FLY fishing for predators is a rapidly growing arm of our sport, and this week Ellie Evans proved just how effective the tactic can be when she landed a new personal-best zander from Cambridgeshire’s Grafham Water.
The double-figure specimen, 81cm long, was taken alongside four others, all of which fell to a fly pattern Ellie had tied at home specifically for the purpose.
She said: “I felt the fish nip tentatively at my fly, so I sped up my retrieve a little and this time felt the fish take it properly.
“I struck into what felt like a dead weight on the end of my 9wt rod, prompting the friend I was sharing a boat with to laugh and ask whether I was sure it was even a fish or was I just snagged!
“Once the fish was in the boat I was in awe of her – a brilliant start to the season!”
