Saturday

Friday, 14th July

Glencorse, Evening Session

A beautiful summer evening. We had a N-easterly at the start, no doubt just a sea breeze coming south, and it died away as the evening progressed, to be replaced by a very light westerly. Ideal conditions for Caenis, and, as often happens when Caenis are coming later, the fish went doggo soon after the start -- no point mooching about just now, when the banquet is being served in an hour or so!

John Gibson nets for John Robertson

Alan Morrison had some early sport to dry fly at the top end (big claret Klinkhammer), and John Robertson picked up a fish, down deep on a black and white tin-head. Bill Scobie took one up the top end on a Montana and floating line, and there were one or two others caught to a variety of methods. However, all this was the precursor to the Caenis activity to come.

There was no real blizzard of Caenis, and the number that hatched was about right to give you a reasonable chance to get a response from the fish. However, I and several others found it very hard going, getting ignored, or refused time and time again. Not sure about how much of a role the area played in proceedings. There were less Caenis and less fish rising in the middle zone. John Miller fished here, and took 4 fish to hoppers, in claret and orange. Eric Begbie was another to avoid Caenis imitations and he had success with a bibio CDC hopper. I also gave up on imitation before the end, and did better with a sedgehog. Ken Cockburn did likewise and took fish on a Klinkhammer. Ken and I had limited success earlier, when trying to use a sparkle gnat to imitate the Caenis.

A greylag -- keeping a beady eye on proceedings

There were only 2 rods who showed everyone else how to catch fish in a Caenis hatch. The area to be was right up the far end. When the rise was at its peak, there were more fish than that at which you could shake a stick. Alan Morrison found that lengthening his leader to about 18 foot (long for fishing dries) helped to avoid spooking the fish when covered. Alan's imitative fly was a hare's ear Shipman. Doesn't look much like a Caenis, but it looks a lot like the little floating rafts of shucks, stillborns and spinners that conglomerate on the surface. Alan caught and returned 8 fish.

The view looking east

Top rod was Dougie Skedd, who did exceptionally well, taking 10 fish, mostly on a sparkle gnat. I asked Dougie for details of his evening...

I took eight of the ten fish on a sparkle gnat (the other two picked up a red Klinkhamer, in a twelve, and a claret Shipman's in a fourteen, but that was before the main event). Once the Caenis got going I set up a single size fourteen sparkle gnat on a sixteen foot leader, tapered to 2 lb 12 oz double strength (well, I was using my four-weight!). As long as I could see what the fish were doing and where they were going I felt I was in with a chance. The fly had to be right on the button, and a floating leader or bad presentation would spook the (intended) victim. I took most of my fish in the earlier stages of the hatch -- when the fish were still picking (rather than mopping-up). I was quite suddenly aware that fish were beginning to show, but hadn't seen any Caenis in the air so I hadn't changed yet. I put the flies on the edge of a slicky bit where a fish had moved a few times, and he found it right away. He took the red Klinkhamer. I began to see Caenis, so I rigged up with a claret Shipman's and a sparkle gnat, both fourteens. I cast into the slicky water again and had another right away on the Shipman's. Then they got trickier, refusing and spooking away. That's when I switched to 'extreme Caenis' mode, with the thinnest leader that I had with me and a single, smallish fly, on a fair length of leader too. That led to a bit of a purple patch and I got the bulk of my catch in that period. The fish were picking away steadily and weren't too much into the wallowing gurgles. Things got silly for a while after that, and the fish were just swilling like pigs at the surface. I jagged loads of fish and dropped a fair few as well. I think the leader actually pulls the fly out of their mouths when they're at that and you don't hook them well at all. One fish took some stuff off the surface where my leader was sitting. I ignored it, but was surprised to see my fly beginning to skate across the surface. I was even more surprised when the line went tight as the fish hooked itself. It had got the leader between its jaws and swam away with it. It fell off -- no surprise. I had another wee spell as the light went down, but a lot of those didn't stick properly either, since I couldn't really see what was going on and couldn't time things right. An interesting evening. Caenis hatches always provide a bit of challenge and make you work for your fish.

A distillation of forty-odd years of looking forward to -- and coping with -- Caenis hatches...

Don't try to match the hatch, it doesn't work since there's too much natural stuff and the fish will not pick out just another one of whatever it is.

Don't be fooled into fishing too small. My experience is that a fourteen is about right, size-wise and even if it's a copy sort of pattern like a grey duster it will need to stand out a bit.

Fish as fine as you can but if you can't sink it -- and that was a big problem on Friday -- don't be afraid to go a bit thicker to get it under.

Keep your leader as long as is consistent with full accuracy -- you must be able to hit your target with speed and precision.

Concentrate on fish which are showing a "picking" rise form since they are most likely to "pick" your fly.

Try to find areas where the fish are rising steadily but not gorging -- again they will be more likely to take you. Weedbeds are good since they will force fish into patrol routes where an ambush is easier.

Try to find brownies -- they will keep a straighter line.

Use a sparkle gnat.

Eric Begbie with a fish caught in the fading light

The rise at the top end went on and on, and although the fishery owner was happy for us to stay out late, I think we lost more than a few brownie points with the other club members when 3 of our boats came in at well past 11 p.m. And we still left rising fish (and another boat) behind us!

The Club's 13 rods caught a total of 33 fish.

Photos: Canon 10D with 70-300mm IS lens and polarising filter

	Don't try to match the hatch, it doesn't work since there's too much natural stuff and the fish will not pick out just another one of whatever it is.
	Don't be fooled into fishing too small. My experience is that a fourteen is about right, size-wise and even if it's a copy sort of pattern like a grey duster it will need to stand out a bit.
	Fish as fine as you can but if you can't sink it -- and that was a big problem on Friday -- don't be afraid to go a bit thicker to get it under.
	Keep your leader as long as is consistent with full accuracy -- you must be able to hit your target with speed and precision.
	Concentrate on fish which are showing a "picking" rise form since they are most likely to "pick" your fly.
	Try to find areas where the fish are rising steadily but not gorging -- again they will be more likely to take you. Weedbeds are good since they will force fish into patrol routes where an ambush is easier.
	Try to find brownies -- they will keep a straighter line.
	Use a sparkle gnat.