Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2022 i Trout & Salmon

I’VE JUST RETURNED FROM THE BRITISH FLY Fair. What a wonderful show. If you are a fly-tyer, it’s a great place to stock up on materials and see the best tyers ply their trade. What made this year’s show more special was that it was the first held since the start of the pandemic. I’ve never seen the car park so full, and to witness so many friends and fellow fishers getting together again was delightful. It was comforting to think that things may at last be getting back to normal. The fly-tying trade thrived during the pandemic and despite talk of supply issues, there were few signs of shortages at the show. I managed to tick off everything on my shopping list. My first salmon fishing is only a…

ANGLING FOR A DATE Jessica Nelson, 18, caught this rainbow trout while on a date with her boyfriend and keen trout fisherman Archie MacColl-Smith. Archie proved that romance isn’t dead by deciding that, rather than take Jessica to lunch and the cinema, he would take her to Inverawe Fisheries, Taynuit, Argyll, for a day’s fishing. Despite the snow, hailstorms and freezing temperatures, she still had a great time. “It was very relaxing and nice to get away from everything. I shall definitely be back,” said Jessica. The fish was taken on a Yellow Dancer. Jessica was determined to land it, having lost two previously. The couple were fishing with family friend and Inverawe’s fishing instructor Alistair Galbraith, so Jessica was in good hands, receiving the best tips and tricks to…

WRITERS WHO mainly fished on southern chalkstreams influenced our views on early season fishing. You would think that the more southerly a stream lies, the sooner the fish would come into condition, but that’s not the case. Trout in colder northern rivers come into condition before those in the chalkstreams. This gave rise to chalkstream seasons that open late, some beats opening on April 1 while others delay opening until late April and even May 1. In other areas of the UK and Ireland, the season can start as early as February 1. If you start at the beginning of May on rivers in the Peak District, you will have missed out on a month and a half of excellent fishing opportunities. This holds true for almost all rivers that…

Art Merk writes, “Salmon are so mysterious, the best fly-fishing challenge in northern waters. It’s obvious, but being able to relax and settle into the hunt is very important. When I was starting to target salmon, I realised how hard they are to catch and how much time and effort must go in, but on the other hand it occurred to me that often when a salmon did take, I was doing nothing different or special; in that sense, they were rather simple to catch. I’ve learned the importance of peace of mind and settling into the challenge. I think the principle is about faith, persistence in what you know works and being able to enjoy that. Doubts eat into the enjoyment.”…

The fishing on Caladail, as on all four of the Durness limestone lochs, is strictly fly-only, and catch-and-release is strongly encouraged. The season is from April to September. PRICES Bank fishing £30 per rod. Boat hire £60 for two fishermen. Electric motors only. The fishing is controlled by the Keodale Sheepstock Club. For bookings and permits, contact Martin Mackay. E-mail: martin@durness limestonelochs.co.uk Tel: 01971 511 255. Web: durness limestonelochs.co.uk BEST TIMES Caladail can fish well throughout the season and success is much more likely to be dictated by the conditions on any given day. Warm, settled summer evenings fishing into the dark are likely to present the best chances of catching the bigger residents. TACKLE Standard loch outfits, 9ft-10ft rods in 4-7 weights. Floating lines should suffice for most situations,…

Slide the tungsten bead up to the eye, then fix the hook in the vice. Build a wedge of thread to secure the bead, adding a drop of superglue. Select a slim bunch of bronze mallard fibres. Take a single strand each of gold, blue and copper Micro Glint. Roll them gently between finger and thumb so that the fibres separate. This makes them more mobile in the water. Place the Micro Glint with the bronze mallard, then roll them all together so that the fibres sit at varying angles. Catch them in a short distance from the bead to form the tail. Secure the tail with tight thread turns, then trim off the waste ends just behind the bead. Using the tip of a needle, split the thread and…

Fix the hook in the vice, then start your thread on the hook shank. Apply close wraps of the thread to create a solid base for the body and wing. Take a length of black rabbit Zonker strip, one with a thin, soft skin. Cut the rear end to a V shape. This will help create a taper in the finished wing and increase its mobility. At a point two hook lengths from its tip, moisten the fur and divide the hairs. Secure the strip, winding the thread directly over the skin. Add a few turns under the tail to avoid “tail-wrap”. Add further tight thread turns to secure the fur strip, then fold its front end back over the tail. Cut the end of a length of red holographic…

AFTER MONTHS OF restrictions on our movements due to the pandemic, the beginning of a new fishing season seems even more of an opportunity for a fresh start than normal. Once again, we can make plans to travel and fish waters old and new. You may be booking a familiar beat and meeting old acquaintances. Or you may decide to treat yourself and head to a new exotic destination. Whatever your plans, a lot of fun is in the preparation. Reels will need checking, lines stretched and cleaned, and flies tied by the dozen. You may also have promised yourself a new piece of kit. While times have not been easy, tackle companies have still been beavering away, developing ever-better equipment to make our fishing experience easier and more rewarding.…

Sage Thermo £699.99 The new Thermo fly reel from Sage has been designed to deal with the hardest-fighting fish on the planet. Whether you’re chasing giant salmon in Norway or bluewater tuna and GTs on the flats, the Thermo’s fully sealed, ultra-robust SCS drag can supply up to a constant 20lb of stopping power. Its large arbor, fully machined 6061-T6 cold forged and tempered construction is concave and ported to give extra strength and a huge backing capacity of 500-plus yards. The single revolution drag knob has 20 settings for easy adjustment. Available in stealth (black) or champagne, sizes 10-12wt and 12-16wt. guideflyfishing.co.uk Abel Rove £750 — £1,050 black reel (See online for decorative finish price options) Abel has replaced its legendary Super Series reels, mainstay of the company for…

Snowbee XStreme thermal jacket £129 Snowbee’s new XStreme is a puffer-style jacket that can be worn as an outer layer or as a thermal mid-layer under a wading jacket in freezing conditions. It has a synthetic Polyball polyester filling and weighs only 425g. To avoid the lining getting wet and losing its thermal properties, the 380T nylon outer fabric is treated with a Matt Ciring finish. This heat and pressure process makes the outer surface waterproof. A DWR (durable water repellent) coating is also added so light rain will bead-up and run off the surface and the lining remains dry. The jacket easily packs down into a bag or rucksack when not in use. snowbee.co.uk Orvis rod & reel case £69 — £89 This rod-and-reel carry case from Orvis is…

IT is my sad duty to report the death of Allan Cook of Netheravon. Allan was Riverkeeper to the Services Dry Fly Fishing Association (SDFFA) from 1971 to 2002. Allan was a lifelong Netheravon institution. Born in 1939, he left school and worked on a local farm, before moving to the photographic department at RAF Upavon. In the late 1960s, he assisted Frank Sawyer, along with his uncle Harold. Allan started as full-time keeper in 1971. It was Allan who found Frank Sawyer dead on the riverbank in 1980. He also found his uncle dead on the bank in similar circumstances. Allan restarted the mothballed trout hatchery and improved the rearing facilities at Haxton. He made his own electro-fishing generator with some interesting and unusual refinements. He had a highly…

Caught a memorable fish? Send a picture and brief story to troutandsalmon@bauermedia.co.uk Each picture published (p10-11) will receive a Sharpe’s of Aberdeen cap. The captor of the Fish of the Month will receive a Sharpe’s rod of their choice. Our winner may have recently landed a big fish, first fish or unusual fish. They may simply have told a wonderful tale. The editor’s decision is final.For terms and conditions, visit: bauerlegal.co.uk/competition-terms.html For our Privacy Policy: bauerdatapromise.co.uk…

TROUT SEASON February 15 — September 30. The trout season starts in February, but fishing over the deeps is at its best from the middle of July until the end of the season. If you are planning a trip, book well in advance to secure a boatman and accommodation. The lough and the fishing are in great demand when daytime sport picks up after the summer doldrums. THE FISHERY Along with neighbouring Lough Corrib, Mask is one of the finest wild brown trout fisheries in Europe, if not the world. At 22,000 acres, it deserves respect and for the visiting angler who is unfamiliar with its moods and sometimes dangerous and invisible rocky features, it is vital for their safety and enjoyment that a local boatman or guide is hired.…

Mixed messages My copy of Trout & Salmon has just landed on my mat. From a quick perusal of three news stories, I note the following: “Some 1,090,068 rod licences were sold … generating a record income of £24,583,342”, then “an internal report leaked to The Guardian … revealed EA staff were told by their bosses in November to ignore ‘low impact’ pollution incidents”, and finally, “Angling clubs in England can apply for a share of the new £100,000 Get Fishing Fund, which is derived from rod licence income….” That’s 0.4% of rod licence income, intended to encourage more people to take up angling and buy rod licences. The EA must think anglers are fools. Joseph Ottewill, Bristol Last cast fish Whilst musing ahead of the forthcoming season, I was…

Statutory seasons for non-migratory trout fishing are determined by national governments. Fishery owners may shorten the statutory season by postponing the start date or including periods when fishing is not permitted, but they cannot lengthen the season. The Scottish season applies to all rivers. March 15 to October 6 inclusive. https://fms.scot/fishing-and-the-law/fishing-seasons/ England and Wales have seasons with significant local variations. It’s vital to check the dates for your area. The start date may be as early as March 3 or as late as April 1. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-rod-fishing-byelaws-for-england-freshwater-fishing-with-a-rod-and-line# when-and-where-you-can-fish https://naturalresources.wales/guidance-and-advice/business-sectors/fisheries/angling-byelaws/ when-what-and-where-you-can-fish/non-migratory-trout-arctic-charr-coarse-fish-and-eels-open-seasons/?lang=en Northern Ireland has regional variations with some areas starting on February 1. https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/game-and-coarse-fishing-seasons Ireland has regional variations with some areas starting on February 15. https://fishinginireland.info/trout/trseasons/…

1. HUGH FALKUS’S SALMON FISHING BOOK In 1988, the late Lord Robert Biddulph took a large gamble on employing a very inexperienced teenager as the estate gillie on the family’s Makerstoun beat of the River Tweed. To assist my steep learning curve, Lord Biddulph very kindly gave me his signed copy of Hugh Falkus’s Salmon Fishing. This book was an excellent reference for a young gillie learning about the broad range of aspects of fishing for Atlantic salmon. I have always treasured the book, but more importantly, the opportunity the estate offered to enjoy a working life on the River Tweed. 2. JOCK SCOTT CLASSIC SALMON FLY This Jock Scott classic fly is one of my favourite angling possessions for two reasons. Firstly, it was beautifully tied by a good…

JUST AS MOST RIVERS POSSESS a Home pool, occasionally I give the same name to other types of pools on different rivers. Heartbreakers is a classic case. I met my first Heartbreakers in Iceland on the mighty Laxa river, south of Husavik. One July afternoon, I was fishing with Gummi Bjarnason, a 20-year-old Icelander who knows the Laxa valley like the back of his hand. Following a fruitless morning session, he promised to show me a place where leviathans lurk — with the usual warning that they’re virtually impossible to extract. I managed to hook three enormous trout that afternoon, but despite using a sturdy 8lb tippet and thinking I’d brought my A-game, every single one smoked me. Their brute strength took my leader into a maze of sunken lava…

CAM EMERGER Hook Size 14 Fulling Mill Czech Nymph Thread Uni 0/8 yellow Body Dyed yellow pheasant ribbed with thread Post Grey poly yarn and black closed-cell foam Hackle Grey partridge Thorax Natural CDC This is the search pattern. The wing’s flat profile makes the fly drift like no other, while the soft partridge and CDC add a pulse of life. CAM stands for Correct Attitude Mohican. It appeared in the book Listen to the River by renowned fly dresser and photographer Steve Thornton, but I was introduced to it by Toft Newton’s fishery manager and river ace Andy Hudson. He assured me it was successful — and wasn’t wrong. The wing is unique. Add the poly yarn on the underside of the shank, then extend upwards as with a…

ROB EDMUNDS Highly successful competition angler, reservoir bank and boat specialist. RONNIE GLASS Former Scottish champion on rivers and stillwaters and curator of the Tweed Salmon Fishing Museum. STEVE CULLEN Guide, instructor and all-round game angler with a wealth of knowledge. ALASTAIR & WILLIAM PEAKE Brothers Al and Will (AKA TwinPeakes) have a casting school and tackle shop in Crathes on the Aberdeenshire Dee. PAUL PROCTER Cumbrian-based AAPGAI instructor. Prefers the imitative approach. GARETH JONES Welsh international and stillwater expert. Has fished all over the world. PETER COCKWILL Small-water expert with more than 60 years’ fly-fishing experience. BOB WHITE Hugely experienced gillie and salmon-fly tyer based at the Stanley beats of the River Tay.…

A GREAT ADVANTAGE OF TUBE-FLIES is that the hook used at the rear end can be selected according to conditions or regulations and may be easily changed or replaced, for example when damaged, thus extending the usable life of the tube-fly. A common method of attaching the hook (single, double or treble) is to fit a short length of flexible tubing such as PVC or silicone rubber over the rear of the tube-fly and then insert the hook into this flexible sleeve. This is an effective way of keeping the hook in the desired position behind and in line with the tube, while the flexibility of the hook-link tubing minimises leverage on the hook when a fish is being played. Many fishermen, on the other hand, prefer to allow the…

Hook Size 8-10 Hanak H230BL Stillwater Wet Thread Size 8/0 black Uni Wing Zonker strip of rabbit Body Red holographic mylar Head Black ■ Try different colour combinations. Black/red and olive/gold are Steve’s first choice. Then try white/silver or natural grey/silver. Opt for pink/pink in dirty water or very bright days. ■ Steve ties a bright fluorescent orange thread head on all flies except the black/red version. ■ Add sparkle to the head with Lite-brite. ■ Add lead under the mylar body to fish |the fly deeply. Steve says a bead ruins the fly’s profile.…

Orvis lanyard £49 unloaded, £109 loaded The new Orvis lanyard keeps all your essentials near to hand and in one place. The webbing strap lays flat and prevents the lanyard twisting and tangling. Six paracord loops give multiple points for attaching tools. The upper forceps dock is designed to stop them swinging and a foam fly dock allows for easy access and quick drying. The loaded lanyard comes with forceps, nippers, Hyflote gel, floatant holder, tippet bar, and three 30m spools of tippet material. orvis.com Snowbee XS Spectre Camo £5.99 Snowbee’s new copolymer line has been treated to incorporate natural green and brown colours, breaking up its outline so that it blends into the background. Ideal for stalking tricky fish when maximum stealth is required. It has excellent knot and…

The term “deceptively mild-mannered” might have been coined to describe Andrew Douglas-Home. Behind the owlish spectacles and the courteous, self-deprecating way of talking is a strong will and a corresponding set of opinions held with granite-like obstinacy. They cover all aspects of fish and fishing and river management: commercial netting for salmon (indefensible), hatcheries (pointless), spinning (verging on the criminal except in high water), eels (horrible), chub fishing (pointless), beavers (unprintable). Lucky chap, he has spent much of his boyhood and most of his adult life living beside the Tweed and with access to the best of its fishing in the best of times. His father owned Upper Pavilion, and as a young man he inherited The Lees from his godfather. And in the autumn of his days — just…

ALTHOUGH I KNOW EACH YEAR it’s going to happen, it always comes as a shock when the days start to lengthen. In the midst of a Hebridean winter, it’s hard to think it will ever be summer again, and when you get that first hint of spring, it fires the imagination. It’s my favourite time of year, although the thought of what’s to come is often sweeter than the real deal. Summer is still a long way off, and before then, there are lots of crofting activities to be sorted. April is the busiest time as we tackle the annual lambing. It varies slightly, but most years the first lambs on our croft will be expected around Easter. This is because it’s generally a marginally drier time of year. April…

I’m a keen fly-fisherman who enjoys the tranquil, pristine waters of our unique chalk streams. The Wandle in South London is the most accessible river to my home. For 200 years, it was a toxic industrial sewer, now it’s a beautiful river, cleaned and reclaimed. Or so I thought. A few years ago, I was chasing a trout when suddenly the Wandle’s clear waters turned the colour of tea. Smelly, too. I waited for a couple of hours to see if the water would clear so I could continue my fishing but had no luck and returned home. I reported the event to the Environment Agency and was later informed it was probably a discharge from the sewage works upstream. Since that day, I have wondered how many other river-users…

AS PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR famously said, “White does not exist in nature”. As a master of colour, he should know. But if you are looking at a white bird/flower/cat/breaking wave, you might be inclined to argue the point. From a visual light perspective, white is a combination of all the spectrum light colours. However, it is necessary to remove all colour from material to get a white end-product. Naturally white creatures produce white fly-tying materials — such as winter-coated stoats, mountain hares and ptarmigan — as do albino creatures. Hunt these materials down. They are rare but will help you to tie patterns with white components. They are also fine recipients for dye. When I was 14 years old, I was encouraged to take up fly-tying by my father, who was…

IT’S A QUESTION I’VE BEEN ASKED many times over a long career as a fisherman and fishery manager. Those that put it to me often cannot understand why you would want to catch a double-figure trout that has been released into the water the same day. This is usually the opinion of anglers that fish for wild fish — and is often mistaken as snobbery. What an angler chooses to fish for and how they choose to fish varies nationwide. Some fish only for river trout, some loch-style competitions, others solely Tenkara or salmon. Some only fish dry- or wet-flies. Therefore, isn’t stocking really big fish in small stillwaters just one small facet of our varied sport? And if it encourages customers, then, surely, it’s also just a matter of…

WITH HIS METICULOUS approach to catching trout and grayling, Peter Driver is surely the epitome of a thinking angler. Having left a stressful life as a practising psychologist, Peter Driver now runs his fly-fishing and fly-tying business, Piscarifly, from his home in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, close to the banks of the lovely River Nore. He spends much of his time coaching adults and youngsters in the art of fly-fishing and has adopted an analytical approach to great effect. For Peter, even fly-fishing, especially the competitive side, is all about system and process, breaking down tackle, technique and fly choice into distinct parts to leave as little as possible to chance. Whether it’s down to his professional training or his natural temperament, Peter takes his preparation for a fishing session very…

It is sometimes possible to pack two rods in one bag and tube. Useful if you want to save space when taking a flight or avoid cluttering your car — a car full of rod tubes may attract unwanted attention. There’s a knack to it. First, pair the handle sections. By placing the butt of one level against the tip of the other, the rings won’t clash. Do the same with all the sections. Slide the pairs into the sleeves of the rod bag and roll up. If the fit is too tight, try matching the bulkier butts with finer tips. Rods with a large handle and big stripping rings may be too bulky. Some metal/carbon tubes may be too slim — we couldn’t fit two four-piece trout rods into…

LKE MANY SYNTHETIC FLY-TYING materials, Flexi-Floss (or Spanflex — call it what you will, they are trade names for very similar products) originated in the textile and clothing industries, but it wasn’t long before its unique and desirable properties were spotted and exploited by innovative fly materials companies. Stretching over five times its relaxed state, obvious uses are ribbing and creating bodies, but it has a few more nifty tricks. It moves in a very natural and tempting manner when lengths are tied to a pattern as appendages that pulse and flap irresistibly in the slightest current or breeze. It comes in a huge range of colours for easy hatch-matching and is also extremely robust, durable, and easy to work. My favourite feature of Flexi-Floss, though, is its translucency, which…

SPRING IS A WONDERFUL TIME TO visit small stillwater trout fisheries. Not only will overwintered fish become active in the warmer water, but fisheries will stock heavily to meet the increase in anglers making the most of good weather. I asked T&SÕs Steve Cullen for one of his favourite flies for this scenario and he kindly agreed to share one of his secrets. Steve is a fine fisherman and fly-tyer, always tinkering with patterns to get the most from them. The Rabbit is a lure tied to give maximum mobility. Few materials pulsate like good rabbit skin. Marabou has soft fibres, but they are easily torn by fish. Rabbit is more durable and reacts to every movement of the fly-line or rod tip. This mobility is irresistible to feeding or…

BUZZERS ARE THE tiny larvae of midges, or chironomids to give them their posh name, in case you’re ever chatting on the bank with someone who only speaks Ancient Greek (This is unlikely on Day Ticket waters). Anyway, although buzzers are not much bigger than this (----------), they comprise 80% of a stillwater trout’s diet. So Pay Attention. Various signs will alert you to where there’s a buzzer hatch: birds, eg swifts, swooping near the water are likely to be picking off emerging midges; floating shucks or adult buzzers may litter the surface; or a fish’s head and tail may cause a swirl (if you just see their lips, they’ll be eating floating emergers). Although more fish are caught on artificial Buzzers than any other method, many anglers blank on…

“Modern rod-building technology has given today’s 14-footers power in spades and yet made them lighter and more responsive” ONCE CONSIDERED A LIGHTER option to deliver smaller flies to grilse and summer salmon, a rod around the 14ft mark, casting a 9wt-10wt line, is now the first-choice tool all year for many salmon anglers. Modern rod-building technology has given today’s 14-footers power in spades and yet made them lighter and more responsive. When combined with advances in fly-line tapers, most 14ft rods are now as capable of casting heavy skagit heads, T-tips and tube-flies on a swollen River Tweed as they are swinging a full spey line and wee doubles on the Aberdeenshire Dee. Indeed, some seasoned salmon anglers might think that even these rods are on the heavy side for…

■ When choosing a rod, try to match its action to the type of fishing you intend to do. If you need tight loops and very accurate casts to deliver dry-flies to rising trout, then a fast-action rod with a quick recovery will suit you. If, on the other hand, you are fishing teams of flies, loch-style from a boat, a more through-action rod will allow you to roll cast and work the top dropper fly better. ■ A down-locking reel seat will position the reel’s weight further back to better balance longer rods, like those intended for Euro-nymphing and salmon fishing.…

Rio Camolux is an intermediate line that sinks at 1.5ips to 2ips, ideal for fishing at depths from 2ft to 6ft. The line’s multi-coloured coating breaks up its outline, making it effective when targeting wary fish in clear water. Rio’s Avid series of fly-lines have been developed for easy casting performance. They have slightly heavier and shorter head lengths than standard, allowing even the novice angler to easily feel the rod loading. They are a great all-round floating line. guideflyfishing.co.uk…

England & Wales BORDER ESK APRIL can welcome the odd early salmon and sea-trout with areas such as Burnfoot, Longtown and Westalls all likely to produce an early fish or two. In recent years, early fish have been seen and odd ones caught. These fish are often gleaming specimens and can be good takers. The Willowpool Fishings below Canonbie are offering season rods, daily lets, three-day or weekly lets from September. Contact David Laidler on 07768 837372 or Willowpool fishings on the Fishpal website. For another season, the Esk and Liddel AC prices remain the same. All Waters Tickets for 2022 cost £350 while the Canonbie ticket is £300. Langholm is £170, the Lower Liddel fishing £150. The All Waters day ticket that covers Canonbie is £38. The Langholm or…

A HOUSE FOR KEEN GARDENERS Eden Bank is an imposing Victorian house overlooking the River Eden at Kirkby Stephen, a market town at the head of the Eden valley in Cumbria on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It has large gardens and fishing on the river. Penrith and Kendal are 25 miles away. Dating from the 1850s and further extended in the 1920s, there are Victorian and Edwardian features and although the property is in good condition (new windows installed in 2021) further updates could be carried out and there is potential for more accommodation in the attic. There are cellars, three reception rooms and shower room on the ground floor; main bedroom with bathroom, four other bedrooms with bathroom on the first floor; and large attic…

I WAS FISHING ON THE TWEED IN THE LAST days of the ’21 season. It was chilly but it wasn’t icicles on the top ring cold, and the river was in reasonable shape. After the prolonged dry spell there had been some decent drizzle in the catchment and the water had been up and down, and the stones had enjoyed a decent scrub. So, conditions were adequate. We were in with a chance, at least. The boatman and I have shared a good deal. We have talked of whisky and salmon and women. So we’re back talking about salmon. And we are giving due consideration to how different it must have been to catch fish on the sort of tackle that was used in the days when anglers waded in…