April is one of the finest months of the stillwater trout season. Water temperatures are climbing, insect life is abundant and trout feed with increasing confidence. It is also a month when fish can change behaviour several times in a day. Early on they may respond to lure tactics, then switch to buzzers or nymphs as the water warms and hatches develop.
Buzzer hatches gather momentum throughout April and can dominate calm days. Black Buzzers, Olive Buzzers, Diawl Bachs, Crunchers, Pheasant Tail Nymphs and Hare's Ear Nymphs should all feature prominently. These can be fished beneath an indicator, on a washing-line setup or with a slow figure-of-eight retrieve.
April is still a useful month for attractor patterns, especially after stocking. Fresh fish often respond to movement and colour before settling onto natural feeding. The Peaks Fly Fishing Lava Tail remains effective early in the month, while the Peaks Fly Fishing Eggstatic Egg is useful when fish are cruising or following without committing. On windy days, larger lures such as Humungous or Boobies can help search open water before changing to more imitative tactics.
Recommended fly selection:
- Black Buzzer
- Olive Buzzer
- Diawl Bach
- Cruncher
- Pheasant Tail Nymph
- Hare's Ear Nymph
- Peaks Fly Fishing Lava Tail
- Peaks Fly Fishing Eggstatic Egg
- Humungous
- White Booby
- Blob
What to watch for:
- Calm days with buzzer activity
- Freshly stocked trout chasing
- Wind lanes and warmer sheltered bays
- Fish moving higher in the water
On the water:
April is about observation. If fish are on buzzers, fish buzzers well. If stocked fish are chasing, do not be afraid to use a Lava Tail or Eggstatic Egg positively.
