I started my first season back to fly fishing really well getting out 2-3 times a wk. But since the beginning of Aug when my daughter was born I haven't got out at all Its not that many weeks till the end of the season but if I'm lucky I might manage to get out once or twice before then.

I'm pondering my options for fishing after that as I dont really want to have to wait till next spring to get out with a fly rod again!

Never tried coarse fish with a fly but I have the Forth Clyde canal near me and also an old quarry (Auchinstarry) both of which are meant to have coarse fish populations.

I don't really want to have to buy lots of new tackle - I've got a 5/6 wt trion and also an old fibre glass 8 wt
I guess the trion will cover most fish- I'm quite keen to try perch. but I'm tempted to try going after pike as well. On the one hand I read that a 10wt is the min you should use for pike but on the other hand I've also read that there aren't many big ones in the canal - biggest I've heard of was 8lb so I'm not sure if the 8wt would be ok?

Any other places or types of fish I can try for? The closer and cheaper it is the more likely I am to be able to go!

Hi Euan,hope you and the family are well.The canal is a good place to start. pike to 25lb..The reason for folks to recommend 10# rods for pike is not because of the size of the fish,but the size and weight of the flies that you have to use.If you are not throwing big rabbits about then your 8# will suffice.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

Hi Jim we're all doing great ta Just missing fishing! Looks like you were right about not getting another chance this season.
So as long as I pick patterns to tie for pike that aren't too big and fluffy I should be ok, sounds worth a try. What size of hook should I be using?

Hi euan

8s and 6s are the most common but 4s are used also.

BK

Thanks for that BK I'll go and peruse the fly tying section and see what I can find

Are there no small stillwaters near that stay open all year near you?

Hi euan. Auchinstarrie has taken quite a hammering this year from the poles, when we've been up there doing some practising we've seen them take loads of jack pike from it, on several occasions, and they don't return them, more the shame.

What about johnnys dam ? or banton loch ? are they not close and accessible to you ?

You'll probably find quite a few local-ish rainbow fisheries do a ticket around a tenner C&R.

North Third, they do a C&R £10 ticket which is popular, boat or bank, within the same sort of radius there is Swanswater, Wellsfield, burnhouse, carbeth.

Best regards
Jim

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Tanta Stultitia Mortalium Est

Hi Jim Thats a shame about Auchinstarry! I guess they'd be as likely to have been hammering the canal too? Took the dog for a walk down that way yesterday and was talking to a guy with his son who reckoned they usually catch plenty perch and roach from there, saw a jack about 10" in the margins too.
I wonder if it was you I saw practicing with a two hander down at Auchinstarry a few wks ago?

Never heard of Johnny's dam (I've only lived here about 6 months) where is it?

I live on Banton loch so am a bit spoiled for easy access to cheap (if not necessarily very productive) fishing, I haven't given up all hope of getting out there before the end of the season but there's only 5 weeks left

Can you C and R all day for your tenner? Seems better value than I realised from the couple I looked at, though I do tend to only go for a few hrs at a time.

Euan, you'll find info on Johnnie's Dam here...

http://www.spanglefish.com/kelvincon...h%20report.pdf

Wasn't me you seen with the 2 hander, the guys with the 2 handers are the Carron Valley Team, the reigning world champs, they sometimes get a bit of practice in there.

Depends where you go for your C&R but you should easily get 4hrs for a tenner, at any of the venues i gave you.

Grats on the new addition to your family.

Best regards
Jim

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Tanta Stultitia Mortalium Est

Carron team.not Carron Vally.

Jim

__________________
The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.