Robert’s guide to fantastic fly fishing this summer
AS WE move into summer the choice of artificial fly will change. Anglers should try to match the hatch, where they fish . A typical selection of artificial flies may include the diawl bach, buzzers, hoppers, sedgehog, olives and Bolton Sedge.
Lures such as yellow dancer, rainbow dancer, cormorant, viva and muddlers will all, given the correct conditions, tempt fish. Fishing a floating line with a long leader of three metres will be sufficient.
The magical thing about fly fishing is that feeling of anticipation and the rush of adrenaline as, on the largest or smallest of lochs, we watch trout feeding on surface flies. It is heady stuff and that is why we do it.
Looking back, the Mayfly hatch has been on. This magnificent fly was on the water and in the air in substantial numbers. Trout were feeding actively on both emerging and adult flies. The wild birds were also having a feast.
Fish can be so intent on feeding on this specific fly that their guard may be down. The Mayfly hatch normally lasts for more than two weeks, perhaps extending to four to six weeks.
The Mayfly emerged as the day warmed up, around 11 am to noon. If the weather conditions were favourable, the hatch continued, in varying quantity, until evening.
The selection of artificial fly and presentation is important. The wrong size, colour or badly-tied fly can prove less than successful. Representing the Mayfly nymph, the insect before emerging into the adult fly is, at
Mayfly time, often the best bet. This emerging nymph moves fairly fast from the bottom of the reservoir to the surface.
Once at the surface it becomes vulnerable to predation. The emerging fly gets stuck in the surface film of water until it wriggles out of its existing aquatic body to emerge and take to the wing as a beautiful adult Mayfly.
The angler’s imitation should try to represent this stage of the Mayfly’s life. Fishing the artificial fly in the top meter of water presents the pattern in the trout feeding zone. The trout will take the adult fly, but will often go for
the easier option of the emerger.
Fish take the fly with a bang, so light breaking nylon can be a mistake. A 2.7 Kg/6 lb breaking strain nylon is considered heavy enough. I have never been a convert to modern carbon leaders and fish Maxima Ultragreen, which works for me. It is simply a personal choice.
A Mayfly nymph tied on a size 10 longshank or de-barbed hook and lightly dressed is a good choice, as is a similar size of Pheasant’s Tail nymph with a paler coloured thorax. The Sawyers Pheasant’s Tail Nymph is perhaps the simplest and deadliest nymph dressing ever developed and is a must for all fly fishers.
An adaptation of a pale Hare’s Ear fly tied on a longshank size 10 hook is my choice of fly. This fly is tied with a few pheasant tail feather to represent the tail, a hare’s ear body with a silver or gold wire rib, a soft pale greenish/ golden brown thorax of mixed seals fur and greenish brown grizzle throat hackle is close to the colour of the natural fly. If the aim is to hold this fly in the surface film an extension of CDC from the front of the thorax may be added.
Many bag limits are being achieved at Harlaw with fish up to 2 Kg, 4.5 lb in imperial weight being recorded.