Small boat fishing can be a frustrating pursuit at times with the weather, the seasons and the tides all having parts to play and not always getting their act together at the same time. It can also be an addictive pursuit. When you can’t get afloat or when there is nothing worth going afloat for during the seasonal change over periods, the nerves can start to jangle. There are however alternatives such as small boat fishing for reservoir trout.

Some of the larger public service reservoirs dotted around the country are quite literally vast. So much so that trout waters like Rutland, Grafham and Keilder, in boat fishing terms, make all the handling and fish finding demands of a small enclosed sea. In most instances a dam is constructed across a valley containing a watercourse, leaving nature and the predictability of the British climate to do the rest. This often entails the flooding of large tracts of farmland with all its contours, fences, dry brick walls and even buildings, creating a vast potential for differing types of bottom topography, again just like being out at sea.

In contrast however to fishing UK coastal waters where the vast majority of fish feed at or close to the bottom, trout live and feed in a three dimensional world. Finding fish to put a hook in front of therefore means selecting not only the right holding areas based on a totally different set of criteria to finding marks at sea, but also finding the appropriate feeding level within the water column, which, depending on conditions, can change on a daily, even hourly basis. So while it is true that there are many similarities between boat fishing on reservoirs and boat fishing at sea, there are profound differences too in terms of approach, thinking, and perhaps most strikingly of all, in the boat handling skills required and regularly used.

The most obvious, but none the less, important difference to someone who is used to boat handling at sea has to be the absence of tide to position and steady the boat, and to bring fish onto the feed. All movement both on and in reservoirs is directed by the wind. Wind is a constant problem for boat angling at sea. Less so on reservoirs, unless of course it is blowing an absolute gale. Then it can get frighteningly rough in exposed places with rollers big enough to pose real dangers at the down wind end on some of the larger waters, in particular the deeper stretches close to the dam.

Other than that, a steady wind can be a bonus. Not only does it give movement to the boat when fishing on the drift, it can also bring some measure of predictability as to where fish might be gathering and how far down in the water they might be feeding. If nothing else, it provides a starting point, which for newcomers in a small boat on a big water is just what is needed. Insects arguably form the largest overall constituent of most trout diets. These can hatch at the surface after life as a larvae then pupae in the water, or are blown onto the water from the surrounding fields and trees. Either way, once they hit the waters surface, they are at the mercy of the breeze which, when it is blowing, carries them along sometimes in lanes, and collects them up along the down wind margins where concentrations of fish could well be feeding at or close to the top.

Unfortunately, if the wind is very strong, this can be an uncomfortable and sometimes unsafe place to fish. What normally happens is that you take repeated drifts in to the shore from a couple of hundred yards off. Etiquette dictates that bank anglers should be given priority to fish the margins over boats. On big waters, particularly when it’s windy, you shouldn’t have too many ‘bankies’ to have to worry about. Lines of drift are varied with each new run and controlled by a drogue. For those who haven’t seen or used a drogue before, it is best described as a parachute on a rope in the water used to slow boat drift caused by the wind.

To fly fish properly and comfortably, from a technical point of view, a boat needs to drift broadside on to the shore. This is where careful use of the drogue comes in. The usual approach is to hook a loop in the drogue rope over a rowlock or tie it around a seat. Unfortunately, these fixing points are not always in the right place to prevent the boat from angling around. On top of that, in choppy conditions, a drogue pulling one side of the boat down with each passing beam on wave to my mind isn’t safe. A far better approach is to loosely stretch a length of rope along the outside of the boat from the stern to the bow. Make sure it is loose enough to tie a loop in it for attaching the drogue. Find the mid point, then attach the drogue. Not only will the boat drift as it should, but it won’t roll quite as badly in the waves either.

Another big difference between reservoir and offshore boat work is the need for both people in the boat to fish over the same side. When drift fishing you cast a team of two or three flies down wind, then take in line at a rate just slightly faster than the drift rate of the boat. This is called loch style fishing. It helps if you have one right-handed and one left- handed caster in the boat so that neither persons casting carries the flies over the other persons head. The problem is that when you are sat on fixed seats in a boat, you can’t get the maximum distance between anglers that the boats length will allow, and you end up casting at an angle because you are sat at an angle.

Regular reservoir boat anglers carry special seats that clamp across the gunnels of the boat. This allows them to position a purpose bought or made seat anywhere they want and sit astride it to cast down wind. I personally find casting from a sitting position not as easy as standing up, but it is far safer in choppy conditions. The alternative is to find a nice little fish holding corner and pop the anchor down. My recommendation would be to take your own anchor and rope. That way you are sure you have enough grip and enough rope for the job. But again, you will find the result far different to being at sea. Even in a constant breeze, the boat will wander side to side creating casting problems. In favourable conditions, double anchoring from the bow and the stern broadside on to the fishing is a useful approach.

Some of the die-hard reservoir enthusiasts use echo sounders to locate marks and fish. I am a bit sceptical about searching for trout with a sounder, particularly if they are close to the top as the boat is liable to scatter them, showing either nothing on the screen, or fish pushed deep simply to escape the intrusion. Leaving an LCD sounder running while you are fishing is a different matter. Having fish on screen moving under an anchored boat or covering them on the drift can give a useful indication of feeding depth, plus of course it shows there are some fish about to target.

One other useful electronic aid if there are a couple of boats fishing is communication. VHF is pretty much out of the question. But mobile phones are as good. Nobody wants to hear the ringing of someone else’s mobile shattering the peace of their day out. But on the larger reservoirs, nobody else is likely to. Two boats keeping regularly in touch doubles the potential for success. If you are already a dinghy angler, other kit from your own boat you might want to take along could include life jackets and flares. In most instances life jackets and flares are provided. At Farmoor II they even provide an electronic alarm which you have to wear. If you end up in the water it sounds a bleeper in the reception building that should trigger a rescue response.

When you take a boat out on a big reservoir it will invariably come equipped with anchor, life jackets, baler and enough fuel for the day. Loch style seats, landing net, drogue and tackle, obviously, are down to you. Like sea fishing gear, trout tackle can be both expensive and reasonable in terms of cost and value for money. Most trout anglers carry two sets of gear ready tackled up. One is invariably a floating line, and the other some type of sinking line. Exactly what goes on the end of it depends on conditions, time of year, and water depth. A good starting point is always to chat to the person in the ticket office who knows what, where and how from his daily record keeping. He will also have a vast selection of flies and lures to “match the hatch” on any given day and will be only too willing to advise on what and how.

In terms of rods, a couple of 9 foot weight 7 carbon fibre rods need not cost the earth, and a couple of reels need cost no more than £20 apiece. Look for a reel that comes complete with spare spools or has cheap spare spools available to take a range of different lines. The thing to remember with a fly reel is that in most situations it is little more than a line holder and will not be used to play the fish. This is invariably done by hand hauling the line. The other tackle essential is a selection of spools of leader line. Four and 6 lbs bs will cover most situations. I would say avoid double strength line as it has a tendency to be brittle and can break at the knots. Site free flurocarbon leaders are good. You will also need degreaser if you want the trace to drop beneath the surface film and not be seen.

I’m no seasoned trout angler, so what I am about to say can have two different slants put on it. On the one hand, because the info is fairly basic, it should give enough pointers to get the beginner going. On the other hand, it would probably be good fuel for debate amongst fly fishing regulars. But typically when I arrive at a fishery, I follow a fairly rigid routine. First stop obviously is the ticket counter. Never go into any fly fishing situation with pre-conceived ideas. Take a good look at the catch returns book for any information it can offer, particularly up to date successful fly patterns. Then in light of what has been recorded and the conditions on the day, ask the fishery staff for their thoughts.

The staff at big reservoirs are paid a wage the same as the rest of us. Re-stocking does not come out of their pockets, so they have nothing to gain by feeding you duff information. This then needs to be looked at in light of what you already know. Consider basic things such bright or cold weather putting rainbow trout down, windy shores gathering more food, buzzers early season, sedges in the summer and towards dark, and fry patterns in the margins, around weed banks and moorings from around august onwards. Decisions have to be taken and choices made. Try to cover as many options as you can at the same time, refining your approach if or as patterns develop.

This is where having two outfits comes in to its own. Until you start experimenting, you will not know what is going on beneath the waters surface. But if you keep your eyes open, you sure as hell can see action if it happens at the surface. This is why I always have one rod with a floating line rigged up ready to try and tap into that action. Usually when trout are feeding at the surface it will be on something you will need to imitate. If you can catch one and spoon out the contents of stomach for a look you are well on your way. If not, try to see what it that is attracting them by watching the water for potential food being carried along.

It could be hatching buzzers, it could be hawthorn flies, daddy long legs or some other terrestrial insects being blown on to the batter. Equally, it could be terrified coarse fish fry forced to shoal up while individual predators make their attack. The other rod should be rigged with a sinking line. The question is which one. Do you start shallow with an intermediate working heavier by increments until you can reach the bottom, or do you start deep working your way upwards until fish are found. If the weather if mild and overcast, I would say start high and work down. If it is cold or bright take the opposite approach. Whichever direction you choose, what you put on the leader will be pretty much the same.

If you go in totally clueless with nothing showing on the water to give you any pointers at all, head for the side of the lake receiving the wind and go on the drift from several hundred yards off to as close as you can to the shore. This in essence is loch style fishing. I would go for a lure of some description on the point, a mini lure or some medium sized nymph pattern on the first dropper, and a buzzer on the top dropper. The secret is to be willing to change patterns on a fairly regular basis looking for a successful mix. Even when you find either a pattern or a mix the fish like, still be prepared even to change it periodically, particularly if you are drifting a small area you know contains fish, or are fishing at anchor.

When trout are constantly presented with something they have already seen too much of, a successful pattern quickly loose its edge. This should become noticeable as interest levels tail off. Switching to something else can, if you get the choice right, bring that interest right back on again, but remember, it too will eventually start to loose its edge and something else new will have to be tried. Sounds like a lot of hassle and at times uncertainty. But isn’t boat fishing at sea like that too. On the plus side, trout on big reservoirs, particularly if they have survived over a winter and have grown their worn down tails back, will give you a fight to remember, made all the more pleasurable by the lightness of the tackle involved.