When I started fly fishing over thirty years ago, one of the attractions to the sport to me was the art of fly tying. Having the ability to create something from fur and feather that will catch Trout was a miracle to me. A good friend at the time who also taught me to cast, showed me the basics of the “black art” of building flies.
Humans, by nature, are a lot like other animals in the world. We tend to shut ourselves down when the weather starts to get cooler, even if it is subconsciously, and assume that a lot of the things we enjoy doing in other times of the year are off limits.
With the winter months being upon us now and the brown trout season finished its time for the small waters and the Rainbow trout to keep the keenest cold weather anglers occupied. Given that rainbow trout definitely thrive in fresh cold waters, the winter season can be as fruitful a time as any to go fishing.
Trout fishing really shouldn’t be done with anything other than light line and light gear. It sounds like a broad statement but it as true as it gets. Using line or gear that is too heavy is one of the most common reasons that anglers head home skunked, with nothing to show for their day on the water.
Rosslynlee Trout Fishery is located about 5 miles from the outskirts of Edinburgh and is one of the most local fisheries to myself and one I have visited on many occasions this year and for several years before. The fishery grounds are very well kept and the lodge on site sells tackle, flies, refreshments and more importantly hot drinks, which were just the ticket on a chilly mid-November day like today.
When we think about Winter trout tactics, we invariably think of fishing with sinking lines and lures. Although this is without doubt the most consistent and effective method for the time of year, it is by no means the only way!
A strong, reliable knot, the Constriction Knot is a simple yet effective way of tying backling line to leader.
Workers at a Yorkshire Water site in Pontefract were stunned to find freshwater fishing swimming in a treatment tank.
The ‘Little Devil’ is one of many effective all year round nymphs. Its translation to Welsh is the Daiwl Bach, familiar to all but a few fly fishermen and a fly that should be in everyone’s fly box. I have loads of them, various colours and sizes, and often throw out an attractive looking pattern of daiwl bach nymphs. My favourite is a red daiwl back, suitable I think for a little devil fly and it has a very aesthetically pleasing look about it in the water.
Loganlea Fishery is a water board reservoir high up in the Pentland Hills on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Taking the turn off at the Flotterstone Inn pub off the A702 you climb the best part of 1000 feet up into the hills passing Clencourse Reservoir on the way before you arrive at Loganlea.
