Riverside Reflections

I'm going to try and introduce you into my world of angling - a passion, a life-style and maybe an obsession...
Flick the calendar pages fast-forward a few weeks until you are in the middle of autumn, imagine it's 7am on a Sunday morning - and you are going trout fishing.

The windows of the car are covered in condensation as you reverently place your fly-rod, tackle bag and net into the hatchback, looking up - take a moment to study the trees - appearing silver-grey in the half-light. Is the wind rustling the leaves, will it blow some rain later in the day? Will the sun make an appearance? The seasoned angler likes to second-guess the weatherman and is always optimistic - the sun will shine sometime today, hopefully!

The hours' drive to The River (note the capitals, give respect where it's due) is a pleasant, leisurely affair, the roads are empty, everyone is still sleeping, if only it could be like this all the time. Finally you pull into a small lay-by alongside the track leading down to the river. The anticipation grows stronger the nearer you get to your destination... will the water be low after the dry summer - or will the recent rains have flooded the banks? On with the waders, bag over the shoulder rod and net in hand - never mind the levels - get down to the bankside and have a look around!


It breathes
A river has a life of it's own, it has it's own name, it's own sounds, it's own smells... breathe it in, make the most of the moment and take time to observe. Notice how that little eddy seems to run back upstream and those undulating 'creases' in the water's surface are caused by a small stream entering beside those rocks. Take your time and observe, really open your eyes to the life around you.

Notice those 'rings' breaking the surface under that tree branch, perhaps a trout has just risen for an early morning snack, linger a while to see if it happens again. This time the trout rises a little further downstream, maybe only three or four feet - but it gives you chance to cast a fly to it. But which fly? A Greenwells' Glory or maybe a Kite's Imperial, perhaps a Nymph pattern? Out of the variety in your flybox you choose a small Olive Dun and whilst staring at the river you quickly tie the small fly onto the end of your leader - an achievement in its own right!


Remain calm
Your heart beat increases as you try to remain calm: control your breathing, keep off the skyline, check there's room for the backcast - and when everything's OK - make the first cast. Sometimes you only get one chance at a rising fish, control is the name of the game
.
The fly drops short - never mind - the next cast will drop the fly on target. Perfect! But the fly has sunk below the surface, what do you do now? In answer to your question the leader jerks forward a couple of inches and you strike into an angry trout. There's no control now... everything happens in a fast-forward blur as the fish tries to make good its escape.

The water erupts as the trout jumps clear of the surface - the sharp morning sun highlights the spray and glistens on the golden flanks of an angry brownie. High jumps are an old trick of the wily trout, but very effective - resulting in the barbless hook falling out of its mouth - the indignant brownie is away.

Aaaggghhh! The joys of fishing! Not only have you just lost a good brown trout, but your fly is now stuck in the reeds. Remember, remain calm, only if absolutely necessary - bite the end of your rod handle until you feel better.


Next time
A little further upstream another fish has just risen - you might have better luck this time.
Start again, remember to breath... it's the uncertainty that keeps anglers interested and coming back for more and more.

Until next time, good fishing to you all

Kevin Miles