyes stinging and numb hands, I eventually found a willing trout, tucked up in a secluded corner and quietly sipping down the odd midge. Thankfully, he couldn’t resist a size 20 Shuttle-smut and was duly released. Hanging about proved fruitless though as even more snow piled in. With the water temp of 3oC and a wind chill of minus something or other, I called it quits at 3.20pm.

~Arctic temperatures had caused ice to formed on trailing branches and boughs~

…The only thing to fill the icy air was snowflakes and not olives…

Bleak Outlook…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 16:01:00 +0000

To satisfy my curiosity, I wandered up the river this afternoon (right). With a strong easterly whipping right off the Pennine tops, I didn’t even bother taking a rod. Just as well really, for at 2.43pm the air temperature hovered at minus 1oC and the water wasn’t much better at 2.5oC. Given this Baltic blast not surprisingly no trout were daft enough to poke their noses through the icy surface. It goes without saying, no flies were hatching either and with forecasters predicting more nasty weather, it looks positively bleak. Nothing for it then but to kick back and indulge in the latest issue of Fieldsports which is a fly fishing special focussing on destination fishing: www.fieldsportsmagazine.com/fly-fishing

~The latest issue of Fieldsports is crammed with page upon page of fly fishing in warmer climes…total escapism given our horrible weather~

Off the Mark…

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 07:22:00 +0000

With wintry showers since opening day, I’ve never known such a grim start to our season. And, having got my fingers burnt due to a lifting river on March 15th, venturing out seemed foolhardy. That was until yesterday morning when despite an icy start,it looked fairly pleasant outside by 10.30am. However, turning up at the river with an icy air temp of 4oC and the water reading 3.5oC, once more I wished I hadn’t bothered. That was until 1.30ish when a flurry of Large Darks brought up a few trout. Aware that this precious activity might only last for minutes, I bolted up the river to a favourite pool or two. A carefully placed dun did its job for me to latch into a handful of trout. Nothing huge, but good honest fish the best topping 1lb 8oz, getting me well and truly off the mark!

~A clean, fit looking fish the first of a new season is naturally welcome though made all that bit sweeter when taken on dry fly~

~As time was precious, rather than faff about with delicate CdC patterns, floating like a cork this Poly-wing Dun worked its magic~

More fish followed, including this torpedo shaped 1lb 8oz beauty

Ropey start to Season:

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 06:41:00 +0000

Having returned home, thoughts focussed on March 15th the start of our trout season. Last year’s temperatures reached a balmy 9 degrees Celsius. This year however, opening day dawned cold, wet and miserable with snow affecting upland regions. Consequently, I spent opening day trudging around watching a rising river, which became increasingly mucky. With a thermometer struggling to reach 2oC I never even made a cast. The highlight of the day was helping to free a Large Dark Olive from its partially discarded shuck. With no end in sight of this unwelcome arctic blast, it looks like the start of our season is on hold…welcome home lad…

~Despite a fleeting glimpse of midday sunshine, snowmelt continually leached into the river, causing a chilly lift in levels~

~Lifted from the water and free of its nymphal shuck this female LDO could otherwise have perished…A good deed done for the day~

Strong…like Russian bear!

noreply@blogger.com (Paul Procter Fly Fishing) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 10:40:00 +0000

Tangling with big trout requires tackle you have total faith in. Of course, rod, fly line and tippet are all vitally important. However, everything’s academic if you plan on using hooks with a fine or even standard wire. These simply aren’t up to the job of levering tenacious fish away from their bolt holes. The new Partridge Wet Heavy Supreme on the other hand is designed not to straighten, even on the most stubborn of fish. In fact, having used them on our New Zealand adventure, I can happily report they are Strong…like Russian bear…

A close up of the Partridge Wet Heavy Supreme, which you’ve got to say is forged like a ship’s anchor!

~Size for size the new Partridge Supreme Wet hook (left) is even heavier and stronger than a Kamasan B-175 (right), making it ideal for the stillwater fraternity or those who hunt trophy trout~

Some hook models simply weren’t up to the job when dealing with NZ’s trout population