Upper Chew for a change..

Fished the Upper Chew. Book suggested fishing hard with little sign of life/fish caught and some concerning comments about water quality. Still another lovely day I walked across the fields with promise as this was my first session on stream this season. The water level was actually OK and the water was clear. I headed for a productive bend where fish often congregate. Immediately saw a few rises so was optimistic. It wasn't long before I was into a few fish on both dry and nymph. All small wild Brownies.

Further upstream I saw a group of fish dimpling in a pool. To my amazement they turned out to be Roach  - I caught two on the nymph nice little males with spawning tubercles. I left them to it a fair way up from the lake incidentally, they would have had to swim through some really shallow runs  to get that far up. Last fish of the day was 2lb+ Rainbow which lumbered in a deep pool and then shot off to quick for my reaction snapping my 3lb leader with ease. Lovely few hours on the stream which still produces a few surprises.

Spring day on the Lower Chew

Fishing of late has not been easy. I can't quite put my finger on it whether I am expecting too much, or that the water temps are still low despite the mild weather or whether the water levels are just too low. Most of the holding spots are the deeper pools with very few rises to target. Today was no exception although I did manage a few fish on the nymph. I had two rises to the dry but they were half hearted attempts and did not result in a hook up.

After catching a nice WBT I came across a group of trout behaving in an unusual manner - almost shoaling and unfazed by my presence. I ran the nymph through several times and they only showed interest when I imparted some motion and not on dead drift. Once I worked out how to get them to take I hooked three fish from a square metre. All fairly similar in size with a silver complexion with poor fins I guessed they were small stocked fish as they didn't exhibit the normal buttery colour of Chew's WBT.

Brown stockie?

 

Last fish of the day a Rainbow of about 2lb that run me ragged on my little 3wt jumping clean of the water several times. Bright breezy day with Blackthorn and Dandelions in full flower.

 

Dandelions perhaps not great in your lawn but they do have their place!