A beautiful Tuesday evening in early June. The beat I wanted
available and all available reports indicating that the Mayfly hatch was
underway. What could be better?! In reality not much, but there was one small
fly in the ointment, a biting Northerly was blowing directly downstream making
presentation tough and bringing an unwelcome cold edge to the evening.
The fish proved judicious, they certainly were not in full
Duffer mode and I had to work for the three WBT that I was able to bring to the
net. On reflection there is something a little paradoxical in trying to cast
Mayfly patterns with a bulky wing tied on a size 10 long shank hook with a 7’6”
rod. In many respects, even had there been favourable conditions, this was a truly
compromised outfit. In less than ideal conditions I was making a hard job that
much more difficult.
There was a measure of pride in recording that the only
other rod to fish No. 1 on that day had drawn a blank.
All pictures from Durnford No. 1 on the Avon…
