Westerlies Improve the Trout Fishing As Expected

Caught on the Klink

Although it has taken some time, the Easterly element to the wind has eventually relinquished it's dominant hold and given way to the various Westerlies we are now experiencing, which without doubt has made a big difference to the available insect life, in turn, encouraging more activity from the trout. This has been very apparent during recent trips out with people on the river. Even the casting sessions are noticeably more comfortable in these slightly warmer conditions and we are now beginning to believe that we might get a summer after all, although that's still a bit off yet!

Doug in Action

Prior to this, especially on an evening, just when it looked as though it was going to be quite good, with a few fish topping on the surface, that thin Easterly wind would sneak in from time to time, chilling the surface, and putting the fish down again, much to the dismay of Doug Douglass who was out with me on the river during one of these periods. However, Doug did get one or two small fish which kept him occupied, and with conditions now improving and the trout fishing beginning to take shape, it won't be long before he is getting into some of those better fish that are now starting to accept our offerings with a bit more confidence.

A Male Iron Blue Spinner

As temperatures slowly begin to rise, following the recent large hatches of Grannom, we have also been seeing some good hatches of Iron Blues, a few Olive Uprights, a steady flow of Large Brook Duns (although not in great numbers) and (in places) some substantial falls of Black Gnats and Hawthorn Flies, two terrestrials well worth finding a good imitation for. All great temptations to bring up some good trout, and we have certainly been using this to our advantage.

A well hammered Klink

We have had a few fish on spiders too, but they haven't been fishing anything like as good as they can fish at this time of year, although I am confident that they will come into their own at some point. 

During the lulls in the the easterlies (before it warmed up a little) the best results were on dries, and this continues to be the case, and once again the old faithfuls are coming out of the fly box, including the Klinkhammer and the Adams. Goldheads have taken a few fish as you would expect, but again, in the areas we have been targeting, not nearly as many as the dries have produced.

Piaras with a fight on his hands

I had Piaras and Chris over from Northern Ireland for a couple of days, to experience some Eden trout fishing, and they certainly managed to tempt several fish to their flies. It was Chris's first visit, although Piaras has been a regular visitor over the years, but only for the Salmon fishing, and would you believe it, whilst having a cast with the double handed salmon fly rod, on very low water, he managed to hook a nice salmon, against the odds, but unfortunately it parted company with his fly after a significant fight.

Chris about to land a fish

Whilst the trout were beginning to show some real interest, plans were afoot to take a couple of regular Border Game Angling visitors out onto the river again this weekend, but unfortunately (for the trout angler) the river has since swollen in the aftermath of the recent rain we have had, so we will have to put this on hold for now. However, whilst the water was on the rise we did spot a couple of salmon making their way through the beat we were fishing, and when the water begins to drop and clear, I am in no doubt that there will be a few salmon caught on several beats along the river, so let's get the Salmon rods out!

One anglers loss is another anglers gain!