Going for a rainbow pond tomorrow - methods & Flies ?

BoarHunter

Hello all, I very rarely go to a stocked fishery. I decided to give the place a go as it's only 2 miles down the road. It's Rathlahine Farm in Co Clare. They told me that the place has been stocked a month ago and they didn't have many people.


The place is a natural lake with reeds on the side, 15 acres surface.


the man in charge said Black wooly bugger were working well. I have that in my box. Although i'm wondering if these fish would take dries or nymphs. I suppose so but just asking.

What would be working at that time of the year knowing tomorrow's forecast is dull ?

ironbluedun

BoarHunter wrote: »

Although i'm wondering if these fish would take dries or nymphs.

i dont do much fishing for rainbows but i cant see why they would not take dries or nymphs, deep buzzers should be worth a try.

BoarHunter

ironbluedun wrote: »

i dont do much fishing for rainbows but i cant see why they would not take dries or nymphs, deep buzzers should be worth a try.

bloodworms and the like ?

sickpuppy

My mate has had great luck ona similar sized rainbow lake ine ast galway with dady long legs imitations
A big dry fly so fish will have no problem seeing it.

coolwings

Buzzer pupae, corixids, stickleback fry, terrestrials.

There are many ways to do it:

With a floating line, put a buzzer pupa out using a daddy longlegs as an indicator, the rainbows are suckers for it.

If you want a challenge, try to beat your catch rate on the bung, using soft hackles of an intermediate line, this is much more fun.

Then go sinking line and put an #10 alexandra or polystickle and fish the margins for fry feeder. If the floating line is on another rod, stop, swop rods, and try a dead fry lure floating on like a dry fly on top in the same place.

Then pull a corixa #18 and pick up the bows hunting waterboatmen by the weeds.

As the light fades put the floating line back on and try a wake fly stripped fast across the top, sedge or muddler will do.
When that stops working, if you are still allowed to fish, switch to a black leech.



A review of that water would be interesting if you can post it.

BoarHunter

Will certainly do. thanks for the advice ! will the alexandra be as effective in dull weather ? I always thought it was one to keep for the sunshine ...

coolwings

If there are sticklebacks, give it a go, and you will be surprised how good that old pattern is compared with the ultra modern almost as good alternatives! Fast 6" - 12" twitch retrieve with 1-2 second stops between jerks.

Daroxtar

coolwings wrote: »

If there are sticklebacks, give it a go, and you will be surprised how good that old pattern is compared with the ultra modern almost as good alternatives! Fast 6" - 12" twitch retrieve with 1-2 second stops between jerks.

+1 Alexandra is such a great fly. I even got a pike on one earlier in the year.

BoarHunter

So ! Was there yesterday, dull weather, little or no breeze.

Started to prospect with the wooly bugger. Could see a few splash around. After half an hour with no results I switched to the buzzer with a daddy indicator. Changed depht a few times but no tap. Tried a train of three buzzers under a flip strike indicator, nothing.

Didn't have a sinking line so I tried different dries caddies and midges, nothing.

I could see some fish activity around the water with fish breaking the surface. Some of the them of very nice size. Saw a few jumps well over the surface. Was very frustrating actually...

I must be doing wrong but I don't know what. I thought about dapping but didn't, so little wind.... There were only little riddles on the surface.

So overall a good looking lake and 5 frustrating hours... reminds me when I started fly fishing streams. I thought these stockies were easy to fool but I have to admit this is not if if.

bayliner

my 1st visit to one of these fisheries was a blank also, all the high expectations slowly vanished as the day went on trying every fly in the box:rolleyes:,slowly but surely it began to improve after a few visits, the lake in cloghan is the only one ive been on, and it seems flies that worked today may not tomorrow!! i prefer the dry fly fishing, small brown flies proving to be the better lately, the 1st time i got fish on it they all went for a little white fly:rolleyes:, keep plugging at it and dont give up,
PS; one thing i was doing wrong at the bewginning was i was using 8lb leader, lads on here advised me to go down to 4lb as the fish would be wary of the line, and it worked:D

Compton

I have a great method (not to everybodies liking but an absolute killer over 45 fish from a similar lake and many 20+ per session) for these sorts of lakes. Feel free to PM me, well known members only please.. only releasing due to not fishing these lakes or competitions anymore

skipz

shblob wrote: »

I have a great method (not to everybodies liking but an absolute killer over 45 fish from a similar lake and many 20+ per session) for these sorts of lakes. Feel free to PM me, well known members only please.. only releasing due to not fishing these lakes or competitions anymore

ha ha