Its that time of year once again, the Coch Y Bonddu Beetles are blowing onto the water and the trout are making the most of it. A few recent visits to Siblyback Reservoir have seen some stunning sport with Rainbow and Brown trout gorging themselves on the Beetles.
The best of the sport usually starts around 11.30 in the morning and last to 4pm, although the fish are so tuned in and are looking up, you can offer a floating beetle at almost any time of the day and they simply cannot resist it.
But a bit of warmth and sun and the beetles are landing on the water, just cast to rising fish or a few seeking cast around you and the takes will come, when you get a take don’t be too eager to strike, pause for a second or two and gently lift the rod into them, that should do the trick, the fish often drown the beetle and quickly return to take it.
You often have a few crazy moments for example, watching your flies or if on a long cast watching in the vicinity of the end of you line and a fish comes 2 or 3 foot clean out of the water as it takes your offering of the top. Often the Brown Trout will take the beetle with a real splash and giving you the impression they are a lot bigger than they are. This is just tremendous fun and fantastic sport.
My tactics for the day are a two fly set up, a large size 10 foam beetle on the point with a foam hopper or a Bobs Bits on a dropper about 4ft from the point fly, don’t be shy with the size of your offerings, the fish won’t be put off and you want to have a idea where your flies are on a breezy day.
My go to tippet as always is the Cortland Ultra Premium Fluorocarbon in a 9.6lb and connected to a Cortland 444 Peach Line, but I have also been using a Cortland Trout Boss line which as an heavier head making quick one or two false cast and getting on a rising fish easy and accurate, my rod of choice for all my still water Rainbow fishing is a 9’ 6wt and the Trout Boss really helps with the windy days and also great for the days when you need to be casting big wet pulling flies.
Back to the Beetles, if you have not tried it, get out on a water near you that gets beetles on the water, I promise you, you won’t regret it and you will be talking about it until they come again next season. We should have the beetles with us for a little while yet and when they do disappear the trout will still be looking up for a long while and the same tactics will continue to get results.
Siblyback Reservoir is blessed with a good hatch of beetles and if Brown Trout are your thing, Coliford always produces good results to the beetle and with South West Lake Trust offering great value with their day tickets and shorter session permits, half day and evenings.
If you are looking for fly patterns, lines and leader take a look at the Turrall ranges on offer. That also applies to those of you that tie your own, Turrall have it covered and my advice for tying a beetle, don’t over complicate it, black foam, black thread, peacock dubbing and a black or brown hackle around the head of the tie on a size 10 wide gape hook and you have it sorted.
Get out on the water and enjoy everything nature offers us and tight lines
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