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Sometimes - good things happen!

Fri Jun 13, 2014 9:44 pm

Living down in the SW, there is quite a bit of interest in game fishing - though not something I have tried since I was a grubby kid in shorts!

Couple days back I was invited to walk a farm with an eye to reducing the number of Roe on the ground. Agreed to take on the site and was told to get out there and enjoy.

Adjacent, there are a couple farm shoots that provide a constant supply of Pheasants to the ground......... but no-one shoots this land!

The border is a mile of the the river ***** - known for its numbers of Salmon, Sea-trout and Browns......... but no-one fishes it!

All offered to me if I would take care of the deer. :)


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So, with a couple Fly fishing instructors amongst my stalking Clients - I'm thinking it's time to learn how to throw a fly! Can see there is going to be a good bit of work involved in clearing the banks however - nettles and grass four foot high at the moment!

Keep well,

Ian

Re: Sometimes - good things happen!

Sat Jun 14, 2014 2:10 pm

Nice find. Peace and quiet, what else could you want?? :thup: :thup: :thup: :thup: :thup:

Re: Sometimes - good things happen!

Mon Jun 16, 2014 8:25 am

Great result :thup: , to find an untouched farm in my area would be nothing short of a miracle

Re: Sometimes - good things happen!

Mon Jun 16, 2014 12:22 pm

You can go off people you know :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

Jammy Git :thup:

Although I have picked up two more foxing and another rabbiting permission in the last week, so I can't grumble. :)

Dad was a keen Fly fisherman, got most of his gear, APART from the two original HARDY reels and bag that my stupid sister threw out because they were 'dirty', so that's about £1200 in the bin then :turd:

Dave

Re: Sometimes - good things happen!

Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:25 pm

You lucky sod! :grin: I wish I had luck like that! Still, I am due a fishing trip tomorrow evening! :thup:

Re: Sometimes - good things happen!

Tue Jun 24, 2014 9:57 pm

Well - bearing in mind I had no real access to the banks, I took the decision to walk down the river and get a feel for what was available.

Paddled along and it constantly varied with depths from ankle to chest - and alternating water speeds accordingly. Just had all the fields cut and accordingly, lots of access points to gravel bars along 60m open river sections - looks like I have room to cast, though a short light rod would seem to be called for!

Found at least 12 deep pools behind a stickle or chute, and even to me they looked 'fishey'. Lots of overhanging trees and shadowy areas due to be trimmed to allow casting - will leave sufficient for shade.

Forgot some polarising glasses, so could not see much as it was a very bright day, certainly nothing of any size BUT every shallow was stuffed with fry.

Hoping this is indicative of good water!

Gravel bed, with brown silt build in the slower flowing bits. Completely clear where the water speed is a bit higher.

So you lot (wot know what you are on about) tell me - does this sound like a winner?

How do you fish a narrow stream?

Rgds

Ian

Re: Sometimes - good things happen!

Sun Dec 14, 2014 7:26 pm

I'm very late to this post Ian and don't know if you got to fish your river, as you didn't follow up, however, for you and any others out there lucky enough to find a small trout river on there doorstep, this how I approach my small river on the Hampshire/Berkshire border. Like your river, the banks are overgrown, so first requirement is a pair of. chest waders. This can cost as little as £40 and will allow you to get in among the trees, where most fish will be hiding. Next the rod needs to be short and capable of throwing a No 4 to 5 weight flyline. My rod, a 7ft 4/5 Shakespeare Odyssey cost under £20 new. The line can cost a lot, but most online shops have good offers, or mill ends, so £20 should sort out line and leaders. Again, reels these days can be very cheap, a Shakespeare is on offer at £12 at a site I looked at today. A starter set of river nymphs and dry flies will set you back another £20, if bought on line. Line floatant like Mucilin is a must for small stream fishing, the line being "greased" to within a couple of feet of the fly and can be rubbed into the fly to make it float. Nymphs sink, but up to the depth greased. Watch the line as it passes through, any sudden movement being a take. That's about it to start. Small rivers only need short casts, so basic practice targeting a fishing bag on a grass 15 yards away will be all you need. The rest is down to you and experience.
This was an outing on my river this summer. http://www.urbanfieldsportsman.com/inde ... -or-shine/
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