A rod for your own back

I could be fishing, but instead I am starting my first ever 'blog'.  I already have too many reasons NOT to go fishing and starting a blog just adds another one, but to quote the dying words of Christopher McCandless (AKA Alexander Supertramp)  "pleasure is only real when shared".  

Fishing magazines and 'expert opinion' would have us believe that there is a special kind of fishing rod required for every type of water and fish species known to man.  There lies my second reason for not going fishing as often as I would like, but I'll come back to that later.  This specialist equipment may increase your chances of catching, but on the whole, this is complete and utter nonsense:  A fish does not know what is attached beyond the bait (or lure) presented to it.  That is the primary role of the rod:  to put it there.   As a professional angling coach, I am guilty of forgetting how simple fishing can (and should?) be.  I still wince in response to a beginner showing off their new rod because I think it's not good enough.  I think I've been brainwashed!  You know the type - cheap starter kits with bright red reels, under loaded with thick brittle plastic line; packets of massive bronze barbed hooks; and odd shaped plastic floats that look buoyant enough to suspend a brick under....or worse still - the pre-elasticated margin poles with barely enough elastic to stop a minnow, tied to a connector or bung with a single overhand knot that breaks as soon as something is hooked.  It is only I take a step back and remind myself why people go fishing that equipment and tackle is put into perspective.  I was forced to do it this week because a well known on-line tackle retailer failed to process my order in time for my imminent holiday.  I initially felt aggrieved.  I had the view that they had stopped me from doing my intended fishing.  The reality is that I own over 40 rods already and have enough tackle to fill a garage, but still feeling grumpy, I took a stroll down to the River Chew in my local park.  There, I saw two children catching fish after fish with only a shared butt section of an old beach casting rod.  The reel was huge; the line was thick and brittle; and the hook sat under an enormous plastic float.  They were having a whale of a time and didn't care less about their kit...and nor did the fish.  With this in mind, when I forgot to pack my waders on the opening day of the trout season (Tuesday), I decided that I would still stop off at my club beat on the way home from work and get some fishing in.  In previous years I would have postponed the fishing and driven straight home with the raging hump.  Fly fishing on the pretty upper stretches of the River Chew without waders presented me with a new challenge (as if fly fishing under tree canopy and steep banks isn't enough!), but it was just as enjoyable.  It made a nice change not to run the permanent risk of drowning; or to discover a new leak; ice cold leg and blister.  I had just 'thought' I needed waders.   The more we learn about fishing, the more there is to consider in the preparation, but if we fall into the trap of thinking that we can't do anything unless we have all the 'right equipment' in place, there is a serious danger that we will do nothing at all.  The best fishing is often impromptu and the beauty of the environment; company and wildlife is often clearest when the fishing is kept simple.  But...this is a fishing blog so...

Pale Watery Mayfly Spinner or something entirely different?

I parked up at Woollard and took my 9ft Daiwa Whisker 4wt rod and 3wt Cortland DT line from the van.  I saw a mayfly and grabbed it - it was small, transparent with two tails (see pic) so I assumed it to be a pale watery olive spinner and put on my closest imitative pattern. No fish were rising at all, but a cast to a likely looking spot succeeded in an immediate, but splashy take which I missed.  The fish spooked.  I had no tippet material under 3lb which may explain why I was unable to entice any further fish to the surface.  What leader & tippet material to use is a frequently asked question, so I'll give my pennies worth now:  Casting small dry flies requires a tapered leader to be connected to the fly line as seamlessly as possible to maximise the chances of  good fly presentation.  A loop to loop or braided connector creates an unwanted hinge point between the fly line and leader that will stop the fly from turning over properly, as well as adding an unnecessary disturbance to the water (which spooks fish).  The best way of connecting the two lines is with needle knot, but a nail knot is good second option for the less dexterous angler.  The optimal length of leader is always a compromise between accuracy and minimising fish disturbance.  A shorter leader guarantees more accuracy, but less subtlety.  A longer leader is more challenging to control, but offers the potential for far better subtle presentation.  There are various factors that need to be considered, but above all is the ability of the person casting.  It is more fun spooking fish than it is getting continuous tangles or wind swept casts into trees and roots.  There are other factors too:  How clued up are the fish?  If they have never seen a hook, they might not be disturbed by the sight of a fly line or the shock wave sent out as it lands on slow moving water.  In such instances, a short leader (5-7ft plus 1-2ft tippet) is likely to be fine.  Other considerations include the wind strength and direction (shorter leaders in howling winds); turbidity of water (masks the visibility and shock wave of a landing fly line); clarity of water (not to be confused with fish visibility!); size of fly being cast (bigger flies create more resistance so are more difficult to turn over on long leaders); angles of casts (tight squeezes under tree canopy or over high riparian vegetation are more difficult with longer leaders); and size of river.  Sadly, the length of leader is all too often used as a rather pathetic self measure of an anglers casting competence.  Too much focus on the leader length can result in other aspects of stealth being neglected.  How about sitting down while you cast for example?  Ultimately, we have to ask ourselves what is more important on the day:  The fly landing in exactly the right spot?  Or the fly being presented delicately away from the main fly line?  I would say the former, but question needs context.  For tippet material, I use Preston Reflo, which is a pre-stretched low diameter impregnated mono designed for pole fishermen.  It is very strong and very supple so the fly dances onto the water beautifully.  Co-polymer is my second option, but I do use flouro carbon when fishing with large buoyant fly patterns that can withstand the heavier and stiffer qualities of this alleged 'invisible' fishing line.  Did I catch any fish on the opening day?  No, but I could have if I had just been a little bit more organised!