A little windy but not a bad morning in Foxford. I got a little tied up from Saturday onward so the opportunities to fish did not present themselves. An interesting week though and there will be other times for fishing.

As you probably guessed last weekend my excursion was a return trip to the Rectory Lodge fishery. Billy and I had promised ourselves a stress-free visit as soon as possible after the club trip. It just so happened that he was on midterm break so we could take full advantage and get back there last Friday. Normally when we think about trout fishing, we have in mind, a warm day on the Lough or river where the sun is one of our biggest challenges. This was certainly not the case as we tackled up in Near gale force wind. After a quick visit to the office where we chatted with the ever-helpful John we were off for a days fishing which would prove that adaptability would earn success when embracing the changeable conditions.

The day began as ominously as you can imagine. A squally looking sky quickly darkened and the heavens had opened, delivering a torrential downpour that had us questioning our life choices. But with the resilience all anglers must possess, we battled the elements. It was not long before Billy gave me the hand signal that said he had got a pull. Soon after my rod doubled and I was into my first fish of the day. A feisty fish that at one point took me down to the backing.

The promised forecast for a gusty breeze and changeable skies wasn’t wrong. The morning’s deluge gave way to sporadic showers and bursts of sunlight, while a constantly changing wind made casting difficult to say the least. We quickly noticed the fish were just as indecisive as the weather. One moment, we’d see a confident ring from a fish feeding off the surface, the next, the water would be still, with the trout having pushed down into the deeper layers. It became immediately clear that our decision to set up three rods for different methods was a good one. As the fish changed so did we and by 10am we were doing very well.

The Three-Armed Approach: Our Setups for Success

The Dry Fly: It is hard to beat the visual thrill of a surface take. For this, we had a dedicated dry fly rod ready to go.

The Setup: A floating line is, of course, essential. We used 0.22mm fluorocarbon leader.  I would like to fish a finer leader as I believe the trout are leader shy but this is as fine as I would dare go on this fishery where the trout are large and strong.

The Flies that Delivered: The trout had a distinct preference for terrestrials and sedges. Our most successful patterns were a Sedge pattern, skated enticingly in the surface film, a Daddylonglegs twitched to imitate a struggling insect, and a buoyant Hopper pattern that proved irresistible when drifted along the banks.

Lures: For covering water and searching for aggressive fish, especially when the surface activity died down, the lure rod was our go-to.

The Setup: We opted for a fast-sinking line to get our flies down quickly into the feeding zone. A short, stout leader of around 6 foot with a 0.25mm leader. This proved perfect for handling the pull of a lure and turning over bulky flies.

The Lures that Worked: After several changes we found that a bright Orange Minki was working well when retrieved fast. The Black Snake pattern on a slow figure of eight retrieve also accounted for several hard-fighting fish.

 Indicator/Bung 

When the fish were holding deep, particularly during the lulls in surface activity, the bung rod was our most consistent producer.

The Setup: A floating line with a ‘bung’ or indicator set at a depth of between 4 and 6 feet, depending on where we were fishing. Below this, we used 0.22mm fluorocarbon.

The Winning Patterns: Suspended beneath the bung, a Black Buzzer was deadly. On the point fly, a small, fluorescent nymph (like a Pink Shrimp) added a touch of attraction that the trout couldn’t resist.

The Key Lesson: Be Prepared to Change

The real story of the day wasn’t just the methods, but the constant switching between them. We’d catch one on a dry, then the wind would pick up and the takes would stop. A quick switch to the lure rod would produce a follow and a take. Then, half an hour later, the wind would ease and the fish would start rising again, and the dry fly rod was back in hand. Having all three rods rigged and ready was the single most important factor in our success. It allowed us to react to the conditions instantly, without the frustrating downtime of re-tying leaders.

We weren’t the only ones enjoying the sport. A good number of other anglers were scattered around the fishery, and it was heartening to see nets being unfolded all around the lake at different times. It was one of those days where everyone was working for their fish, and the shared nods of appreciation for a good catch were a common sight.

As dusk settled in, we finally packed away our gear, tired (we left Mayo at 04.30) but immensely satisfied. We had fished from opening to close, a full and rewarding day. The long journey home was filled with talk of the one that got away and the takes we’ll never forget, already looking forward to seeing what Saturday would bring. It was a powerful reminder that sometimes, the most challenging days on the bank are also the most enjoyable.

Apologies in advance, I’m disappearing for a week.