|
If you've found our website useful, please
support us by clicking one of the bookmarks below.
Delicious
|
|
Fly Fishing Locations
|
|
For more advanced searches, full fishery details, photos, visitor comments,
catch records and much much more register now for free to use the full fly
fishing journal application. Existing users should login. |
|
|
|
Find a fishery alphabetically:
|
|
|
|
View all fisheries in a county:
|
|
Quantock Fishery
Stream Farm
Broomfield
Bridgwater
Somerset
Contact: Sue Brice-Miller
Tel: 01823 451367
|
Quarter Fishery
Hamilton
Strathclyde
Contact: Permits: J Crooks
Tel: 07917 830474
Website: www.quarterfishery.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fly Fishing Tips and Techniques
Fishing Lakes and Lochs from the Bank |
Where brown trout predominate there are some important differences in approach
to lowland rainbow trout reservoirs. Chief among these is that generally for
most of the year browns do not shoal whereas rainbows do. However despite these
differences the angler does need to develop his hunting instinct and use his
knowledge to find the fish, but the methods can vary.
Trout will be near their main food source but within such areas brown trout will
be more territorial and take up consistent lies spread about the lake. Consider
entomology particularly if it is a rich water, but be prepared to fish-the-water
as well. Those who fish the same water regularly can anticipate a take at the
foot of a fence, by a rock etc from one year to the next. This tendency can be
observed in a stocking tank where brown trout will spread out and seek their own
cover wherever possible. However depending on the lake these lies may not in
themselves be evenly distributed. Here we consider positioning. On a deep
steep-sided loch brown trout will be found close to the bank and close to the
edges of islands. They will tend to be spread out along such places. Shallow
lochs will hold fish in these areas and across more of the expanse of the loch.
Proper brown trout fishing from the bank means being on the move and very good
creels can come from a step-and-cast approach certainly in covering more fish
and finding each successive hot spot. Often it will be found that while brownies
will take a snap or two at your flies the slightly better fish offer only once
but being on the move means they can be covered fresh and then covered again
later on. Try to keep back from the edge of the water wherever possible and not
to cast against a clear sky line. Even on a loch use cover and you will catch
better fish. Be well prepared for sudden slashing takes just as the fly lands on
seemingly inhospitable waves. Unless fishing a particular fly to imitate a
natural, the best approach is to fish traditional flies with a fast retrieve.
Done properly on upland waters this is not a chuck it and chance it approach it
is an acquired skill which can be extremely deadly.
As from the boat fish two or three flies with a bushy fly on the top and sleeker
flies on the point. In a wild fishery all sizes of fish are present, this is
natural, but it can pay to fish large flies which the tiddlers are less able to
hook themselves on. Imagine how a group of fish behave, observe fish in a tank,
a number of small fish will mob food and larger fish do not want to waste energy
unless the food is attractive enough and the other fish don't take it
immediately. Try fishing 8's and 6's as the Sutherland fishermen do, it does
work. A good team is an Ordie or Blue Zulu on the bob, an Invicta on the dropper
and a Peter Ross on the point. Until you find the taking speed, fish your speed
by the wind, strong wind fast retrieve, slow wind slow retrieve. Into the wind
fish faster, from the wind fish slower.
Loch fishing in particular is not really stillwater fishing, lochs tend to be
windswept and affected by a variety of currents so some of the concepts of the
stream fisherman can help. Imagine broad streams in the loch water and think of
lies like you would in a river. Fish will lie in certain positions which favour
the passage of food, with the best fish holding the best positions. Look for
rocky promontories which provide security for the fish and lead to channels of
flow holding food often indicated by a form of wind lane or joint in the surface
current. When fishing a promontory do not make the classic mistake most anglers
make, that of walking out to the end and then casting some distance from the
end. Walk along the downwind side of the promontoy stealthily and cast the fly
to the end of the promontory. Try it! Also try rocky reefs anywhere in the lake
and from the bank these are also excellent lies. A prominent boulder or number
of boulders are good grounds and a big fish will sit by a large submerged
boulder. Margins around weeds should be explored.
Inlet streams are of great importance, even very small ones, they oxygenate the
water and bring food into the lake while also holding fry and for these reasons
they attract fish. Oulets can also act to funnel food and attract fish as can
narrow channels. Think like a fish, where would you hang out? In this respect a
lee shore is often a good spot because insects are collected from a greater part
of the lake. Fishing from the lee shore does not require a long line which is
lucky if there is a strong wind. More important is some stealth and good
presentation. With the wind blowing objects in faster, the retrieve can be
faster and you may need to get the point fly deeper more quickly because of your
short line, this is aided by a heavier sleeker fly like a Peter Ross. In a
particularly strong wind the angler may find difficulty casting straight into
the wind and in this case it pays to fish across the wind and fish the margins
(Note casting methods into the wind). A shorter leader and less droppers will
also help. Watch changes as you fish on the move, it is staggering to see which
fly takes at points along the bank, it might be that the stretch before an inlet
sees fish on the black pennel but as soon as the cast moves into the downwind
water by an inlet the butcher will take, perhaps because of the presence of fry.
After this point the butcher may not work again until the next inlet. Note the
different colouration of brown trout caught in different spots. Being on the
move fishing for wild fish that naturally vary in size, colouration and habits
and to do this when you may have the whole water to yourself is the beauty of
loch fishing from the bank.
If you are confident with the main patterns change the sizes rather than the
patterns. Change patterns on the basis of reasoning only, such as observing a
preponderance of certain flies. Consider the weather conditions, which might
change, bright sunlight might entail a slightly bigger flashier fly or fishing
deeper.
Hot conditions
In sustained hot, bright conditions loch fishing can become useless between 1pm
and 6pm but the evenings and mornings can be extremely good and in the far North
flies will hatch that are not seen at other times, large dragonflies and
damselflies will attract very big trout that can be caught by stalking. Indeed
on occasions big ferox will break all the known textbooks and drift up through
the water and bask in the hot sun slipping away at the merest disturbance. At
night if the air temperature does not drop below 10 C it is worth fishing right
through the night. If wanting to fish from the boat ask at the estate office as
guests will go back to the hotel for dinner dismayed by the bright day and after
a few drinks they decline an evening boat.
Size of loch and size of fish
Most lochs hold big fish. This despite how small most of the fish caught are,
sometimes because of them! Obviously some lochs have more bigger fish than
others, however with "bigger" fish the problem is catching them. The bigger and
deeper the loch the more difficult this becomes. There are however many small or
shallow or very small lochs that hold very big brown trout and there whereabouts
are rightly jealously guarded. Handled in particular ways these lochans can
present the best chance of catching big powerful fish. The chief reason is that
with obsessive if not insane persistence these fish can be spotted (even on
large lochs in highly defined spots). It is a question of where and when and
unless you are a local in the know this experience only comes from many years of
hard exploration. Use the knowledge of geology and plants to locate rich cool
waters in the hills and use knowledge of the weather to pick the time to
approach them. Small lochans with good feeding hold small numbers of large fish
that are extremely dour but there are many more of these lochs in Scotland than
is realised. Weeds are a common problem in tackling these fish and you will
first have to spot signs of a particular fish and then stalk and present a fly
on its nose often in a lane of weed. A strong cast and determined action in the
first moments of playing are important. Stiff well palmered flies are a good tip
for this fishing. When you find such waters, treat them with the utmost respect,
this is a situation where it can be proper to put the fish back. Don't boast
about the whereabouts of such a loch.
|
|
|
|
|
|