Yeo 2019

[halfstoned]

Fished from Dunscombe to Kersford weir this morning. There does seem to be a good stamp of fish in this stretch with one pool providing me with my two best fish from CFFC waters so far. Caught a dozen or so with all but one coming to the nymph fished duo style. Lots of brown slimy algae which was a pain as it kept coating the nymph, is this normal or some sort of pollution?

My best so far at 14 1/2"
[
Followed by this 13 1/2" WBT

The bigger fish was a bit beaten up( note the tail) could this be stocked or just spawning damage?

[yeoman]

Cracking fish, Chris. Well done.
Just general or spawning damage, imo. Doesn't look like a stockie.
Algae can be a problem on the Yeo, not helped by all the ammonium nitrate that will have been spun into the river this spring,( and every other).

[halfstoned]

Many thanks Ben , just for once the bigger fish didn't get away ( in fact unusually only one fish threw the hook).
As I suspected the algae comes from over enrichment , the field next to the river has been ploughed and "enriched " right up to the river bank, made walking along that side hard work. I assume the discharge from the treatment works is screened for phosphorus???

[hardytim]

Hi Chris,

I recognise that fish!
Caught it yesterday on the Yeo in the scoop opposite Ladds. I measured it inaccurately at 14 inch.
Also had a better looking 12 inch fish, just downstream of that spot.

[halfstoned]

Hi Tim, ha ha, let's hope someone catches a bigger fish this season to avoid any discussion about measuring!!!
Was the fish showing any signs of recovering?
Any fish rising?

[hardytim]

Hi Chris,
It looked pretty much in the same condition.
There was a keen downstream wind , which challenged my rusty casting and hinder hatches.
Fish were rising in the sheltered stretch above Codshead bridge, where I was reminded how poor my dry fly striking is.
I bumped into RoyT, who had caught a few on the dry.

[halfstoned]

Grabbed a couple of hours here today after work. Some flies about ( black gnat, BWO's and one Mayfly seen) but only the odd rising fish, one of which I missed but the second turned out to be this fat 12" WBT that went mental all over the pool before I could net him.

Lost another good fish on the nymph .
Any other CFFC members found much rising yet??

[treefella]

Spent the afternoon on the Yeo fished from dunscombe bribge to codshead bridge had eight fish between 9 and 11 inchs all on a adams some in very shallow water,same fly for all the fish, didn't resemble anything for the last two fish but they didn,t seem to mind,must be duffers fortnight on the Yeo.

[gonfishin]

Yes Yeo fishing very well this week. Have had fish of 12, 13 & 14 " but they won't win any prizes. Have heard of at least one fish at a whopping 16"! Must be the best fish from the Yeo for several years at least.

[halfstoned]

Grabbed a quick 1 1/2 hours at Dunscombe this morning. Conditions looked perfect with plenty of Mayflies,Olives and a few black gnats about but not a rise to be seen! Managed a couple on a nymph both reasonable size in excellent condition ( in fact positively fat), I wonder if they've yet to get on the Mayflies or they're just too full to bother with them. Perhaps my nymph was like an after dinner mint ( it's waffer thin).

[gonfishin]

Hi Chris, seen a steady stream of Mayfly on the Yeo for weeks but not quite enough to get them excited. Still feeding on smaller stuff - size 14 Klinkhammers mostly ! Over on the Lapford Yeo there have been some of the densest Mayfly hatches I have seen this side of Hampshire recently. They were definately on them and would look at nothing smaller than a big old French Partridge. Great sport with fat wild fish up to 13" . And about £1000 cheaper than a day on the Test. Shame it only lasts a couple of days.
Cheers
Gary

[halfstoned]

Thanks Gary , but how do you know which days!!! Timing is everything it appears. Perhaps Fridays rain will liven things up. Id rather catch some wild fish from our waters than pay all that money for stocked fish on a chalk stream any day.

[rubble]

Managed to get on the river after 3 months of waiting for my broken foot to heal. A short Sunday morning session up to Dunscombe Bridge yielded 4 nice brownies. Not much rising consistently, black klink doing OK. Kingfisher seen. Can't believe how overgrown this sketch has become in places, looks.like trees are starting to lean into the river in places. Some interesting new rims to go with it though. So nice to be back out.

[halfstoned]

Popped out today for a couple of hours on the Yeo below Salmonhutch, not a stretch I`ve fished much if at all really. Not the best conditions of bright sun and North Easterly wind combined with a fair bit of colour in the river. Tried all sorts of dry flies without any interest one 8" fish took an animated nymph in a slow pool above a cattle drink area but the wind ruffling the surface made it hard to spot any takes ( didn`t help my casting much either). In the end I capitulated and switch to a streamer, suddenly I could do no wrong taking 6 fish in half an hour plus more takes and lost fish, two beautifully marked fish in the 10" to 11" class


And one cracking fish of 14" one of my best this season ( looks a bit curled up in the bottom of the net)

Not much better in this picture either! Spot the cameraman with the silly hat!

Streamer fishing might not be to everyone`s taste and it`s a bit of a desperation tactic for me but there`s no denying it`s effectiveness and I doubt I would have caught a fish of that size on a dry fly ( except perhaps at Mayfly time). Any other CFFC members been out recently?

[1stteamsunbed]

A lot of trout are looking for a bit more protein in their diet at this time of year. You’ll see large trout darting into the shallows and take a minnow. A butcher and silver invicta will sometimes produce the fish of the season. What have you been using?

[halfstoned]

It’s a black and grizzle woolly bugger tied on a size 12 jig hook and 3mm tungsten ( I think?).

In the fast water I just drift it through and keep in contact and in the slower pools a couple of seconds to sink then twitch it back. Not easy to cast so glasses on please, a roll cast can be a good option if it’s tight as it does tend to hinge on the end of the leader. Worth a try if all else fails or the conditions are against you. I also use a loop knot for freedom of movement, not sure it makes a difference just my preference.

[1stteamsunbed]

ibb.co/c2JwhGJ

A slight difference in approach. I use 14s and 16s normally but in fast deep water I go up in size .
ibb.co/FKdXZhw

The Butcher looks a bit strange but in sizes 8-16 I’ve caught Salmon , Sea trout, Brown and Rainbow trout. It’s got to be hairwing style, soft hackles to flatten down in the current, Furnace Brown throat and blood red stub.
That must be like casting a sparkplug on a weight 4, everytime you forward cast you must shout “Incoming!” and duck for cover. I’ve got some bad history with bead/goldhead nymphs, the head , the neck , and the shoulder. Ouch ! Instead, I go for your standard nymph but with a Teal flank tail.
ibb.co/99SYdXP

Gets their attention, a bit more subtle and easier to cast, seems to work better in stony bottom stretches.

Not the best examples , I’m just getting to grips with tying my own. It’s a lot harder than it looks on the videos but you get the general idea.

[halfstoned]

It’s not too bad casting wise ( it’s actually a three weight!) I use a beefed up thread furled leader the same as I use for duo. I also use more standard patterns but would class that as upstream wet fly , streamer fishing is a bit more “agricultural “ shall we say😙

[yeoman]

Nice looking fly,that, Chris, if you like spinning😁😁

[halfstoned]

Ah Ben you got me😀
Wait till you see my worm fly😄😄😁