River Irwell

Phil and I had a great day on the unbelievable Irwell! It either seems to be feast or famine this season so far with my fishing. Some lovely small brownies were taken in the fast water gorging on hatching Olives.

What a nice Brownie! Phil is first to put this beauty on the score sheet.

Pretty good fish at just under 2 1/4bls!

Phils fish taken on a Orange and Partridge Spider.

Of course, not to be outdone I managed this big fellow!

This is my biggest Brownie ever at just under 3lb.

My fish was taken on a Olive style Paul Proctor Clink fished Newzeland style with a black Tungsten beaded Hairs Ear Nymph.

River Ribble

We Fished the same stretch of the Ribble as last week with a little more success. I suppose it will take a little time to get used to this beat and the best way to fish hear seams to be Across and Down with Spiders, (not something I am that good at yet!).

One fish caught, 6oz approx. - Salmon Parr.

Olives were hatching like mad, in swarms!

Fell to the deadly Black Peacock Spider, Olive-ish I suppose!

 Phil, as always showing that he can walk on water when it comes to fishing and managed two Brownies!

River Ribble

Had a few pulls on a team of spiders whilst the Olives hatched furiously from early afternoon but not able to hook one. The fish did start to rise for the Olives consistently for about an hour but couldn't tempt them with a dry. Phil managed a Grayling of 1.5lbs.

Small Dark Olive

A nice afternoon despite the consistent drizzle that just wouldn't quit!

River Dee

Attended a weekend course with Gwilym Hughes to get some tips on how to Czech Nymph more effectively this year through out the season. Some great Grayling were caught by my mate Phil the biggest being 42cm! I however was not quite so lucky. Gwilym did show us how to tie some great flies during the course, (see examples below).




It's Bloody Cold!!!!

A Cased Caddis imitation.

Greenwells style small Clink. One for the spring to dink with!

 A Sneaky peak in Mr Hughes Fly box and some flies that he tied for us.

Barnsfold with BFT 6th February 2011

What a day! The gusting winds were the worst that I had fished in. Despite this the handful of mad fools that attended with me from Bolton Fly Tyers Club all caught.

 A Brownie taken on a Black Peacock Spider.

Not a bad Rainbow.

Black Peacock Spider Variant. Definitely a fly that will be on my leader allot this year!

River Dee

My first river fish of the Year!

Not bad!

What a whopper!!!!

It was a very cold day on the Dee with morning temps of -4 oC but the sun soon warmed the day up and by mid afternoon although the fish were still deep and difficult to find, the Czech nymph managed to get down to em. A cast of four flies ranging from a size 10 tungsten shell back on the point, tungsten head nymph and two standard Czech nymphs as well.

Meadow Fishery

Fished Meadow Fishery near Chester for the first time today. It was a damp day and the fish were slow to take but Phil and I eventually managed to work out that they were feeding intermittently on emerging midges from 2ft down up to the surface. A size 16 Hares Ear nymphs seemed to be the no1 fly either lightly weighted of unweighted pulled back slowly just under the surface.