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As the cooler weather draws in and some still waters close the shutters for a winter break it’s tempting to stay in front of the fire. There is some fantastic fishing to be had if you can choose your day right, the question is (as ever!) what flies to use? Here’s a couple of ideas for you.

Fry imitations.

If the still water contains some coarse fish then the eggs from the summer spawning will now be at the fry stage. Look for fish crashing around in the margins chasing small fry. On my local still water, there is a good head of sticklebacks and you can see the larger trout smashing in to them in the shallows. A small stickleback imitation cast to feeding fish is deadly!

Buzzers!

What! I hear you say – buzzers are a summer fly! Midge larvae are one of the few insects that will be found all year round in most still waters and they form a large part of the trout’s diet. Try imitating the larvae close to the bottom and try and variety of colours from the red blood worm buzzers to the traditional black and olive patterns. The retrieve should be painfully slow!

Free Video River Fly Fishing Course

20+ instructional videos, shot in 4k. Free to all new and existing newsletter subscribers – Click Here!