Early spring can be a challenging but rewarding time for trout fly fishing in the UK, with changing weather and active fish behaviour, but stillwater trout fishing at this time of year can often be fantastic.
Easter Trout Fly Fishing in the UK
Easter means we may all have a bit of extra leisure time to spend fishing and at this time of year, with the days lengthening and the clocks going forward, there is the opportunity to get out fly fishing for an hour or two after work when the holidays are over too!
Weather is always one of the key factors at this time of year and it really does pay to monitor the forecast carefully and to pick your weather window accordingly. Early April can be a cruel month in the UK and we can see anything thrown at us from blizzards and hard frosts to gales and driving rain, yet there are also those glorious days of sunshine and gentle warmth when every trout in the lake seems to be rising to hatches of buzzers and small gnats.
TROUT FISHING VIDEO GUIDE: “JT”, a former Sportfish employee, presents this practical guide offering his top tips and advice to help you have a fantastic Easter weekend fishing!
In the event of an overnight frost, it can pay to have a bit of a lie-in, enjoy a leisurely breakfast, and head to your water later in the day. This is when the water will be at its warmest and any time from late morning onwards should see your chances of a fish increase dramatically, with prime time often late in the afternoon. If you can only snatch an hour or two at the end of the day don’t despair, a nymph or lure pulled through the margins at dusk accounts for a lot of fish at this time of year.
This is still the time of year to keep on the move though, taking root and flogging away at the same piece of water in front of you is unlikely to bring rewards. Search your way through the water column by using the countdown method to work your fly at increasing depths, and vary your pattern and retrieve too, but if there are no signs of fish after 30 minutes or so it’s definitely time to move.
As far as the patterns to use at this time of year are concerned much of your work will still revolve around nymphs and mini lures with the Viva, Zonker, Cat’s Whisker or blob all essentials in your fly box. But scan the water at all times and if it warms up and the odd fish begins to move don’t be scared to try a dry fly such as a shuttlecock. Make sure you speak to the fishery bailiffs too; they know the fishery better than anyone and will always advise on what is likely to work best on any given day.
One of the best techniques to try at the moment, if you can get your timing right and be on the water when there is a gentle breeze, is to fish a floating fly line and allow a buzzer or nymph to swing around on the breeze. It’s an almost totally natural movement through the water and a very slow figure of eight retrieve - just enough to keep up with the slack line - will ensure you get it right. Watch the end of your line for the take, you will always see it move before you feel it! If you don’t get your weather timing right, or the wind picks up, then small stillwaters usually call for an intermediate line - explore our full range of fly lines for trout.
Discover The Latest Trout Tackle and Gear
If you are short on time, have a couple of fly rods set up to cover both scenarios: go for a floating line with a buzzer or nymph on one rod and an intermediate line with, if your fishery rules allow multiple flies, a nymph on the dropper and a mini lure on the point on the other.
Top 5 Tips for Easter Trout Fishing
- Aim to fish during the warmest time of the day (11am-2pm)
- Fishing in the margins later in the day into dusk can prove successful
- Keep moving
- Nymphs, buzzers and lures can work well
- Fish from a boat if there’s one available
SOME OF THE BEST EASTER TROUT FISHING IN THE UK
The Sportfish Game Fishing Centre is located in Theale, Berkshire and last year was voted by The Times as one of the top 21 places to go fishing in the UK. It offers prime stillwater trout fishing on 3 lakes and is open year-round Tuesday-Saturday 9am-5.30pm:
- Haywards Farm Lake is an 11-acre spring-fed, crystal clear day ticket water boasting abundant insect life and featuring landscaping that affords both excellent access and unimpeded casting. It has character in the form of bays, reed-fringed margins and promontories and the depths vary from 3 to 15ft offering a range of fishing opportunities.
- Hobby Lake is a 5-acre private hire water for parties of 2 to 6 anglers – the perfect venue complete with lodge and BBQ facilities, ideal to share with friends and family, for corporate or small gatherings.
- Kingfisher Pond is stocked with young trout and ideal for kids learning to fish, with fishing lessons costing £25 for 30 minutes (please note a parent or guardian must be present if the fisher is under 16).
There’s also our 1,500 sq. ft. showroom, showcasing the very best and latest in fly fishing tackle to suit every budget. And being right at the water’s edge it’s the perfect place to try before you buy. We also have qualified casting instructors who can help improve your casting, whatever your level.
GETTING KIDS INTO FLY FISHING
The Easter holidays can be a great time to get kids away from screens and into the great outdoors, and what better way than to get them into fly fishing. Here at the Sportfish Game Fishing Centre we have a beginner’s pond where they can learn how to fly fish with tuition from friendly, qualified experts.
Read more about how to get kinds into fly fishing from Sportfish Marketing Executive and qualified angling coach Lucy Bowden.
Lucy’s Top Tips On How To Take Kids Fishing
- Pick a fair weather day
- Choose a venue that looks to offer a high chance of success
- Limit your session to a few hours
- Take a picnic
- Bring suitable clothing, eye protection and suncream
- Make it fun!
- Cast for them if frustration is setting in
- Take photos
- Book a fly fishing lesson
Our website features an entire section dedicated to fly fishing for beginners and also a huge fly fishing advice section for anglers of every ability.
KIDS FISHING VIDEO GUIDE: Watch Sandy King and his dad talking about kids and fly fishing!
FISHING THE LARGER STILLWATERS
If you are heading to the bigger stillwaters, a boat will always give you an advantage simply because of the amount of water it opens up to you. That said, at this time of year a lot of the fish will be feeding close to the shoreline so bank prospects can be excellent too. A set up offering a large bushy pattern on the top dropper, a winged wet on the middle and a weighted nymph as the anchor is likely to bring reward.
EARLY SEASON TACTICS VIDEO GUIDE: This video on early season stillwater tactics from angling legend Charles Jardine is well worth a watch.
FISHING THE RIVERS IN SPRING
Finally, for those of you who will be fishing rivers rather than stillwaters this Spring, the start of the river season while challenging can also be great fun.
RIVER TROUT TACTICS VIDEO GUIDE: You might find these tips from double World Champion Howard Croston about early season river fly fishing may give you a better chance of success!