I'm due to be going to Errwood in Derbyshire this Saturday. I don't actually usually fish this early in the season. I usually start around mid May.
What flies will be successful this time of year, and what insects are the fish feeding off this time of year?

Thanks

I'm not in Derbyshire, but since nobody has replied yet, I'll leap in with some educated guesses:

Bit early yet for the upwinged flies so you're really looking at bloodworms and buzzers by way of insect life. You could also try hoglouse/shrimp patterns (try a bead head hare's ear on the point). Damsel flies won't be hatching yet but the nymphs are around all year, and damsel nymph patterns are basically a sound bet anytime anyway. I've also had success on a size 12 hare's ear in the mid/high water even though there's, theoretically, nothing much about for them to represent. PTNs are always good too - fish probably take them for buzzers.

If the fish are rising, it'll either be terrestrials or hatching buzzers - a wee black hopper and some suspender/shuttlecock buzzers in black should cover that eventuality.

Otherwise - lures. Black.

Me, I'll be heading to a fairly bleak, infertile reservoir on Sunday where I fully expect there will be next to no insect life. I'll be using traditional wets to cover as much water as possible.

Hope that gets the thoughts flowing till somebody with specific knowledge of Errwood comes along. Asking the fishery manager always a good idea!

Neil

Thanks for that. I appreciate the input. The only time I've fished early in the season has been at Ladybower, also in Derbyshire. I seem to remember white lures doing well. What do you think, just a fluke, or something to consider?

Thanks.

White definately worth a go in my book. Ye olde Cat's Whisker is always worth a punt.

Hi, I'm a member up at Errwood and can tell you it's been fishing well since the opening day on the 19th, lots of fish have been caught using sinking lines and lures, however with the weather warming up over the past few days more and more fish seem to have becoming active higher up in the water and fish have been taken on buzzers and nymphs. I even had a rainbow off the top on a small dry black gnat last thursday, on the same day my mate took one of the small wild brownies that can be found in Errwood on a dry as well. Biggest tip i can give you is to keep moving - there's plenty of bank to fish from and the fish seem to congregate in certain areas, so if you're not catching in one place moving along the bank can make all the difference.
Will hopefully be up there fishing on saturday myself so might catch you on the bank.

If you want any more info go to the forums through the website (Errwood Fly Fishing Club - Homepage) - there's a section of 'errwood fishing reports' which has got lots of info and pics of recent fishing up there.

Alex

With the weather warming up you should be able to take them on nymphs as well as lures. Maybe even buzzers too depending on the water temperature.

__________________
Trout Flies UK Now Live - Quality Trout Flies For Sale

Casting At Shadows - Christmas Island Fly Fishing DVD

Thanks for that. I'd best get tying. Hope to see you up there, Silkmanm though the weather's not looking good for the weekend. I'll pop over to the Errwood forum and see what's happening.

All the best

Phil

Buzzers are usually good start of season and black lures

Still a little early for buzzers, wait a couple of weeks. Stick to Cat's Whiskers and Black Woolly Bu99ers.

__________________
*
How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind - Isaac Walton.

~~*~~~~~
*****©(

There were intermitent hatches of black buzzers on Sunday afternoon, bringing the fish straight to the surface for 10 minutes before dissapearing again. Some good fish but frustratingly hard to tempt on a dry, I eventually had one of about 4 1/2 pounds before swapping over to a size16 montana which gave me a further 4 fish in a couple of hours. Some great over wintered fish coming out at the moment as well as the standard 1 3/4 - 2 1/2lb stockies. The first of the wild browns have now started putting in an appearance as is the odd double.

Fish seem happier to go for little flies fished slowly than lures pulled past there heads at the speed of light.

Silkman's tip of keep moving is the best advice also try not to get obsessed with chasing rising fish up the banks if they're not interest you'll waste all your day chasing them as I have done on numerous occaisions!

Good Luck
Ian

__________________
Everyone's got a blog here's mine!

http://glow777.blogspot.com/