Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 180 - Autumn 2022 i Trout Fisher

Fly fishing photography is unique. Unlike any other sports-orientated photography it has its own special set of challenges, namely trying to keep your expensive investment dry in what is generally a wet, and high-risk environment! You never really know when the magic is about to happen either nor what form it will take, but when it all comes together the visuals of flyfishing can be amazing. There is a commonly bandied-about saying that, “the best camera you can have, is the one you have on you!" There is some truth to this, and in a world now dominated by smartphone cameras, it’s never been easier to simply pull it out of your pocket and snap that good ‘ol grip’n grin. But mobile phones have limitations… big ones! That tiny little…

Dry spice and herb rubs are simple and versatile flavour enhancers that can be made well in advance and stored for later use on barbecued, baked, grilled or pan fried pin+boned salmon or trout fillets. Fresh breadcrumbs could also be added for a crusty topping when oven baking. You will soon come up with a personal favourite. A mortar and pestle is really useful to lightly grind the salt and spices to a good consistency. They are generally well priced at shops selling Asian or Indian ingredient. INDIAN STYLE DRY MASALA 3 teaspoons cumin seeds2 teaspoon coriander seeds½ teaspoon chilli flakes1 teaspoons ground rock salt2 teaspoons brown sugar1 teaspoon ground turmeric½ teaspoon ground black pepperJuice of a lime or lemonA good drizzle of sunflower oil Pan roast the cumin, coriander…

As the sun sets on another troubled year, my time by the lake as I slide into old age has become much more reflective, rather than productive! My body needs more time to recover now from the exercise I give it, during greatly reduced periods of activity. So what is better for me than to exercise my grey matter, reflectively gazing out over the lake from my rocking chair? The idea about trout IQ is not new; fishers have expressed their views on this for many years. My take on this was prompted in mid-December, after my mate Swiss George arrived for a cold one and a bit of a moaning session. S & S fish were George’s first words, even before his backside was on a chair. He was…

Settled weather always refines flyfishing tackle and tactics. Early December brought an extended series of calm mornings on the lake and with them, a typical switch to fickle feeding. Three blanks-with-missed-takes in a row finally made me do something I'd been considering for weeks – switch (excuse the pun) my 'high wind' line from the Redington Dually #6 to the Primal Run #4 and set it up with just leader and lure. In the process I've not only restored my strike rate but finally, as suspected, made deep lake bed flyfishing a lot more enjoyable. This idea had been developing for ages but it’s really been the lake focus forced by lockdowns that turned thought into experiment and finally, reality. Being a 'classic' flyfisher by inclination, I'm primarily interested in…

As much as I would love to be talking about the early run plus sized browns that have been swung up in the shade of the summer’s setting sun, simplicity is more my angle now and a fish far more average, just as special in other ways, but an average fish, nonetheless. With that said, a fish with special regard as it made plans come together like the glasses toasting its success. Saltwater fly fishing helped, but it was not easy being locked in an urban cage watching the freshwater world go by. That initial motivation to fill fly boxes in anticipation of wading non-saline water started to flatline and those Spey casting practices on the lawn had waned. Trouty imagery circulating like a sweet virus through social media spurred…

After fishing our big lake over summer from the bach, plans were made to visit one of the big fish lakes of the district next to us. One, once famous for the size and quality of its trout, had a diminished reputation these days, so in spite of many happy memories of nights catching large fish fly casting there, we looked elsewhere. The choices came down to two, both still renowned for large fish, but in the end we settled for the one with easier access and more accommodation options. This lake had a narrow outlet, then turned and ballooned out in to a wide expanse with far-off horizons. On the northern shore were a range of winding inlets, where narrow entrances wound back in to hills, offering magnificent shelter…

By the time that I was 10 years old I’d probably caught about ten trout – consequently, I’d have learned a little bit about the challenges in bringing a fish to the net. I know this was so because I remember one day standing on a raised bank on the Clutha River and asking my father how would I land a trout if I was to hook one at that particular spot. The water that we stood beside looked ‘particularly fishy’ but was festooned with a variety of threatening snags. My father was quick to reply. ‘Son,’ he said, ‘I think that you have the order of things in reverse. You hook a fish first then we’ll ponder the landing.’ I processed his words while still surveying the gnarly water…

It seems the main river in Marlborough - the Wairau - and its trout may have taken a hammering in a big flood in July. The river has continued to run high and mostly be unfishable since the new season opening on October 1 but when it has I've endeavoured to make the most of the rare opportunities. I've had a couple of good trout, the largest 53 cms, and lost about four. Two of the lost fish were my own fault. The first was the fly line catching around the butt of the rod and as the trout took off, the tippet snapped. The second error was so basic. I hooked a trout twice before I examined the fly. I had snapped the point off the fly hook by…