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The Unconventional Fly Fisher

Nick
Hart
May 26 2009

For many years fly fishing has been touted as piscatorial elitism. Legend has it that only those born with a silver spoon in their mouth could possibly hope to afford the vastly expensive tackle and permits required to pursue noble game fish such as Trout or Salmon. There may have been some truth in this statement 50 years ago but modern day fly fishing is quite different.

Quality game fishing for Rainbow Trout is available to the masses through stillwaters offering day permits that frequently cost far less than a night out on the town and for those who prefer running water, there is even more good news. Schemes such as the Westcountry Angling Passport offer budget priced sport on miles of stunning Wild Brown Trout rivers scattered across the South West. But, the fun doesn’t end with Wild Brownies. Grayling, Sea Trout and even Salmon can all be accessed via this innovative scheme aimed at the general public. No waiting lists, no “dead men’s shoes”, just quality fly fishing for game fish on a budget.

If it is not the financial myth that dissuades many to try fly fishing for the first time, then it maybe the complicated looking set of movements known as “fly casting”. But fear not, in reality the ability to cast a fly can be picked up in a very short space of time, especially under the tutelage of a qualified coach. So fly fishing need not cost you a small fortune and the casting certainly isn’t rocket science which is all very well but what if you don’t want to catch game species; does this mean your fly fishing career has ended before it ever got started? Absolutely not! Do not think of fly fishing as a discipline aimed solely at fish sporting an adipose fin. Instead observe a little more carefully and you will soon realise that fly fishing is an ultra lightweight, highly mobile method that game, coarse and sea anglers can apply to their preferred species.

For example Carp are now frequently captured while fly fishing, a technique that lends itself to presenting surface baits. Feed up a few fish on some dog biscuits and once they are confident cast your “fluff”, often a clump of deer hair spun on to a hook and then clipped to look like a dog biscuit. OK, so we are bending the fly fishing rule book here that says we should be copying insects and natural food that fish feed upon, but so what, its fun to catch Carp on fly tackle. The thought of a summers evening spent watching those lips suck away at the surface with a big “sluuurp”, is more than enough to blot out all the stereotypes associated with the casting of a fly and the Tweed trouser brigade! Each to their own. So if you prefer a slightly more purist approach to your sport delve into a dry fly box and pull out a big Daddy Long Legs or perhaps a Mayfly, insects that form part of the Carps natural diet.

Fly Fishing for Carp should not be regarded as a novelty. The ability to quickly pick up a fly attached to a length of monofilament line (known as a leader) and then rapidly reposition it is just one of the practical advantages that fly fishing has to offer the coarse angler. It is also a very sporting method, the light rods and direct drive reels offering the ultimate in feeling when playing fish. Then there is the ability to roam free with minimal gear and no need to stop off at the tackle shop for bait, just open your box and pull out a pattern that will often outwit many fish before it falls apart!

Carp are not the only species that prove worthy adversaries on fly fishing tackle. Roach, Chub and Perch are all becoming popular targets for fly fishers although there is one in particular that has captured the imagination of many anglers. Pike on the fly has become something of a cult and it is now fairly common to spot what constitutes half a chicken wafting above an anglers head before it disappears across the water to an unsuspecting toothy critter! Cast with heavy weight 9’0” rated rods for a number 9 or 10 line, the oversized flies resemble ornate Christmas decorations but frequently out fish conventional lure and dead bait tactics. Try venues such as the Exeter Canal, the King Sedgemoor Drain or for the chance of a monster book a boat on Chew Valley Lake near Bristol which has produced fly caught Pike to over 30lbs.

Fishing for Coarse species with fly fishing tackle is one thing, but surely the ocean represents the end of our fluff chucking ways! No! Mackerel are frequently caught on fur and feather imitations of baitfish such as the famous Clouser Minnow, which will also take its fair share of Bass. This majestic species often cruises close to the shoreline and favours habitat offering gullies, weed and generally anything that will provide shelter to their prey; estuaries are ideal. A shooting head line can be used to obtain distance and a line tray will help stop it snagging on rocks, which is essential as you will need to keep moving. Watch for signs of fish feeding activity such as gulls as they dive upon helpless bait rounded up by an entourage of marauding Bass from below and then cast a fly into the commotion.

This visual surface fishing can be spectacular, especially with water disturbing patterns such as Poppers. Modern fly fishing tackle even allows us to roam out into the deep sea in search of species such as Pollack, cast to with fast sinking lines capable of descending at over ten inches per second. This powerful fish is an unbelievable fighter on most forms of gear but even the most salty of sea dogs may find it hard to go back to heavyweight rods, reels and lines after sampling the blistering run of a fly lured Pollack.

So next time you see someone packing the car with a fly rod, ask them what they are fishing for. Better still give it a go yourself, after all, who wants to be conventional?