Colby River

4/22/2012 | Comments: 0 | Categories:

Fishing Reports

This is the first time I've fished this river. The lower waters are controlled by the Manx Game Fishers and so not available to me. However, above their water in Colby Glen is a lovely stretch of the Colby River. It is reported that there is a sea trout run in the river.

Quite narrow with steep banks in places I fished without my waders from the glen path that runs along the side. In some places it runs both sides of the river which is great for left and right handed anglers and gives the choice to fish upstream or down stream without having to employ a backhand cast. Definitely a bonus. Next time I will bring waders though, because some of the gullies were unfishable without getting in there where the action is. However, there was plenty of accessible water to go at without the waders.

Casting was reasonable with the mature trees not crowding the water and giving ample room to throw a line.

I decided I'd start at the bottom and fish upstream with nymphs and dries. Unfortunately half way down to the bottom a dog was jumping in and out of the river and had muddied the crystal clear waters. This disturbance extended all the way to the bottom of the glen. Not totally opaque, but not the crystal clear waters above the dogs antics.

I started fishing in the murky waters, which started to clear as I fished. Obviously the dog had moved on and the mud was dispersing. This is one of the reasons I prefer to fish upstream. Any disturbance I cause is not telegraphed all the way downstream, potentially putting fish off.

In a 4 foot deep pool (above) I flicked my sakasa kebari with a pale partridge hackle into the fall and it was sucked down deep into the pool. The new hi-vis fluorocarbon is a treat to cast. Much more accurate than the co-polymer I was using and so much easier to see. A couple of seconds and the line straightened. Fish on!

Not the biggest fish in the world, but even in the silted water they were still hungry enough to have a snap at the fly.

Once above the disturbance I could see fish lined up in the deeper runs but it was difficult to get an angle on them without being in the river. I missed a few when I tried drifting a dry over their heads from upstream. I was careful to tracking the fly with the rod tip keeping the line off the water and minimise the drag on the fly. The #3 line was the right choice for the day even though there was an intermittent breeze downstream with caused the occasional difficulty.

Time was getting short and after a brief conversation with another dog walker who said her boys used to enjoy hours fishing in the top pool and waterfall for trout I decided I better go and have a look.

What a corking pool. Casting was easy to the fish rising near the waterfall. First cast with a dry, the water boiled and I missed it. Second cast to the same spot. A greedy little trout grabbed it.

Okay, I guess I better show you the pool.

Stunning isn't it?

There was another fish steadily rising at the big rock in the right of the picture. Casting the fly accurately wasn't a problem and it only drifted a few centimeters before the rising fish grabbed it. A much better fish, it dived deep and tried to get under the rock. My rod easily steered it back to the hand for it's photo call.

You can see the hi-vis fluorocarbon in the background of this picture. It didn't seem to put the fish off at all, which was a worry.

Overall I really enjoyed my hour and a half in the Glen and I hardly touched most of it. I am sure with more time I could of had a lot more fish.

I'll be back again!