well ok, this won't apply to most of you reading this if you're a general coarse angler/carp/pike, well come to think of it anything but a river angler!
Yes, remember, it’s the closed season…… remember that??? I do …. every year!
Being a river angler, I still have to abide by the centuries old rule that says, keep off the rivers from the 15th of march to the 15th of june (both dates inclusive of course) ……. This of course was brought in to give the rivers a rest and the fish a chance to recuperate, breed, and to give the bank’s a rest from the constant traffic of anglers. As we all know, or at least I hope we do, the fish do not spawn to order at this particular time of year, indeedy – last year the fish on the River Dane were spawning as late as august…… ‘nuff said……
We might not like it, we might not agree with it, but – we have to adhere to it !
Personally, I’ve stopped being bothered by it now, it is pretty refreshing to take a break and come back to the rivers come June with overgrown banks and new features to explore, a bit like having to rediscover your stretch that you thought you knew like the back of your hand last year …..
And still, I always say…… you know what, I’m gonna go float fishing/beach casting/rock fishing on Anglesey etc etc and I never do ! I usually get a daft idea of a d.i.y project to do and end up stretching it out somehow to the 15th of June !
But not this year…… oh no, with the acquisition of a Prince Albert ticket and a prior purchase of a fly outfit, I’d decided, what better way to keep a track of what’s going on with the rivers during the closed season than wandering the banks with some fluff chuckin’ gear ! Perfect plan but I had to work out how to use the damn stuff ……..
Fly casting lessons started in the back garden, and mines big (the back garden that is), I say lessons, I wasn’t so much being TAUGHT as doing my own crash course …..
For anyone who’s never tried it before, like me, IT IS NOT EASY ! in fact, the harder you try, the more of a pigs ear you make !
Onto the ‘net’ to do some research , couple of min’s later I’ve found instructions detailing the theory and scientific formulas for fly casting! God this fella knew his stuff, went right over my head apart from the simple diagram which went, rod up, ten past – stop – pause – rod forward – ten to – stop……. Hmmmm ….. now this I could get, back into the garden, swish thisaway, swish thataway, …… result ! It’s all down to technique like most things, and this does require some serious practise and technique, but with a bit of patience and common sense, I soon knew that any trout that dared to venture within ten yards of the bank was in mortal peril !!! God how I hoped they didn’t live beyond my ten yard maximum !
Armed with my newfound ability to fling some fluff the mighty ten yards I decided to venture down the Dane, which thankfully you can spit across in some parts ! Armed also with my assortment of various bits of ‘fluff’, no idea what they’re called but they look good …. I felt confident that at least I could cast out! Always a good start …….
And now, two trips down the line – erm, lets just say the river is yet to produce the goods!
It’s not for want of trying believe me but these ‘ere trout and grayling just aren’t playing ball yet, in all fairness I don’t think I’ve actually seen one taking! But, I am enjoying myself, which is what it’s all about – I’m getting to see not only some new stretches that I am slowly discovering, but I’m out ‘n about where I’m normally not.
And when I do catch my first trout/grayling/chub or whatever on the fly, you will be the first to see the results !
