Bristol Frome Dry Fly Evening

Evening session today fished Bristol Frome. Normal route from BB working my way downstream on the towpath looking for feeding fish and then approaching upstream. Dry flies here don't need to be fussy Size 12/14 parachute patterns work just fine for Trout and Chub. Intentionally missed the weir glide and noticed fish rising in a very short glide by the old bridge. First cast flicked under the hanging Hazel, bang nice little Brownie. Amazingly never spooked other fish despite skittish scrap across the shallow shingle below. Same pattern followed for two further brownies all around 6-8 oz. The area of water was probably a metre square and 3ft deep with shallow riffle above and below. Great result 3 casts on the same dry and 3 fish. Carried on down and caught another 3 further downstream before bad light stopped play. All fish safely returned.

Bristol Frome mixed bag

Evening session on my local patch. Not much rising. Headed for my favoured pool about halfway down my normal route. Fish rising under the far side branches - not sure whether its a Trout or Chub. Not a vigorous rise, just sipping. My favoured parachute is flicked up stream and engulfed on first run down resulted in my best Brownie on the fly from the Frome. Just under a 1lb I would guess, and it went berserk in the shallow water wrapping my 7ft 4 weight at right angles. After that not much on the dry but some lovely - out of season, for which I apologise, Roach, on the Goldhead nymph. All fish safely returned.

Wellow Wilderness

Weekend trip to the Wellow. Lovely clear stream just 40 mins from me but weekday traffic prevents further excursions. Difficult to fish, trout are spooky and casting is tough. Once you are on the stream bed it truly is magical. The high banks buzz with life and Kingflishers dash the walls either side of you. I find the dry fly hard to present and when a take comes I'm always pre occupied mending line or thinking a head. The stream moves fast through riffles and shallow runs with the occasional pool creating eddies that bow the line and hinder the flow of your fly. I use a 7ft rod but sometimes wonder whether to add a foot for more control. I loose 2 fish off the bat on a blunt nymph and then nothing. Clumsily working my way upstream spooking fish. The fish are like rockets exploding into the pools ahead putting heads down. Every rising fish is shadowed by an awkward branch. A tangled line forces patience and often allows confidence to return to both you and the fish. Finally a small trout comes to hand. I clamber the bank and move downstream to the footbridge. Beautiful Demoiselle are out in numbers flitting over the gurgling water. As I work my way upstream again, a head moves across one of the few deeper pools to a hole beside a stump in the bank - first time I've seen an Otter here and in total daylight.  I fear for any further action but 10 yards past my fleeting encounter I hook a further two wild Brownies on the nymph on a really productive glide below a deep pool.
Note to oneself must make more of an effort to return.