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This month’s Fishing tip:-
When you look into the water, if it appears “to you” cloudy, don’t assume that it is cloudy for the fish. Therefore, don’t assume that you should use a large fly. At this time of the year, smaller flies, such as 10’s, 12’s and 14’s etc. fished deep and slow are best. A floating line and long leader or intermediate line would be ideal with a dead-slow, almost stopped, figure of eight retrieve.
Best fished either on a floating line and long leader or sinking/intermediate line near the bottom, using a slow figure of eight retrieve.
The bloodworm is an imitation of the larval stage of the Chironomid midge or buzzer. Bloodworm spend the majority of their time living in a silty tube in the bottom silt. When disturbed they move their bodies from side to side.
Best fished either on a floating line and long leader or sinking/intermediate line near the bottom, using a slow figure of eight retrieve.
The most popular imitations for Alder nymphs are of flies like those below. It’s not important if you don’t have these exact patterns, as anything which has the same general colour, profile and size will do. Fish these flies as you would any other nymph. Use them as soon as you see the adults in the air; at anytime during daylight hours.
Fish it deep or close in to the bank where the trout are hunting for food.
I had to pick a single fly to fish through the winter it would be a toss up between the ubiquitous Pheasant Tail Nymph and the nutritious shrimp.
Shrimps, especially during winter, are one of the staples in the Trout diet during this time of year. Just compare the shrimps to the nymphs - in fish food terms it is the difference between a T-bone steak and a cocktail sausage!
The fish will go to great lengths to find shrimps. The bright pink and orange patterns are easier to track, but try other colours too.
The Woolly Bugger is a lure used for both rivers and stillwaters, it is best fished sunken, either weighted on a floating line / intermediate or unweighted on a sinking line. Use with a steady figure of eight retrieve.
For that extra bit of action, try pinching a small lead shot 6" from the hook.
The Coral / Orange Blob is a fritz mini-lure and works superbly when fished very fast. The pattern can also be tied in a mass of colours from dark to very bright on the colour spectrum. The darker coloured fritz’s are usually fished more slowly than the lighter coloured ones.
Also, try the modern equivalent "plastic blob" that looks like a legless tadpole in orange or green.
A good general fly at any time of the year. Try other colours too. The Orange Fritz works very well when Daphnia are abundant in the summer months.
This fly works superbly when fished using various rates of retrieve. The pattern can also be tied in a variety of colours from dark to very bright. The darker coloured fritz’s are usually fished more slowly than the lighter coloured ones.
Generally fished deep and close to the bottom always useful to have a few in your box.
There are many variants of the so called “Buzzer”, fishing with one on a bright sunny day can be effective. The fly can be fished like many buzzers on either an intermediate or floating line using a very slow figure of eight retrieve. Takes can be about 2-4ft deep fished close to weed beds in shallow water. In winter this type of fly can be excellent when trout are still taking buzzers as part of their diet.
An all round lure, fish either on a floating, intermediate or sinking line at various rates of retrieve and it should still catch. It works superbly even when fished very slowly or even on the drop. Available in various colours and combinations from orange to black combo’s. One tied with a couple of strands of flourescent straggle in the tail can be deadly.
In january the trout are often looking for fry and a zonker of some description is one to have in your box.
The Zonker can be used as a general purpose lure but is most effective when tied in grey or white and used in the fry season. The wing is highly mobile which makes this fly so effective when fry are around. It can be fished static on a long leader using a floating line or on an sinking line and retrieved at various rates of retrieve.
Try it tied in white with a few strands of fluorescent straggle tied in - it can be deadly.
Another variant of a “Buzzer”. Others include the matchstick, and the flexifloss to name but a few. Fish in the same manner as the Haemoglobin Fly above.
The Black and Green Fritzworks superbly when fished using various rates of retrieve. The pattern can also be tied in a mass of colours from dark to very bright with black, white and orange being popular. With the darker coloured fritz’s are usually fished more slowly than the lighter coloured ones.
The Black and Green Fritz is an outstanding fly in the cold winter months and overall an excellent lure to use during this period.
Also, consider the Viva, Spectral Bloodworm, Beaded Apps Bloodworm, Black Pennell, small lures, and the gold ribbed hare’s ear.