FREE 32-PAGE FISHERY PULLOUT INSIDE FIRST FOR TACTICS, TACKLE & WHERE TO FISH
HOW TO FISH WITH DRIES
● Proven set-ups ● Try an F-Fly ● Tactics for success
100 TOP
Future venues
How waters may look in 30 years
FISHERIES 2018 Your guide to the season's best lakes
■ Incredible fish to catch ■ Great facilities to enjoy ■ Amazing new waters 18 JULY - 14 AUG, 2018 | £3.60
ISSUE 512
OLD V NEW Retro gear or modern... Who wins the challenge?
RESERVOIRS
HIT THE DEPTH
Go deep for daphnia feeders
SMALL WATERS
SUPERB FISH
Tips for quality rainbows
WHERE TO FISH
THORNTON
Head for summer hotspots
TACKLE TESTS
WINNING ROD Buy a true all-rounder
Contents
BE INSPIRED
60 Tackle advice
COVER STORY Two anglers go head-to-head to see whether new gear is really that much better than old
FLY-TYING
TACTICS
Peter Gathercole’s step-by-step to a deadly dry that has many guises
Cover image by: Jeffrey Prest
6 Old gear V new
12 Deep on daphnia
64 Flybox fillers
18 “A proper job”
68 Fastmail flies
21 Tug of war!
26 Subscription offer
Save up to 51% when you subscribe to Trout Fisherman magazine
74 Reader offer
Greys Strata CTX breathable waders and Strata CTX wading boots for only £164.99 – a saving of £84.99
Popping dries can be a great technique in calm, clear water, as Russ Dyer discovers COVER STORY
FOCUS ON... 27 Summer set-ups
Peter Cockwill’s two-or-three-fly combos that work in mid summer
WHERE TO FISH 33 UK waters
Four top stillwaters to visit this month
36 Future fisheries
We predict what trout fisheries might look like in 30 years’ time, given current trends COVER STORY
42 Midmar’s in good hands
Jeff Prest discovers the story behind Midmar Fishery’s success
48 Comfort zone
The Greyhound on the Test offers luxury and fishing
50 Spotlight on...
Thornton Reservoir’s bank and boat hotspots for the summer months COVER STORY
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ADVICE
52 Advice squad
TF’s panel of experts answer your questions on indicators, CDC flies and perch on fly tactics
56 How to...
Fish the evening rise
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61 Tie a Yellow Owl emerger
COVER STORY It’s not all floating lines and dries in summer as Craig Barr discovers at Rutland
Russ Symons reports from Burrator Reservoir, a success story in the making
OFFERS
Tips on smoking fish from Snowbee’s Simon Kidd
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COVER STORY
Tie the F-Fly, an effective but simple dry
Phil Dixon’s take on Fastmail’s mid summer offerings
70 Flymasters
Peter Gathercole judges your high-floating Sedge patterns and sets a new challenge
TACKLE 75 New gear
COVER STORY Robbie Winram tests the latest tackle including rods, reels and clothing
80 Fly-tying products
Renomed scissors, Overton’s Wonder Wax and Flybox’s Eggstasy material reviewed
OPINION & NEWS 82 News
All the latest news from the UK trout scene, plus match results
84 Stay safe
Essential safety advice that could save your life
86 Letters
Trout Fisherman readers have their say
88 Cockwill
Why communication with customers is key to success
90 Troutmasters
Are you a badge winner this month?
95 Iain Barr
It’s all about shrimps in Iain Barr’s world at Grafham, Rutland and Draycote
98 Wading in
World Fishing Day telethon and how our man sat through the full 24 hours!
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THIS MONTH’S WINNER
A 10lb 8oz rainbow caught by Dave Tomkins at Hawkridge on a Montana. Sent in by Ian Armstrong
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 & pictures: Jonathan Tomlinson
OLD
6 TROUT FISHERMAN | JULY 18 - AUGUST 14
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BE INSPIRE D
Set up a ch a between yo llenge u and a mate
NEW How do the flies and tackle of yesteryear compare to modern equivalents? Jonathan Tomlinson reports from a head-to-head challenge... Young Ben Beckwith and his grandfather Cullen battle it out.
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JULY 18 - AUGUST 14 | TROUT FISHERMAN 7
Pictures: Peter Gathercole Words: Russell Hill
12 TROUT FISHERMAN | JULY 18 - AUGUST 14
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TACTICS Sunk lin
e rese skills to cat rvoir daphnia fe ch eders
Deep on DAPHNIA
It’s not all floating lines and dries in summer. Be prepared for the unexpected, says Craig Barr
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JULY 18 - AUGUST 14 | TROUT FISHERMAN 13
TACTICS STILLWATERS Pictures: Peter Gathercole Words: Russ Dyer
Tug of WAR!
In calm, clear water, popping dries can entice a take, says Russ Dyer
Elinor produces some beautifully clean trout just like this one.
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JULY 18 - AUGUST 14 | TROUT FISHERMAN 21
FOCUS ON Th e best team of flies for s hot weather
All-rounder Peter Cockwill picks his top two and three-fly combos WHAT a wonderful time of year it is to be a trout fisherman. Our waters have warmed up, the insect life is at peak hatch and the trout are feeding avidly. It doesn’t get much better than this and all it takes is a floating line outfit
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to take maximum advantage of sport in the upper layers of the water. Truly, this is prime time and with the longer evenings too there’s no excuse to miss out on this, the best time of the year.
JULY 18 - AUGUST 14 | TROUT FISHERMAN 27
WHERE TO FISH SPECIAL FISHERIES OF THE FUTURE
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Fishery Illustration: Andy Steer
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FISHERY OF THE FUTURE? Is this what our trout fisheries will look like in 30 years’ time? Peter Cockwill gets his crystal ball out, so to speak
36 TROUT FISHERMAN | JULY 18 - AUGUST 14
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At a glance – the future explained 1 Approach road/Car park: These will be tarmac. No more pot-holed approach roads to trout fisheries. 2 Pine lodge/Cafe: The public will expect something more akin to a golf club lodge, not wooden sheds. 3 On-site shop: Where better to purchase the latest trout gear than at your local trout fishery. 4 Gutting room: Anglers won’t want to gut fish at home, it will be done at the fishery. 5 Landing net dispenser: Landing nets will remain at the fishery to halt the spread of disease.
6 Otter-proof fence: Otters are popular creatures and will be everywhere in the future - but they eat fish, lots of ‘em! 7 Big fish lake: There’s a desire for a big fish in all of us. but we must be prepared to pay extra to catch one. 8 Catch & release pool: The trend towards catch and release continues. Platforms allow release into deep water. 9 Any method pool: Anglers will be able to catch trout with spinner and bait. Main lake: This will hold a variety of trout cross breeds – anglers will crave variety and love a surprise.
Recovery pool: Any fish that are struggling can be placed in an aerated pool and fed regularly. Accommodation: Comfortable accommodation will be expected, and will appeal to couples too. Parking: Ample, spacious parking on tarmac Restaurant: Fisheries will offer quality food for
corporate events, angling groups and families. Information: “What’s on” leaflets or a notice board Security cameras: To catch poachers etc
Turn over for in-depth opinion from Peter Cockwill ... www.troutfisherman.co.uk
JULY 18 - AUGUST 14 | TROUT FISHERMAN 37
WHERE TO FISH UK OXOXOX WATERS Words & pictures: Jeffrey Prest
Oil and UNTROUBLED WATER
When a Canadian oilman decided to wind down in retirement, a charming Aberdeenshire fishery was the outcome. We watch Peter Cockwill fall in love with Midmar… 42 TROUT FISHERMAN | JULY 18 - AUGUST 14
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Having finally torn ourselves away from the lodge, Peter begins his reconnaissance.
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JULY 18 - AUGUST 14 | TROUT FISHERMAN 43
Fly-Tying In association with Veniard
trout FIRST FOR TACTICS, TACKLE & WHERE TO FISH
Yellow Owl Peter Gathercole ties a top emerger pattern
Visit our website www.veniard.com
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