E ID U G R A E G FREE 32 pages packed with new tackle for 2016
FIRST FOR TACTICS, TACKLE & WHERE TO FISH
ISSUE 481 ÂŁ3.40 MARCH 2 - 29, 2016
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BIG R E T A L A I W C E P ANK S
B Hotspots, Tactics & Flies
Cracking the
BROWNS Catch them now, both wild and stocked!
QUICK TYING MARCH BUZZERS FISHING WETS Tie a Quill Buzzer, it's easy!
Patterns to match the early hatches
Paul Procter shows you how
THIS MONTH: STALKING Words: Jonathan Tomlinson Pictures: Peter Gathercole
DAWN RAID AT Jonathan Tomlinson enjoys an early-morning stalking session that doesn’t go to plan. 6
TROUT FISHERMAN MARCH 2 - MARCH 29
DEVER Always be prepared for surprises TROUT FISHERMAN MARCH 2 - MARCH 29
A calm start before the sun burns the winter mist away. Perfect.
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THIS MONTH: BIG FISH IN A BREEZE Words & pictures: Ceri Jones
Big trout FRENZY While Storm Imogen batters the South Wales coastline, Ceri Jones is in huge ďŹ sh heaven at Paper Mill Fishery
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TROUT FISHERMAN MARCH 2 - MARCH 29
A whipped up 12lb rainbow fights for freedom at Paper Mill.
TROUT FISHERMAN MARCH 2 - MARCH 29
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FOCUS ON: RESERVOIR BANK SPORT
Off to a flyer from the bank Big Water
Big water expert Rob Edmunds offers his detailed tips to help you ďŹ nd success when the reservoirs open
BANK SPORT
Early season bank sport can be very productive. This is Draycote Water.
TROUT FISHERMAN MARCH 2 - MARCH 29
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FOCUS ON: RESERVOIR BANK SPORT
8 of the best
Big Water
BANK SPORT
Fluo Orange Blob Hook: Dohiku Blob hook Thread: Fluo orange UTC 70 Tail: Fluo flame orange Sunburst Collection marabou Body: Gel Core fluo orange Fritz
Black & Green Booby Hook: Size 8-10 comp heavy Thread: Black Tail: Sparkler tinsel overlaid with black marabou Body: Rear quarter fluo green and front three quarters black blob chenille Head: Black foam booby eyes
Black Hopper Hook: Size 10-14 Fulling Mill all purpose Thread: Black 8/0 Rib: Clear poly-rib or pearly tinsel Body: Black seal’s fur and SLF 50/50 Legs: Six dyed black pheasant tail fibres, knotted Hackle: Black cock hackle
Black Stripped Quill Buzzer Hook: Size 10-14 grub hook Thread: Black Body: Stripped peacock eye quill plus a band of red tying thread Thorax: Black tying thread Cheeks: Sunburst goose biots
Red Holographic Nemo
Black Goldhead Tadpole
Hook: Size 12 Hayabusa 31530 Thread: UTC red 140 Tail: Cock hackle fibres Rib: Fine red holographic tinsel Body: Natural pheasant tail Hackle: Two turns Greenwell’s hen cape Thorax: Two turns peacock herl Wingcase: Medium pearl tinsel Head: Fine red holographic tinsel, Superglued
Hook: Size 10 wet fly for size 6 longshank Thread: Black Tail: Black marabou Body: Peacock Lite-Brite Hackle: Black cock hackle Head: Gold bead
Goldhead Damsel Hook: Size 8-10 Kamasan B175 Head: 3-4mm tungsten bead Thread: Olive Tail: Olive marabou with two strands of Twinkle each side of the tail Body: Olive dubbing Collar: Lite-Brite
DON’T TIE? THEN BUY... Hare’s Ear Nymph Hook: Size 10-14 wet fly Thread: Brown Tail: Hare’s ear guard hair from hare’s mask Rib: Fine gold wire Body: 40% soft underfur/60% guard hair Thorax: 70% guard hair/30% soft underfur
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FLASH ATTACK FLIES offer Tadpole lures priced £1.10 each. www.flashattackflies.com Call 07921 335197. Email: originalproducts@ hotmail.com
TROUT FISHERMAN MARCH 2 - MARCH 29
THIS MONTH: STILLWATER LURES Words & pictures: Russ Symons
PULL HARD!
Russ Symons has to wake up the trout at a south-west small water with some good old-fashioned pulling tactics
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TROUT FISHERMAN MARCH 2 - MARCH 29
Russ Symons plays a lively winter rainbow at Blakewell Trout Fishery.
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THIS MONTH: MARCH BUZZERS Words: Peter Cockwill Pictures: Peter Gathercole
MID-MARCH
It’s the hatch that we’ve all been waiting for and it’s happening now. Peter Cockwill revels
Black Buzzer Hook: Size 12 grub Thread: Black Rib: Fine silver wire Body: Black thread Thorax: Black thread Cheeks: Orange goose biots
Diawl Bach Hook: Size 12-14 Kamasan B175 Thread: Black Tail: Black cock hackle fibres Rib: Red tinsel rib under body/gold wire over Body: Black pheasant tail Hackle: Black cock hackle fibres Cheeks: Orange goose biots
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TROUT FISHERMAN MARCH 2 - MARCH 29
BUZZERS in the first proper chironomid hatch of the year. Follow his tips
Cruncher Hook: Size 12-14 Kamasan B175 Thread: Black Tail: Furnace cock hackle fibres Rib: Gold wire Body: Natural pheasant tail fibres Thorax: Hare’s fur Hackle: Soft black cock hackle
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Words & Pictures: Andy Buckley
WHERE TO FISH
THIS MONTH
Spotlight on top UK rivers and stillwaters to visit
Amazing browns caught on dries can be possible before April!
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TROUT FISHERMAN MARCH 2 - MARCH 29
Your earliest dry fly session yet Read the weather right, be prepared to fish fast and you could be picking off river brownies with dries before April’s here, as Andy Buckley discovers…
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ADVICE: PROBLEM SOLVER
How to...
NEW SERIES
fish a team of wet flies Expert Paul Procter shows you the casts, retrieves, dropper knots and gear you need to fish a team of wets
Wet flies are basically colourful versions of mini lures.
I
N a bygone era the ‘go to’ method when fishing lakes, loughs, hill tarns, or any sheet of natural standing water would almost certainly have been wet fly. However, the advent of modern stillwater techniques has seen the time-honoured wet fly method periodically take a backseat. That said, wet flies have remained in the minds of many with the technique enjoying something of a resurgence these days. In practise, wet fly fishing seems fairly straightforward and despite little in the way of mystery surrounding it, beginners tend to shy away. The main reason I’m certain is because, generally speaking, a team of three flies are considered the norm. Newcomers then – who have
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just managed to cope with a single fly – are understandably nervous about flinging multiple flies about because this increases the odds of tangles etc. That said, a team of three isn’t always necessary, as we’ll discover later. Whether going afloat, or exploring a shoreline on foot, the principles of wet fly fishing involve covering as much water as possible. This is chiefly because wild brown trout tend to be territorial by nature and are often reluctant to go roaming about unlike rainbow trout. It makes sense then that we go to them, rather than parking our backsides and waiting for them to come to us! With that in mind a controlled drifting boat is bound to be a far better bet than one remaining
anchored. Equally, if you’re wading, try to keep on the move by taking a step or two along the shore after every couple of casts. Obviously where a rise or disturbance occurs then several repeated casts must be placed in the immediate area before moving on. The same rings true where any fish show interest, as some sort of unseen underwater feature might exist that attracts the trout. Not surprisingly, reservoir rainbows are susceptible to carefully-presented wet flies too. However, as mentioned, these fish are more likely to cruise about, so instead of wandering the banks, remain in one spot with the idea of ambushing rainbows as they move upwind when feeding, especially where promontories occur. TROUT FISHERMAN MARCH 2 - MARCH 29
AS I’M FISHING THREE FLIES, DO I NEED A LONG LEADER? Generally, wet fly methods demand shorter leaders overall with 12 feet being a recognised benchmark. This is so flies are fished closer together as a team, rather than patterns positioned further apart to fish individually – when nymphing for example. While many rely on level monofilament, some form of short tapered section certainly assists turnover. A nine-foot stepped taper lends itself perfectly to creating a three-foot tapered section needed for delivering flies. Popular brands include the Orvis copolymer types where a three-foot length can be cropped from the middle section (see diagram 1). This is simply looped at either end and attached to your fly-line thus allowing you to build a two or three-fly rig of level monofilament at the business end.
Two-fly set-up Total length 10 feet, consists of a three-foot tapered section (tapering from approx 16lb-6lb), attached to the fly-line. Then 3ft 6in (the six inches takes a dropper leg into account) of 5lb mono is added. Leaving a dropper, attach a further four feet of 5lb (diagram 2).
DIAGRAM 1: THE CORRECT LEADER TYPES FOR FISHING WETS
Long level butt
Stepped taper Long level tippet
Use this tapered section
DIAGRAM 2: TWO-FLY LEADER SET-UP
Floating line
Floating line
The nylon tapered knotless leader.
3ft taper
3ft taper 10ft leader overall 12ft leader overall
3ft
Three-fly set-up Total length 12 feet, consists of a three-foot tapered section (tapering from approx 16lb-6lb), attached to the fly-line. Then 3ft 6in of 6lb mono is added. Leaving dropper legs, attach two 3ft 6in lengths of 5lb mono (diagram 3).
DIAGRAM 3: THREE-FLY LEADER SET-UP
3ft
Zulu
Zulu 3ft Silver Invicta
4ft 3ft
Butcher
The roll cast is vital when fishing wet flies.
Butcher
WHAT ABOUT THE ROLL CAST? We all know the importance of overhead casting on stillwaters. However, when seductively tripping wet flies through the surface, a raised rod is needed. From this position it’s far easier to pick up flies using a roll cast. Such an action is straightforward, provided you remember the fundamentals of allowing a moment for a ‘D’ loop to form to your side. You’ll definitely know when this ‘D’ loop is at its maximum size because the tip of your fly-line sliding across the water eventually stops moving. This is your prompt to ‘tap’ the rod forward as normal when using an overhead cast. Take care here to stop the rod high at roughly the two o’clock position. This way, line unrolls above the water rather than on to it when a rod is forced through to a much lower angle. Furthermore, having rolled the line forward, proficient anglers sometimes go immediately into an overhead back cast before the line touches down. However, this is only the case where distance is required or a headwind might hamper casting from a shoreline.
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