Posts Tagged ‘Greenwells Spider’

Fly Fishing in Ireland: Off the Beaten Track

Saturday, June 6th, 2015

Standing at the ford I surveyed the scene, downstream a cloud of black gnat, sheltered by a line of trees, danced above a fast narrow run, while upstream the river meandered through more open pastoral country, fields of horses delineated with post and rail fencing and well tended hedgerows. Here the banks were clear of willow and alder, yes there were trees providing cover for shy trout but there was also space to cast a line. I chose to continue upstream finding a starting point where the stream took a dog leg right, bouncing off the left bank then rushing hard into the pool below.

Fly fishing in Ireland for wild brown trout.

Again fishing a four weight rod to a team of three spiders (Kill Devil, Greenwell’s and Iron Blue) I cast across at a 45 degree angle into the fast water and let the flies swing round into the seam. Now on the hang, twitching induced a take from a six inch brown who proceeded to swim down into the gut. BANG, over went the rod further as a three quarter pounder nailed the point fly. Two fish on my first cast, who would have thought.

Wild brown trout.

The monarch of the pool and its understudy gave a good account of themselves swimming into and out of the fast water, diving deep then cavorting on the surface before eventually being brought to the net. Usually a start such as this signals a poor session but not this time, working the riffles and pools downstream toward the ford produced a succession of trout averaging 7 inches with the odd one bigger. On this occasion all flies tempted fish with the greenwell’s shading it by about two to one.

Stream view, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

Rain in the morning had freshened the river and it tumbled over and between boulders creating slack pockets where trout holed up waiting for tasty morsels to enter their field of vision. Using the broken water as cover a succession of trout were winkled out as the afternoon progressed. By five bells the trout had lost their enthusiasm and to be quite honest I was glad of the break. As they say, make hay when the sun shines, I most certainly did……..

Spring Chill on a Favourite Stream

Monday, March 18th, 2013

This morning she has the look of an English chalk stream, running clear, the first vestiges of ranunculus (a curse later in the season) waving in the current. A sharp, cold south easterly breeze blows upstream, not a rise to be seen, the trout are keeping their neb’s down and who would blame them. In the distance snow lies on Lugnaquilla, Leinster’s highest mountain, like a dome shaped Mount Fuji, standing sentinel over the surrounding countryside.

A rain fed trout stream flowing off the Wicklow mountains, Ireland.

Making my way down to a get in point below the bridge I slip into the water, cold seeping through my waders, fishing just might be slow. Set up with a four weight rig, kill devil spider on point, greenwells spider covering center, with a partridge and orange taking up the rear, I cast at a 45 degree angle towards the far bank, throwing a mend before letting the flies swing around. Lengthening the line, third cast a pull, splash, and hop, diving and skittering towards my hand, a beautifully spotted 10 inch trout.

Early season fly fishing on a rain fed Irish trout stream.

Spring regularly finds me on this river, flowing off Wicklow granite she first runs across bleak  moorland before dropping quickly onto a rich agricultural hinterland where she meanders gently, eventually linking with her parent River Slaney. With a river bed comprising coarse sand and gravel ideally suited for constructing redds, this stream enjoys a run of salmon and it is not unheard of for early season trout fishers to unexpectedly connect with the king of fish. My five minutes in the sun occuring a few years ago while fishing a 1/0 copper Mepps with trout in mind, four pound b/s line being no match for a spring salmon when it decides to get its head down.

Early season wild brownie from a rain fed Irish stream.

Back to the present, after my initial success things went quite, a couple more pulls signaled interest but nothing definite ensued. Flattering to deceive the day looked glorious, blue skies and fluffy clouds creating an impression of spring warmth when in reality it was Baltic. Time to go down, replacing the kill devil with a weighted nymph, instant success, of a similar 10 inch size, the trout shook itself free after thirty seconds.

Wet flies for a favourite stream.

Persevering down stream with no more joy I changed over to a dry fly set up tying on a dark olive klinkhammer, working a few runs on my way back towards the car seemed like a plan. With still not a rise in sight and fishing water more in hope then design I signed off, it being well past the witching mid day hours so important to fly fishing in early March. Tomorrow is another day with the Liffey, Mr Irish Fly Fisher Liam Stenson, and a master class in fishing the dry fly beckoning, bring it on…….

Fly Fishing in Wicklow, After the Flood

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

The river ran peat stained but clear, prone to spates evidence of a recent deluge was littered everywhere along the banks where mats of  broken twigs and branches lay among the fast growing bracken. The flood must have been a big one for this flotsam lay in one instance ten feet above the rivers normal height and on lower stretches 20 meters from the now babbling stream, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. How the trout survive is beyond me but they do, down stream my leader swung around, feeding a yard the line pulls sideways and I set into an eight inch brownie.

Downstream wet fly fishing on a Wicklow mountain stream, southern Ireland.

Taking a bead head pheasant tail on the point my first trout of the afternoon dips and dives in the current as I work it towards my hand. Quickly released the brownie scoots off towards a suitable lie while I continue to wade downstream. The air is humid and midges make me itch, a breeze develops from the south west giving relief from the little beggars and the sun shines brightly. Farmers shear sheep in an adjacent field, good idea as it’s too hot for a jumper.

A small well marked Wicklow mountain trout.

The trout are not giving themselves up today although enough snatch and pull to make my wade interesting. By now it’s very bright and hot. Doubling back I cast my bead head upstream searching the seams, every so often a forward movement or stop of the fly line is met with a simultaneous left hand pull and right hand lift of the rod, actually more a twist of the wrist, end result being a miss, a rock, or a trout. In jig time afternoon rolls into evening, eight or nine of the smaller brethren is my lot, wild and beautifully marked, on a four weight set up, magic…..

Fly Fishing In Wicklow, Blustery Day on the Derreen

Saturday, April 28th, 2012

Wind angled off my left shoulder as the weight forward number four line snaked out at a forty five degree angle to the current. Fishing a long line the twelve foot leader uncoiled depositing the kill devil point fly and its spidery team mates in the still water beyond the gut close under the far bank. Feeding a foot of line to sink the flies, entering the seam a boil followed by a heavy tug and a tight line, the fish bored deep and my reel screeched, zzzzzzzzzzz a good trout.

Casting a long line while keeping low, River Derreen, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

Twisting and turning the brownie gave a good account of itself, running towards a bed of ranunculus I applied side strain, the fish turned, a few hops more and it was in the net. Between a half and three quarters, a fine fish for the Derreen, two plump trout in three casts from the same deep run, the God’s are smiling. Ten minutes earlier a riffle further upstream had delivered three fish, all flies had scored from the kill devil to the greenwells but the partridge and orange had its nose in front and was to keep it there.

A River Derreen trout fooled by a partridge and orange.

Although bright and sunny a stiff north east breeze blew and with snow lying on Lugnaquilla, the highest mountain in Leinster, it was chilly to say the least. Gusts ruffled the surface and although a few terrestrials were flying about there was no hatch as such, that said a few trout were rising. The Derreen flows down off Lug’ crossing the border into Co. Carlow then flowing past Hacketstown before meandering through rich farmland towards Tullow. The river bed is gravely well suited to spawning salmon which run up from its parent River Slaney. Today however the target was trout and although not giving themselves up they were on occasions obliging.

A plump River Derreen trout.

My tactics given the strong downstream wind were to keep low and cast a long line down and across keeping false casts to a minimum. The wind helped in this matter by ruffling the surface so breaking up the trouts field of vision. By combining the broken riffled water, where the trout would be positioned along the seams with the disturbed still water while keeping low I could get close and cover potential fishy lies. The system worked, it’s great when it does, with at least a half dozen wild brownies to the rod for a short two hour session. Later in the month as the weather warms up evening dry fly, in particular to the black gnat, should come into its own. I’ll be back…..

Click on: Guided Fly Fishing for Wild Trout.

Fly Fishing in County Wicklow, Calm Before the Storm

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

With boats taking precedence over the last few weeks it was nice to get out on the river again. Recent falls of rain had both freshened the water and raised levels slightly. Pushing along nicely and running clear albeit with a tinge of dark tea, the river screamed fish and I was not disappointed.

Casting a short line in Co. Wicklow.

Setting up an eight foot, four weight rod I made my way upstream to work a team of wets back down. Overcast, a cool north easterly blew down the valley making it impossible to upstream fish, besides other than spotting and photographing what I am certain was a mayfly there was no hatch of any description. Nymphing may have been an option but even that would have proved difficult. So putting up a beaded pheasant tail on the point and a greenwells spider on the dropper I commenced working the runs and pots.

What I believe is a mayfly, unusual for the Wicklow river that I was fishing.

Very quickly I connected with a nice 10 inch fish to the greenwells, closely followed by a similar trout on the pheasant tail. The first held station along a seam on the far bank, slashing at my flies as they swung across, the second fish took deep in the run tail, both giving a good account on my light rod. So a taking pattern developed criss crossing between the pheasant tail and the greenwells with at days end the greenwells just shading it.

A nice plump early season wild brownie from a mountain stream, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

An interesting aspect of fishing this particular stream is how it changes from visit to visit, no two days being the same. Given its rain fed almost spate like nature the water rises and falls all the time, steady flow maintained to a degree by the bog higher up, however in long dry spells like Ireland has just experienced the sponge drys up with subsequent dramatic effects on the river below. Today however it had come alive and tomorrow it will flow in a torrent a resultant of the forecast heavy rain.

Rolling and tumbling, a mountain stream, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

Trout had moved out of the deep slacks and positioned themselves in ambush points behind rocks, along seams and guts, in fact just about everywhere you might expect them to be. Two fish in quick succession here, one trout there, head and tail rises, pulls, the day went in a blur, only my gnawing stomach told me it might be time to go home. At least a dozen trout caught and released with as many more slashing, pulling, and cavorting. This river is special and I never tire of it, the trout are not big, but they are beautiful, big spotted and yellow bellied providing wonderful sport in a breathtaking location.

Further reading: In the Footsteps of A.A. Luce.

Fly Fishing in Ireland, River Liffey, Co. Kildare

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

Enjoyed a great first day of the season fly fishing with Mr Irish Fly Fisher himself Liam Stenson and his good friend Ray Bradley on the River Liffey somewhere in Co. Kildare. The sun shone, however a stiff south east breeze put a chill in the air keeping fly hatches to a minimum, that said a few dark olives did show and trout were rising in the more sheltered runs.

Liam Stenson (Irish Fly Fisher) fishing down stream wet on the River Liffey, Co. Kildare, Ireland.

Fishing a team of wets to include a kill devil spider on the point, a greenwells spider on the middle dropper, and a partridge and orange on the top I proceeded to fish a likely run endorsed by Liam, “he hooked and lost a fish estimated at 5.lbs in it last season, the hook straightened”. The upstream breeze made fishing wet difficult so I quickly reverted to dry and put up a small olive klinkhammer pattern. With no trout showing I fished likely seams to little effect.

Second of the season, a nice half pounder.

Liam on the other hand found a sheltered back water with a nice streamy run pushing close to a half sunk tree. Placing his fly in the suds he winkled out a 10 inch trout to break his duck for the year. Two more fish rose but were too quick for him, these Liffey brownies are lightening fast.

A nice dry fly stretch on the River Liffey, Co. Kildare, Ireland.

Moving upstream I found a run sheltered from the wind by a high bank. Heavily lined with willow trees, there were enough gaps to enable fishing if one used unorthodox casting methods. Switching over to wets my luck changed and I rose a number of trout landing three to close on half a pound. Beautifully spotted but a little lean, in a few weeks they will be plump and full of fight.

A Liffey brownie takes a partridge and orange.

By now the sun was waning and a chill started to fill the air, we had forgotten but it was only March 3rd. Close on four bells three tired but happy anglers walked back to the cars, the Liffey had been good to us Liam also netting a few nice trout and the day most certainly augured well for the season to come….

Fly Fishing in Ireland. River Slaney, Glen of Imaal, Co. Wicklow.

Friday, September 10th, 2010

The River Slaney rises on the slopes of Lugnaquilla, the highest mountain in County Wicklow, flows westward down through the saucer shaped Glen of Imaal before breaking out and heading south to eventually meet the tide at Wexford harbour. Primarily a salmon river, the headwaters down to Aghade bridge below Tullow can produce some quality wild brown trout fishing. Although not big running six to eight ounces, fish to over a pound+ show up from time to time.

Wild brown trout tempted by a partridge and orange, River Slaney, Glen of Imaal, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

The Glen of Imaal although close to Dublin is a place apart. Home to 1798 rebel hero Michael Dwyer, the cottage where he outwitted the redcoats still stands today, the Glen is also of great importance to the military, a large section of moorland being utilised as a firing range and training area. Flat and wide the central area is quite fertile, with the Slaney meandering over a sandy soil past villages with names like Seskin, Knockanarrigan, and Davidstown. Enclosed by willow, mountain ash, and sycamore along certain sections there are enough open areas to make fly fishing interesting.

Bend of the river, near Knockanarrigan, Glen of Imaal, Co. Wicklow.

Driving past the shop at Knockanarrigan I took a right turn into a lane about a mile past the village. Continuing on for a few hundred meters eventually the youthful Slaney came into view as it flowed under a hump backed bridge. Putting up a team of spider patterns to include a kill devil on the point, a partridge and orange on the middle dropper, and a greenwells spider on the top dropper, I hopped over a dry stone wall and headed up stream. The sun was shining and apart from an occasional south westerly breeze the air was still.

Wild brown trout, River Slaney, Glen of Imaal, Co. Wicklow.

Fishing the tale of a run which flowed into a wide pool dominated by a large willow, small trout and parr came to the flies. Increasing the line and staying low I let the team sweep around into the shade  under the low branches, a solid take gave hint of a larger fish. Played carefully due to the strong current a beautifully spotted brownie, taken on the kill devil, was soon on the bank. Continuing downstream towards the bridge other than parr no more fish showed.

River Slaney looking downstream from Seskin bridge, Glen of Imaal, Co. Wicklow.

Although peat tinged the water was crystal clear with the gravel bottom clearly visible. Salmon spawn here in the winter high up in the Wicklow mountains, having swam upstream easily eighty miles from the sea. Working my way down below the bridge a long straight run ends in a dog leg left, undercutting the bank so creating a back eddy. Working the flies along the seam a flash/splash take results in a spirited fight. Moving on I fish where two channels divided by a gravel bar meet. With a long line out the surface bulges simultaneous with the pull. I strike, feel the fish and see the broad tail break the surface as it turns, then nothing. The best fish of the day, I cover the lie for five minutes to no avail. Another time.

Slaney flies, L-R: Greenwells Spider, Kill Devil Spider, Partridge and Orange.

And so the day progressed, a spot of lunch and a pint of stout in a local pub, then out again for a few more casts. As the afternoon wore on the air got warm and still, small trout rose to the flies but nothing more substantial. However there is no doubt that most pools hold a good fish as angling pressure is light. Hidden away, the River Slaney as it flows through the Glen of Imaal is a little gem. For the angler who likes to search out new wild waters this is the place, combining moor and  farmland and totally under fished. In the shadow of Wicklow’s highest mountain, the upper Slaney brownies offer great sport in a very picturesque location. Practice catch and release.