Hi guys I'm working down Cambridge for the next 3 months and was wondering where to fly fish ideally on the evening that's not Going to cost me an ARM and a leg or even dare I say it free? Many thanks all

Other than the obvious ressies, a friend of mine has just fished Earith under the new management. He gave it a big thumbs up.

Grafham off the bank in evenings can be fantastic. Not free though! 01480 810 531

You could also try Earith Lakes in Huntingdon, £15.00 for a four hour ticket. 01487 740 301.

The Pirate.

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The Cam!

This time of year, chub on dry fly is great fun, and there are some real monsters in there. It's a hugely rich river, stuffed with fish.

The water is curently very clear, so you can sight cast to the big ones (though they can see you too). Catching decent chub in a heavily fished urban river takes every bit of water craft and skillful presentation - a real challenge.

And it's completely free...

I would really strongly recommend it - it's actually what got me into river fishing in the first place.

Grafham is also superb, though with fuel and the day ticket, not terribly cheap. And it can be a very frustrating place if you can't find the fish.

Moomoo, I haven't been to Earith for a couple of months but i'd agree that it is worth a try. Also, if you don't mind a bit of a drive I would recommend Elinor near Kettering or Larkwood near Bury St Edmunds, depending where you stay in Cambridge you should be able to get to either in under an hour.

Matt, can you give any hints or tips for the Cam? I have been meaning to give it a go along Jesus Green/Midsummer Common, when there are not too many people about preferably. Also thinking about trying Granchester Meadows, have you fished there at all?

Mark

I posted a fairly comprehensive guide in the 'Fly fishing for other species' section a couple months ago - just scroll though til you find the most recent thread about the Cam.

Right now the water is quite clear, and the chub are very wary, so extreme stealth is needed - but well worth it. They're taking medium sized (12-14) leggy dries off the surface. I've done well with CDC daddies or the more realistic sedges (don't bother with a G&H sedge - it's too much like bread, and the bigger chub are very suspicious of bread).

Locate a shoal, then sight cast to targetted fish. Make sure the leader is degreased, let the fly drift down *without any drag whatsoever*, and wait for the take. Striking for chub can be a little hit and miss - I've found the most consistent is to count to 'one' deliberately before tightening.

Oh - and the Grantchester stretch is brilliant. It's so close to being a chalk stream as makes no difference, and the evening rise is amazing.

On Tuesday nights there is a boat league at Grafham......just turn up by about 5.30 and you'll be paired, reduced evening ticket cost includes sandwiches and chips in the pub at Perry.

Peter

Thanks guys for all the replies especially Matt b for his tips for the Cam never thought of other spices except for pike....
So any way went down the Cam for my first bash yesterday managed to get rather annoyed with the boy in there rowing boats as it was more like trying to cross the M1 left it to late in the day to be honest and the night was drawing in..
Anyway today...got sent home from work due to the weather a little wet nothing major in my eyes but never look a gift horse in the mouth and after further research apparently theres some free to fish water near the Green man pub in Grantchester so went for a look and took my rod...... no boats well tell a lie one lost punt????
Anyway fields open space no bikes few people waling by Ideal for me not really a people person so few hours later one Perch from a small black lure with golden head and a couple of small Roach I think. But thats it hooked on other spices am now keeping my eye out for a lighter rod than the #6/7 so once again thanks Matt b when I get more confident I'll tackle them row boats again.
I shall all so have a trip to the other suggestions staring with Grafham Water with in the next week so not totally abandoning the trout just yet

thanks again and Cher's

Great to hear you had a good session.

The centre of town can be a real nightmare with all the boats - later evening is better (after about 7), or early morning (before 9).

The smaller fish you caught were probably small chub or possibly dace - roach (at least in my experience) are extremely hard to get on fly. Look for threads by Englander - he seems to have cracked this one.

If you're going out to the Grantchester stretch again, a very good spot is the first deep pool on the bend as you come out onto the Meadows from the small car park in Newnham. That and the next 200m toward Grantchester is superb - cast across to just under the overhang of the bushes on the far side.

Deadman's Corner!!

Not wishing to hijack this thread too much, but the section below the road bridge in Grantchester [below Byrons Pool] used to hold some cracking Dace and is the area Dick Walker caught some mega Dace in his time at Cambridge Uni. Bit of a struggle to cast there is the only problem, plus it's private land possible to fish on a Grantchester AC card I think??