"Are we nearly there yet?"

Any child taken by car to somewhere exciting knows this question (and its variants).  Surely, we have all asked it?  Going dry fly fishing in Derbyshire, at this time, has something of the same feeling to it.  "Are we nearly there yet?"  If you'd asked me this any time up to today I would have had to answer "Not yet!"  The summer is not yet truly upon us.  The Hawthorn flies are still around and figuring a la Carte. The Blue Winged Olives are appearing now in sufficient numbers to interest the odd hungry trout but not in numbers to get the whole river full of fish awake to them.  The Drake are showing but in singleton appearances and yes the trout will eat one occasionally.  All of this is encouraging but there has been that definite feeling that we were NOT nearly there yet. 

Faithful Assistant (Henry) in Amongst the Campion and Forget-Me-Nots

Today we rounded a corner.  Flowers are certainly bringing their beauty to the banks, the surrounding woods and the meadows. 

 

Head needs to be no higher than this.  Kneel or sit down

However, marginal plants are still short and only the low kneeling or sitting angler has any decent chance of real success.  Anything other than this stealthy approach leads to bow waves and fish leaving their equivalent to "Footprints in the Sands of Time..."

Nevertheless, your faithful correspondent (and his small black assistant), by putting the three basic principles to work, was able to enjoy a very decent afternoon's Sport.  Hiding and sitting stealthily behind what little cover there was, observing carefully and making sure that the fly was going to be cast where the fish were, all added up to some satisfying successes.  It is all very encouraging.

A few snaps might help explain...

Hair Winged Mayfly after a Fish and before Drying back to Condition

Typical Wild Rainbow Trout from the Derbyshire Wye

On the Way to Freedom (nearly there)

Free At Last!

So are we really nearly there?  Where and when is summer coming?  When can we expect the furious festivities with the Drake?  After today I'd say any day now.  We ARE "nearly there"!





Regular Rod