Just Add Water.

Yesterday I got started on a few projects that I've been meaning to get done whilst off, and taking heed of the warning of rain from the met office, I decided to get the indoor one's completed.....last time I believe the met office it was an overcast day with the odd spell of sun. Just after 6pm I decided enough was enough, grabbed the gear and drove the 20 minutes up the Dale.

The river had dropped off immensely since Monday's evening session and was beginning to show bare bones.

I sat for a while looking to see if there was any movement but nothing was happening on the surface at all, There was no caenis about and the fly life that was out was very sparse, so decided to give a try to a package I received recently from my good friend Martin Smith at MScustomFlies

https://www.facebook.com/MScustomFlies

 As it says on the package...Just add water

A couple of Martin's Minnows

so had a look around for just that and found a nice bit of water running down past a feeder stream.

After a couple of casts what happened next had me in awe......I seen not one but 2 salmon following the fly and at the last moment pulled away back into the stream, I knew my gear was never set up for this kind of fish but the little boy in me told me to have another go so another cast and again another follow by a salmon only to pull away at the last moment. The sensible adult in me then kicked it and I knew I could end up breaking my rod or leaving a hook in the fish's mouth as I was fishing a fine tippet so moved on & let them be in the swim.

It wasn't long in another run that the first fish came then went to the fly, hooked but self released, a nice fish of around 2lbs. I continued to get a few plucks where I think the fish were snapping at the minnow but it was nice to see he fish were trying to connect with it.

I stood and spoke to an old man who frequents the stretch who was telling me he hadn't seen a single fish move all night and I briefly explained what had happened earlier, he was fascinated with the minnow as he had never seen anything like it, this guy is an old traditionalist all the way, but I gave him one and told him to try it and would speak to him at a later time as I often see him.

He watched as I had a cast into the part of the river he had just exited and sure enough first time through this guy decided he wanted some.

Nowhere near as big as the salmon but still very beautiful in every detail.

The old man stood in amazement and knew then that the fly I gave him would work so with parting compliments he wandered off downstream in the direction I had just come from.

The next hour saw plucks of every kind from smaller fish as the water was thin with just the occasional deeper run but that didn't deter the smaller stuff having a go.

It was getting on and  I walked upstream to fish a last deeper glide before calling it a night and after a few casts this boy came to the net.

another nicely proportioned trout average for this part of the river. Time to call it a night so I made my way back to where the car was parked to find a note under my windscreen wiper which read.

" Thank you for the fly had a superb last hour with it, 3 trout and a chub"

A fitting end to a good evening and am sure the old man will now be a minnow fisher too in the future. Like it said on the packet....." Just add water"!