[Paul Garrigan]

After my less than successful first Don trout season, i have decided to start an amateur study of Entomology.
Up till now i have been the angler who picks the fly he thinks might work, suggestive patterns, or the flies that worked last week!

This has served me reasonably well but i would like to take my fly fishing a step further. I have bought Matching the Hatch by Pat O'Reilly which i am reading at the moment and have pretty much memorised the fly chart on Mikes web site.

Can anyone recommend any further reading for me over the winter? Favourite books or maybe a book by a local angler if one exists?

Thanks.
Paul.

[Ben Dixon]

Hi Paul,

Next step would be to get a copy of John Goddards Waterside Guide and after that, Trout Flies of Britain & Europe by the same author.  The River Don Brown Trout Improvement Association will be looking to get anglers to record insects next season and I will get in touch when the relevant has been done behind the scenes.

Cheers

Ben

[Mike Barrio]

Yes, both John Goddard's books are excellent, highly recommended

Best wishes
Mike

[Paul Garrigan]

Thanks. I will seek out those books.
I would definately be interested in getting involved with that Ben. Thanks.

Incidently, has Paul Proctor ever written a book? I know he is a Don regular and i seem to go to his articles first in the magazines he contributes to.

Paul.

[Bronzebommer]

When are you writing your book Ben?

[j.r fartley]

When are you writing your book Ben?

going by his river reports
i dont see why thats not plausable!

[Sandy Nelson]

Hi Paul

I've been studying the bugs on the don since I was 11
the streamside guide is the best book as you can carry it
in a pocket and do on the job training.
The others are very good too. Remember though you will often
find the sizes of the don flies are different to the average
both up and down, so make your own notes, I use fly sizes to gauge
insect sizes, makes it much easier when you get to the vice.

It's a great exercise, don't forget the trout are often very selective when you are watching them rise
and it's not always the obvious fly

have fun

sandy

[Ben Dixon]

When are you writing your book Ben?

 

Many many years from now.  Someone mentioned above needs to write one first if for no other reason than I want to read it!

Sandy, if you can cary a book whilst fishing then you are not wading deep enough    Interesting point about fly sizes, LDO's here are a #12 IMO, larger than on the northern English rivers and some of the spring Stoneflies are simply enormous.  Interesting letters from Ollie Edwards & Steve Rhodes on this point in this months FF&FT.

Cheers

Ben

[Paul Garrigan]

Cheers. I have ordered the books suggested.
Interesting to hear the Don has differing sizes of insects from other rivers. Is this unique to the Don because of its eco system or are all rivers individual? Or does it generally depend on which area of the country you are in?

Will definately be taking notes. Might even take some close up snaps too.

[Sandy Nelson]

Sandy, if you can cary a book whilst fishing then you are not wading deep enough    Interesting point about fly sizes, LDO's here are a #12 IMO, larger than on the northern English rivers and some of the spring Stoneflies are simply enormous.  Interesting letters from Ollie Edwards & Steve Rhodes on this point in this months FF&FT.

you'd be amazed where it fits.

agree with the LDO synopsis sometimes even a 10!!
There are very small BWO's at the height of summer 18-20
the yellow mays are a size smaller than down south too(16)
The one to really try and spot is the tiny iron blue that hatches in April
it's about a 20 and is often the cause of the fish not taking the march browns
they are very hard to spot in amongst the bigger flies but they start slightly earlier in the day
and I have found the trout key into them first and can miss the march brown/large dark olives
have yet to see a trout take a stonefly despite the fact it would be the best hatch if the river were in the US.
They DO take the nymphs though.

Just wait till you get to the micro caddis

cheers

sandy

[Ben Dixon]

have yet to see a trout take a stonefly despite the fact it would be the best hatch if the river were in the US.
They DO take the nymphs though.

Just wait till you get to the micro caddis

Yeah, I have not seen them taking adult stones during the season but, Hamish & I fished one day early season for salmon and there were a few big stones kicking about, only insect life I spotted  and there were some ape sized trout taking something from the surface.

I have stumbled across the micro caddis, late May through June from about 10 until well into the darkness.  Some of the best dry fly sport I have ever had, anywhere, ever 

Cheers
Ben

[Richard Tong]

Hi you guys,

Just returned from a weeks fishing on the San River in Poland-superb hatches of BWO even though we had 6" of snow Tue and Wed and the temp dropped from 25 degrees of the previous 6 weeks to below freezing some days. Awesome fishing though and we saw the Scottish team fishing-they were over practising for next years World Championship. Wildlife was superb and we saw Wild Boar,Deer,Fox,Beavers(well many felled trees),Black Squirrels (like a big red squirrel with tufty ears too),Owls. There are also Wolves(come down from Carpathian Mountains in Winter and eat the local dogs and cats!),Bear and Lynx though we never saw any.

Have not seen many Iron Blues on Don up at Monymusk though encountered a brilliant hatch on Deveron this year but they were a size 16 so considerably larger than the ones Sandy is familiar with lower down on Don. We have seen Trout take skittering female large stonefly in April/May though many are not molested at all.

Some of you may have seen that Oliver Edwards book has been revamped and is coming out in November at £29.95... I have pre ordered mine on Amazon for £22.50 appx!

A book by Paul....yes it gets mentioned quite frequently and on the way back from the airport yesterday even he agreed that he really needs to get something done about this. Don't hold your breath however....

Richard