UKCF Anglers.

[Rasputin]

Some very nice fish here I can't wait to get fishing again now ski season is over. I will be back in London full time from May if anyone fancies getting a boat and fly fishing anywhere within a few hours of London I would be interested, same with a day on a decent river.

[Simon Bolivar]

Chalkstream, I messed about with a few own designs yrs ago but my most recent attempt was to recreate a jig that I had lost; that had caught me some bonus fish when ice was on the water & the pike wouldn't take another lure. It was a black rabbit fur tied to a jig that looked very good in the water & also worked well at dusk. Here's what I knocked up a few leaves ago. Have tried it but no luck so far. Here's some of the material I have already bought, just need some time to sit behind the vice during the close season & make a few passable imitations that I can use on Bute. Here's a pic of a new record Brownie from Loch Quien, which I came across yesterday. And a pic of my previous best fly PB, on my fave fly.

[Wigan]

Isle of Bute 18th May for 1 week

Remind me about this when I see you

[chalkstreamangler]

Hi Simon

Great pics - thanks for sharing them.
The scenery looks absolutely fantastic!

I enjoy all types of fishing but I haven't fished for pike since I was a kid and that was with a deadbait and was totally unsuccessful! I haven't tried it with the fly but know a couple of people that have done, including one that landed a personal best grayling rather than a pike!
How long have you been fly tying?

Cheers,

Dominic

[Simon Bolivar]

Isle of Bute 18th May for 1 week

[Johnny Thunder]

Please keep us updated with all your sessions Simon. When is the Scotland trip?

Welcome to the fishing thread chalkstreamangler. Some fantastic fish there.
Do you catch pike while fishing for the trout? I can imagine them snapping at some of your lures and flies.

[Simon Bolivar]

Chalkstream, very nice shots, your fly tying & casting is obviously far better than mine, I am just beginning in that field. Here's a pic or two that should interest you. The far large loch is Fad, Rainbows to 20lb, Pike to 42lb, neither of which I suppose particularly interests you but the nearest large loch is Loch Quien, dry fly brown trout waster only & very nice fish they are too. The water to the left is the Wee Dhu, an hours hike up the hill but you'll be the only angler there. I never met anyone there except for water workers & highland coos. Great spot for a long weekend holiday. The 2nd pic is an over head of Ascog, where I spent all last yrs holiday, no trout but lots of pike from 6-12, my biggest was 17lb 03, which was the biggest for several yrs there. They had a 20lb'er out there later in the summer. The 3rd is my set up on the trout boat I hire on Fad, using boards & grips to put 2 rods over the side & create more space. The last shows how mean highland pike are! Not my pike unfortunately.

[Scott]

Great pictures lads, some fantastic looking fish there!

[chalkstreamangler]

Another angler here (the username gives a clue too!) and below is some proof that very occasionally things go as planned.

A wild brownie I caught on a home tied mayfly from the River Dever near Sutton Scotney (safely returned and had the pleasure of watching him feeding again the following week):

Brownie.jpg

A rainbow from a private lake near Fordingbridge also caught on the same fly as above 5 days later (not returned but was great on the BBQ):

Rainbow.jpg

A summer salmon from a tiny tributary of the River Test caught on another home tied fly - a black JW Nymph (fish safely returned):

Salmon.jpg

[Simon Bolivar]

Johnny, Lure fishing for for pike anglers who have caught enough pike & want to have a little more excitement. Fly fishing for pike is for those anglers who have caught enough on lures & want to make it harder. And when they really get carried away, they have to make their own flies ect. I can't claim to have caught enough pike with any method yet but I catch about a third of my fish in lures & I am slowly adding flies to that time. I only recently recovered my lure wallet that I had lost, found by a friendly & honest neighbour who I didn't know. I have just ordered ?100+ of materials & a few ready made flies to give them ago during my next Scottish hols, when I hope to be fishing from a boat on Loch Fad. Fly fishing from the bank in the pike world is very limited as our banks are not trimmed back like the trout waters. It is a fantastic feeling to feel in the live fish pulling on the line at the take (as your holding the line to retrieve it). The waters are pretty clear up there & should have weed growth but not to the surface so hopefully it should be a goer. I will be using lures as well (have a far too extensive collection 300+) & always have a deadbait out or two. Deads bring the most & biggest fish but I have caught dbles up there trawling lures. I'll let you know how it goes. The two photos are not my own but taken from the Bute website.

[Scott]

Excellent photographs Simon. Some fantastic sessions you have had.
Something I have never done, is catch a pike on the fly. Do you use this method often?

+1

I bet it's great on a fly rod.

[Johnny Thunder]

Excellent photographs Simon. Some fantastic sessions you have had.
Something I have never done, is catch a pike on the fly. Do you use this method often?

[wolfie]

livin the life

[Simon Bolivar]

So just to celebrate my best ever season, here's a few of the best pics, sure you're are some newbies have haven't caught the oldies & maybe some I didn't post.

[Johnny Thunder]

Sounds like a very successful session Timfy.
I'm sure they will taste real nice.