September

So, I've been meaning to write about an excursion with Steve at goflyfishinguk.com for what seems like an age, but due to breaking my laptop charger, holidays and work, I've been sidetracked. The aforementioned also means its been almost a month since my last fishing trip.

I posted about a day with Steve in June, and due to the success I had booked another within a week. The usual evening before phone call came on the Friday with the message that the River Aire was "cock on" and I should be expected "some big fish". Obviously excited I had to immediately calm myself and realistically lower my expectations if only to get some decent sleep.

Having only one experience of the Aire before, on a small stretch near Keighly, I didn't fully know what the river had to offer. It distinguishing feature when compared to my usual days on the Wharfe was the colour, more a 'minerally' clear than peat stain tea brown.

Started the morning off with the klink and dink method which brought success after about 10 minutes, with a beautifully fit brown trout around 3/4 pound. It gave an excellent account for itself and pound for pound an excellent fighter. Things continued this way for most of the morning with a few more around the same size, and one slightly larger taking the klink right on the crease line near the top of a run.

Moving on, Steve informed me that the next section, a slow arcing deep pool, held some big fish but didn't always produce. Worth a try though. Difficult casting into a head on wind that had many a field to build speed across, but after some duff attempts I eventually got the line straightened out. It was almost the perfect pool for casting towards the top and letting the rod follow the line round with the flies in the foam line the whole way. On the 3rd attempt a big old mouth broke the surface for the klink and I managed to hook into it. I knew instantly this was by far the biggest trout I'd ever hooked, heart rate went through the roof as I struggled for 10 minutes to keep control with an increasingly aching arm. Steve warned the trout would jump, and it obliged. I got the first view of the big paddle tail and was seriously worried, as always, that something would happen to stop me landing it. Eventually, with a huge sigh and adrenaline still pumping, Steve got it into the net. We weighed it at 3 1/2 pounds, a good 2lbs heavier than mmy biggest to date, so very chuffed. Unfortunately, just as we were taking a picture I lost control and it slithered back into the pool....oh well, I know it happened, I just hope I don't forget.

The rest of the day was spent on the klink and dink with a few hours on the spiders, all in all an excellent day, with another 2lb fish coming to the klink, below.

 Since then I've had only one day out, which was a short four hour stint at Buckden, and I only managed to save a blank with the last cast of the day, using a CDC loop emerger (as seen here http://www.riverflybox.co.uk/page6cdcloopemerger.html) except with nymph skin body (I have not got turkey biot...). This has saved me a few times and is one my my favourite patterns when trout are rising to just below the surface. So thanks to you Dave at riverflybox!

Went to Mexico for two weeks too, except not to a good area for fishing, which pleased my girlfriend. Planning on getting in more grayling fishing this year, fingers crossed the winter will be better weather than the summer. Dare I say the rivers needed that rain though!

Weather and Olympics

Obviously, like most other people, fly fishing has taken a back seat recently, what with the weather and Olympics. I've been pretty much glued to the TV for the last two weeks, with the exception of one evening. The Olympics has been amazing, and I'm feeling a gaping hole in my TV sports life now, but hopefully that will be filled with some good evenings of fly fishing in the next few weeks.

The one exception came last Tuesday evening, when, after busy weekends for the last month, I decided to try out the River Aire. To semi-quote Phil Collins, I could not feel it In the Aire tonight....the other night. Anyways, bad puns aside it was high and coloured, a usually shallow fast riffle was a chocolate maelstrom. Sat on the riverside for an hour before deciding that dinner and yet more Olympics would be a better option.

So, now that its all over (I even got to see GB win a gold and bronze in the canoe sprint finals on Saturday, epic) I decided to spend an hour at the vice this evening. Below are my first attempts at sedge patterns. Top two are Coyhaique Caddis patterns from this months FF and FT, and the bottom is a deer spun sedge I copied from my fly box (bought a couple of years ago when I didn't know what a sedge was...but it looked nice!).

Fishing and tweeting

Started using twitter a lot more these days,  not for shameless self promotion, more to try and get engaged in the UK and worldwide fly fishing and general angling community. After a year and a half in the north I thought it may be useful to try and connect with more like minded fly fishers, and twitter seems like a decent place considering the about of people/tweeters I've found!

So, if you want to hear about my fly fishing experiences in less than 150 characters, follow me here and I'll follow you back.

Anyway, back to the real reason for this post. Had my best day all season so far last weekend with nine fish in the net including this beaut below

A little too big for my 11" net and I reckon it was around 12-14", this picture doesn't do it justice. Yeh, yeh, yeh I hear you say but honestly it doesn't! Its kinda wrapped around my hand, didn't want to mess around too long trying to take pictures so its a one shot attempt with my phone. Fell to a nymph pattern I tied using V-rib tubing in olive tied around the hook shank, with hares ear and a black tungsten head. Took me by surprise at he was right close to a gap in the bank, thought I was hooked into the bank until he started thrashing! Just middle left of this photo below is where he was sitting, about 3 metres in front of the large bubbles.

Had some interesting action on the dry fly, got one on a CDC emerger. There was no surface action so I guess they were taking either very small terrestrials or nymphs close to the surface. Also managed one on a sherry spinner without a spinner in sight!

Doesn't look like I'll be out for a couple of weeks though, got a day at the cricket then olympic tickets so optimistically I'm thinking the 12th August.

Tight lines to all, and look me up on twitter if you're bored!

Tenkara flies

So, tenkara is getting pretty big over in the UK right now and I had the chance to try it out about two months ago. Its different, but fun, and if you get the chance I'd definitely recommend at least giving it a try.

As everyone knows, the weather has been god awful for fishing, I haven't been out for at least three weeks for various reasons, so my fly box is absolutely rammed. Tonight I thought I'd try something new and tie up some tenkara flies as I needed a change. The resulting flies below are my first four tenkara flies, very quick and relatively easy to tie, now I just need to save up for that new tenkara rod...

Hmmmm don't think I'll be fishing this weekend! Leeds and the surrounding areas have been hit with some serious rain this morning, I reckon if there was anywhere to fish this weekend and you're feeling brave, head to the hills Sunday for some small stream action in the upper reaches. You would have to be brave mind...

 These were taken outside my flat this morning.

One of those days...

Looking at the weather forecast thursday morning it seemed that thursday itself was the only day I would fish all weekend, so I headed up to my favourite spot.

It was nice conditions considering the recent weather and within hald an hour I had a decent fish on, taking a GRHE deep in a pool. If I am honest I was not expecting a fish at all, what I have learnt over the last 2 years fly fishing was completely ignored, and with my fly line dragging ALOT, and my fly in an odd place, I was just retrieving line to cast again and BOOM, fish on. Maybe this is why after 2 minutes he shook me off, just as I was about to get him in the net..."oh well" I thought, decent start and things can only get better (deep breath as I recall my misplaced optimism).

Next pool, saw a few fish rising so tried a Royal Wulff to try and get them excited, which worked pretty well, although after hooking three and losing them all I started questioning everything. No answers came to mind, so I just carried on.

Moved on to a tried and tested long straight reasonably deep run and FINALLY landed a half pounder after losing another two, which made the day. Well I say made the day, I would've been perfectly content fishing with hardly any interest from fish, it is pretty relaxing (most of the time)...

Anyways, here are some pictures from the day, with a nice picture of the fly I used from my phone camera, which decided, for once, to actually focus on something. I need a decent camera quick...

Annual guide day

Had my once a year day out with Steve Rhodes of goflyfishinguk.com about a week ago. This is the second time I have been out with Steve and it never disappoints, the vast wealth of knowledge he has, and the fact that (like a true Yorkshire) he tells me I'm casting like an old lady when my line piles in a heap 3ft in front of me always makes for a good day!

Tough conditions for this particular day, but managed 4 fish, including a 1 1/2 pounder on a dry fly which was unbelievable for me! Never forget that full head out of the water rise....

Steve also introduced me to a couple of new techniques. Tried out a tenkara rod, which is tough to get used to but can give the most delicate presentation. Also tried French nymphing, where a 4m nylon leader is used with no fly line out. Again, a different casting technique is needed but the nylon leader means you don't get any disturbance when lifting off.

Because of the success of the day this annual event has now become a bi-annual event, with a day in September already booked. It is worth the money because I get to fish a new stretch of river, learn heaps about entymology, fishing techniques, fly tying and presentation.

Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the day, this is just a local stream in Meanwood that I didn't know had small brownies in.

Finally...the duck has been broken

And it was broken in style! By style I mean a half decent day then a decent half day, more George by Asda than Mr Porter... but never the less it was a good week!

Buckden (as I found out last week) is a notorious stretch in the Bradford City AA for being a slow starter in the fishing season, picking up around May normally.
After a slow start I managed to hook into a decent fish, which moved about 3ft to take a Mayfly nymph, quite a sight in shallow clear water. This finally gave me the confidence in my methods I was looking for! The rest of the day I was upstream nymphing in riffles and the head and tail of runs and managed 5 in total, including 4 on a home tied GRHE, first wild river brown trout to a home tied fly. Great day!

Another irrelevant photo, but until I can find that damn lead that connects my camera to my computer, phone pictures will have to do...

So, following this boost I went for a half day on the River Aire at Keighly. Only about 300yds of fishable river here, but again picked up a few fish on my home tied GRHE including my first ever grayling, until some kids thought it was a good place to throw rocks into the river (cue grumpy premature old man rant under my breath...)
So all in all a fantastic week.

Without a doubt makes all the frustrations, wading accidents, rock salmon and tree trout worth it.

Here are a few home tied Mayfly nymphs I made after I embedded the only one I had in a root sticking out the bank....

Mayfly Improvisation

After my last outing to the Wharfe a week ago, and having seen a few rises, I decided I didn't have enough dry flies tied up and seeing as its May I decided to try my hand at some Mayflies for the first time. These are a hybrid of Peter Gathercole's CDC Drake from from Fly tying for Beginners, and the CDC Mayfly in issue 5 of eat-sleep-fish.co.uk.

 With a little improvisation I tied this on Partridge Kilnkhammer hooks with a cream spectrablend body, brown thread for the markings, deer hair tail, CDC wing and furnace hackle (underside trimmed away).

With these tied up and a Monday off work I headed out to the river hoping to get some use out of the four I tied.

 The pool heading upstream from this photo holds some fish, I have seen them but I am yet to net any! I am sure there are fish downstream (below) but it needs some more water as it was very static.

Anyways, I fished for 4 hours, saw a few rises of dark olives, but unfortunately no fish and didn't get to try out my freshly tied Mayflies....Luckily my weekend schedule is free for all of May so I'm sure I'll get the chance!

Hope everyone else is having better luck than me at the beginning of the season!

Wanted: Wading staff...

Went up to Buckden again for an outing last weekend, haven't been out for a while due to work load, and Saturday looked like good weather with the river levels dropping off, so decided a venture was in order.

Had high hopes for the day, which in retrospect bodes very badly...

Most of the time I only ever wade up to my knees at Buckden, but today I ventured further into a deeper pool which looked promising. After fishing straight across and slowly moving down for about 20 minutes I failed to notice the edge of the pool, and slipped off up to my neck in water, thoroughly soaking everything inside my waders...in retrospect I should've called it a day there but I travelled a distance to fish and decided to carry on, despite being freezing! A few failed attempts to dry some of my clothes in the brief sunny spells while freezing in the wind also didn't put me off. It might next time.

Anyways, fished the rest of the day with no luck. Question for any readers: It was reasonably windy this day, and I was fishing a klinkhammer with nymph patterns under, but for some reason I just could not get the klink to sit right in the water. I tried the New Zealand dropper style and having the nymph attached on a dropper about 3 inches above the klink, but neither worked. Any suggestions would be great! Also, any suggestions on where to get a decent wading staff would be appreciated...

First day out

Enjoyed my first day out on the River Wharfe in Buckden yesterday, but with no success (unless you count a lovely walk in the sun surrounded by snow and hills a success, which I do). But it did give me a chance to finally use my new Orvis Helios and CFO reel purchased in the off season. It wasn't money wasted, but I am hoping they last a long time, they cost enough!

The river was very low and very very clear, and during the whole day I saw three fish rise, and saw three small fish a few feet away who were not interesting in any of my offerings! Took the chance to turn over a few rocks as the fishing was not hot, and got some good fly tying inspiration, saw a lot of PTN style nymphs and one stonefly nymph (I think...). Anyways, that's about all for now, working shifts so have lots of weekdays off to spend in the Dales, and also read about a decent scheme of fishing passports where you purchase tokens to use as day tickets in smaller becks. Seems like a good idea, found here: www.theriverstrust.org/passport/ribble (remove ribble for other schemes in the UK).

My history of fly fishing

In 2009 I was lucky enough to visit New Zealand for the first time, and decided to buy a second hand Cortland Silverstream #6 fly rod and reel combo (after a friend showed me a fly fishing magazine, instantly loved it) for the amazingly cheap price of 70 NZD (£36). Unfortunately I had no money for a guide so resorted to teaching myself, with the results being I saw one brown trout in about 4-5 day trips....
On my return to the UK I was determined to be more successful. I googled fly fishing in the area of Somerset where I then lived, and the results gave me Chew and Blagdon lakes, which are pretty famous I had heard.
Despite my unbelievable lack of knowledge of insects, fly patterns, casting and trout, I decided to get to Chew for the opening day. I set up on the bank nearest the tackle shop, and with the wind blasting in my face I began to cast about 5-10ft into the lake. A pleasant gentleman next to me informed me that he had been in the same spot on the opening day the previous year, and was also a complete beginner, and had some success with short casts. I had no such luck...I have no idea what fly pattern I was using then, probably an orange buzzer, but it made no odds. After getting wind blasted for 4 hours I decided to try my luck elsewhere, and joined around 10 blokes fishing in a secluded area of the lake. I tried to catch a glimpse of what everyone was using, but they were far too busy landing decent rainbows for me to sneak a peek, so I just tied on something else orange and completely wrong for the situation. I don't need to mention that I blanked that day, but it did not dissuade me one bit.
The rest of the year followed a similar pattern, and the lack of money to hire a guide didn't help. So it turned out to be a season long blank, which surprising didn't put me off.
I moved to Leeds in January 2011 and again googled fly fishing, Yorkshire. I had no idea about the rich fly fishing heritage in this area of the world, but due to a new job I now had the funds to hire a guide for the day. So in early April I embarked, unbelievably excited, out towards the dales to meet Steve Rhodes of Go Fly Fishing UK. I learnt more about fly fishing in that day than I ever thought possible, which improved my knowledge no end, but also highlighted the vast wealth of information available. Unfortunately I again blanked that day, but encouraging words from Steve were great. I finally landed a wild brown trout about 1 month later on an expedition to Bolton Abbey, and since then I have been border line obsessed. The rest of the season proved more fruitful, landing a few more wild brown trouts, and joining a decent club for a decent price.
Anyways, that brings us to date and I hope (in a round about sort of way) explains why I have started this blog. With another guided day booked with Steve this year, bring on the 30th of March.