April Flies:

April – Stillwater Fly Selection

April stillwater fishing in the UK is a month of transition, with improving water temperatures gradually increasing fish activity and broadening feeding opportunities.

Early in the month, subsurface food sources remain dominant. Midges and buzzers, along with freshwater shrimp and louse, continue to form a significant part of a trout’s diet, particularly in deeper water or during colder spells. Careful depth control and natural presentation remain important at this stage.

As water temperatures rise later in April, surface activity becomes more frequent. Hawthorn flies can provide some excellent dry fly fishing when they are blown onto the water, often triggering confident feeding close to the surface, especially along sheltered margins.

Pond and Lake Olives may also begin to appear on suitable waters as conditions improve, offering further surface opportunities during calmer periods. These hatches are often weather-dependent but can be well worth watching for when fish begin to look up.

Alder flies should start to hatch as April progresses and temperatures continue to warm. While these insects are often short-lived, they can encourage positive surface feeding when present, particularly on stillwaters with good marginal habitat.

But we have found that Buzzers, lures, and Egg flies are the best options when it’s cold, with buzzers and egg flies suspended under a bung/indactor resulting in our best catches.