Angling: Patience needed for trout

A group of club anglers was out on the small pond and by the look of some of the fish crossing the scales they were hitting a purple patch.

I decided to have a cast on the big pond and made for the shallows at the top end. Black or white lures on a long leader will usually trigger a response and . . . they duly did.

Although I was fishing a floating line and long leader it was inching a mini white rabbit along the bottom that was getting the most attention.

However, despite getting plenty of offers I could not get one to stay on. Moving to deeper water at the crags I changed to a black dancer and within two casts and I was rewarded with a nice bow at just over 4lb.

I followed this up with a cracking brown trout at what I reckoned to be at least 3lb anyway. I admired the fish before returning it to fight another day. It had big black spots and golden yellow in colour with full fins and tail.

That fish made my session and I retired a happy man with lovely memories.

One thing that is for certain  is the trout are no longer  chasing the fly and so a touch of patience and a slow retrieve is the way to get them to take.