I'm sure this has been done before, but hopefully you won't mind going over some old ground.
Having shelled out a few quid over the weekend I now have some gear, but still no idea on how the hell to go about fishing rivers. I'm really looking forward to having a go at this form of fishing and have got myself a season ticket (sorry Dod) for one of my local rivers. So, I'm pretty sorted and ready to go, except I haven't a clue what to put on the end. :roll:
If you had to recommend 5 flies to a river novice for early season, what would they be, and in what size?
Cheers,
Andrew
What Col said ! :D
Plus i'd add
Deers Hair Emergers, I like to use them to hang a Nymph off
I like the spiders Tweed so would go:-
Partridge & Orange
Snipe & Purple
Waterhen Bloa
Greenwell spider
Black spider
all give me a decent chance on Whiteadder anyway.
waafisher
To be honest it is hard to say without seeing you fish. :)
I would pretty much go along with Col's suggestion (actually all the guy's suggestions are good ones). The only problem with a dry-fly based selection is that you will have to fish upstream or at least directly across the river. If you are new to river fishing, the biggest problem will be line management (aren't line managers always a problem? :x).
Anyway, more seriously...for the above reason, I would suggest that you start with wet spiders as Waafisher suggests. you can fish them upstream, but if you find that difficult (it is) you can just fish them downstream with a chance of fish.
Having said all that, my personal choice for early season is ....
parachute olive 14
cul de canard emerger or a dirty polly or klinkhamer (don't mind which, but olive bodied yet again) 14
parachute Adams 12
hare & copper nymph 12
brown wire nymph 14
Alex
Great thread! Gives me an idea of what to tie up now :lol:
Thanks for the responses gentlemen. Some common themes in there that's for sure. Looks like I'll be waiting at least another week or so before having a dabble, what with the forecast for the next few days.
When I do get out, I'll give the spiders a throw first I think Alex - just to get used to the running water. It's the dry-fly aspect that really attracts me though. I'll most likely only manage the odd hour or so in the evenings as well (bathtime duties!), so I imagine I'll be flogging a dead horse until things warm up a bit. Still, it'll be good to get out and give it a go.
That thread in the 2008 memorable topics about "how would you" makes for some really interesting reading for a newcomer to this branch of the sport as well.
Cheers again,
Andrew
Iron Blue Dun 14
Partridge & Orange 14
GRHE 12
Pink Bug 16
PTN green Glister Thorax 14
I would also go for a Black Gnat if it was more of a peaty moorland job.
Sandy B.O.
Quote from: Tweed on March 29, 2010, 08:40:40 PM
It's the dry-fly aspect that really attracts me though. I'll most likely only manage the odd hour or so in the evenings as well (bathtime duties!),
Wait till we hit the Almond Andrew...i'll have you facing up stream...fly line tangled round your boots....tapered leader warpped round the nearest tree and Klinkhamer in your ear lobe in no time at all !
Ha ha - that's almost exactly the mental image I'd conjured up about attempting this lark. Throw in some sub-zero temperatures and driving sleet and we're there. :lol:
Haresear DHE
Olive CDC emerger
Pheasant Tail emerger
Yellow May funnel Dun
Orange Spinner
you could also add cdc&ELK AND A WHOLE LOT MORE
Looks like we will have to wait a wee while before we get to try them in ernest. Has anyone seen any good hatches yet?
cheers
Paul
Hares ear
Partridge and orange
Waterhen bloa
F fly (in various body colours)
Elk Hair Caddis
plus loads more that I would hate to be without, but these five would be my top five and most used
none bigger than a sixteen
Quite difficult this. I'd probably go for a couple of spiders - Snipe and purple and Partrige and orange
A couple of dries perhaps a CDC emerger and a CDC and Elk
and a streamer - possibly a goldhead minky.
Ask me tomorrow and I'll have changed my mind.
Just as a wee aside in this topic, I've found Greenwells Glory suddenly appearing a lot more in my fly box - and taking fish. Only used it as a 'nearest imitation' on the Don trip, but I've found it more successful on the Eden this year so far than on previous years.
Is it confidence, or the weather affecting hatches? Who knows. Wee brassies also taking a few more fish this year than before.
Caught more fish on a Wickhams Fancy than any other fly,do use klinks more than anything nowadays.I think you need to have a good selection of sizes and colours of these and I'm sure you'd catch anywhere once the weathers warmed up a bit.Do like using nymphs ,especially tungsten ones.