FIRST FOR TACTICS, TACKLE & WHERE TO FISH
CATCH A CTIC SPARnew species We target at Hawkridge Reservoir
PLUS HOW TO FIND THE FEEDING ZONES www.troutfisherman.co.uk
New season
SECRETS Essential tips & fly advice for your best-ever session
35 deadly
f lies to tie now
28 MAR - 24 APR, 2018 | £3.60
ISSUE 508
RIVER SKILLS
Travel light... Explore more!
SMALL WATERS
THE FUTURE? 'Any species' fly waters
TACTICS
2-FLY SET-UPS Top spring combos to try
WHERE TO FISH
CLYWEDOG
April hotspots revealed
GEAR REVIEWS
HOT RODS!
Exclusive guide to new kit
Contents
BE INSPIRED
FLY-TYING
Nick Hart catches pretty wild browns on Devon’s River Dart
Peter Gathercole ties a simple but deadly earlyseason stillwater pattern
6 Daydreams on Dartmoor
Cover image by: Henry Gilbey
COVER STORY
TACTICS
70 Flybox fillers
Why fishing on-the-drop is such a good method on pressured stillwaters
74 Fastmail’s spring Buzzers
18 Problems with Buzzers?
76 Flymasters
24 The Rising Fishery
TACKLE
12 Free-fallin’
Peter Cockwill explains his winning ways with Buzzers during a visit to Manningford
OFFERS
COVER STORY Jeff Prest reports from a fishery with fly-fishing for any species at its core
46 Subscription offer
30 Genghis can
86 Reader offer
36 Lines of communication
Get an Airflo SuperDri fly-line worth £59.99 when you subscribe to Trout Fisherman A large Storafly box and 200 flies for only £49.99 – a saving of £145!
Steve Cullen fishes one of his secret early-season lure patterns on the drop with great results River specialist Massimo Magliocco on how to approach sections of fast water
FOCUS ON... 41 Spring fly set-ups COVER STORY
Fly combinations to try in the spring
48 What’s hatching?
Buzzer hatches start in earnest this month
WHERE TO FISH 51 UK waters
Four top stillwaters to visit this month
54 Spotlight on.... COVER STORY
PRINT AND DIGITAL EDITIONS AVAILABLE www.greatmagazines.co.uk/ troutfisherman
Llyn Clywedog
ADVICE
58 Advice squad
TF’s experts answer your angling queries
62 How to...
Tempt fish from hill tarns
66 Tackle advice
Snowbee’s Simon Kidd on sun protection
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY www.troutfisherman.co.uk
67 Tie the Flexi-Worm
troutfishermanmag TroutFishMag troutfisherman troutfishmag
Russ Symons ties a Hopper Popper Phil Dixon picks six top patterns for April Peter Gathercole judges your early-season Buzzer patterns and sets a new challenge
81 New gear
COVER STORY Robbie Winram reviews the latest tackle including rods, reels and lines
88 Fly-tying products
A look at rabbit zonker strips, peacock dubbing and a compact UV torch
OPINION & NEWS 90 News
Avington’s new staff, Sportfish show and more...
92 Sparctics are here!
COVER STORY Russ Symons samples the new sparctic trout sport at Hawkridge Reservoir
94 Letters
Trout Fisherman readers have their say
96 Cockwill
Peter on rule-breakers and respecting your quarry
98 Troutmasters
Are you amongst this month’s badge winners?
103 Match news
Iain Barr on the transition from lures to nymphs
106 Wading in
Jeff Prest shares the views of women anglers and how the sport can encourage their participation
troutfisherman troutfisherman troutfisherman-online @troutfisherman
THIS MONTH’S WINNER A true angler. Sent in by David Dunkley
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: Nick Hart Pictures: Henry Gilbey
Daydreams on DARTMOOR Nick Hart takes a break from stocked stillwaters to catch pretty wild browns on Devon’s River Dart...
6 TROUT FISHERMAN | MARCH 28 - APRIL 24
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BE INSPIRE D Get out int wilds in se o the ar perfect bro ch of wns
Admire them. Small but perfectly formed with markings to die for.
www.troutďŹ sherman.co.uk
MARCH 28 - APRIL 24 | TROUT FISHERMAN 7
Words: Phil Dixon Pictures: Peter Gathercole
12 TROUT FISHERMAN | MARCH 28 - APRIL 24
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TACTICS Catch m
ore w early-seaso ith stillwater t n ips
FREE-FALLINÕ Russ Owen & Phil Dixon fish on-the-drop at a pressured water...
Former world champ Russ Owen with a salmon from Ellerdine.
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MARCH 28 - APRIL 24 | TROUT FISHERMAN 13
TACTICS SMALL WATERS Words: Peter Cockwill Pictures: Peter Gathercole
Problems with BUZZERS? You’d be surprised how many of us admit to struggling when it comes to fishing Buzzers. Peter Cockwill explains…
18 TROUT FISHERMAN | MARCH 28 - APRIL 24
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Peter Cockwill enjoys some lively action from a buzzer-feeder.
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MARCH 28 - APRIL 24 | TROUT FISHERMAN 19
TACTICS SMALL WATERS Words & pictures: Jeffrey Prest
Why must fishing be either/or…? Changing from trout fishery to coarse fishery can be a big step into the unknown. Unless you’re fishing The Rising, where the only step involved is changing your fly…
24 TROUT FISHERMAN | MARCH 28 - APRIL 24
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MARCH 28 - APRIL 24 | TROUT FISHERMAN 25
TACTICS RIVERS Words & pictures: Massimo Magliocco
36 TROUT FISHERMAN | MARCH 28 - APRIL 24
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Lines of communication Don’t ignore a river’s more boisterous stretches, says Massimo Magliocco. Sometimes the river helps you, and sometimes you must help yourself...
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MARCH 28 - APRIL 24 | TROUT FISHERMAN 37
DO 'T MISS N GREATTHIS RRP £3GIFT! 9.99
SUBSCRIPTION OFFER
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13 issues of print & digital for £49 when you pay by recurring payment or 13 issues for £51 when you pay by one-off payment *48% saving applies when you choose the annual print and digital package option and pay by recurring payment.
Airflo SuperDri Lake Pro fly line
AIRFLO'S SuperDri Lake Pro fly line has been specifically designed for the stillwater angler, and utilises the popular 'Delta' taper profile for easy distance even when casting teams of flies. The line also features SuperDri technology with a friction reducing coating which lets the line glide through the rod rings, adding yards to your cast. The SuperDri's coating also repels water, dirt and surface scum better than any material in the history of fly lines. ● You can choose between sizes WF7F or WF8F.
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QUOTE offer code DEAA TERMS & CONDITIONS: Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. The minimum term is 13 issues. Recurring payments will continue to be taken unless you tell us otherwise. This offer closes on April 24th 2018. We reserve the right to provide an alternative gift or a 3 issue extension if stocks are exhausted. Please allow 28 working days for the delivery of your gift. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Cost from landlines for 01 numbers per minute are (approximate) 2p to 10p. Cost from mobiles per minute (approximate) 10p to 40p. Costs vary depending on the geographical location in the UK. You may get free calls to some numbers as part of your call package – please check with your phone provider. Order lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat). UK orders only. Overseas? Phone +44 1858 438828. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes. For full terms and conditions: please visit http://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/offer-termsand-conditions
FOCUS ON H ow to cope with two-fl y set-ups
Create your first fly team. Peter Cockwill breaks down the basics of multi-fly leader set-ups AS we come into spring our fisheries begin to wake up from the long, cold months of winter and aquatic life once again begins its annual period of growth and reproduction. This is a wonderful time for us fly fishers and our tactical guide will show you how best to take advantage of the fishing opportunities.
www.troutfisherman.co.uk
Buzzers are perhaps the main hatching insect now and that’s why they dominate our two-fly set-ups but you can still catcn on lures. You’ll need to slow your casting down with multi-fly combos and widen the loop to avoid tangles. It’s always best to book a casting instructor.
MARCH 28 - APRIL 24 | TROUT FISHERMAN 41
SPECIAL READER OFFER
LARGE STORAFLY BOX & 200 FLIES
E V A S 5! £14
ONLY £49.99 THIS month’s great reader offer is a whole season’s worth of updated fly patterns and a large Storafly competition fly box. The slim and stackable fly box is made from lightweight but highly durable high-impact clear plastic. And inside are 200 popular fly patterns including dries, wets, nymphs and lures that will see you catching fish from early spring to late season.
* Plus £6.99 p&p. Offer available while stocks last. Please note that fly selection may vary from that shown and flies are not slotted into box.
HOW TO ORDER Quote ‘Trout Fisherman offer’ and code 00130TF when you place your order.
Tel: 0141 212 8880 Fax: 0141 331 6340 Email: sales@fishingmegastore.com Website: http://gac.fishing/00130TF Or by Post: Glasgow Angling Centre Ltd, Unit 1, The Point, 29 Saracen St, Glasgow G22 5HT
Fly-Tying In association with Veniard
trout FIRST FOR TACTICS, TACKLE & WHERE TO FISH
How to tie the FLEXI-WORM
Peter Gathercole ties a deadly early-season small water pattern with plenty of kick! Visit our website www.veniard.com
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