Steady hatches and good fishing on the Nore
Dan O’Neill reports from the River Nore…
In recent days the River Nore has thrown up some nice trout. There were a couple of days where we had some great dry fly fishing. There were many steady hatches, mostly around 11.30pm till 3.30pm then the fishing slowed down a bit. I did find that patterns needed to be small and fished mid to the end of the runs mostly, if the wind picked up we would switch to wet fly tempt some takes that way.
I have mentioned before about watching what’s around you, let nature teach you. Check under the rocks in the river, check riverside cobwebs. I got asked quite a lot over the past week how I decide what size nymph or fly to use. Once you see what’s about then try as best you can to match the size of the fly you’re using with what you see. I do find trout will take a little more freely when the morsel your offering is slightly smaller. I have seen anglers trim a fly a little bit and catch trout that earlier refused that fly. I believe it taps into their inquisitive side.
It also can add to success when we check out water temperatures and what time during the day they peak; this can really narrow down the feeding windows and give you the best chance of success.
Where do I start!!
With the season well under way ! get quite a few people asking me where to start in relation to flyfishing or fishing in general really. It doesn’t have to be expensive but certainly can be if you want it to. Over the past 12 months I have been working with Cadence on an entry level beginner fly rod. I did showcase them at the Irish spring angling fair and will be posting out some more videos in the coming weeks where we will take a closer look. For beginners also there is what I call the experimental route where we can get on the water cost effectively to see if this is what we want to do. As mentioned, these videos will be going out over the next couple of weeks on my Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok accounts.
Matchin what’s Hatchin with Matthew Cooper
I recently spoke to Matthew Cooper. Matthew, like myself, loves all things fly fishing. I sent Matthew some pictures of flies and nymphs to see what he thought, and he sent back a nice simple pattern that we could quite easily tie at home. Mathew will soon be releasing his own newsletter so be sure to check it out
The Hare’s Ear Nymph is one of those tried and tested patterns that simply put fish in the net. Its buggy appearance imitates a wide range of aquatic nymphs, making it effective on almost any trout water.
I usually tie mine on a size 16 wide gape hook. I keep a range of sizes in my box but a 16 has served me well. I don’t add a bead to my fly. If I need extra weight for faster or deeper water, I’ll add some wraps of lead adhesive foil to the shank which allows me to keep the natural buggy look.
Recipe
- Hook: Size 16 wide gape hook
- Thread: 8/0 Classic Waxed in tan or dark brown
- Tail: Pheasant tail fibres
- Body: Hare’s ear dubbing
- Rib: Fine gold wire
- Thorax: Hare’s ear dubbing
- Legs and Thorax Cover: Pheasant tail fibres
Find out more about Matthew’s fly tying
Guiding and angling courses
Over the coming months I will be holding classes on fly fishing and course fishing from beginner level up. Fun ways to get involved in fishing, learn more so that you can get out there and catch some fish.
Everything is supplied so if you don’t have the gear and would just like to see if you like fishing before you make the commitment of buying your first fishing rod then contact me on the below details for availability and times.
Fiona Tee
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