Fly Fishing for Alternative Species

[phill_itofish]

Alright lads, had a trip down south last week where I did a spot of pike and perching, (catch report in the lure section) I noticed a lot of small fish taking flys off the surface, roach or dace I think, unfortunately I'd left the tip section of fly rod at home so I couldn't catch them. I was just wonder, is there anywhere local I could fly fish for some of the course species and does anyone do it ?

[Jimk2]

Rudd are generally surface feeders, carp will take off the surface too. Very challenging I would say. Both species can be taken on the fly but venue wise I'm not sure.

[d-a]

fly

on the tyne i used to catch a lot of dace on a dry fly on a size18

[DaveyP]

I've caught the odd roach when fly fishing at Derwent Reservoir.

[Tonygdodds]

Langley dam up past Hexham has a lot of decent carp. There's loads of people saying they've lost some big fish & most reckon they don't fight like trout!!!
Iv personally had some cracking pike on the fly, had some brilliant pollock & when I was a teen fished regularly for perch at axwell park & commonly bagged 30+ per session

[phill_itofish]

Cheers lads

[Blankety Blank]

In the past the Angel of the North fishery allowed fly fishing for carp but I'm not sure if they still allow it so give them a ring to find out.

[johnny h]

phill,
Basically most fish can be caught on the fly. Most fly fisherman just strip lures which is basically a form of spinning as we know, so all predatory fish (pike,perch, zander, trout etc) can be caught and the same technique can be applied to sea fish (pollack, coalfish, mackeral etc).

However as to coarse fish, all coarse fish will take nymphs, grubs and flies but its a bit harder! Furthermore to have a healthy coarse fishery you need reeds weeds and overhanging trees! not conductive to fly fishing.

Coarse fishing in the North East as we know is pi** poor and you wont make many friends lashing your local carp water when everyone else is creeping around and dressed like the Viet Cong!