Water levels are still very high but the river is now within its banks in most places. Some areas are inaccessible due to the high levels & great care is needed to avoid stepping over the bank edge. Waders & a wading staff are recommended.
The high water-flows have resulted in a proliferation of invertebrates. There are high numbers of Gammarus (shrimps) & Baetis (Olive) nymphs, plus vast numbers of tiny Agapetus Caddis cased larvae. Today there was a good hatch of Large Dark Olives between 1.30pm & 3.00pm & fish were rising in a few marginal slack areas, just below the tail of shallow, weedy runs where the LDOs were emerging. I took 7 nice fish on a size 16 CdC Shuttlecock Emerger & dropped off another 5. At this time of year concentrate your efforts in the early afternoons, particularly on dull, cool days when the LDOs take a long time to lift off. Be prepared for long casts & the need for upstream mends since most of the fish are tight against the banks, out of the fast flow
With the high flows don’t be tempted to fish too fine. I would suggest a 5x tippet since early visitors have had browns to 4 pounds & during the winter a friend had a 6 pounder whilst grayling fishing.
Towards the months end things should start to hot up with hopefully the appearance of good falls of Hawthorn Flies & Black Gnats encouraging fish to rise from mid-morning till late afternoon.
In May I expect to see the first hatches of Pale Wateries in the early afternoons (there were plenty of nymphs in the kick samples I took today).
With the vast numbers of Agapetus Caddis larvae June should provide some outstanding sport. If you see fish rising quite aggressively to what I call invisibles, or if there is a Pale Watery hatch but the fish refuse your dead drifted size 18 Olive Dun then they are probably taking Agapetus pupae which swim in the surface film to the bank (usually in the early afternoon). In this situation make sure you have either a size 20 Stuart Crofts Agapetus Pupa imitation or a size 20 (unweighted) Gold Ribbed Hares Ear nymph. Fish this up & across the stream, dead drifted with an occasional small pull.
Dont forget Midges (quite a few were about today). Many of my Driffield Beck fish come to size 24 CdC Midge imitations. Also make sure youve got a few Daddies: there are a few about right through the season (not just during the late August glut).
Dave Southall
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