Could This Really Happen In Early July On Rutland ?

25 degrees, bright, and a brisk SW wind, not what you would call ideal conditions for a days fishing, right ?

Thirty minutes in, and not a sign of a fish between us, as we both fished floating lines, and a team of Diawl Bachs and Muskins, suspended by a small fab. As we drifted from Gibbets Gorse, and approached Berrybutts, my enthusiasm was already starting to wain, as it felt like a long day was ahead of us.

As often the case with me, when the fishing isn't going to plan, my mind is always ticking over, as to what to do next. I knew the fry were in the margins, and the recent hot weather had extended many weed beds a good 30 to 40 yards off many banks, so this offered great cover for an ambush by fish, on the small fry, sure to be along the weeds edge!

I discussed this very thing with Shaun, and told him a popper fry would bring fish to the surface, if any were around. I also said they tend to bring up the bigger fish, and often browns. Could this story really about to come to life, just minutes later ??

just 3 casts in, after changing to a single Flash Attack Olive popper fry, BANG ! This beautiful brown, in a nano second, smashed into my popper fry, after it landed on the surface. You couldn't have written it, after just minutes earlier, describing this very moment !

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Amongst all the excitement, I get Shaun to change over immediately, to the same Olive popper fry. His second cast in, and his left arm was wrenched away from him, as something had taken his fly. It set off like a torpedo, unfortunately it didn't stop, and it slipped the hook. If the bend on the rod was anything to go by, and the speed it sped off, it was another good fish.

As we rounded the corner, past New Zealand Point, the weed stretched right out from the bank. A new found energy was among us both, suddenly things felt different. As we popped the fly at speed across the surface, numerous fish were in hot pursuit, and it didn't take Shaun long to nail his first fish. (spot the popper fry's white foam head in the net?) A nice plump Rutland rainbow, of 3lb+

We moved along the bay, and bought fish up to the popper fry, pretty consistently. I pointed out that the Sailing Club point was a favourite spot for me for good fish, using this method, and as we got there, we didn't land a fish, however rose several behind the fly as we bounced it through the wave. We dropped  into the sailing club bay, for a short drift. as several boats had anchored in here, sheltering from the blustery wind. I took a nice rainbow here, before we headed out after just 10 minutes.

The strong wind, ruled out the South shore, so I decided to take Shaun to my favoured spots along the north Arm. By now I had figured we were looking for weed coming off the shore, and having fished Rutland a week earlier, I new just the spot !

Armley wood to Carrot Creek, is a favourite area of mine for the chance of a big brown. Could it happen again?

We soon spotted fish blatantly chasing the small fry, and where were they? As I predicted, right along the weeds edges, some 20 yards off the shore. With the wind coming off the peninsular bank, a particular approach was needed to actually get at these fish. 

As not to disturb the area we were fishing, I went round in a huge ark, and approached the fish from behind. I picked my spot, and literally drove my boat (SLOWLY) through the weed until I reached the spot we wanted to drift over. Sitting the boat actually in the weed, we were now behind the fish, casting over the weed, dropping our fly, right where they were cruising. A short leader is needed for this, 10', so you're able to drop the fly just beyond the weed, and be in touch with it, at the same time.

Well, what an afternoon we had. We boated 8 fish, several over 3lb, and all on the Flash Attack Olive Popper Fry. As well as the fish we netted we had constant excitement, as fish would come out of nowhere in pursuit of the popper fry being "plopped" through the wave. We also saw several BIG fish creating whirl pools, in pursuit of fry some 100 yards off shore !! I certainly took note of these, for future adventures here!

Once you got the fish interested, we found, slowing the retrieve down from a fast pull, to a quick figure of 8 retrieve drew the take ! If you saw a fish move, and got a quick and accurate cast in front of it, more often than not, it chased the fly.

We almost saved the best to last. On our way back to the lodge, we just had to have a drift off Barnhill Creek point, a well known big brown spot. We had drifted a good 80 yards out, way past any weed, when out of nowhere, right in front of us, a big brown, what looked BIG, went over my popper fry, just 12' in front of us. Did my heart stop, you bet it did !! I struck, as fast as lightening, only to feel nothing !!! What words followed next, I couldn't possibly repeat. lol  Hooking that fish would really had been the icing on the cake of a fantastic, days fishing

I guess my knowledge, and understanding of Rutland played a big part in today's success, as many other anglers struggled, not helped by the strong winds.

Rod used - Greys 10' Cruise 7# Reel Cruise Cassette reel. Line Grey's Platinum 8# Floating line.

Leeder - Flash Attack's Warrior F1 7LB

Popper Fry Olive Mink CODE PF2 – FlashAttackFlies

Flurocarbon Fishing Line 7,8,9,10, & 12lb 100m Spools – FlashAttackFlies

If you would like a day out on Rutland, then please email craig@flashattackflies.com for details