FREE 2018 NEW TACKLE GUIDE FIRST FOR TACTICS, TACKLE & WHERE TO FISH
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9
Get ready for beautiful
IN-FORM WATERS
BROWNS
to fish now
Expert tips for the new season HOW TO FISH...
North Country Spiders 28 FEB - 27 MAR, 2018 | £3.60
ISSUE 507
Follow our essential guide SMALL WATERS
CATCH THIS!
Early-season tricks to try
INSECT HATCHES
RIVER OLIVES How to fish 'large darks'
VENUE SPOTLIGHT
WIMBLEBALL
Guide to hotspots & flies
FLY-TYING
MINI MINKIE Create a deadly lure
Contents
BE INSPIRED
FLY-TYING
Editor Russell Hill on why we should revere our native brown trout...
Peter Gathercole ties a deadly olive dry fly
6 The finest fish that swims? COVER STORY
TACTICS
12 The tough get going
Cover image by: Alamy
Peter Cockwill battles the bad weather during an early season outing to Duncton Mill
18 Dry of the storm
OFFERS 42 Subscription offer
Save up to 51% when you subscribe to Trout Fisherman magazine this month
74 Reader offer
Get a Storafly box and 150 assorted flies for only £29.99 – a saving of £84!
Peter Gathercole judges your synthetic lure patterns and sets a new challenge
COVER STORY Robbie Winram reviews the latest gear including Daiwa’s Silvercreek fly rods
Top early-season tips for small waters from England world team member Phil Dixon COVER STORY
FOCUS ON...
75 New gear
32 Border browns
80 Fly-tying products
38 What’s hatching?
OPINION & NEWS
Mike Handyside looks forward to early season trout forays to the Welsh border streams COVER STORY
NEW SERIES The appearance of large dark olives mean trophy trout aren’t far behind
Tying with Fasna hooks, Semperfli’s twisted pure silk and Stonfo’s Coccodrillo gadget
82 News
Latest from the trout scene
84 Investigation
Four top stillwaters to visit this month
Jeff Prest asks whether anglers want variety of fish stock or quality
48 Fishery accommodation
87 Cockwill
50 Spotlight on... COVER STORY
Newly-opened Wimbleball reservoir
ADVICE
52 Advice Squad
Discusses the joys of guiding and other things
88 Letters
Trout Fisherman readers have their say
90 Troutmasters
Badge winners and news – sponsored by Fordham & Wakefield
What to look for in a fishing waistcoat, and how to match leader strength to hook size
94 Match news
56 How to...
95 Book reviews
61 Get ready for the season
98 Wading in
COVER STORY
Fish North Country Spiders
Snowbee’s Simon Kidd talks you through a tackle check in preparation for the opening weeks
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70 Flymasters
24 Have your best early season!
The editor reveals his four favourite fisheries offering superb accommodation
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
COVER STORY Russ Symons ties a Mini Minkie for his lightweight rod outfits
TACKLE
45 UK waters
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66 Flybox fillers
COVER STORY Jeff Prest meets up with two Scottish anglers who fish dries in adverse conditions
WHERE TO FISH
PRINT AND DIGITAL EDITIONS AVAILABLE
63 Tie a Para Dun
troutfishermanmag TroutFishMag troutfisherman troutfishmag
Iain Barr comments on the current match scene Jeff Prest looks at two new fishing books Jeff Prest jokingly reveals the poor man’s gear guide, but they’re all genuine items!
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THIS MONTH’S WINNER
Lough Beagh, Glenveagh, Donegal. Sent in by John Nolan
HOW TO ENTER
Shot of the
MONTH
If you have a fly-fishing image that you would like to see here, please send it to us. Images must be: original size • high resolution. Email them to leigh.johnson@bauermedia.co.uk If the image is too large to go over email, send via the free service wetransfer.com (for help see wetransfer.com/howitworks). Published photographers will receive a landing net from Sharpes of Aberdeen. Browse their products at www.sharpes.net or call 01466 794415.
Enter our competition now for your chance to win a Sharpe’s landing net
Words: Russell Hill Main picture: Paul Procter
The finest fish that swims? The editor makes the case for why we should revere our native brown trout...
6 TROUT FISHERMAN | FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 27
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BE INSPIRE D Celebrating beauty of o the u native trou r t
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FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 27 | TROUT FISHERMAN 7
Words: Peter Cockwill Pictures: Peter Gathercole
Peter Cockwill prepares to net a lively rainbow in windy conditions.
12 TROUT FISHERMAN | FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 27
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The tough GET GOING
TACTICS Beat th
e wind early-seaso at n stillwaters
How Peter Cockwill finds success in awful conditions at Duncton Mill...
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FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 27 | TROUT FISHERMAN 13
TACTICS SMALL WATERS Words & pictures: Jeff Prest
Dry of the storm Storm so big it gets its own name? Perfect time for dry flies then. We watch logic go out of the window at Springwater Fishery...
18 TROUT FISHERMAN | FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 27
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Mark Hotchkiss connects as Springwater’s fish begin co-operating in earnest after lunch.
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FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 27 | TROUT FISHERMAN 19
TACTICS MEDIUM-SIZED WATERS Words: Phil Dixon Pictures: Peter Gathercole
Phil Dixon prepares to net a strong rainbow at Westlow Mere fishery.
24 TROUT FISHERMAN | FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 27
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Have your best early season! Hot early-season small water tips from England world team member Phil Dixon
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FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 27 | TROUT FISHERMAN 25
Words & pictures: Mike Handyside
BORDER BROWNS
Mike Handyside turns his attentions to the numerous and productive trout streams flowing east out of Wales... 32 TROUT FISHERMAN | FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 27
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FOCUS ON Brow
n trout riv ers bordering E ngla and Wales nd
A beautifully-marked wild brown comes to hand in the starwort.
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FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 27 | TROUT FISHERMAN 33
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