25mph plus winds today and more signs of natures wrath… not always a bad thing as it can help change many aspects of the river, a scour here and there to develop a new lie perhaps, there’ll be no sense of urgency I hope to remove this.

All be it with horrendous gusts of wind, the day remained bright and there was a considerable hatch of Mayfly… plenty of Martins and alike on the wing munching as many as they could intercept.

This is the first real opportunity I’d had to use my Super Wind Leader, with the system in place and 6X tapered tippet applied it was to the usual suspect I turn to imitate the preferred morsel. (G.Wulff)

Untouched initially the fly was being blown uncontrollably by the wind, we’ll be having none of that thank you very much! the under hackle is soon clipped to give it some purchase in the surface.

The first obliging fish gives confirmation that the set up and fly choice are nothing less than perfect.

The wind strengthens, creaking… the trees no longer vertical, even the ducks take cover…

…as do I on the odd occasion

Further downstream – the wrath of old and some previous damage yet to be resolved

An obvious haven however for some finned and spotted habitation

It isn’t long before the Mayfly wain, no sooner have they receded to that of only an occasional and untroubled dun than a biblical hatch of Black Silverhorn adorn the river.

In response I replace the Wulff with a Retirer sedge pattern and find a positive take within a rise of numerous trout who’ve switched positively to the new food source almost immediately.

And from the same pool comes the best and last fish of the day

Tomorrow in addition to the wind, the rain doth return so a days guiding is cancelled… we have a tree down on the Wylye spoiling a glide so that’s one bit of natures wrath that does need sorting. I hope the weather is only as bad so as not to keep you from your favourite water ~ tight lines all.