#gameangling

[singlehaul]

Arrange a change not match the hatch

Technique in dry fly fishing is all in the observation and presentation, observe the naturals, note the size, colour, wing and leg structure, identify the insect if you can. Search your fly boxes and find an imitation of the little blighter, tie it on a tapered leader and drop it  delicately in the right place and wait for the action. How many times have we all followed these rules and waited cast after cast with not a jot of interest from a trout, what is the matter with them you think as they devour naturals all around your offering. Change the fly, I can hear you all advising, but to what? your fly already looks so convincing a natural tries to mate with it but still no trout, maybe a bigger one or a smaller one.

Well I recall fishing a stocked water many moons ago and on arrival  keenly observed the water was pop marked with the bulls eyes caused by rising fish. The air around the bank was thick with hawthorn fly struggling against the breeze which helpfully deposited them repeatedly on the surface, gratefully received by the fish and spoiling them for choice . Applying finely honed angling skills and incisive decision making I tied on a perfect replica of a jet black hawthorn fly and felt very self satisfied as exhibition cast after exhibition cast landed in the perfect spot right in the middle of rising trout. Bring on the slaughter and the main course for that evenings barbeque, half an hour later nothing.

The trout, however, were continuing to fatten themselves up on naturals all over the place and  with increasing frustration I changed up in size, down in size and presented perfect copies to be completely ignored. An hour later, with no improvement in fortune it became very obvious that matching that hatch was a misguided approach in competition with so many tasty little black delicacies skittering about on the lunch table.

Give them something different and make it completely different so long as it looks like food and ought to be there. On went a size 10 olive stimulator which plopped down a little clumsily right in the middle of the banquet, the result being immediate as a nice 3lb rainbow hit the fly hard. The fish hooked itself firmly in the scissors and after a good struggle presented for the charcoal grill. My  entertainment, as you will have anticipated, took a deserved turn for the better as a procession of duped stockies found their way to the net and a couple into the freezer.

The Hawthorn Fly and a Stimulator

I could have spent all day trying to match the hatch without the slightest hope of a triumph but arranging a change brought me immediate reward. I have repeated this theory many times over the years and realised that fish don't read instruction books and so long as it looks like food, even though it is nothing like the natural alternatives available, they will eat it. The policy won't work all the time because of course nothing in fly fishing ever does but it is certainly worth a try and saved me from the embarrassment of getting to the supermarket before they closed to enable us to feed our guests.

[singlehaul]

Considerate Handling

A short guide to the essentials of catch and release

The principal of catch and release on any water, to either conserve fish stocks or to allow the angler to fish for sport has one serious flaw and that is the way the fish are dealt with between being hooked and returned. The policy will not work at all unless the fish are able to swim away to enjoy a full recovery without lasting damage leading to mortality. Sadly, through lack of concern or education fish are being injured unnecessarily by procedures that can easily be avoided. The essence of effective catch and release is respect for our quarry and a desire to limit the harm we inevitably cause from hooks, whether they are barbless or not and the struggle of varying degrees of intensity that follow the take.

Choosing a leader and tippet strength that will allow our target to be played for the minimum time necessary to bring it to the bank is essential, as an exhausted fish will have much less chance of survival. The size of fly being used will of course affect this choice and the type of tippet material used can help without sacrificing strength for reduced circumference. The ultimate execution of catch and release has to be where the fish goes back without ever being touched by human hand, an objective that we can all strive for each time we have a fish on that we wish to see returned. Use a landing net with fish friendly mesh, keep the fish in the water as much as possible and run your hand down the line to the hook which in virtually all cases will be barbless and apply the downward movement and lack of pressure which will allow the hook to slip free. Once this has been achieved give the fish time to recover in the net before releasing  it  and on the majority of occasions off it will go virtually none the worse for the trauma.

Should the perfect technique not be achievable, for whatever reason, then the fish should never be touched with dry hands, immerse them in the water before proceeding further and the scales and protective slime are much less likely to be prejudiced. A fish touched with dry human hands will suffer damage of varying degree and often this will lead to disease and eventual death, completely defeating the objective of catch and release and condemning the fish to suffer needlessly.

Whenever a fish is hooked more deeply inside the mouth and the aim is to return it, use forceps or the long nose pliers available and if it is deeply hooked cut the line near the fly and release it without fumbling around causing even more damage. The hook that is left in place will eventually come free or dissolve over time providing a better chance of survival than if internal injury has been caused as a result of the hook's forcible removal.  The more compassionate we fly fishermen are in handling  our quarry, the more likely that fish will survive the experience of being caught and catch and release will work successfully.

Taking a photograph to record our success is part of a day's fly fishing and long may that remain the case and if the fish is to be returned then the amount of time the fish spends out of the water being handled should be minimised. To assist with that objective the fish should be left in the net after being unhooked until the photographer is ready and has been instructed to take as many shots as possible, as quickly as possible, as soon as the fish is presented. Wet hands are essential when handling the fish and if possible kneeling in or beside the water is helpful as the fish only needs to be lifted clear of the water to provide a good picture.

 If kneeling is not possible lift the fish in the net and hold it above the water or near to it, if possible, in case there is a struggle and the fish will return to the water without landing on a hard surface and suffering damage. Drop the net away and holding the fish under the gill cover and in front of the tail, hold it away from you where ever possible as it will always look bigger. Post a shot on social media and we can all enjoy your triumph and the fish will fight another healthy day.

[singlehaul]

In praise of the roll cast

Thoughts on the attributes of the roll cast and the techniques necessary to perfect it.

One of the important skills in any fly fishers armoury and one that is often neglected is mastering the Roll cast. The reasons for this are numerous, not only is the cast used to get you out of trouble and to get your line out before a days overhead casting starts but it forms the core of all aspects of Spey casting and allows you to fish the fly right back to the bank or boat. This will increase the chances of a take from a fish following which could be missed if the line is lifted off to cast again before being completely fished out. The cast can also be used to set the hook when the take is at the very last moment and to raise a sunken line and heavy fly before a normal cast is attempted. The use of the cast is also obvious in places where the back cast is impossible.

The fundamental parts which must be understood and carried out are the loading of the rod prior to the forward stroke and the forward cast being inside the anchor line. The former is achieved by the formation of a D loop behind the angler with the rod forming the back of the D and a short length of fly line lying on the water in front providing a water based anchor. The correct alignment is achieved with the rod tip pointed away from the anglers body ensuring that the loop is inside the anchor line. Once the correct position has been set up there is no rush for the forward stroke to be executed as the D loop can be held till the appropriate moment and can be increased in size by tipping the rod backwards from the vertical. The angler holds the rod handle next to the ear in the same position as one would hold a telephone with the elbow fully bent.

When the cast is to be made a swift snap forward and abrupt stop is achieved by straightening the arm and  the line will roll out in the air and land on the water fully extended or to be brought back before it touches the water into an overhead cast to get the line farther out. The snap forward has to be made with conviction to get power into the rod and the abrupt stop transfers that power to the line and can be explained in a number of different ways for example trying to shake mud from the rod tip or trying to break the rod or in the alternative trying to hammer a nail into a beam above ones head in front of you.

 A properly executed roll cast will present a fly at sufficient distance to catch fish without any further effort in virtually any situation. The cast can be carried out from either shoulder with the rod held across ones chest but must be mastered first from the rod hand side of the body and always made inside the anchor line. Achieving a competent roll cast will reward the fly fisherman every time he or she ventures out on any water and in any situation.

Once a cast is being retrieved bring the fly back until just enough line is outside the rod tip and then complete the retrieve by raising the rod into the D loop phone call position and the fly can be fished in this way right up to the bank or boat and time and again a fish will take, the hook can be set really close to the angler by using the roll cast to tighten the line and then getting in contact with the fish by swift retrieving keeping the rod high. The whole cast can be observed from the corner of one’s eye or even with a turn of the head without any detriment being caused to the end result.

Practice of course will make perfect and all of this, apart from the water based anchor can be rehearsed on the lawn before stepping foot on the bank and being distracted by the desire to catch a fish, the likely hood of achieving that goal will be improved dramatically by the perfection of this cast and you will find it so much easier to develop your Spey casting and the many variations thereof.

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[singlehaul]

New Season Essentials

Make sure you are well prepared for the season ahead, some thoughts on those things to do before a day on the water as published in Total FlyFisher April edition 2015 Twitter:@Singlehaul

A new season approaches and those of us who enjoy fly fishing turn our minds to the opening of the brown trout season and alternatively all those freshly stocked rainbows awaiting us.

 The questions are always the same, have we renewed our membership of the fishing club or syndicate, have we got a current licence from the Environment Agency, if not then the paperwork needs to be completed and the cheques signed or for the modern fishers amongst us the Emails' sent and PayPal utilised.

 Tackle must be checked to ensure that all is in working order, particularly if we just left it in the garage at the conclusion of our last trip and it has laid there untouched over winter.

 Rods will benefit from a pre-season service, a good clean and a check to see that the joints are all working properly and the reel seats are moving freely. This must be  the minimum requirement as arrival at the water's edge to find that a ferrule has been damaged, the reel mount has corroded or that the wrong tip section has been put in the wrong rod bag will ruin the first day.

 The reels will need a clean, maybe some lubrication and the line will also need a clean to get rid of any dirt which might hamper the free passage through the rod rings and shorten the casting distance, we might even invest in a new one. Ensure that we have enough good quality tippet material and tapered leaders to last the coming weeks, pop down to the local angling shop to fill the gaps or order delivery from the numerous on line suppliers of every conceivable gadget  a fly fisher might need.

 Go through the fly boxes and see which patterns need to be replenished and tie some more or buy them together with the potions to treat them. We need a good net  to land the fish at the end of the struggle and those nets need to be checked for holes and faults which could lead to a very disappointing finale. Another obvious preparation is the checks that the clothing we will wear for the day is still waterproof, free of leaks and fit for the adventure ahead, that the boots still have the studs they should have and the hats and safety glasses are still safe. No one should venture out on the water without the flotation devices being checked as even the most experienced of us can fall in once in a while and the flotation device can be extremely important when it happens, too late when you need one to find out that it doesn't work or even worse you decided not to bother with it today.

Now what about all of the potential fly fishermen out there who haven't tried the joys of a day's trouting, how do they get involved? what is the best thing you can  do to see if the pastime is of interest to them? Well undoubtedly the way to go is to make contact with a local fly fishing club and enquire what facilities are available for the novice and to ascertain whether the club runs any introductory days. There are Angling Trust qualified instructors and members of the Game Angling Instructors Association and they can be sought on line and will be delighted to help advise newcomers how to proceed and to provide professional lessons, many of them providing all the tackle and arranging a venue for the lessons to take place.

 The student does not have to have a fishing licence either if accompanied by a qualified instructor which gives the opportunity to try the sport at minimal expense and enable a decision to be made whether it is for them before buying tackle. Angling Trust instructors also hold Disclosure and Baring service (C.R.B.) clearance, safeguarding and protecting children training, first aid training and indemnity insurance as the well being of the student is paramount. Licensed instructors have also received full health and safety training which is vital as fishing can be dangerous, due to the close proximity  of water, unstable banks, sharpness of hooks and the risk of overhead electricity cables to mention a few. Most of all whether experienced or novice enjoy the new season and resolve to fly fish more than you did last year. Tight Lines.

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[singlehaul]

Salmon in Crisis

Thoughts on the plight of our Salmon stocks and how anglers can help as published in Total Flyfisher February 2015 Edition. Twitter: @singlehaul

How many salmon did you catch in 2014? I suspect there weren't many and if you were as unfortunate as me you failed to net a single one or enjoy the excitement of a take despite three weeks concerted effort. Salmon fly fishermen will be concerned with the dire catch returns  as these figures reflect ,in very real terms, the collapse of the salmon stocks. 

We are facing a crisis that not just anglers should be concerned about, the risk of losing  our most magnificent fresh water fish should be a concern to the whole population just as they should be concerned about any species facing extinction.The reasons for this decline are numerous and I suspect not all of them within my knowledge but those that I am aware of could be improved to reverse the current situation and these reasons have one thing in common, they are all affected by economics and decisions made by humans, not natural occurrences. 

The need for clean water and a free flow are fundamental, the lack of either is not always caused by the weather, excessive abstraction the length of the rivers without  significant  regard for the visitors who need water to swim  and breed. The agricultural and industrial pollution caused by natural run off as well as deliberate acts, of the chuck it in the river variety, can affect the salmon at all stages. 

The Coastal nets men who have been netting salmon in our estuaries for generations catch and kill fish for the table and have been prepared to sell their rights and surrender their livelihoods. That can only improve salmon runs but the nets men have existed through times when the salmon  were prolific and their  removal is unlikely to be the solution. 

Nets men kill virtually all the fish they catch and there are similarities in that conduct with salmon anglers who kill for the table, the fish are there to breed and how can anglers argue effectively for conservation and for others to change while they continue to kill these fish. 

Open water fishing or more importantly over fishing is having a detrimental effect on stocks and there are enough international agreements to control this problem that one would have thought it to be insignificant, I fear it is not. 

The exploitation of the sand eel on which Salmon feed appears to be contributing to the problem but human requirements take precedence . The seal eats nothing but fish including large quantities of salmon, predatory birds are protected dining as they do on salmon parr. The seal and such birds, however have co-existed for hundreds of years regardless of the ones desire to feast on the other, so it doesn't look like they can be blamed for the decline particularly as licences to cull are issued where appropriate.T

The fish farming industry, worth approaching £700 million to the Scottish economy causes disease through the deposit of detritus beneath the cages, together with a massive increase in sea lice promoted by the systems operated, both of which affect salmon mortality . The fish farmers also appear to be responsible for corrupting the wild salmon stocks by the effect of escapees and as the market for Scottish salmon is only likely to grow, without government intervention we are likely to see wild fish farmed into oblivion. 

Salmon fishers contribute a substantial amount to the U.K. economy but continue to kill the fish, on which the future of their sport relies. This behaviour should be suspended until salmon stocks revive and all waters in the UK should become catch and release for the foreseeable future. 

The main advantages of this action would be to place anglers in a much stronger position to influence all the other interested parties to change their ways and contribute to the conservation of our wild salmon, while attracting substantial publicity to the issue. Further controls on the methods used to catch salmon should be introduced, fly only for me and that with barbless hooks, no multiple hook spinners and those with barbless hooks only allowed in high water. I would like to see a complete end to the use of the worm and the prawn as there use facilitates the need to kill fish as a result of the damage caused to them. I do not believe  fishermen taking salmon is the crux of the problem and on its own will make little difference but an example must be set and sooner rather than when it is too late. 

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