Thursday 30 September 2010

A little bit smug

Today I had to pass some time while our truck was having a service and timing belt replaced so we had a drive to Burton upon Trent to my favourite tackle shop. The shop is called Mullarkeys and I can not speak highly enough of the service that I always get from the staff there, specially Roy and Dan, they are both very knowledgeable and nothing is too much trouble for them. I picked up a few sundries for my ever growing fly tying kit, then spent a couple of hours general shopping.
The weather was dry, bright and warm and as soon as I was able, I put on my waders, picked up my rod and waistcoat for a couple more hours fishing the Blithe. For about an hour nothing was happening despite every attempt to raise some interest. I began to think that maybe it was too bright, too warm, or any other excuse that I could think of. Then, about 2:30 pm a six inch grayling very gently took an olive shrimp pattern that I had just put on. For the next forty minutes it was back to square one, nothing, not even a sighting of any fish. I began changing flies and fishing each one for about ten minutes or so, I knew that fish were here, they always are. While fishing a caddis style nymph a small perch gently tugged at it, let go and took it again. Several flies and half hour later a second perch took a swamped daddy long legs pattern.
Hard work, I thought for three small fish, but what was very rewarding was the fact that all fish were caught on patterns that I had tied myself, I had tried commercially tied flies, but not one came up with the goods, I wonder why, the commercial flies certainly looked good and they have caught fish in the past. Who knows? But I couldn't help feeling a just little bit smug.

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