Sunday on the Stream

A welcome return to the stream in search of trout this weekend at Gortleigh, a typically wild, pretty part of the Westcountry Angling Passport scheme. Fishing with my brother, we hoped to find things waking up nicely. No shortage of insects certainly, with some early sedge and odd olives appearing. Rising, active fish were more scarce however and most of the small but beautiful brownies caught were taken on small hares ears or flashback PTN tripped through tempting areas.
Perhaps I get too optimistic with early season trout fishing: I quickly get visions of rising trout taking dry flies, when more often it is a case of fishing smart with nymphs. For much of the day, the best sport was catching flies, not fish- something I intend to do more of for the camera this season. The cliche for our wild streams is of small, delicate insects and corresponding patterns- todays surprise, in total contrast, were a few huge stoneflies.

Little interest to the trout it seemed- but what magnificent beasts these are. More relevant to the fishing though, a few brief samples also revealed tons of olive nymphs- both agile darters and stone clingers-, as well as numerous caddis larvae. No shortage of food then and eventually the trout hit our dry flies in the early afternoon. Some cracking bites came to klinkhamer style sedge patterns with these spirited little battlers, some of which fancied themselves as miniature salmon as they jumped and hurtled about. Excellent fun on a three weight rod and a positive sign of things to come for the coming weeks I hope.