Big Brown Trout - Attempt No 2 (River Hodder)

Not managed to get out too much over July due to the usual work and family commitments but also because the weather has been truly shocking - rain, rain, rain, cut three foot high grass in the back garden and then run and shelter from more rain....

Anyhow, enough whining, I was fortunately invited to an evenings fly fishing by a mate and client who is lucky enough to be on a syndicate on a beautiful stretch of the River Hodder just upstream of Whitewell.  Russ bagged a couple of salmon and a few sea trout from the stretch last season and although levels have been a nightmare this year because of the rain, it's spot on tonight and with two cars in the car park (Russ has never seen another angler in two years in the syndicate) others seem to agree that chances are good...

After running through three of the main pools with a larger Medicine sea trout single and a Peter Ross double as a dropper I've only a salmon parr to show for my efforts.  Another rod has landed two sea trout of 2-3lbs on by sheer co-incidence the same set up as me so I'm not too far wrong.  The river is not as high as I expected though (the Hodder must run through very quickly following a downpour) and a big Size 4ish Medicine feels a bit clumsy.  I've also been doing really well on the River Dee with teams of spiders and given I'm to fish a slow moving pool with a really long tail glide after a stop for grub (Crisps; nuts and a can of sweetcorn while sitting in the back of the Toyota 4x4) I think about a change of plan while eyeing up a can of Spam (if it's good enough for the chub..) for dessert....

Well, I stayed off the spam but made the change and what a result - 17 fish in 1.5 hours, including two cracking wild brownies of over 2lbs - brilliant!

Probably the best short fishing session I've ever had with the trio of Waterhen Bloah; Stewarts Spider and a Hares Lug and Plover bringing bites every cast for an hour and a half.  7-8 trout were over a pound and the two largest fish fought light tigers on the 7wt outfit.  Unfortunately, just as the sea trout started to move in the pool I had to make tracks back to Chester so didn't really cover them on dusk or in darkness.  I'm convinced that these tactics will work for them though....

Great night and a river brown PB for me of 2lbs.

The Hodder can also be fished on a day ticket by guests of the Inn at Whitewell - definitely worth the effort and the fish pie at the Inn is world renowned.

Cheers

Mr Fish