flyfishing

[davey 310]

i have been fishing still waters a while now and have just started rivers and need some tips,as i keep blanking !!! ie do i just cast and trot or do i need to retrieve ? what fly this time of year ? and how to spot good pools or lay ups ? am fishing all the free streches on tje itchen from winchester to southampton

[Sako.243 1]

Keep at it mate, Buy a copy of Trout Fisherman ect, Get some tips on local rivers in question ie flys and insects that given fish may be feeding on. Best of luck mate. Tight lines.......................................

I do a fair bit its my summer sport, Salmon and Trout.

[aaronpigeonplucker 32]

i have been fishing still waters a while now and have just started rivers and need some tips,as i keep blanking !!! ie do i just cast and trot or do i need to retrieve ? what fly this time of year ? and how to spot good pools or lay ups ? am fishing all the free streches on tje itchen from winchester to southampton

 

is it the trout season already?! at his time of year then you will probably have luck with trout and grayling by nymohing doan and across. this involes casting a team of two nymphs( my preferred settup is gold head hare ear size 14 on the bottom and partridge & orange or a red tag on the top dropper in size 14) at a 45 degree angle above a likly spot and let it drift downstream. watch for quick darts in th line and strike at anything wich looks like a bite (i.e line stopping, darting under water, being pulled.). or if you see fish rising then fish a dry like a greenwells glory, spent spinner or a mayfly.

[J Darcy 5,871]

Hi, the rivers may be a little cold at present, but a few pointers for when it warms up a tad.

 

 

#1 Use the wet fly in flowing water. This is the best place to use this type of fly. The fish only has a split second to react and make a decision whether your fly is indeed food or not. often they make the mistake and you get your man!

 

#2 Use a dropper, this way you can have two flies on the leader, maybe two differing types.

 

#3 Do not cast at 90 degrees , cast more downstream than "Across", then mend your line as needed. This is so that the flies do not whizz straight past the fish. By casting "down" you get the oportunity to flish the fly in a most natural presentation.

 

#4 Once at the end of the "swing" when the line and flies are directly downstream of you it may be prudent to slowly "figure of eight" for two or three yards. I have had a great many fish by doing just this.

 

#5 Confidence. For me its all about using the flies i know i have bagged up on. B+P spider and greenwells are my number one choices, but partridge and orange and snipe and purple are also up there with the best. I do not use big flies and my "standard" size is 16, but i will use 18 or 14 too if needed.

 

#6. Line. Some use sinking line on rivers but IMO it is not needed. We have perfectly good S/tip line that you can still mend the line. For me though, i love the floater and this is really all i use as i am very confident in using this line no matter what.

 

 

 

Good Luck.......JD

[davey 310]

Hi, the rivers may be a little cold at present, but a few pointers for when it warms up a tad.

 

 

#1 Use the wet fly in flowing water. This is the best place to use this type of fly. The fish only has a split second to react and make a decision whether your fly is indeed food or not. often they make the mistake and you get your man!

 

#2 Use a dropper, this way you can have two flies on the leader, maybe two differing types.

 

#3 Do not cast at 90 degrees , cast more downstream than "Across", then mend your line as needed. This is so that the flies do not whizz straight past the fish. By casting "down" you get the oportunity to flish the fly in a most natural presentation.

 

#4 Once at the end of the "swing" when the line and flies are directly downstream of you it may be prudent to slowly "figure of eight" for two or three yards. I have had a great many fish by doing just this.

 

#5 Confidence. For me its all about using the flies i know i have bagged up on. B+P spider and greenwells are my number one choices, but partridge and orange and snipe and purple are also up there with the best. I do not use big flies and my "standard" size is 16, but i will use 18 or 14 too if needed.

 

#6. Line. Some use sinking line on rivers but IMO it is not needed. We have perfectly good S/tip line that you can still mend the line. For me though, i love the floater and this is really all i use as i am very confident in using this line no matter what.

 

 

 

Good Luck.......JD

cheers lads this is spot on . is this the same j darcy who wrote running dog addictiion the book im reading at the moment

[fin and fur 2]

i have been fishing still waters a while now and have just started rivers and need some tips,as i keep blanking !!! ie do i just cast and trot or do i need to retrieve ? what fly this time of year ? and how to spot good pools or lay ups ? am fishing all the free streches on tje itchen from winchester to southampton

 

you are fortunate indeed to have access to such a fine chalk stream as the Itchen, i am sure even the free stretches will yeild good fish

 

an absolute boon to any fly fisher who is targeting fish is a good pair of polaroids, these should be viewed as an essential item of tackle

 

i guess that you will not be casting far so a mid action fly rod would be fine some would say go up to a 5#wt but with small flies a 3#wt will be ideal for most rivers

 

choice of flies will depend on what is actually hatching on the water you are fishing, the chalk streams create a rich enviroment for invertabrates and before you chose any flies i would have a word with a few local fishermen to find out what flies actually come of the water and over what length of time the hatches occur, hatch duration can vary considerably from water to water taking mayfly time for example, the flies on one river i fish come off in huge numbers for a little over 2 weeks, whilst on other waters the hatch can be more sporadic and last for nearly 2 months from end of may

 

local knowledge will always be the key to choosing which flies you use and at what times you use them, the trout can be very fussy at times, a few generic patterns such as Gold Ribbed Hares Ears & Pheasant Tailed Nymphs along with say a few Adams for your dries will start you off but as i say find out whats hatching on your water and buy the flies to match

 

all the best

 

fin and fur