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Hobbies
Meteorology Manual The practical guide to the weather by Storm Dunlop
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Meat Manual From steaks to roasts, sausages to casseroles by Andrew Webb
Hardback, 270 x 210mm, 192pp 300 colour illustrations ISBN: 978 1 78521 077 8 Book No: H6077 Haynes RRP: £22.99
Driving Games Manual The ultimate guide to all car-based computer and video games by João Diniz Sanches
Paperback, 270 x 210mm, 176pp 536 colour illustrations ISBN: 978 0 85733 133 5 Book No: H5133 Haynes RRP: £9.99
Men s Baking Manual From puddings to patisserie, sourdough to sausage rolls by Andrew Webb
Hardback, 270 x 210mm, 192pp 300 colour illustrations ISBN: 978 0 85733 833 4 Book No: H5833 Haynes RRP: £22.99
Men s Pie Manual The complete guide to making and baking the perfect pie by Andrew Webb
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Collectables Manual Cash in on the credit crunch by Jamie Breese
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Men s Cooking Manual A no-nonsense guide to buying, cooking and eating great food by Chris Maillard
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Build Your Own Drone Manual The practical guide to safely building, operating and maintaining an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) by Alex Elliot
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Haynes
Fly fishing is a sport that anyone can get into, irrespective of where they live. It requires mastering a few basic skills, but once these have been grasped and your casting is under control, every natural water body suddenly becomes more attractive and interesting.
Fly fishing has many different branches, each one a challenge and different from the next. Today, fly fishers cast their artificial flies on streams, rivers, lakes, canals, man-made stillwaters and even in saltwater. Advances in technology and know-how have enabled us to target a wide range of species, from the beautiful wild river brown trout, which can be enticed with a well- presented dry fly or nymph, to the ferocious fish-eating pike, to the silvery sea bass, which has an appetite for shrimp, crabs and baitfish fly fishers have the ability to target them all.
We can tie flies to represent what fish eat and that s why flies are so effective we can tailor our approach and flies to entice the fish to take our artificial fly providing you know how and where to present it.
The Fly Fishing Manual will give you the tools you need to succeed in the wonderful, compelling art of fly fishing.
n The fish you are trying to catch and getting to know your quarry. Plus how to access fly-fishing
n Choosing the right kit for the job, setting it up and how to cast with it
n Types of flies and understanding why and how you can use them to best effect
n Fishing on lakes, rivers and wild lochs and the range of tactics you can employ to your advantage
n All the extra skills you require to be more successful retrieves, playing fish, handling a boat and presentation casts
n Master the modern specialist styles: Saltwater fly fishing; Pike on fly; Float-tubing; Tenkara
Mark Bowler has edited Fly Fishing and Fly Tying magazine since its inception in 1990. He started out as a coarse fisher, but later became hooked on fly fishing as the trout reservoirs Eyebrook and Rutland Water were both within a bike-ride of his home. In 1993, he moved to Scotland where he began fishing in earnest for wild brown trout and salmon. He has extensive experience in all types of fly fishing and lives within walking distance of Perthshire s river Tay.
ISBN 978 1 78521 074 7 £22.99 rrp
H6074
Fly Fishing Manual Fly
Fishing
Mark Bowler
The step-by-step guide
Haynes
Manual
M ark B
ow ler
F ly
F ish
in g M
anual
ESSEnTiAl TACklE And how To uSE iT AdviCE And TiPS on how To CATCh MorE For ThE gAME, CoArSE And SAlTwATEr Fly FiShEr
haynes Publishing Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7JJ, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1963 440635 Website: www.haynes.com
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Loading the reel correctly
It s important to get enough backing on to the reel without
overloading or underloading it, which n ot only limits the
amount of backing available but can als o cause excessive
coiling of the fly line. Here s how it can b e done without trial
and error.
The reel in the centre is correctly filled; the reel on the left is over
filled, the one on the right is under filled. 3 Temporarily knot the backing to the
end of the fly
line.
4 Wind on the backing.
5 Continue to wind on backing until the
spool is filled but
not overfilled.
1 Wind the fly line on to the reel directly off the
line holder.
6 Use a rolled-up newspaper to
wind back all the
backing.
2 Use a pen to allow the holder to rotate.
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occurs over the water surface and therefore is less prone to catch on bankside vegetation than a conventional overhead cast. Thus a cast can be made irrespective of whether there are trees, bushes, a high bank or tall grass behind the angler. It s also a safe cast, which can be conducted safely in any wind, because the line can be placed on the downwind side of the angler at all times. If the angler is unsure as to which way the wind is actually blowing on the river, he/she can quickly check by holding the rod straight out over the river, holding the line tip at the same time, allowing the belly of the line to catch the wind (like a sail) and gauge the wind direction accordingly.
And which one? In order to determine which Spey cast you should use, the first thing you need to work out is which direction the wind s blowing. This determines the type of Spey cast required in order to make the cast safely (ie with the fly and D loop on the downwind side of the angler). The next consideration is what bank of the river you re on. This will determine whether you fish with the right hand at the top of the double-hander or the left (see diagram). The salmon angler who can switch hands on the double-handed rod is at a distinct advantage over one who can t.
On the dangle Due to the fact that the fly is, in essence, attached to the rod tip, when a cast is made across a river the current acts on the line between rod tip and fly to draw the fly across the current. When the fly has traversed the width of the river and comes to rest directly downstream of the angler s rod tip, it can travel no further across the river. This point is known as the dangle . All Spey casts start with the line on the dangle .
Why use a Spey cast? Spey casts are simply redirected roll casts, with the roll cast being the final delivery of the line. The Spey part of the cast is about reorganisation of the line before the roll cast is made. Since the Spey cast uses an anchor on the water in front of the angler, and a D loop of line, much of the cast
Various casting positions and the spey casts that can be used depending on wind direction. note how the top hand can change according to wind direction.
Direction of flow
Right bank
Right hand up rod
Left hand up rod
Left bank
Upstream wind use Circlecast or Single Spey Cast
Left hand up rod
Downstream wind use Double Spey
Right hand up rod
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angler and current have put into the line, and pass quickly over the fishes heads. The fish has to make up its mind quickly whether to take fly or not. If it decides to take, this will be a positive, heavy pull on the line and the fish will hook itself. Having retrieved the fly into the angler s bank, it is re-cast at right angles across the stream and the process is repeated.
how salmon lies change Where salmon lie in a river depends on the flow, and lies will change constantly as the river falls or rises. A salmon needs to lie in a position where it won t consume too much energy fighting excessive flow but will feel safe, and get sufficient flow in order to breathe easily and maintain its position in the river.
In normal river flows a typical lie might be behind a rock, mid-current. However, in a flood the salmon is forced to vacate this lie and move to where the current is less boisterous and forceful. This might mean migrating to a gravel bank on the inside of the bend in the pool. Then, as the spate eases and the river level falls, so the fish will slide across the pool to resume its lie behind the stone in the middle of the river once again. So, apart from migrating up the river to spawn, salmon are also on the move when the river levels change, and are also more likely to take a fly.
Starting at the tail of the pool, the fly is cast out at right angles to the flow and as far across the stream as possible. As it settles the angler takes two paces upstream and then starts to draw on the line, pulling to create a fast, smooth retrieve. The fly will accelerate round the curve that the
in low water the inside bend of this pool is a gravel bank and fish lie under the far bank. in higher water the gravel bank becomes a salmon lie.
sunray shadow an ideal fly for backing up.
Backing up a salmon pool.
The optimum conditions for backing up are a strong upstream wind that blows to create waves against the current. In addition, because nearly all the line is retrieved after each cast a shorter rod say 10ft 6in (3.5m) makes the process of re-casting easier, and is also less clumsy than a long doubler-hander when retrieving. On club and association waters, backing up is made difficult simply due to a regular procession of fishers moving downstream. However, if you have the pool to yourself and the rules allow, backing up is worth a try.
best for backing up
FLOW Cast square
WIND
Fly is retrieved on a curve
2 paces
Progress upstream
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fly colours Colours form an essential component of flies, and exact colour shades have been sought for centuries. For instance, since the early 20th century the exact colour of the body of a Partridge & Orange was always proclaimed as Pearsall s 6a, dyed by a British silk and thread manufacturer. We re uncertain how fish see colour, but most obsessed, keen fly tyers think that fish see colour as we do, so as a result fly designs often centre around colour shades.
Bearing this in mind, we can consider a rainbow of colours and give an indication of what those colours might represent or trigger:
Black one of the very best colours for most fish, possibly due to the striking silhouette that any fly tied in this colour produces against the sky above. This is an ace of spades.
Orange a great attractor colour for salmon and also trout. Thought to represent the colour of insect haemoglobin as it gets ready to emerge, hence it can act as a trigger-point on nymphs. This is a gP shrimp.
Purple a good alternative colour for salmon, this can also be attractive to grayling. This is a snipe & Purple.
Red provokes aggression in salmon; a proven attractor colour for brown trout. This is a soldier Palmer.
Pink/magenta very attractive to grayling and also pike. Can make a good hotspot for trout. a good colour in low light, such as at dawn. This is a Pink Czech nymph.
Blue a good colour for fresh salmon and sea trout, also any predatory sea fish. Blue is the last visible colour in the spectrum, so as the light fades fish can still see blue. This is a Claret Bumble.
yellow one of the top colours for salmon. This is a Posh Tosh.
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Upwings
Upwings are a more elegant species than midges, and are more
commonly associated with weed and sha llower water. This
broad group includes olives and mayflies, which can be found
in stillwaters and rivers. Having hatched fr om an egg laid on the
water surface, the immature upwing spen ds much of its life as
an aquatic nymph, moving around with a short darting action,
utilising its three tails to propel itself. Upw ing nymphs have
more pronounced legs and thorax than th e midge, and when
it s time to hatch the ripe nymph swims to the water surface,
breaks through the film and its wing-buds split and produce a
pair of finely veined wings which, once fu lly formed, allow it to
escape from the water surface as a dun. T he dun then flies to
shelter at the water s edge, where it has o ne more remarkable
step to make before becoming an adult. H aving landed, the
dun s feet grip into the surface (of a leaf o r branch), the dun s
thorax splits once again, and a shinier and brighter adult
emerges, its tails are longer, and its wings are more transparent.
This adult then joins others of the same sp ecies in an aerial
mating dance, after which the female wil l return to the water,
lay its eggs, and collapse on the water sur face, spent.
Adult identifying features: Broad wings, like sailboats on the
surface held aloft on hatching. Rise vert ically off the water,
body and tails hanging down. Two or th ree tails.
Key river fishing species: Large dark oliv e (Baetis rhodani),
iron blue (Alaintes muticus, Nigrobaetis niger, Nigrobaetis
digitatus), medium olive (Baetis vernus), small dark olive
(Baetis scambus), small spurwing (Centr optilum luteolum),
Pale watery (Baetis fuscatus), Blue-wing ed olive (Serratella
ignita) caenis (Caenis spp).
Key river and stillwater species: Mayflies (Ephemera danica,
Ephemera vulgata, Ephemera lineata), c aenis.
Spinner
Shuck
Upwing dun
Hatching dun
Egg-laying female
Nymph
Olive nymph (Baetis).
greenwell s dry.
Edwards Baetis nymph.
Deer-hair
Emerger.
Thorax
B-wo
Dun.
lapsley s
hi-Vis
spinner.
Dun (left) and spinner of
pale watery
(Baetis fuscatus).
q
q
q
q
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86
can build a mental picture of the contou r of the lakebed in
front of you. Now cast a bit further if yo u can, and keep
fanning the casts systematically, varying the retrieves and the
depth at which you fish the flies.
After a while, if nothing has happene d, try changing the
flies. If you haven t caught the bottom, fish a slightly heavier
fly on the point, and try a different colo ur scheme. Try a
Gold-head Damsel on the point. Chang e the nymphs: put a
Pheasant Tail Nymph on the middle drop per and a Claret
Spider on the top.
Start the search process again. Still n othing? It might be
time for a move, or a different tactic.
Sink-and-draw Sink-and-draw is a tactic that suits mob
ile, marabou-tailed
flies well, especially those with weight a t their heads, such as
the Gold-head
Damsel. It s best
used on a floating
line with a
longish leader
12ft and longer.
Having cast out
and allowed the
fly to sink, the fly
is fished with a
pull-pause
retrieve. Pulls can
be anything from
6in (15cm) or 1ft
Where to start? If the fishery manager or lodge aren t pr
oviding any clues,
and the fishery itself isn t giving you any direction on what to
do or where to fish (see Chapter 15), th en you need to think
about where to start.
Begin by testing the wind. If it s wind y, then you ideally
want the wind to come from the oppos ite side to your
casting hand (ie from the left if you re a right-handed caster)
this makes casting easier or at your b ack. If you re an
experienced caster, and enjoy more of a challenge, then
fishing into the wind can be rewarding. Fishing with a strong
wind blowing on to your casting hand m akes casting most
difficult of all.
Next, study the fishery itself. Where d oes it drop away into
a good fishing depth (6 12ft)? Is there a n inflow? Can you
fish close to a weed bed? Is there a quiet er corner,
overshadowed by trees? If there are fishi ng platforms, pick
one that offers some features to cast at, for instance a weed
bed situated in the centre of the lake, or the edge of an island.
General prospecting/searching
Using a floating line is sufficient to explo re most small
stillwaters, and is the easiest line to han dle in terms of fishing
and casting.
To start with, it s best to cover the op tions by using a two-
or three-fly leader. However, if you re a novice caster and
uncomfortable about using multiple-fly leaders, then keep it
simple and stick to a single fly. Untanglin g a leader of three
flies every other cast wastes both time a nd the opportunity
for success.
Make a good start by tying on a gen eral lure/attractor on
the point, say a size 10 Black & Green M arabou lure. On the
middle dropper try something more sug gestive as food, say a
Hare s Ear Nymph (size 12). Then, on the top dropper,
something the cruising trout might expe ct to see on any day
of the year a Midge Pupa, size 14.
Cast out, not too far to start with, an d search the water
close to your feet. By allowing the flies t o settle longer after
each cast they ll sink, and thus fish deep er. The retrieve (how
you move the flies) can vary from a very slow figure-of-eight
to a fast, steady pull (see Chapter 14). F an the casts, working
right to left to cover as much water as p ossible. Count the
flies down after each cast (3 seconds, 8 seconds, 20 seconds
etc), so if you start to catch the bottom on your retrieve you
Cast out, straighten line
Pull-and-pause: Sink and draw
Pull
Pause Fly sinks
Fly rises
gold-head Damsel nymph can work
all season through, but is best in the
summer months when adults are seen
flying. fish it around weed beds with a
pull-and-pause retrieve, or on the drop .
fan your casts systematically to search the water.
The Fly Fishing Manual The step-by-step guide by Mark Bowler
Hardback, 270 x 210mm, 224pp 400 colour illustrations ISBN: 978 1 78521 074 7 Book No: H6074 Haynes RRP: £22.99
NEW TITLE: NOVEMBER 2016
Dance The complete step-by-step guide to dance
Haynes
Manual
Keyna Paul
Dance Manual The complete step-by-step guide by Keyna Paul
Hardback, 270 x 210mm, 192pp 400 colour illustrations ISBN: 978 1 78521 062 4 Book No: H6062 Haynes RRP: £22.99
Carp Fishing Manual The step-by-step guide to becoming a better carp angler by Kevin Green
Hardback, 270 x 210mm, 192pp 500 colour illustrations ISBN: 978 0 85733 291 2 Book No: H5291 Haynes RRP: £21.99
Coarse Fishing Manual The step-by-step guide by Kevin Green
Paperback, 270 x 210mm , 200pp 855 colour illustrations ISBN: 978 1 78521 090 7 Book No: H6090 Haynes RRP: £14.99
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