Number Five
Causeway
Any time from late April to early June, if you get overcast conditions and a Light-Moderate wind from East or West, you’ve a good chance of seeing fish moving upwind, even if sometimes they require a decent cast to cover. As with No 4, the pipes and culverts at the far East end are a big attraction, especially in the height of summer where the boil must provide a degree of oxygenation.
Early season, though, remember that fish will be following the daphnia. It may be tempting to do as everyone else and fish with your back to the wind, but those with the casting technique and tackle to handle it may well do better turning round and fishing whichever bank has the wind blowing into it. Fish can be as little as 5-10 yards out, gobbling daphnia, and in a far more confident mood than those on the easier banks.
First few platforms along from the Shed at the West end have a history of doing well to Booby in the colder months, but our Fur & Feather results often show better fish coming later in the day more towards the middle of the Causeway.
East Bank
Tricky trees behind you and a snaggy bottom make the North East Corner not one of the most popular spots. Prevailing winds often see this side littered with debris from the two islands, maybe accounting for the sedge hatches in this area. Certainly the twigs and branches we pull out are often covered with stony caddis cases.
The best times for sedge emergences can be brief, expect them from mid-May to mid-June, with Grouse-wings and Black Silverhorns some of the species we see. An Invicta seems to work as well as anything for these.
You’ll need to find some gaps in the trees behind you to fish from the middle of this bank, but the North point of the South East Bay can be a real hot-spot.
High-pressure days in summer with an East or South East wind are one set of conditions where this South East Bay can switch on. You’ll often need to fish deep - either with heavy nymphs on the floater or Booby on the fast-sink - but be patient and you’ll often get fish following the flies right in from the depths and taking close to the edge.
South Houses Bank
At the right time of year a moderate South West wind gives great conditions for fish moving upwind along the wind lanes coming off the point by the Houses. Keep an eye on your back-cast the nearer you get to the ‘No Fishing Beyond This Point’ sign at the West end of this bank, because the fence behind you suddenly gets a lot closer. Opposite the Island is a good spot, as are the second or third platforms down from the South West Bay. Some of our Fur & Feathers were won in this area, and it still has the potential to throw up a good fish in the colder months, even if other areas may be better for numbers.
South West Bay and West Bank
Get a long period of winds blowing out of the South West Bay at the height of summer and this can hold a lot of fish, probably drawn not just by lower temperatures but also the extra water fed by the pipes and culverts in this area. Structure that can also hold a lot of fry at the right time of year. The point by the Walnut Trees gives you a lot of coverage if fish are moving, but it’s also a good place to launch your DI5-7 and Boobies. Working up the first half of the West bank are a series of points all of which can be good for buzzers on the floater, Minkies on the intermediate (more fry) or Boobies. Again, the last few swims up the NW Corner have proved popular in the colder months, good for numbers of fish, but sometimes better ones are caught elsewhere.
Christmas on the Causeway
Caddis Country in the North East Corner
Action in the South East Bay
Houses Bank from the South East Bay
Looking North along the West Bank
