Right well being stuck as I am in the wasteland of fishing that is Cambodia, I've had a few thoughts about what would be my perfect day's fishing.
Here goes:
The river would be fining down nicely, 3 days after heavy rain. There's a niceflow, and just a tinge of colour. The late May temperature is around 18 degrees. The sun is obscured by high clouds, the air is still.
The drive to the river is traffic-free, as it's early Sunday morning.
I park in the nearby industrial estate. All is quiet, nobody challenges me.
Iford the river with some difficulty, due to the strong flow.
A team of Nymphs/ Spiders interests a shoal of Grayling at the tail of the weirpool. Nothing huge, but their eel-like gyrations when hookedgives nearly half of themearly freedom. It doesn't matter.
A single weighted Nymph goes on for the fast water immediately below the tail of the pool. Nothingbig here, but the rush of water makes everything I'm lucky to hook feel huge.
Moving downstream, toslightly slower water, I tie on a spider and a nymph, less weight in the Nymph this time. Some good Trout hang out here sometimes, and an occasional 3lb Chub. What will be there today?
The fast broken water downstreamusually gives a few small Brownies early season. Small they maybe, but they are still a miracle, from this once grossly polluted river.
As the run slows down to a steady guide, Ioffer a team of 3 nymphs. I expect Grayling, usually around 6ounces. Will the brother, or sister of the 8lb naturally-stocked Rainbow that was senselessly killed last year be around though?
As I approach the deeper water at the end oft the glide I tie on a single lure, which Icast downstream and across, and strip back quickly. It's rarefor the outsized Brownies to hit this but if they do, it's a fly-caught fish of a lifetime.
The next run always gives a few small Grayling. Maybe on this day, something else will turn up.
A kingfisher flies past me, seemingly oblivious tomy efforts.
I attack the next pool, which once gave me a 4lb Brownie, with a combination of lures and nymphs. I usually draw a blank here, but today?
The wily Trout under the far bank, further down, continues to defy all my efforts to catch him. The pacy flow in the middle of the river drags my dryfly unnaturally,giving me just one or 2 seconds of perfect drift. It will still be there next week though....
I finish in the 'suicide swim' where the pacy water threatens to overwhelm my chest waders. I cast with difficulty, just missing the overhanging trees. I've only caught small Grayling and Trout here,but each one landed feels like a real achievement.
As the day ends I walk contentedly back to the car. Any fish I've landed are carefully returned to theriver,my river. If I want to eat Trout,I can afford to buy them from Sainsburys.
My perfect day ends there. How about yours?
Here goes:
The river would be fining down nicely, 3 days after heavy rain. There's a niceflow, and just a tinge of colour. The late May temperature is around 18 degrees. The sun is obscured by high clouds, the air is still.
The drive to the river is traffic-free, as it's early Sunday morning.
I park in the nearby industrial estate. All is quiet, nobody challenges me.
Iford the river with some difficulty, due to the strong flow.
A team of Nymphs/ Spiders interests a shoal of Grayling at the tail of the weirpool. Nothing huge, but their eel-like gyrations when hookedgives nearly half of themearly freedom. It doesn't matter.
A single weighted Nymph goes on for the fast water immediately below the tail of the pool. Nothingbig here, but the rush of water makes everything I'm lucky to hook feel huge.
Moving downstream, toslightly slower water, I tie on a spider and a nymph, less weight in the Nymph this time. Some good Trout hang out here sometimes, and an occasional 3lb Chub. What will be there today?
The fast broken water downstreamusually gives a few small Brownies early season. Small they maybe, but they are still a miracle, from this once grossly polluted river.
As the run slows down to a steady guide, Ioffer a team of 3 nymphs. I expect Grayling, usually around 6ounces. Will the brother, or sister of the 8lb naturally-stocked Rainbow that was senselessly killed last year be around though?
As I approach the deeper water at the end oft the glide I tie on a single lure, which Icast downstream and across, and strip back quickly. It's rarefor the outsized Brownies to hit this but if they do, it's a fly-caught fish of a lifetime.
The next run always gives a few small Grayling. Maybe on this day, something else will turn up.
A kingfisher flies past me, seemingly oblivious tomy efforts.
I attack the next pool, which once gave me a 4lb Brownie, with a combination of lures and nymphs. I usually draw a blank here, but today?
The wily Trout under the far bank, further down, continues to defy all my efforts to catch him. The pacy flow in the middle of the river drags my dryfly unnaturally,giving me just one or 2 seconds of perfect drift. It will still be there next week though....
I finish in the 'suicide swim' where the pacy water threatens to overwhelm my chest waders. I cast with difficulty, just missing the overhanging trees. I've only caught small Grayling and Trout here,but each one landed feels like a real achievement.
As the day ends I walk contentedly back to the car. Any fish I've landed are carefully returned to theriver,my river. If I want to eat Trout,I can afford to buy them from Sainsburys.
My perfect day ends there. How about yours?