9 hours..

It has been some time since I last fished for a full 9 hours. Over the last couple of years my fishing time has been snatched evenings or a couple of hours after work. Its because of the kids, I want to spend time with them before they grow up.

For this reason I have hardly fished other rivers as it takes a bit of time to get there (although Saturday it only took 45mins to get back so that is being double examined right now) however on Saturday I was granted a full day pass so left at 12ish and planned to stay until dusk. It turned out my pass was assumed to cease at 7pm as I was expected to get some shopping in however there was not much that could be done about it as there was no way I was heading up the road early before dusk.

I headed down with Jim with Paul meeting up later after he had completed his chores around the house and the session could firmly be split into two. The first half was hot and bright with three extremely hard fished for trout to show for it and the 2nd heading into dusk much better. I had contemplated using my 5 weight SLT however was glad I settled for my Orvis Superfine 4 weight. It had enough punch to get through the wind. I fished down this river with an extremely soft 4 weight bamboo rod for a couple of seasons so the Orvis should not have an issue.

The undergrowth has gotten pretty deep and wild, it is as if the late spring has really encouraged the plants to go for it big style. We cleared a wee space to sit and watch for rising trout as we had some sandwiches. After sandwiches at half four that is when the 2nd session started, the wind picked up, the temp dropped and the trout started to rise. We spotted a huge fish that had us doubting whether it may have been an otter however reckon it was a trout as it was at this time we started to spot trout rising every few minutes.

During this time I missed, pricked and landed several fish and it was hard going at times as the trout would look as if they were taking your fly and then when you struck they were gone. Later when I checked this out with Jim he stated the same thing was happening to him.

We started seeing more Blue Winged Olives…

By 8pm there were several trout rising and we were all catching rising trout, the trout were happy to take my fairly CDC n’ Elk with yellow CDC. I looked up and could not believe the amount of Blue Winged Olives above my head. They were swarming over our heads and as far as we could see up the river.

As we waded upstream there was the most horrible stench in the air, it was a dead cow. It must have been decomposing for a while. Even though it looked alright the smell drifted on the wind for a hundred yards.

Still the trout did not mind and I steadily picked off each trout as Jim pointed them out to me…

Jim has a canny eye for rising trout and often points out dimples a hundred yards upstream.

I found a nightmare tree that I am glad I did not stumble into on my way up the river..

As dusk approached the action heated up however Paul and Jim wanted to head back down the river while there was still a glimmer of light to see by. By this point the trout had switched to spinners so I decided to walk back down after them as it is safer in numbers scrambling over rocks and electrified fences. Jim was zapped in his hand while later I was on my hands and knees and was zapped right up the spine.

It was great fishing up here again, the last time I was here the bullocks attacked and I had to yank a fly out my buddies face  so actually going fishing and catching some fish was pretty sweet.

I suppose scrambling back to the car on this stretch may have been tricky however I know another spot not too far from here that would be good in the evenings and the wading is even easier….