Does anyone know of a good publication or similar/web based article etc to explaining how to read a river? I mean where to throw your line, head of a pool, white water, shallows etc? What to look for?

Yes Malcom Greenhalgh Fly Fishing in Rivers it's still the best book written on fly fishing on all of the rivers in the North of the country Highly recommended

...also "Fly Fishing Small Streams" by John Geirach

Yes I know its American, but the watercraft therein applies world wide.

Much appreciated Alan....by the way I blanked on my first outing of the season!...early days though I guess.

Thanks Vagabond, you reminded me I don't have a copy of that one, situation now remedied.

Jim where are you fishing? Another useful book is In the Rings of the Rise buy Vincent Marinano. Brilliant photography, but more one for the chalk streams.

The best advice I have had is look for change. Another, in fact to my mind the most important, thing to look at is presentation. Often much more important than fly choice. the wrong fly presented well can be changed and the fish will still be there. A perfect imitation presented badly will clear the pool of fish.

Speaking of fish i should go catch some.

Cheers,
OT

I am fishing the free stretch of the River Otter near Budleigh Salterton in East Devon. My timings were dictated for me the other day, it was midday, brilliant sunshine, no wind and the river side is a low bank busy with other people enjoying the early sun. So quite maybe not best conditions!!!!! Please tell me if it shouldnt make any difference?

I did not see any fish att all and so cast into pools where I thought they may be sitting down on the bottom, albeit only a few feet down.

My insticnts tell me that early evening to darkness would fair me better>>

Thanks for the excellant feedback btw..

Jim

At this time of year timing isn't everything... its the only thing! Here in the north people fishing flies deep because they can't see rises tend not to do too well. It isn't that the fish are feeding deep, they are just not feeding. Sometimes a nymph is the only way to go, but it tends to be one fished only a few inches below the surface. Like for me last Sunday. The successful fly was an Orange Partridge fished not more than 6 inches deep.

Thanks again Vagabond. Fly Fishing Small Streams landed this morning. Its average Gierach. Mind you his average standard is simply brilliant.

Jim, There is a bit of advice about nymph fishing that is essential in John Gierach's Trout Bum.
Student: Master how does one know when the fish takes the fly?
Master: The moon is reflected in the deep pond, my son.
When you can fish a nymph you'll understand that! I'm not enough of a word smith to begin to describe how to go about fishing upstream nymph to unsighted fish. Just stick at it, and it'll all start to make sense. Er, did I just say that? No it won't, but it will start to work.

Cheers
OT

Owd

What you reckon to adding a couple of small split shots near to the fly or say a foot away to make the fly drop down into the pool if they are not rising?

The short answer is that it is the least elegant solution and will make a farce of your casting beter by far to use a leaded nymph or a gold head the other option is the use of one of the fast sinking leaders which will get your flie down fairly quickly or you could use a combination of the two.
In practise just make shortish upstream casts and watch the tip of the fly line like a hawk if it checks or seems to disappear down a hole strike immediately it will be one of two things either the bottom or a fish.
However up here in God's own county of lancashire quite hoestly at this time of year if they are not rising they aint feeding though that starts to change come mid May on when fish are on the move and feeding for more of the day and are liable to be feeding at different depths.

That about sums it up. The reason it is so inelegant is that you look a pratt fishing in a helmet or hard hat to protect yourself while casting. In fact this looks almost as bad as wearing a baseball cap!

Cheers,
OT