June has been another tough month in the Yorkshire Dales weather wise but despite often less than ideal conditions and mostly more than enough water I have had to postpone only a handful of days.

Guided clients overall have had some excellent fishing with plenty of days when the numbers of fish caught were well into double figures and on a few occasions a brace or leash short of twenty.  Fly life has been conspicuous by its absence but despite that the fish have readily taken the nymph, my ECH nymph has reined supreme, I am sure because of its extra “leggy” appearance, frankly I think it should be banned!  We have had some great day’s French nymphing in 12” of crystal clear water going like a train, it never ceases to amaze me that when you can see every pebble on the bottom a trout, and often more than one, appears from nowhere and takes your fly, in my opinion this is the pinnacle of fly fishing.  A spider fished 3 feet above the nymph has also proved extremely effective.

Fly Fishing Yorkshire Dales Style!

Tenkara fishing is also taking more than its fair share of fish; it’s a deadly, skilful and precise method of fishing and cannot be ignored, yet still controversy rears its ugly head, frankly I am at a loss to understand why?  Okay let’s be honest its the dyed in the wool old buffers who frankly still think that taking a fish on a dry fly with a split cane rod is the ultimate in fly fishing skill, I maintain I could teach the average Baboon to catch fish with dry flies in somewhat under twenty minutes!

The prospects look good for the next week with slightly less volatile weather and therefore hopefully less rain, I may even be fishing a river at a more normal level for this time of year.  I am looking forward to the next four days fishing with a regular client on a variety of delightful rivers with only wild fish and with someone who can catch them somewhat better than your average Baboon!