The end of summer signals an excellent time for those who love variety in their fly angling. Here are some top seasonal tips, targets and flies to try as we head into the fall. Autumn can be a magical time for the fly fisher, especially if you are an all-rounder.
A time of plenty for Stillwater trout
While most fair weather fishers relish hot weather, the truth of the matter is that autumn tends to offer better fly fishing than mid summer! Cooler water means more oxygen and active fish, while trout instinctively know they must feed while they can in readiness for winter.
Two tactics stand out as especially exciting as we head towards the latter part of the year. On larger waters such as reservoirs and lochs, bigger trout will soon be keyed in on fry. Keep your eyes peeled for clusters of tiny fish- and the splashes and swirls that indicate marauding trout!
Early and late sessions can be especially good. Try a floating fry pattern where you see commotion- or pick a classic general fit streamer such as a Humungous or Epoxy Minnow. The water won’t be cold for a while yet, and big fish will come close in, whether that’s around jetties or close to any fry-holding cover.
A Roach Fry fly- ideal for reservoir fry bashing.
As for late season dry fly sport, and especially small stillwaters surrounded by meadows or farmland, September and October bring out crane flies by the dozen. Pick a suitable daddy-longlegs, with robust tippet (minimum 5lbs) and away you go. If possible, pick a mild breezy day and fish where the wind is likely to blow the real thing.
Turrall produce over 20 crane fly patterns! Our classic Foam Daddy is a hassle free favourite - no floatant required.
Return of the pike!
With such hot summers these days, many of us sensibly leave pike alone in the warmer months. But once the nights get colder and water temperatures get below 18C, it’s game on once again.
As for fly patterns, there’s no need to overthink things in autumn, especially on venues that will have seen little pressure since spring. One of our newer patterns, Rodney Wevill’s Scruffy Tiger fits the bill perfectly, with simple, bold colours and bags of attraction. Don’t be put off if there’s still some weed about- try twitching your fly in likely gaps and wait for the smash!
The Scruffy Tiger- a reliable catcher of pike.
Whichever pike venues and flies you try, be sure to tackle up tough and carry pike care gear. Our video has lots of great tips on catching and safely releasing these fantastic fish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbnGROKM1DA
Getting down for grayling
If river fly fishing is where your heart is, the “Lady of the Stream” is a godsend from now until the end of winter. Plenty of waters allow fly fishing for grayling right through this period (our local FishPass scheme has 10+ venues!) but you won’t always find them in the same spots as summer.
You’re still looking for steady current, but extra depth and cover now come into their own. In part, this is because grayling are as focussed on survival as much as feeding, and that deep hole or overhanging bush offers refuge from cormorants and floods.
Many anglers now exclusively fish “point up” jig style nymphs. This makes sense because whether you fish Euro nymph style or with an indicator, the logic is clear. They get down fast to where the fish are and snag you up less! Check out our range to discover dozens of the best grayling flies, from tungsten jigs to Czech Nymphs.
Do also catch our previous blog post on grayling, which is packed with great advice: https://www.turrall.com/blogs/news/winter-fly-fishing-for-grayling?_pos=39&_sid=40f0f3882&_ss=r
The Frenchie Jig is a fantastic new-breed grayling catcher, with mobile materials and a tungsten head.
The obliging chub
This cracking 20” chub took a simple beaded Hare’s Ear.
Another fantastic and yet underrated autumn and winter option, fly fishing for chub is rightly growing in popularity. Dry fly sport can still work for a while if you get an Indian summer, but for the most part, you will need to get flies deeper to keep catching this sharp-sighted yet greedy species.
Try a squirmy to bring out the aggressive side of chub!
The list of flies for chub is endless- and you could happily cast a weighted nymph or indeed a streamer such as a Woolly Bugger. However, Euro Nymphing is especially deadly as the fish leave the shallows for deeper runs and snags- and one fly they seem to snap up especially readily is a Squirmy Worm. Try one of these on a French leader- and don’t be afraid to “manipulate” it to earn extra takes!
Perch fly fishing
This fine reservoir perch took a White Humungous
One of our most undervalued fish of all for fly rod sport is the perch. They are not only incredibly widespread, but very susceptible to a well presented fly. When it comes to venues, however, the easiest and cheapest sport tends to come on canals, drains and slow flowing rivers.
Classic lures like the Humungous and Appetiser will work, but it’s also worth packing some jig-style flies should the fish be less active. As with pike fly fishing, be as active as possible and never neglect the margins or any areas of structure or cover.
Turrall perch jigs are effective and easy to fish
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