Whether it’s floods or industry, there’s usually a new pool to check out as your local river changes each season.
Near my home, the supermarket swim – the bit behind the big store – is a safe bet for the evening but further down, a new path had been put in and there was access to some parts that aren’t often fishable.
I was working through using a duo to cover the water, which I reckon is fishing both dries and nymphs at the same time but my pal says is neither one nor the other.
The sun was out high in the sky and with a little breeze on the water, I reckoned there should be some terrestrials blowing on to the water – so upstream with a black Klinkhammer was the best bet to start with.
I’d had a couple of takes when another angler came along for a bit of chat and the universal, “Catching anything?” greeting.
I’d had nothing yet, to be fair.
He said: “Not surprised. You’ll not get much down here. This bit is not even worth fishing – especially with the sun like this. Waste of time.”
Usually if I’m fishing with an audience around, I’ll wrap my flies around a tree or take a stumble into the water. But his pessimism was met with an immediate splashy rise and an unmissable take.
Then came a quick fight, a pristine brownie guesstimated at a pound and a new pal quizzing me on the set-up I was using before heading on his way.
Fish of the Week: basics instinct
The uptake in the weather has put the fish on the feed or the fishermen on the bank over the Easter weekend judging by the Fish of the Week entrants and I’d managed to pick up fish on Nymph, Dries and even a double hook-up.
So, buoyed by some good luck after a few false starts to the river season, I headed back out in the evening while I waited for the missus to finish work, aiming for the evening banker run at the shops.
On the way though, I clocked someone fishing slap bang in the waste-of-time spot that was producing earlier and, surprisingly enough, when I stopped by for a quick, “Caught anything” chat it was the lad that had been dismissing the swim who must have decided in the meantime it was well worth fishing.
