22/06/2025
Another year, another pilgrimage to the small, wild streams of Wales, Devon and Cornwall for my annual dry fly fishing ‘fishathon’, and while the conditions were generally quite tough, I feel like I’ve progressed more as a fly angler this time round than in any of the previous years.
The driest spring we’ve had in a century made for some incredibly challenging conditions; perilously low water levels with almost canal-esque flow being commonplace on nearly all streams. The mayfly hatch was mostly below average (though unsure if we’d simply ‘missed the boat’ starting 25th May). Stealthy wading was nearly impossible at times, too, and the mostly bright, sunny conditions - as lovely as they were - meant we had to work really hard for our fish.
That being said, some aspects of my fly fishing improved considerably as a result; more so than in previous fishathons. Experimenting with various leader lengths, line types and presentation techniques really paid off, as did concerted efforts to develop my bow and arrow casting to combat dense foliage. This has seen this method of casting length increase from my previous average of about 10ft to nearly 25ft, without much trouble.
Working harder meant captures felt more rewarding, with a new PB wild brown heralding the start of the campaign! The fish were beautiful as ever, showcasing the usual patterning variations from river to river. In one particular place, we seemed to have stumbled on a previously stocked beat, with a small smattering of naturalised stockies put in previously making a typically aggressive and explosive appearance.
In summary, hard work, but a cracking couple of weeks. Now let’s hope for more rain to freshen up and breathe life back into these perilously low little ribbons of perfection.
