Early season frills!

I had my first outing on a local reservoir. I was bursting with excitment to make the first cast of the season and hopefully to feel that addictive tug on the line. It was a bright, warm day with a gentle breeze - with some fish rising on the top later that afternoon - not a day one usually associates with early season fishing. Yet I persisted with the tactic of two lures and a daiwl bach on the dropper on a floating line. Although I did hear of fishers catching on the top with hoppers and shipmans.

 

I hooked five fish and landed them all - which is simply strange for me. I usually miss more than I catch.

Here are the killing flies:

Viva Variant

Hook: B175 size 10

Tag: Flou green thread

Body UV straggle fritz chennile black

Sides: Flu green goose boits

Wing: Black marabou (tied thinly)

Head: Flou Green thread

 

Olive Tadpole

Hook: Size 10 B175 Kamasan

Wing: Black Marabou

Body: Olive UV Straggle Fritz chennille

Underbody: Fine lead wire

Hackle: Natural Black Hen (tied collar style)

Paul Proctor advised this as an early season favourtie in the latest copy of Trout Fisherman magazine. Needless to say, I am glad I tied a few up. Gareth Evans (the Welsh fly fishing International) and writer in 'Trout Fisherman' advocates leaded underbodies when tying lures such as tadpoles. His theory is that leaded flies along the body only ensures the hook stays level to the fish throughout the retrieve and always fishes in the correct plane, making for more effective hook-ups when a fish takes.