Pete McLeod: After the Mayfly: Taking on the Challenge of Educated Trout

Voices of the Countryside

When June weedcut is done and peace returns to the chalkstreams the trout become fickle and the fishing is engrossing

The time of the Mayfly hatch on the chalkstreams has long been one of the highlights of our fishing calendar. Normally through May and early June this wonderful insect that even us uneducated entomologists can identify have fishermen headed to the banks for their nearest river to participate in “duffer’s fortnight”.

For some it is the period after June weedcut and Mayfly is done that we look forward to most. Once again the river seems to find peace after the frantic activity of both fishermen and their quarry. I think of Mayfly as being the trout equivalent to a large juicy steak. By this stage in the year most trout have had enough steak and are really thinking of a nice salad. This can make them difficult to tempt into playing our game, but it is this challenge of catching the “educated trout” that I find most rewarding.