Comfy Feet on the Kelvin

So Sunday night I decided on a dusk session on the Kelvin – it was another good session with lots of trout caught. No big ones this time – as I walked up the river there was a chap fishing down and across through the pool I wanted to stake out – this meant the pool was now pretty much gubbed for the big trout as they would all have been spooked – ah well. There was a chap just downstream (it was a busy evening) who was carrying a spinning rod and a fly rod – Sundays are strictly fly only on the Kelvin. He was the other side of the river so called out to him – when he answered I reminded him that it was fly only and he was carrying a spinning rod. I felt a bit of a dick to be honest however due to being on the committee (and the damn and blast Vice Chair) when someone is blatantly breaking the rules you kinda have to say something. He called out that he had been fishing for Roach in the canal – a bit of quick thinking from the man, the canal is a mile or so away.

Anyway – at the first pool I got to the trout were rising. I could not see what was on the surface. I managed one to a size 16 CDC n’ Elk however they were proving difficult – also what was making changing flies a pain in the ass was the fact had managed to forget my line clippers and forceps. Forceps were not too much of a problem as I was lugging around my Pike forceps however I hate cutting nylon with my teeth and what made it even harder was my habit of cutting off nylon above the knot meaning on flies I use a lot I had to bite off a knot. So it took my ages to change flies.

At dusk proper moved up to a big pool – there were lots of trout rising, small rises just dimples about the size of a saucer on the surface – I knew they were not Parr as they ignored my fly. There was a lot of fly life around – in fact the river seemed alive with buzzing and flying, it was great to watch.

I changed fly a few times (pain in the ass) until eventually I settled in a micro dry about half the size of the width of your pinkie nail – it was small. Anyway the trout loved it and all the trout I had targeted which had ignored my fly were now picked off one by one – Yay!

Also, wading was one heck of a lot more comfy with a decent pair of wading boots on – I rooted around in my shed and found two pairs of Orvis wading boots – as luck would have it both boots had a felt sole off on different feet so I was able to wear the other left and rights which still had soles (think about it), they are identical so style did not matter. Talk about annoyance, I have no idea why I put these boots away in the first place and also no idea why I have struggled along with those crap Scierra boots which were falling apart on me.

Eventually, it got a bit colder and I walked up the river disturbing Alan (a reader) in the bushes – we chatted for a bit and he showed me his set up while telling me about a huge trout the length of his upper leg. I pointed out I thought his dry was too close to his fly line and how I would have the nymph in a different position and then stopped – “What the hell do I know” I told him “ You are the one catching enormous trout”

We parted company and I wandered up the river – I found some more rising trout however I think my silhouette on the bank may have spooked them.

Ah well – I need to tie up some tiny flies then!