hi folks,

im off to fish the suir and its tributaries the 1st week in may, sorting my flies and stocking up, just wondering if i should get some mayflies and if so which patterns should i be looking at? apologies for all the questions

Pearse

I'd say Klinkhammers, F-flies, paraduns, foam beetles, CDC loop emergers and CDC or deer hair cmparaduns for dries. If it's warm you should get some good dry fly action, if it's cold then you won't get so much. For nymphs, try pheasant tail and hare's ear. The duo technique is popular there at that time of year I think. Bring some spiders as well I'd say.
Upstream nymph might come into play, especially if it's cold. If it's really cold (it probably won't be though) maybe czech nymphs.

I haven't fished there in years but it's a lovely river. The fish have a lot of food to choose from, it's a rich river. This makes them a bit harder than average to catch but also a bit bigger than average when you do catch them.

According to Peter O'Reilly's book, the mayfly tends to be localised on the Suir, but I do have an old edition s maybe it's changed. Likely not though I guess.

thanks for the reply mate, ive got all those dries in my box already and i bought some mayflies just to be on the safe side. got a few sedges aswell, just hope we get the weather

Lava have a look at Irishflyfisher blog,search for the suir .There's some good info there.I cannot get the link to work Irish Fly Fisher » Search Results » the suir

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Tight lines to all,Ferg

You need to buy this:
The Suir is probably Micks favorite river. More info on the Suir than anywhere else-period . What a book

Chris.

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" I still don't know why I fish or why other men fish except that we like it and it makes us think and feel".
Roderick L Haig-Brown

A cast of spiders would work well this time of year on the suir.Lemon patridge would be my top fly at this time.I think you will have to wait and see what way you will be fishing because water conditions at this time can be very unpredictable.The danger could be alot of rain.

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When the bugle sounds The last parade
and the light grows dim in the eye,
Make sure you say at the pearly gates
That you've come for the evening rise.

Planning for may i would bring flies to cover all options but mostly olives, mayfly and terrestrials, sedges less important at that time but bring in case. you dont need too many patterns. It all depends upon.
1 your exact location.
2 water height/condition.
3 what is hatching when you arrive.

If you're looking for a great book on the Suir then look no further than "The River Suir - A Blue Riband River for Trout & Salmon Fishing" by John Lalor. It'll give you all the info you need on the Suir. Expansive details on all the clubs on the Suir and flies to use for the different hatches.

What it says on the Mayfly hatch:
Nymph - Walkers Mayfly Nymph, various mayfly nymph patterns

Dun - Grey Wulff (dry), French Partridge Mayfly, Straddle-Bug

Spinner - Spent Gnat, Black Drake

For Nymphs in May/June the pheasant tail nymph, orange collar ptn, the hares ear nymphs, olive nymphs and copper johns will do you for nymphs in May.

Regarding wets bring yellow greenwell's, Dark Greenwell's and Snipe and Purple, red spinners, green sedges and red mar lodge.

Dryfly - Tups Indispensible, Houghton Ruby, Ginger Quill, Black Gnat, Hawthorn Fly, Red Sedge, Silver Sedge, Ethofoam sedges/balloon caddis in green, yellow, rusty red and cinnamon will see you right.

Mayflies - hackle may, yellow wulff, spent gnat, spent gnat fan wing.

Also bring some shuttlecocks in Grey, Dark Olive and Red.

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Bert

Éist le fuaim na habhann agus gheobhfaidh tú breac.

thanks bert, speak of the devil that exact book dropped through my letterbox today

It's a cracking book Pearse and anyone thinking of fishing the Suir shouldn't do without it as it's full of details on all the different club's water on the Suir. If you get around to it fish the Holycross/Ballycamus Anglers and the Thurles Suir/Drish Anglers club waters. The best of the fishing on the Suir

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Bert

Éist le fuaim na habhann agus gheobhfaidh tú breac.