With the rains of summer lashing down across the eastern parts of the country, our minds have started turning to the Winter trout season.
After a leaner rainfall year last year many our Stillwaters in and around Dullstroom experienced an almost drastic drop in water levels come the end of 2024. The weather Gods have shown a kindness since the turn of the year and now these same stillwaters, whose stark appearance has been replaced by bursting margins and lush organic growth on the margins. This means one thing to us flyfishers, Damsels and Dragons. With eutrophic growth of shallow plants there is an abundance of places for these aquatic insects to flourish which means there is protein source for our trout to feed on throughout the summer and to fatten them up for their mock spawn in the dead of winter.
Autumn is an incredibly important time for the flyfisher to be fishing Damsels and Dragons as the fish are actively hunting them, especially in the mornings as the water temperatures drop overnight the insects are sluggish at first light and the fish will use this to their advantage. An unweighted FM Papa or weighted FM Blue flash Damsel on a floating line with a 12-15ft leader fished close to shallow weed and reed banks in the first light is a great choice for catching these fish and is a very good technique for catching older and wiser fish. Once the sun is up and over the horizon the fish may drop onto slightly deeper drop offs patrolling for a lost Damsel or Dragon. An intermediate or slow sinking line with a 9-12 foot leader is the play here, trying to imitate the insect getting stuck out in the open water.
These insects both move through the water using anal propulsion, which is basically squirting water out of the back-end of the insect propelling them in short but fast bursts. A retrieve with a sharp start and a slow taper to the end of the strip is the most effective way of imitating this. These FM flies are tied with natural fibres with lots of static movement. Make sure to stay as tight as possible to the flies, especially as they’re sinking and in between strips. Remember tippet is always defined by what the fish want, therefore we go as heavy as we can before the fish start refusing on the tippet size.
STILLWATER TROUT FLY PACK
We’ve selected some of our favourite, premium trout flies tied to make a comprehensive trout box you’d be proud to fish.
The box includes a selection of naturals, attractors, streamers and dries – suitable for both Summer and Winter.