Well had my first day out today guys, phoned Manor farm to make sure they were open, "yes mate, come on over" Nice or so i thought, got there at 1:30, to find there was a match on until four, but never mind thought at least i will have fresh trout for tea.
First off let me tell rou what rod and reel i have, i swapped my Spro lure rod for the setup, which arrived this morning.

The rod is a Greys GRXi 9ft 7/8 weight
the reel is an scierra avalanche 7/9 weight.
The line is a floating 8 weight in high viz green.
New leaders still in packets.

I was told in tackle barn that black and green montana's were doing the biz,
I made my tippet 10ft so that with the floating line the fly would reach the bottom.
Anyway couldent get a touch, tried a white cats whisker, not a touch, all the time there was trout crashing about on the top lol, I then put on a dry fly, you gussed it, nothing.

I did find casting a bit hap hazzard after a while, do you think my setup is not balanced correctly, just that at first it was casting fine but as time went on it seemed to get harder to put the fly out, i know i'm an old fart but after 2 hours it seemed i needed to put so much effort to get it out.

Concerning the fish crashing about on the top, would they have been feeding or cleaning.

Thanks guys.

Your set up regarding rod and line seems good...casting can worsen as time wears on as you perhaps become slightly fatigued. Weather plays a huge part in casting problems and many anglers overlook this, swirly wind, lack of wind etc. Regarding the fish leaping around at the surface after a match, it could be fish trying to rid themselves of flies after snap offs..just one reason for fish behaving like this. One of many reasons that could be responsible....but without actually seeing what you witnessed, cant say. What I can tell you is fishing will be more difficult after a match so in no way become disheartened by your day....the blanking will make the next time you catch even sweeter

Manor Farm is quite a nice fishery but it is outright stockie bashing - if it's been stocked recently it is easy, if not it is quite a lot harder..................

They switch it over to carp and coarse fishing this week so I am guessing it will not have been stocked for a while, so at the harder end of its scale. Should be buzzers now but if it has gone coloured, like Rib Valley has, it will be difficult to catch on them. A better winter fishery really.

Those fish are probably jumping if they are coming clear of the water, normally to try and clear themselves of the Argulus parasite.

I see you live near Tring - might be worth trying Tringford, I think they do day tickets.

Charlie

__________________
Sonik Sports Team Pitsford Pirates

I would say that the rod and line are ok.
I would say that maybe your leader was too thick lbs and would try something
about 14ft in length.
Regarding flys try small nymphs/buzzers instead of lures and keep em up in the top 6ft.
My first line of attack on small/medium sized waters at this time of year would be skinny buzzers and GRHE,fished very slow/static.
The fish jumping out would have been more than likely cleaning themselves.
Hope this helps in some way but without seeing the place.

Cheers Craig

Not being patronising but is your line spooled the right way round?

__________________
i was walking far from home, where the names are not burned along the wall, saw a building, high as heaven, but the door was so small

That occurred to me as well having done the exact same thing a few years ago with a WF.

Thanks for all your replies guys. I assume the line is spooled correctly as it has a braided loop on the end to attach the leader, i have no idea what make the line is, but it doesent feel very supple, when i am retrieving it is not sliding through my fingers nicely, it feels though it wants to stop, if you know what i mean by that.

Thanks again.

Sounds like line needs cleaned and polished with some prioprietory line cleaner, or covered in armor all to make it slicker.
Wouldnt have thought it needed it though if brand new, but worth a try.
As to the casting bit, later in the day as we get tired, our timing goes, and we then put more effort or "action" into casting with horrendous results, the trick is to actually slow down, fewer back casts, and release forward cast higher and earlier, you will be amazed how this works for less effort!!
regardfs
bdert

"As to the casting bit, later in the day as we get tired, our timing goes, and we then put more effort or "action" into casting with horrendous results, the trick is to actually slow down, fewer back casts, and release forward cast higher and earlier, you will be amazed how this works for less effort!!"

Yes matey that is exactly what was happening, i was putting so much effort in for little results, lots of false casts, where as when starting i only had to make 2-3.