Weekly River & Hatches Update
Its May! The greatest month in the fly fishing calendar. The hawthorn is blossoming, the flies are hatching, the trout are rising, and the chaos of Mayfly is in full swing. This is the month when clouds of Mayfly drift through the skies like gunsmoke and trout big or small will throw caution to the wind in a race to slurp them up in their thousands during what can only be described as one of the great natural wonders of the world.
Weather:
It been a long dry spring so far, but finally the duck has been broken. Rain, glorious rain! Maybe it was out rain dance last week, who knows (?), but this week has finally bucked the trend. Cooler average temperatures of around 18 degrees, overcast, breezy and a little smattering of rain. The forecast for next week is for more of the same; overcast with sunny spells and a little more showers with similar average temps of between 17 and 20 degrees. There are light and mild breezes from the southwest of 10-15mph. Sunrise: 05:05 GMT. Sunset 21:00 GMT, UV: Med, Pollution: Low. Pressure: 1018mb.
River Flows:
The river flows currently range between normal and below normal as rated by the Environment Agency. Whilst there has been limited rainfall in the last few weeks, the chalk stream aquifers are still full after a wet winter. Thankfully, the riverbanks are drying out (finally!), so in most cases walking boots will suffice, though a pair of wellies or thigh waders might just help coax your quarry to the water’s edge.
Hatches:
Excitingly, the Mayfly hatch is well an truly batting for six here on the Hampshire and Berkshire chalkstreams, with terrific hatches of Ephemera Danica, our common Mayfly, reported throughout the Test and Itchen rivers in particular. While it is still to arrive in Dorset, Wiltshire and elsewhere, it is likely that wherever you are you will see anything from a few Mayfly to a full on hatch this week. Whether the trout have switched onto their favourite food just yet is only something you will know when it happens. Whatever the weather, there are still regular, hatches of tiny olives and midges in their many hundreds of thousands, so come with flies aplenty.
Fly Patterns:
During Mayfly the temptation is to tie on a Mayfly pattern from the get-go; unless the fish are distinctly rising to the hatch, I would probably box clever. If you zoom out to look at the big picture that is the month of May, there are often pauses in the hatch, then a sudden flurry, followed by a dearth. I cannot explain it. But for you, the fly fisher, the entomological maths is easy once the hatch is on. If in doubt the Mayfly of choice for all our guides is the undisputed French Partridge. However, do remember that even if the Mayfly hatch is not happening, the fish are switched on to feed, so if they are not interested in the Danica or if there is no hatch at all, do not flog a dead horse with the same old greywulff. As effective as they can be, every dog has its day. Try those other patterns, Adams, Black Gnats, Dark Olives and smaller Wulff’s, to name a few. If it is a beat where nymphs are permitted look no further than the Walkers Mayfly nymph. I guess what I am saying is do not despair in those times when the Mayfly are not immediately visible; fish will look at other flies.
Our Seasonal tips:
As a general rule, we would expect surface action timings to be determined by the weather on the day, generally warm and sunny with a little rain this coming week. The best fly fishers are more snipers than machine gunners and so waiting, watching, observing and picking your moment, is almost always the best approach. We have often noted a tendency in recent years for the hatch to come on late in the afternoon, so there in lies the excuse you need to have a lazy morning and an early lunch, and enjoy the moment when it arrives!
News, events and catch reports:
