Seasons review.
So how did yours go?
I for one have had a very mixed season. The trout fishing on my club water was rather patchy with the evening rise, normally the mainstay of my season, a bit dull.
For the last few years we have had brilliant hatches of sedge and the trout have had a bean feast, not so much this year.
On the rivers I didn’t get any salmon, mainly because I never set up a salmon rod this year. I did have some cracking days on my local stream and on the Clyde with the broonies and an odd grayling. After a number of years away from river trouting it has made me realise I am back on a very steep re learning curve and I am loving it.
One major change for me was a return to competitions and to small stocked rainbow waters.
I have now remembered why I stopped fishing competitions and small stillwaters and I won’t be fishing them any more, ever again.
I do not criticise anyone who enjoys a comp’ but it isn’t for me. There just seemed to be a flavour in the air of win at all costs which troubled me. I know it’s a comp’ and the point is to win, but not at all costs.
So I am going to settle down and tie some flies for next season and break out the trotting gear for the grayling. Going to try and spend next season getting to grips with the trout of the Clyde. Don’t need to tell anyone how challenging that is going to be.
What are your plans for next year?
All the best
Graham

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It is in truth not glory,nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting,but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with his life.(Declaration of Arbroath, 1320)

My plans are pretty much down to where my forum friends are going to and if they,ll be kind enough to take me with them. What I,m hoping for is a chance for my first ever salmon, grayling and sea trout on the fly and maybe a carp or pike in the meantime so I,m wishing and tying and will see what happens. Oh and I,ve yet to get a roach on fly. So far have had rudd, perch, rainbows and one blue trout, but also still mwaiting on my first brownie for 37 years having not fished at all from 1979-2007.

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The scenery in the Grand Coulee area of eastern Washington was worth the air fare on its own!

You had better come to Scotland and you will be able to fill that list no worries.
Never had a pike on fly though I have caught loads on other methods. One for my list

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It is in truth not glory,nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting,but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with his life.(Declaration of Arbroath, 1320)

Hi Graham,
I had great season and caught lots of stocked brownies ,and also did well at wild brownies and had some nice sea trout,

but when you get older i am just thank full that i am fit enough and able to go out and enjoy a cast and good company,and enjoy this wonder full sport of ours

regards Duncan

Sporadic but fun-filled. My main aim this season, to travel further afar, didn't materialize but I've enjoyed and valued every second on my local waters. It'll be much the same as I see the year out (hopefully).

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Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room - President Muffley

This season was different because of tight finances. I made the most of every bit of kit I had, made my own leaders, used the flies I had, thought my way around challenges instead of buying something that would catch fish for me, and vastly improved my fishing.

On a home made knotted leader, a length of 8lb fluorocarbon before the final tippet piece sinks the tippet up to the dry fly, far better than sinkants.

Next season I will fish rivers a lot more, I find them much more exciting and dynamic than still waters, although I love my local club reservoir and I'm grateful for the stockies that have fed me all year.
Now that my casting has improved, I'll be experimenting with the washing line technique, and making simple emerging buzzers out of everyday materials found in my home. Or garden. Roadkill will in all likelihood contribute.

And most of all, I will really, really appreciate the chance to witness watching the natural miracles taking place around me, put my rod down regularly and watch all those fantastic wet wriggly things transmogrify into airbourne wonders.

Then match them out of my fly box!!

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"Quality will be remembered long after the price is forgotten."
"The pain of equipment failure lasts longer than the thrill of a bargain."
(from The Book of Tackle Acquisition, chapter 6, Universal Laws).