Have a day on the Anton this weekend, first time fishing a river of any type, any one got any advice to stop me looking like a complete numpty? I gather it is all dry fly upstream this time of year, so need any help I can as I have yet to catch anything on a dry fly, although I have had limited success with emergers on lakes. Thanks in advance.

All the best

OTT

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'If you didn't waste your youth, you never had one!'. Bloke in the public bar circa 1970

OK - the good news is that you are going to a lovely location with plenty of fish, good volumes of gin clear water, and that the fishing down in that part of the world just now is about as good as it gets.

I would recommend taking a good look at the "How To Read Rivers" thread on this forum - excellent advice contained in there.
Without knowing which beats you will be on it is perhaps difficult to guide you about what sort of tackle to take. That said, for the most-part, I'd say a 3Lb leader/tippet should be plenty and just keep it's length down to what you feel comfortable casting with. Many folks like to use short rods (6 ft or therabouts) on a river like this, which is fine if that is what you are happy with. That said, I often find that a longer rod in the 9ft region is useful for high-sticking above the bank flora (which is groing like crazy at the moment). As for flies - I'd say a selection of mayfly, dunns, emergers, klinks, small black ants should about cover it all. you will need some floatant too.

Generally accuracy, stealth and observation are the three things that get me through a good day on the river.

I am sure that you are in for a great day, and the weather forecast is looking favourable. As a last comment, I'd also say don't be afraid to ask a local - no substitute for local knowledge.

I hope that helps, and please let us know how you get on.



Aidan

I don't know the Anton but the first thing you should do when fishing a river is to sit quietly, watch and wait. This is also the second and third thing you should do. Fish will eventually reveal themselves by rising if you are stealthy. Once you have spotted a rising fish, try and see what it is rising to. Is it taking duns/emergers/spinners? The rise form should tell you this (still the best book on rise forms is Brian Clarke's `The Pursuit of Stillwater Trout` but if you fish emergers on stillwaters, you presumably know the rise to an emerger when you see it).

Once you have worked this out, get in position and make your cast. False cast as little as possible and make every cast count as you won't get many to a rising fish. Cast your fly a little but not too far upstream of the fish. Generally no more than a meter or so and sometimes much less if the water is slow. Never try and get too close to a fish. A long cast from a concealed position is far more likely to get you your fish. Once you have taken one fish from a pool/run, move on. If you inadvertently spook a fish whilst walking the river, remember where it was and return later, only with more caution!

The one lesson above all that will stop you looking a complete numpty is to take your time over every cast. If you sit, watch and wait, you'll see more and enjoy your day more but you'll also catch more. If you walk up to the bank and start casting straight away, you'll not only look a numpty to your fellow anglers but, more importantly, also to the fish.

River fishing is now best at sunset.

Thanks for the info chaps, I had a most interesting day, even if I ended up with an empty net. Arrived there about one and found the river was running rather rapidly and although you could see the bottom I struggled to see any fish. I took on board the advice about watching and waiting but eventually could not resist when I saw one and managed to spook it with a wayward cast. Returned to the same spot about half and hour later and proceded to do it again. I must say i struggled getting the fly where I wanted it initially, but got better as the day went on. Had a spot of lunch about 3ish and then returned to find a hatch in operation, there were some rises and I had two or three takes, but I managed to miss them all! Had to leave about 6ish, which was a shame. Great experience, can't wait to have another go at it, thanks for the advice, good company I had as well. It was beat 5 by the way, it really is a lovely part of the world. Suppose it was a bit much to get my fisrt brownie on a dry on my first go at a river!

All the best

OTT

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'If you didn't waste your youth, you never had one!'. Bloke in the public bar circa 1970