Trout

These articles are predominately related to fishing for trout.

Rivers – traditional up stream nymphing

This is the first river fishing technique that I was introduced to and is probably the most widely used technique used by recreational fly fishers in Australia and New Zealand and the UK.

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Sparkle bugger

Woolly buggers and their variants would have to be close to the quintessential wet fly. This woolly bugger version is one of my favourate late season still water flies.

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Tassi bugger – Chatto’s version

I was introduced to this variation in the lead up to the 2002 Tasmanian One Fly which by chance I won. Whilst I was not comfortable enough to use this fly in that contest I have used it many times since to great effect.

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Bibio bugger – Chatto’s original

There are a few flies that I have absolute confidence in and consequently have no hesitation in tying them on if I am in unknown territory and am up for a bit of prospecting. This fly is really a merging of two of them and it is so consistent that its has earned its own place amongst my top 10 or so trout flies. The two flies that were merged to form this fly were of course the bibio and the standard black woolly bugger. Whilst the bibio still holds its own place in my top 10 or so trout flies this bibio bugger has displaced the standard black woolly bugger.

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Mini woolly buggers

In recent years I have found that other than the traditional woolly bugger of around 50 mm in length there is also a demand for very small woolly buggers. In fact I would go as far as to say that in most of the fisheries that I haunt 'mini woolly buggers' of from 25 mm to 30 mm in length are often more effective than the larger versions on which they are based. I have narrowed down the mini woolly bugger selection that I carry to just brown, black, black with a red thread head and olive versions.

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Rivers – up stream wet under dry (duo and trio)

There is a reason why up stream fishing is probably the most widely used technique used by fly fishers in Australia and New Zealand and the UK - it works.

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Rivers – French leader / longer leader set up

"French leader" or often called "French Roll Casting" came to my attention in 2009 through the competition sports fly fishing scene. At that stage I was president of Fly Fish Australia and also had the honour on being on one of its international representative teams. This technique was all the buzz and to those that had the opportunity to embrace it the technique was fantastic in the right water.

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Rivers – short line nymphing

Whilst in the broad terms these techniques are really quite similar to each other there are subtle points of difference that distinguish each of these forms of river fly fishing techniques. The points of difference are mainly in the leader set up and focus on leader lengths and the use of different flies and materials incorporated into the leader as indicators. I think of all these techniques all as "short line nymphing techniques" and adjust my leader set up, fly selection, drift and the direction I am moving in as I encounter different types of water.

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Wet weather fishing for trout

When the all the fair-weather fishermen are hiding under trees, in fishing huts or in their cars to keep dry, you will reap the rewards of some exciting fishing if you stay out in the rain. Just cast out your fly and let the rain drown it, just like what is happening to the real insects. Do not add any floatant. It is best to cast frequently as you will cover more water and I have found that the fly is normally taken just after it has broken the water surface.

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Rivers – my one rod set up in 2012

My compromise set up for rivers involves replacing the Camou leader from the French leader set up with a clear floating line and the long yellow indicator with a bright braided loop on the end of the fly line.

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