| In my last article the Killer Bug was extolled as | | | | of about ¾ lb. As I studied the fish it became |
| the answer to every fishermen's dream during | | | | apparent that it was a wild fish. Not only did it |
| low fly days on the chalk stream. True weighted | | | | have the characteristic deep red spots and light |
| or 'sunken' nymph fishing, or 'Netheravon Style' | | | | gold colouring of the indigenous Avon trout, but its |
| nymph fishing as it is sometimes known, is a | | | | hyperactive and flightly movements, coupled with |
| completely different technique to dry fly or Killer | | | | its location next to the bank and obvious cover, |
| Bug fishing. Dry fly fishing exploits the water | | | | suggested it was wild. I find stocked fish tend to |
| surface while Killer Bug fishing is designed for the | | | | be much darker, more leisurely in their activity, |
| bottom of the river. Nymph fishing targets the | | | | and more often than not found in the open river, |
| last area of the river - the sub surface. This area | | | | sometimes with other stocked fish. |
| is highly attractive to fish as it is the area where | | | | The fish was lying in mid water and its fin and tail |
| hatching nymphs make their way to the surface. | | | | movement showed clearly it was on the feed. I |
| There are a huge variety of nymphs and an | | | | had a small Killer Bug on my line so cast well |
| enormous number of species. However, the | | | | upstream of the fish. The trout showed no |
| hatching nymphs can be grouped into 2 or 3 | | | | interest on the first cast. Usually a fish eating |
| categories. There are those that swim up from | | | | shrimps will take a Killer Bug on the first correctly |
| the river bed after spending the larval stage of | | | | placed cast. I didn't risk a second cast as it was |
| their lives in or on the river bed. Mayfly are the | | | | clear from the slight tail flick that the fish had |
| most well known of this group, but caddis and | | | | seen the first bug but chose not to take. A |
| BWO also hatch from the bottom. Next are the | | | | second cast would almost certainly have |
| nymphs that crawl out of the water on weeds, | | | | frightened the fish away. I am a strong believer |
| rushes, rocks or anything else that rises from the | | | | that you only get a couple of casts at most with |
| river bed and breaks the surface. The final group | | | | a wild fish. |
| are those nymphs which live in weeds and swim | | | | There were a small number of hatching flies so I |
| from the weeds to the surface to hatch. | | | | tried changing my tackle to a small pale dry fly. |
| A few summers ago I was fishing on the Avon | | | | The position of the fish and the current made the |
| on a sunny mid morning in late august. The reach | | | | dry fly presentation extremely difficult. I didn't |
| was the shallows just upstream of Corfe End | | | | want to frighten the fish so I was rather |
| Lakes at the start of what is known as Darkest | | | | conservative with my casting ensuring that the |
| Africa. The water level was reasonably high and | | | | line did not flash over the fish. Although I dropped |
| as clear as gin. | | | | the fly over the fish two or three times, there |
| I had started my day's fishing with 10 grayling on | | | | was not a sign of interest in the fish. I decided to |
| a Killer Bug. I consider this an essential start to | | | | watch the fish for while in an attempt to glean |
| any day's fishing as it irons out all the jitters and | | | | more information on the trout's feeding habits. |
| nerves and is an ideal way of checking the tackle | | | | The sudden movements left and right and slight |
| to see if it works. As luck would have it, I also | | | | disturbance of the surface were the give away. |
| managed to bag a small trout which took my bug | | | | The trout was taking occasional nymphs that |
| with gusto. | | | | were hatching from the weed growth at the |
| As I moved upstream it became clear that there | | | | edge of the river. The trout was taking the |
| was little or no fly hatching. I was moving slowly | | | | nymphs only 5-6 inches below the surface and |
| stopping every 5m to spend a few minutes | | | | this was causing the disturbance. |
| observing and studying the next few metres of | | | | I selected the smallest pheasant tail in my box |
| river. I find that this drill prevents me from | | | | which was a size 16. The cast was made about a |
| missing any fish as I make my way along the | | | | foot upstream of the trout and the nymph |
| bank. | | | | dropped quickly through the surface. A slight |
| Upstream close to the near bank I noticed on | | | | raising of the rod tip caused movement of the |
| several occasions a subtle surface disturbance. | | | | nymph and this was enough to induce the fish to |
| There was clearly some sub-surface activity in | | | | take. |
| the area. As I edged closer I spotted a nice trout | | | | |