What Trout Want!

As you may or may not know the title of this post is the name of a book by well respected flyfisher and Flytyer Bob Wyatt.

It's a book that I got just before Christmas and one that I am so late to the party with! So much so that everyone has probably grown up and stopped going to parties.

First published in 2013 it's Wyatt's second book and a follow up to his earlier work Trout Hunting.

Bob is a native of Canada but now resides in Scotland via New Zealand. Bob has a wealth of fishing experience in all three Continents and has shared that experience in the contents of this book. 

In this book Wyatt strips away all the conventional and traditional practices of fishing for trout that people like myself and others apply to our pursuit of trout.

Wyatt takes a no - nonsense approach to Flyfishing and the myths that surround it.  He also simplifies his flytying approach too with flies that are functional, simplistic and attractive to his quarry not the fisherman.

This book will change your views on flyfishing and will challenge your methods, practices and designs in flytying!

To accompany this book there are a couple of dvds available which I have had in my possesion for a good few years which were given to me by old Johnny Weir the one time owner of the sadly missed local handy angling shop here in Airdrie. 

The dvds are every bit as good as the book and displays Wyatt's flytying style obviously in a way that the book cant. 

Pictured here is my take on Wyatt's Deer Hair Emerger.

His writing has certainly given me food for thought towards fishing  and flytying and I Iook forward to applying aspects of his philosophy and principles to my approach in the forthecoming season!

Irish Mayflies

It's been a great Christmas Day here at the Dabbler HQ and I even managed to grab a little bit of time at my tying bench once all the family  presents were exchanged and Chistmas dinner was scoffed! 

As I sit here tonight enjoying a glass or two of wine I thought I would share with you the absolutely fantastic gift I received from my wife and son today.

As you may or may not know I have a great passion for angling and flytying books. 

One book I've been after to add to my library for a long time was Patsy Deery's " Irish Mayflies." I'd almost  given up trying to acquire a copy of it as everywhere I looked for it was sold out. I even contacted Patsy's son as I heard a rumour that he might have few copies of it but alas he got back to me to inform me that they'd all gone but he did take my details and told me he'd get back to me if any turned up.

To cut a long story short the book turned up today beneath our Christmas tree via Coch-y-bondhu books in Wales.

It's an absolute treasure trove of mayfly patterns compiled by Patsy Deery and photographed by Terry Griffiths. I've obviously not had much time to read it yet but did have a good look through it and managed to tie a few flies from it. I might give it a review in the future once I've digested the contents. 

In the meantime here are a few of the patterns from it.

Oh and I even found a new fishing jacket under the tree too which I was badly needing for next season.

Top two flies are Donald McClearn's Green Mayfly No.1.

Bottom two are A Carra May and a Silver Drake.

12 years of Dabbling!

Today my Hillend Dabbler blog is 12 years old.

Its been a real labour of love updating and sharing my observations, fishing reports and flytying over the last dozen years.

Looking through the blog archives  recently at my fishing trips and days out it brought  back so many  great memories. It also made me realise I'm getting on a bit now and that I should seize every opportunity I can to get out there!  and plan many more!

One very pleasing aspect of looking back through my blog is that my flytying skills have Improved and developed over the years.

It's also been very pleasing to note that many people from all over the world have dropped in over the years to have a look at the blog. I hope they found some interest and inspiration in my fishing and  flytying.

So here I will finish and raise a glass in celebration of 12 years of The Hillend Dabbler and heres to many more!

Flytyers Block!

Over the last few weeks I seem to have hit a brick wall flytying wise, as I have been struggling to find inspiration to tie something worthy of a place in my boxes. 

I usually find inspiration in my library of flytying books as well as  all the usual social media outlets.

However nothing has been firing my imagination of late. I seem to have exhausted tying all the fly patterns I will ever need. I'm really struggling and finding it difficult to create something new within my capabilities of flytying.

Is there such a thing as Flytyers Block? If Songwriters, Writers and Artists can suffer from a lack of creativity from time to time, it's quite possible and inevitable that flytyers will do to.

Recently Ive actually sat down at my vice just staring into thin air at times wondering what to do. I've even  gripped a hook in the vice run on some thread and tinsel and stripped it all back off as I just cant be bothered tying the same old styles! 

A couple of years ago the same thing happened to me after a spell of dabbling in watercolour landscapes. I just ran out of ideas and  now I havent lifted a brush or spread some paint for well over a year!

I've got a couple of highly recommended books coming soon over the festive period which I hope will inspire me.

In the meantime today I was looking through the archives of my blog which is almost 12 years old now to see if that would give me any ideas. 

I came across a post about a fly I got published in the Flyfishing & Flytying magazine 11 years ago which I named the Orange Grizzly! 

So I thought I might as well have a go a tying a few of these again.

I wasn't very pleased with the first couple of efforts and wondered why on earth it got selected for inclusion in the magazine at all.

Then I went back to my bench a few hours later and though it didnt look too bad after all. This attractor style did catch me a few trout at Hillend Loch from the boat on a few occasions back then when I first tied it. 

Through time I stopped using it and as all flyfishers and flytyers do I probably just moved onto some other new fly patterns that were all the rage at the time.

Anyway I digress, Im hoping that this wee pattern will get me busy at the vice again because even as I write this blogpost its  actually given me a possible idea on how to improve this pattern and come up with a variation.

Tom Stewart 200 Popular Flies

Away back when I first started flytying in the 90's Tom Stewart's Four Volume set of 50 popular Flies books were recommended to me most ironically by a man called Tommy Stewart (No Relation) who ran the Airdrie & District Angling Club flytying classes. 

Tommy was a fantastic flytyer and tutor and is responsible for teaching many A&DAC flyfishers and flytyers including myself.

It didnt take me too long to find the four volumes though I did get them separately over a period of a few months.

They were a great source of information to me as a novice flytyer though I wasnt familiar  with some of the flytying terms at the time described in the books.

These four volumes were first published between 1962 and 1973 and might now seem old fashioned and out of date to the modern day flytyer.

However I am fascinated by the history and tradition of old fly patterns as I'm sure many others are too and find these to be a great insight into the background and source of long forgotten fly patterns.

Recently I noticed a few omnibus editions of these books for sale on a well known online auction site. I wasnt aware that there was such editions available and was surprised to learn that they had been published in the 80's.

I was pleased to see these and recommended them to a couple of flytying friends who went ahead and got the book for themselves.

I didnt thinking of getting the omnibus edition myself until I noticed a copy of it going for an unbelievably super bargain price of £1. Which I snapped up immediately. I have noticed that there are still copies of this available from time to time. Therefore if you are interested in old style trout and salmon fly patterns? Do yourself a favour and get you hands on this old book. I highly recommend it.

To give you an idea of the patterns you will find within the book here are a couple of Sam Slicks as described in Volume One 

Tom Stewart recommends this fly to be fished deep on difficult days  when the weather is dull and Scoury and  not much fly life about on the Loch! "On such days trout invariably take the artificial fly deep down!"

The Burton!

Last week I was contacted by Jim Boyd who has a very popular angling column in that famous old Scottish weekly newspaper The Sunday Post.
Jim contacted me to enquire about the origins and name of one of my  trout fly patterns that caught his attention, which I often upload to the socials such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Jim informed me that he would like to include this pattern in his next weekly angling column.
The fly which is featured in this week's Sunday Post is my variation of The Burton.
Its an old fly pattern that was once popular on  Loch Lomond for the sea trout.
I came across this old pattern in the much sought after book by Bill McEwan, "Angling on Lomond"
This pattern caught my eye a few years ago as I liked the colour combination and style, and reckoned it would work well for me on the Outer Hebrides, which it well and truly did.
I believe the original has a wing of cinnamon coloured  turkey flank combined with teal. However I didnt have any cinnamon turkey so substituted the wing with bronze mallard instead.
I've never fished Loch Lomond as it just seems so daunting. However  the big loch does have its flyfishing devotees who know the water like the back of their hand! And I've heard that some old boys still fish the Burton for the sea trout despite all the latest modern fly pattern trends!
The variation I tied was based on a photograph from the book.
However I did reach for my "My Go To Book" too, for all Scottish fly patterns: Stan Headley's Trout & Salmon Flies of Scotland.
Stan referenced a different dressing from the one pictured in what I reckon to be the authoritative book on the matter "Angling on Lomond"
Bill and Stan both do mention a cinnamon coloured wing combined with teal,  however Stan makes no mention of the front third of the body being blue he states black!
Stan mentions a dark furnace hen hackle and a pheasent crest tail  but Bill's photo states black hen and tippet tail .
I wouldnt get hung up about which is the true dressing of the Burton as the version I tied did catch me trout on a couple of trips to the Outer Hebrides.
It may be a somewhat old fashioned pattern but it does still catch trout! Lets be realistic here! How on earth could the passage of time and variations of fly patterns ever influence the natural instinct and behaviour of trout?
The version I tied is as follows:

Size 10 hook.
Back Uni thread 8/0
Dyed orange tippet tail.
Body in three parts.
Rear: amber seals fur.
Middle. Red seals fur.
Front. Blues seals fur.
Rib. Silver Wire.
Hackle..Black Hen.
Wing. Bronze Mallard.

Hen Blackie

Ive always been fond of the rich history of Clyde Style flyfishing and flytying.

The unpretentious and simplistic tying of Clydestyle fly patterns really appeals to me in the same way that North Country Spiders and its traditions do too. 

Recently I've been enjoying tying Clydestyle flies and preparing a box for the Upper Clyde next season.

One of my favourites for the Clyde and I'm sure many others is the Hen Blackie.

It's such a simple and pleasing pattern to tie. 

This pattern has not only caught me trout on the Clyde but also at the nearby Camps Reservoir and Glen Franka Reservoir as well as highland lochans such as Loch Ba! 

Whilst looking through my flytying library I came across a variation of the hen Blackie in Stan Headley's excellent book: Trout & Salmon Flies of Scotland, wherein a pattern named the Claret Hen Blackie was referenced. I'd never heard of this pattern before and found it interesting to note that its recommended as an evening fly from June until the end of the season. Tied exactly the same way as the Hen Blackie, only difference is in replacing the yellow silk with claret silk. I look forward to using both  patterns when next on the Clyde.

Fish Wild

If like me you sometimes get tired of the repetitive nature of mainstream fishing magazines such as Trout & Salmon and also Flyfishing & Flyting. There is an alternative. Click the following link.....

Fish Wild

The first issue of the new Fish Wild has just been published and is available for download as a pdf for online or offline reading.

It is available as a high (35MB) or low resolution file (7MB) - high is recommended for best image quality.

You may also be interested in visiting the long established forum at WildFisher Forum where you will find a wealth of information dating right back to its early days in 2004. No politics, no aggro, no hassle, just Wild Fishing and the Great Outdoors!

On the River Clyde

Thoroughly enjoyed a couple of hours earlier in the week  on the River Clyde! Hunting Grayling with heavy beaded bugs!
I must have been doing something right as I hooked but lost a fish! No idea if it was a grayling or a troot as it wasnt on long enough!  Im a total novice at this game but once I started to gain  confidence wading with the aid of the wading staff I soon got into a rhythm of  taking a step then making a short cast. My new rod was a real joy to cast and was ideal for the river! 

It was most enjoyable fishing along the river despite a couple of heavy squals of rain and strong downstream winds.

The UCAPA freshwater ticket is outstanding value as it covers me from now until March 2023 yes 23 . So for £60 you get two grayling seasons and the usual trout season!

Lets Prepare for the Clyde!

Having secured my UCAPA ticket for next season I've been focusing on patterns for the River Clyde! With inspiration coming from Bert Sharp's book and Davie McPhails excellent instructional videos!

I've also been delving into North Country fly literature and tying up North Country Spiders!

I really enjoy the rich history of the above flies and style of fishing upland rivers.

I last fished the Clyde regularly over ten years ago but didn't go often enough to really get to know the river and all its peculiarities. Its all very well being clued up in the tying and theories etc but I really need to get more experience of the river.

I visited the Clyde down by Abington and Crawford a few weeks ago and it really whetted my appetite. Its such a lovely area to fish. 

I recently read a quote from Arthur Ransom who rather accurately  Identified that  flytying during the dark winter months is indeed a good substitute to fishing itself. He says “It is the sort of licking of the lips that eases a thirsty man in a desert” I couldnt have put it better myself! 

The Davie McPhail Vlog

Heres a very interesting and enjoyable vlog from Fulling Mill on Davie McPhail who is in my opinion the most inspirational, influential and best flytyer in Uk!

Davie McPhail Interview

That'll be it then?

Well that's the brown trout season over for another year! I made one last visit to Hillend yesterday to say farewell to the troot but none of them turned up!
I used my new #5 weight Snowbee Diamond 2 rod for the first time  and I have to say its the best rod I've ever used. Its even better than my Sharpes Gordon #6 weight rod which I'm very fond of
It casts perfectly with ease.
I've always shyed away from the lighter rods thinking they would be too light for my use especially at Hillend. However I was wrong.
I'm really looking forward to using the new rod on Highland Lochs next season where it will perfect for using on the float tube etc.
It's a real joy to use, as the rod and line are matched perfectly! 

The Luck of the Draw

Last week I was absolutely delighted to be one of the very lucky winners in the UKs premier fly tier, Davie McPhail's monthly draw on his you tube Channel.

As always there are amazing prizes up for grabs each month and I was fortunate enough to win nine beautiful Scandanavian tube flies in the September draw.

The prize I wanted most was the wee box of Loch style wets as I could put those to good use as the chances of me going to Norway to try out my tube flies maybe slim. However I really should make the effort to try for silver up north next season with these patterns.

Davie is a real inspiration and has been a big influence in my flytying endevours over the years. His flytying tutorials are second to none.

If you would like to take part in the October draw head over to his channel here and find out how to enter. You never know your luck! 

Davie McPhail Monthly Draw

Mixed Fortunes

Since getting back from South Uist last month my fishing opportunities have been few far between with not much success. As noted in my last post Hillend produced one trout for me.

A few days later I had a very tough night at Cobbinshaw where once again a solitary trout was my only reward.

I then had an outing at the Lily Loch for the first time this season where I blanked.

I next ventured down the clyde for the first time in about ten years. Although I didnt tempt any trout I had a thoroughly enjoyable day down in the Abington and Crawford area reaquainting myself with the lovely river Clyde.

I'm hoping to have a few more days on the Clyde for the grayling this winter and hopefully another day down there for the trout before the season ends.

In between those outings as usual I've not been far away from my vice tying a mixed selection of patterns for both river and Loch. 

With just a couple of weekends remaining of the season I hope to get out at least a  couple of times before the flytying season begins! 

Back to basics at Hillend

After a week away on the Outer Hebrides it was back to basics at the local club water, Hillend! Tried my new boat seat for the first time! Really liked it and will be great on a calmer day as it wee bit rough out there last night as there was a fair auld westerly blowing down the Loch all night! probably too rough for the electric outboard but we managed! 

Benbecula & South Uist Stravaig

Last week I had a fantastic week of fishing on Benbecula & South Uist!

I'd been looking forward to this Stravaig for a while. The planning and preparation for this trip really did help ease the frustration of the last year and a half of lockdown etc! 

I managed to squeeze in 5 days fishing! Three days on the tube and two on foot! 

I had mixed fortunes as on the first two days I actually blanked! 😄 It was very frustrating on those first couple of days, for me anyway.

However I did manage to fool a few troot on the other days! 

There was nine of us on the trip. Most got there by ferry but one of us flew in a few days later like a  rockstar, caught some belting fish and buggered off on the plane a few days later just like Bono! Unfortunately another one our Stravaigers had to leave early too due to urgent work committments. The rest of us slugged it out for the whole week!

A few of the guys got some very memorable trout indeed. My catches were more modest!

Hope to get out there again next year as we had a great week of fishing, craic, laughs and memories! As well as a bellyfull of good food, beer, wine and whisky.