I know......................you have read it and answered it a hundred times already. Obviously I am new to river fishing and would like to know what flies to stock up on, and secondly where is a good place to buy them? Please don't say "the usual suspects" as to me that normally means black and green tadpoles, yellow dancers and rather garishly coloured fritzy things which is exactly what I am trying to get away from. I will mainly be fishing the Ericht in Blairgowrie if it helps. Would I be right in assuming klinkhammers, cdc emergers and spiders would be a good place to start for dries? What about hares ear and pheasent tails for under the water. And lastly, does powerbait really work?
thanks
darren
We've all got out favourites but I'd feel lost without my sparkle duns and black gnats.
You can hardly go wrong with the flies you already menion in your post.
For nymphs Hare's ears and pheasanttail will do the job, be sure to stock a few in different sizes.
Klinkies and CDC-patterns are good dries, as well as Comparadunns, and a few other deer-hair patterns like Buck-Caddis.
Depends a bit what time of the year you are fishing, dry Bibio's can sometimes save your day.
In high summer Daddy Longlegs can work surprisingly well.
There are some pretty good tyers on this forum, I guess someone will be able and willing to tie you a few.
If you send me a PM with a list of what sorts you would like I would be happy to tie you a few...
Best wishes from Holland,
Hans
Darren,
Yes those are all good choices. I like to be able to give the fish a choice of profiles and you have pretty much covered that for submerged abdomens, with the klinks and CDC emergers. I would suggest a parachute dry of sorts (Adams?) and some F-flies.
The odd terrestrial pattern doesn't do any harm in midsummer too. Ants, beetles, that sort of thing.
Alex
hahaha, I was expecting more comments about the powerbait :crap It was of course not to be taken seriously. But thanks for confirming what I had thought. I have one or two of the flies already but will have to get more of a selection. I do have a tying kit but so far my experience is limited to the afore mentioned lures, don't know if I have the skill to tie anything more complex than that. I will have to give it a bash though.
thanks
darren
Hans from the forum has knocked up a selection of flies for me :D just waiting on them arriving. There is nothing on the permit about sunday fishing but I will give Paul a phone just to confirm. I am on holiday all this week and can't wait to get out, just waiting on a rod turning up. I ended up buying a Whychwood Truefly 7ft#4 after having read loads of reviews on different rods. Didn't cost much and I had some money in my paypal account I had forgotten about so I managed to get a rod, a floating #4 line from pittsfordpirate and some flies from Hans. If all goes to plan everything should get here before friday which is when I am planning my first propper day out on the river :D :D :D
darren
The fleas have been posted Darren, posted them priority,
so I sincerely hope they make it in time for your trip.
Cheers, Hans
Thanks again Hans, I hope they turn up as well but just had a look at the weather forecast for Friday and it doesn't look too good, heavy rain and 17mph winds. The rain I don't mind but the wind I hate. Sunday is looking a better bet as the wind is hopefully going to drop quite a bit, 6mph, but it still looks like heavy rain.
Steve, a day out with you would be fantastic, although I don't much like the thought of someone seing my casting, but I am working on that now. I had thought of the Isla as well as tickets for both are only ?20 each but thought I would be better concentrating on one and learning as much as I can about it first, and then getting the Isla maybe next season. I had a wee walk up the Isla end of last week and I have to say that wading is a lot more difficult (and dangerous) than I thought I was standing in what looked like a stretch of very calm water, got out about 5ft and felt my legs going. Needless to say I got out as quick as I could but ended up quite a few feet downstream. I think I will be sticking to shallower water to begin with, it's very deceptive how strong the current is. As for pictures, please don't get me started on them again. I used to do a lot of photography before the kids came along, I developed and printed all my own stuff and even one a wee competition or two. Most of my gear has been sold to make way for other things. I still can't bear to sell my medium format cameras or my darkroom kit, I hope that one day I will have the time and space to start it all up again.
cheers
daz
Darren,
Welcome to the forum for starters. I think you will soon discover that powerbait is the bait of champions, you must choose to follow the path of power like a true warrior, stick massive green blobs on treble hooks and then hurtle it along with a 4oz lead across numerous pods of rising fish to the disgust of fly fishers. Only then will you see what powerbait has to offer. WARNING: the rewards of this method can be low on fish and high on kickings. :lol: