Coils or springs as indicators for nymphing rivers

Outside the competition scene there are no rules about adding floating or sinking devices to leaders or fly lines as visible indicators for use when nymphing rivers. Consequently all sorts of floating indicators in the form of bits of foam, plastic, wool etc. are added to nymphing fly lines or leaders so that fly fishers … Read more

Hares ear booby

This is a nifty little fly that merges the hares ear nymph and the traditional booby both very high pedigree flies into one very useful loch fly. It also has a bit of flash about it which helps the fly fill an important role in my fly box for an attractor fly to use on my middle dropper when I loch style fish fish just before, through and after the trout spawning season.

River set up for short & long leader nymphing – competitions

Over the last few years myself and most other competition fly fishers have to differing degrees come to grips with the French leader style of fly fishing. That technique for me had evolved into fishing a 9 meter Hends Camou leader. It was a good set up but for me it had severe limitations in anything but a windless day or a day with slight winds at your back.

September 2012 – Competition fishing at Eucumbene

There was a lot of interest in this competition and a strong filed of competitors including 2 from Tasmania and 3 from Victoria as well as a number of Eucumbene specialists. The reason for the record number of registrations was no doubt the fact that the two sectors being fished were two of the 4 sectors to be fished in the 2012 National Fly Fishing Championships in November.

Partridge and orange spider

This is undoubtedly my “go to” spider. Fish all over the world seem to find orange a trigger colour and along with the buggy shape, the movement of the soft hackle in the water this fly often produce a hit. There is also the added benefit that they are so easy to tie. All river fly fishers should have a selection of English Spiders in their fly boxes.

TBH hot butt caddis bugger

If your fishing in water with reasonably numbers of caddis your going to want to give this 3 cm bugger a swim. Caddis represent up to 70% of a trout’s diet and whilst this fly is bigger than any caddis nymph I have seen trout love it. It is also a must tie on fly for discoloured water. You can fish it as a nymph but my preference is to fish it across, down and on the swing.