It feels like its been a while since I’ve had a ‘good’ days fishing. Since the summer the fishing at my local trout pool has been almost non-existent due to high water temperatures and most of the fish dying. Talking to other fisheries in the South East it seems as though others have succumbed to similar fates as well but my local club hasn’t dealt with it in the best way. It wasn’t until late Sept/Oct that they put some fish back in but it didn’t seem to make much difference. After quite a few failed trips with not a sign of any fish other than floating dead ones in the margins, family and work issues to deal with and a general lack of free time, it’s been a measly trout free couple of months. I feel like I’ve missed out on a good part of the year especially as the weather has been storm free, calm and very warm. Oh well, there’s always next year!
Thankfully, this last weekend I got up early, jumped in the car and drove to my favourite place in Kent – Stowting Trout Lake. It’s a beautiful spot with friendly owners and some very good fishing. When I left home it was a beautiful calm morning, when I arrived at the lake it was blowing a gale, cold and dark!
I couldn’t see any fish rising so stuck on a sub surface hopper just in case the fish were still after daddies. After a few casts I had a follow and a swirl but no firm take. A few more changes of flies and I had another follow but the fish pulled away at the last minute. The water was crystal clear and the fish where clearly having a fussy day so I changed location. Around the other side the water is a lot shallower and I could see the fish causing up and down when there was a break in the wind. Thankfully not long after relocating the sun came out, the wind died down and the fish seemed to change. As I could see them not far under the surface I decided to put an emerged style nymph on which got some interest and a missed take. I changed to a small claret Bobs Bit so I could see it a little better and I thought something suggested might be better than anything too specific. The wind starting blowing again and created a current along this side of the lake so I used the wind and drifted the fly down past the fish like you would on a river. A few casts later and a fish popped up and took the fly straight off the top! My first fish in a few months and what a way to take it! I had a few more swirls at my fly but nothing solid, the sun went in again, the wind got stronger and the fish seemed to loose interest again.
I moved around the other side of the lake with the wind in my face for the last hour or so which was very hard work but its a good spot with some deeper water. Stowing is a great damsel water and it they always seem to catch. Apparently blue damsels had been catching well so I put one on and battled with the wind. I had a few tugs but nothing that stayed on. I let the fly go deeper and deeper before each retrieve and as I brought the fly up and close into the bank I saw a fish fly up from the bottom and grab at my fly. In a split second he was on and racing away and in another split second he was off and I was left with a dangling line. Humph!
By this time it was getting very cold, the misty clouds and come down so low I couldn’t see the tops of the hills surrounding the lake and it was time for some lunch back at home. Only half a day, but a good one. Nice to fish somewhere where you can see the fish, try different techniques and have some fun. Its a real shame my local water hasn’t been like this. Maybe next year I might join somewhere else!
PS. Yes, yes, I know the picture wasn’t taken in November! I forgot to take one!
General conditions – Cloudy and windy, a sunny spell then really windy then misty!
Wind direction – South westerly
Flies that worked – Claret Bobs Bit, blue flash damsel