The Essential Fly

Top Tips For Summer Fishing

28 June 2022  |  Sarah
Summer Top Tips
With Summer temperatures and considerations for our and the fish welfare here are our top Summer tips to keep you and your quarry safe and well this Summer.
 
#1: Become and early bird
High summer sees the coolest temperatures at first light when both insects and trout can be extremely active. 

Granted, it takes discipline to drag your backside out of bed at the unearthly hour of 3am, but you’ll find the effort well worth it.  Not only are you likely to have the place to yourself, after a night of being undisturbed, trout will be right in the margins and feeding. 
 
It’s wise then to keep back and deliver your initial casts with your fly line over the grass when only the leader and fly land on water.

 

 

Try a small

 

caddis / sedge


to begin with
 
#2: Switch to a night owl
The anticipated evening rise is synonymous with warm summer evenings. 

Given a blistering hot day, your patience will be rewarded by waiting until the late evening before venturing out. 

Sometimes it’s after 10pm before the action starts proper and chances are it will be dry fly sport. 
On stillwaters it’s bound to be caddis that excite trout.

As for rivers, Blue-winged olives will be the order of the day, or evening to be more precise. 
 
#3: Head for the hills
If you’re restricted to daytime fishing for whatever reason, it’s worth heading to upland waters, or those in the fells.
Usually, temperatures are a degree or two cooler and what’s more, due to being exposed there’s often a breeze. 

Such winds stir up the water and help keep it oxygenated, which results in more active trout.
 
#4: Go deep
On lowland waters like reservoirs the upper layers tend to warm up quickly and remove dissolved oxygen. 



In such circumstances we advise a fast sinking line so you can reach trout holding in more oxygen rich waters deep down.
 
#5: Slow it down
Due to less dissolved oxygen, trout tend to be more lethargic when water temperatures rise.  Of course, fish still need to feed, but they’re more reluctant to go dashing around after food. 
With that, rather than strip flies back at break neck speed, we need to slow things right down. 

The figure-of-eight retrieve should become mandatory and if you’re unfamiliar with this, simply move your flies with inch long tweaks.
 
#6: Take a break

Sometimes we just plough on regardless when fatigue will set in. 

During blistering hot days, it’s important to take regular breaks every couple of hours.

Furthermore, remember to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, which can easily creep up on you.

Perfect for keeping your tea and coffee hot or that cold drink cold and seeing its temperature!

500ml, battery powered LED flask is made of food grade Stainless Steel and provides thermal insulation for 6 to 12 hours and comes with the Semperfli logo.

The Semperfli Flask will keep your drinks hot or cold regardless of what is going on around you.

 
#7: Look to the trees
Whether it’s the banks of a meandering river, or a wooded area adjacent to a lake, trees offer welcome shelter for trout. 
Not only will fish feel safe beneath leafy boughs, immediately above them is a larder full of terrestrials.

Now, the likes of ants, beetles and even caterpillars will have trout looking up all day long in undisturbed areas. Giving some of the best dry fly fishing of the season. 
 
#8: Cover Up
Due to climate change, it seems the sun is becoming ever stronger. 

Aside from using a sun screen of factor 50, we should always wear a cap/hat with adequate peak. 

A decent pair of polariods help reduce eye strain and of course the onset of headaches.
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