Successful Flies for the River Eden |
Although realistically, there are many more flies that could be added to the list below that will catch fish, as well as several variations in their dressing, I have shown a range of flies which have been successful both for myself and for those who have attended my tuition and fishing sessions on the River Eden. |
| Salmon Flies |
| Cascade |
Willie Gunn |
Munro Killer |
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| Black & Yellow Tube |
Ally's Shrimp |
Pot Bellied Pig |
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Eden Salmon flies In Brief
All of the above Salmon flies have taken fish from the river Eden and will no doubt be recognised as productive flies elsewhere. They are effective at different levels in the water on a variety of lines from floating through to fast sinking and the approach to adopt will usually be dependant on water depth, speed of flow and temperature. Doubles, trebles and tubes can all produce good results although in my opinion, doubles (also used with tubes) have much better hooking qualities as apposed to trebles which offer the fish more leverage to dislodge the hook as well as potentially causing more damage to the fish if it is to be returned. If fishing with tubes It is essential that your leader length and diameter suits the tube you are using especially when depth is important e.g. if you are fishing a fast deep run, where more often than not you would need to fish a heavy Brass tube, (quite often required early season when water temp is low) then shorten your leader, which will not only prevent your fly from rising up in the water column above the level at which you want to fish, but it will also allow you to cast it much easier. Use a robust leader of no longer than six feet and sometimes not exceeding three, the length of which will also be dictated by the flow. Remember, if your fly line is fishing deep then so should your fly.
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Sea Trout |
| Mallard & Claret |
Teal Blue & Silver |
Silver Stoat |
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| Alexander |
Peter Ross |
Sunray Shadow |
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Eden Sea Trout flies In Brief
Another good selection of flies for the river Eden as well as a few other places, this time for the Sea Trout angler. The above flies are by no means new additions to the Sea Trout anglers fly box, but the main interest here is the fact that this small selection, from an endless choice of possible Sea Trout flies, do actually work on the river Eden when these enigmatic fish are in attendance. This is a choice of flies that will cover most eventualities for both the day time angler and those who prefer the nocturnal approach. I have fished with a range of fly line densities for Sea Trout over the years, but I have to say the one I have found most productive is the intermediate or sink tip, (especially during the hours of darkness) although I have had some success using a Muddler Minnow with a floating line (generally throughout the milder periods of the night). There are several techniques you can adopt when fishing for these magnificent creatures, but which ever one you decide upon, if I can offer one piece of advice, it would be to introduce a retrieve to your cast from the moment it touches down on the water, they do show more interest in a fly that is constantly moving and there are a variety of retrieves that can be used.
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| Trout & Grayling Flies |
| Czech Nymphs |
Goldheads |
Spiders |
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| Dries |
Beatles |
CDC's |
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Eden Brown Trout & Grayling flies In Brief
The choice of flies for Brown Trout and Grayling fishing is a minefield, so I have tried to condense a few of these flies into categories with a brief explanation. Starting with the Czech Nymph, this is a fly that generally represents the free swimming caseless caddis, which can provide a great food source for trout and Grayling, and is fished in it's own innovative way, hence the expression Czech Nymphing. Gold heads can be fished in several different ways including the Czech Nymph style, there are many different Goldhead patterns available, although two of the most productive patterns I find are the Pheasant tail nymph (PTN) and the Gold Ribbed Hares Ear, (GRHE) which is shown above. Both of the aforementioned flies can take fish all year round, but can be very effective early season for better quality Brown Trout, and later in the year (as well as throughout the winter) for Grayling. Spider patterns like the partridge & Orange and Snipe & Purple (also shown above) can produce some explosive sport especially during the summer months, fished down and across although sometimes when fished square, or even upstream, can prove very effective. Dry flies need no introduction with patterns such as the Greenwell's Glory, Olives and Iron Blues, to name but a few, and along with the CDC's (Cul-De-Canard) can produce some very exciting fishing when the upwings are hatching. The CDC is a very buoyant fly due to the fact that the feather used in their dressing is taken from close to the preening gland of the duck which produces a natural floatant oil. Finally it is always worth having in your fly box, something to represent terrestrial flies, (hawthorns etc.) or falling insects from the branches of overhanging trees, such as beetles and the like, and a good beatle representation is the Coch-y-bonddu. Once again, all of these examples have taken fish from the River Eden.
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