Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Adrian-Webbs-Trout-Tips » Mepps Aglia Does the Job 24-10-2018
Mepps Aglia Does the Job 24-10-2018
Seeing as we had just on 12mm of rain over the past few days, I thought I would check out a small tannin stream to see if it had risen and whether it may be worth having a spin session. It had risen a couple of inches and so, after a twenty minute walk, I was in the stream.
The Mepps Aglia Mouche Noire being my lure of choice. This lure is the perfect choice for this time of year as the rivers/streams get warmer, the trout really go for them. If you've never seen one it's an Aglia spinner and the treble hook has a red tag tied onto it. It's available in a variety of blades like all the Aglia spinners are and from the small #00 up to a larger #2 lure.
I chose the copper colour this trip, mainly because I was fishing tannin water. The copper suits it and the gold colour works well in tannin water too. Had the water been clear I would have chosen the black blade Aglia Mouche Noire.
It wasn't until I had fished around one hundred metres of the little stream that I had my first fish take the little Aglia spinner. It was only a small brown but it was a start. Ten minutes later I had my second little brown in the net at 9:40am.
After fishing many other stretches of water, with just the one hooked and lost fish, I had to get out and go around a deep pool. Once on the grassy bank I came across a tiger snake sunning itself... it was a good reminder that they're out and about again, and to stay alert and be on the lookout for them.
I've stepped on a few in my days, while fishing the rivers and had one strike and hit my hip on one occasion, my waders saved the day. When I walk through high grass or climb over fallen trees or debris I always keep my arms raised as not to expose them to being bitten. The area that I'm fishing is probably one of the worst areas for snakes that I've ever fished... another reason this trip may be my last one here until March/April next year, unless we get a few cool damp days with an inch or two of rain.
I was soon back in the river, working my way upstream, where I did have another hook up but lost it. Again I had to get out of the water, this time to go around some debris, before hopping back into a narrow piece of water. Here I did something that I only do every so often and only in small streams/creeks, that was to cast the spinner downstream.
I lobbed the spinner into a small pocket of shaded water, close to the river bank and immediately had a brown dart out and take the Aglia Mouche. It was a nice solid brown and the best one of the morning so far. It had taken just on forty minutes to catch my third trout in a slow going spin session.
Half an hour later I had my fourth fish in the net and that fish was followed by two more browns taken in five minutes, plus I had also hooked and lost another as well. All of a sudden my total had jumped to six trout for the morning's effort, which I was quite happy with.
It was now full sun on the water and the wind had picked up from the North East. I fished on for another thirty minutes and caught trout number seven at 11:45am and that's when I called it a day. Given the low water level and a North Easterly wind I was quite satisfied with the end result.
Cheers,
Adrian (meppstas) Webb