.FlyFishingWales

with Kim Tribe

Well, Christmas is on its way and Winter has set in. Its the time of year that I start thinking of migrating south to warmer climes in search of those big brown trout that New Zealand is famous for. Not that they are an easy quarry, but what's life if its not a challenge.

Wales and the fishing season over all have been very good this year. It started in spring with some excellent hatches of large dark olives which on one occasion lasted for the best part of 3 hours. I was counting maybe a dozen fly in a square meter. Summer was very dry which made life a bit tough on the Sewin (sea trout) front, but the brown trout and grayling where still playing.

My own personal highlight of the summer was a 4lb wild brown trout of the river Usk. I was happy even if he wasn't but went back a wiser fish. It made up in part for an even bigger trout that I hooked on the river Wye while demonstrating to my guests. This fish took off up-steam and had me into the backing in seconds. It then turned around and shot past me, at the time I was up to my waist in water. I managed to get the line back on the reel and apply a bit of pressure, which didn't make any great impact on the fish who was now faced with the prospect of heading off down a set of rapids (grade 2/3). I managed to get onto a rock about 20 foot away, parallel with the trout which I put at over 5lbs. What could I do? This fish was holding at the head of a shoot of water and I was stuck in the middle of the river. My one chance was to try and spook it upstream. So I slipped back into the water up to my chest again, hoping the trout would head off up stream. In an instant, he turned and went down the water, shot past me as I was scrambling across the river and getting a wader full in the process. I got onto the bank, rod high in the air and doubled over chasing after it. It was like a scene from the film -'A River Runs Through It'. All the time my guests are chasing after me taking photos. It was even suggested that I
adorn one of the life vests and jump in after it. If it had made it through the rapids, I think I would have done so but by that time it was too late. It had taken me under a rock on the way down the water shoot which ended up me loosing 10ft off the leader of my new fly line. But that's life. What a battle and what a smart fish. No wonder it had reached that size (I had to tell you this one).

The last day of the trout season finished off in style with one of my guests and I accounting for over 30 trout to 2lbs and 2 other guests taking over 50 fish for the day, some getting close to 3lbs (wild trout). I can say that all except one person caught fish and he had tried out for the New Zealand fly fishing team! He is an excellent angler and if the heavens hadn't opened and we hadn't faced the worst thunder of the summer and the river colouring up in a matter of minutes, I'm sure he would have taken fish.

The grayling went a bit quiet in the spring, their spawning time and then picked up through the summer and into the autumn and early winter. I notice that the main Wye was producing very high numbers of small fish which should bode well for the future. Others, in different parts of the system, where not producing so many fish but they where big, averaging maybe 40 centimetres. One guest had one at 48 centimetres - that's getting on for 3 lbs.

I would like to thank all my guests for the pleasure of their company and wish them well in the coming year and if you feel that I can assist you please contact me. If you are stuck for a Christmas present for a fishing friend or someone you would like to get into the sport or just want one for yourself, I am doing personalised gift vouchers/ Christmas presents.

You can always email me at kim@flyfishingwales.com but if I'm away, you can also try kimtribe@hotmail.com as I may be in New Zealand

Happy fishing!

Kim