what are the best river patterns for fishing this time of year. ive watched trout rising flat out in the evenings and no-matter what i use i cant seem to get a take. ive tried watching the river to see whats hatching but im unable to see anything apart from midges. if any-one can give me afew tips would be very grateful.

We had a hatch of pale wateries tonight which are about a size 18 -20 straw to V light olive coloured fly. However your more than likely getting a fall of spinners rather than a hatch, Are you sure your not getting Blue winged olives ( sherry spinners) dropping there egg balls up stream of you in broken water and the spent spinners driting down. Red skinny spinner paterns 14-16 Blue winged olive thread
The other thing hatching tonight later were micro caddis.... you cant see them but you see characteristic little V's shooting about just under the surface. These are about size 20 dark brown/ grey.

The best way to learn is to get a very fine net held in the food lane to see whts drifting down. you can improvise this or order one from http://www.pennineflyfishingguides.co.uk/torrentis.htm

I agree Pom,...might need some spinners like ones in the link.

Stealth Rusty Spinner Dry Trout Fly - Fish4Flies.com

There are many wiser than me on this forum, but I have to say I have been having a lot of success with Klinkhammers, various sizes and colours seems to be my go to Fly

i dont see to much on the water i could however be missing the spinners on the water

Its always worth a try with a Spinner, one with a pheasants tail body and one with a red body both these can make a real difference.

If thats no good next I would try a small black Ffly size 20 or smaller. And dont forget a tiny Grey Duster.
As Pom said
Sometimes a good idea to stick a fine kick sample net in the water right in the food lane if you can.
Take the net home and have a good look in daylight to decide what there taking.
Nothing more to add. These are the basics.
Sometimes you just have to accept you can not catch them all.
And move on.

Let us know how you get on

Gary (nicho)

Bamboo rod maker.

Another point is are you sure there taking off the top?.

Sometimes a spider just under the surface produces more action.
Worth a try.



Gary (nicho)

Bamboo rod maker.

THANKS FOR THE HELP I WILL BE TRYING THESE NEXT TIME IM OUT

(this is a bit' 'UP MYSELF' but I thought it would help you understand abit more. Sorry if it seems arrogant).

Another thing to consider this time of the year is time. I just got to the river tonight at 9 pm to meet another guy leaving who had been there since 6pm I hadn't seen a thing nor much insect apart from the silver horn sedges dancing just over the surface. I told him to wait for another half hour, but he couldnt. It has been the same for the last few weeks.

9.15 fish started feeding just under the surface ; used unweighted 18 hairs ear upstream dead drift ( no indicator) 2 fish
Soon after small dark olives started rising off the surface
fish started to take the surface fly. Used 18 straw coloured spinner for stuck emerger 1 fish
9.30 BWO sherry spinners arrived though I couldnt see tham in the surface I knew the many rises in the flat glossy water down stream of the rippled water where fish cleaning up these spinners. used really thin sherry spinner pattern 16 1 trout 3 dace 1 roach
10.00 the activity changed to swirls and splashes around the edges of the reeds sedges were probably climbing down stalks to lay and ending up in the surface or more likely where shooting across under the surface to hatch in the margins,changed tippet down to very fine
used size 20 black extended body micro caddis 2 trout

10.45 too dark to see fly landing but still much activity changed to 14 f fly 1 trout

( would have kept going but phone call from wife stuck at station stopped me from getting squeezing another hour out).

This feeding in the evening has been this pattern for weeks now ( on our stream), with probably much going on after midnight in terms of hatching and feeding.
If the trout has got into this feeding pattern there is little wonder that after a hot day when the water temps up, available oxygens down, flies ( in the daytime) are scarce, and feeding zones mean exposure to danger in daylight hours, that they are waiting till the dark when they know that most of the foods available and safely taken.

I am not saying I made the best choices or the right choices and no doubt a better fishermen would have done some things different and taken more fish.

I read carefully this fishing story and it looks complicate.Maybe that is why I dont like chalkstreams so much.But even on chalkstream i change maximum 3 flies per fishing.Usually much larger hooks than you.
Trout start to rise at 8.15.....total dark is at 9.
But only sure fly for night is claret body,size 8.

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The ancient noble trout of Montenegro