It's a rather gloomy day with a chill breeze coming in from the north east, an ideal day for turning the sod which I have been doing all morning out in the veg plot.  There is little sign of fly life about and no sign of any rain either so fishing remains a challenge.

A short article in the paper yesterday caught my eye.  Research carried out by Cyril Bennet down on the Test and Avon suggests that the chalk stream trout are becoming less fussy when feeding.  It would seem that the dramatic fall in riverfly numbers down south has resulted in trout taking whatever they can get so the southern fluff tiers are not having to create such works of precision as in days of yore.  Our northern trout seem never to have been that bloody fussy.  Life in a freestone river is always at the margin so any trout that was too picky about its lunch would stay hungry.  Ransome once said that Horton trout had seen so many tied flies that they were in the habit of awarding points for style, colour and finish and would jeer anything that fell below a given standard, but he also reckoned that they were just as likely to take a rats nest of feather and silk as the highest work of the dressers art.

Feeling generous?  Then head here www.justgiving.com/monnow and help the boys on the Monnow to raise funds for the further conservation of their river.  The latest wheeze is a 40 mile fishathon were two members plan to fish the entire length of this ditch river in one go.

It's time to begin thinking about the main riverfly check that takes place next month.  An email will go out shortly to all those in the riverfly group, but all members are welcome to come along, help and learn about the invertebrates that sustain our wild brownies.  Just email or ring me to book a place.

Ian