Tuesday 1st August - frustrating

I arrived on the Road Bridge beat at about 9.00 pm much to the surprise of John my brother-in-law who was sat on a log contemplating the evening fishing, all tackled up and ready to go.

The evening was perfect but the water level was still very low despite one or two downpours the day before. There was plenty of activity with sewin of all sizes splashing about. We fished from about 10.00 pm until 4.00 am. I had loads of pulls and plucks on lures but none of them came to anything. The same happened when I changed to a mouse, loads of splashes and tugs but not a fish. John had a couple of pulls but also blanked! I tried lots of diffent lures but probably created most interest with a black muddler treated with floatant and later with one of Rodders,s special tubes!

I can only put this lack of success down to a lack of flow throughout the pool. It is almost impossible to entice the fish to attack the fly in such slow moving water. I tried figure of eight, stripping slow and fast and every other combination but to no avail. Allowing the fly to swing around naturally was best but this meant that the fish had all the time in the world to inspect the fly and then just pluck at it.

John carried on after I left with the worm but I don't know if he had any better luck. If he did I will update this report as soon as I know.

So what next? God knows! Piking?