BUILDING A BOX OF

Rob Denson begins a new series that will help you create adaptable collections of the major trout fly types

THE JUNGLE DRUMS HAVE BOOMED. THEY SAY THE TROUT HAVEbeen taking lures in the Main Basin. But which ones? At what depth? In what wind? And how are they being retrieved?

In this new series, I will not only be exploring the different types of fly collections that a stillwater trout angler should aim to build (such as Buzzers, Boobies, nymphs and emergers), but also, and more importantly, how to form a rounded collection of styles and patterns (such as weight, shape, materials and colour combinations) of each type.

It is important that each fly does a different job so that you are prepared for whatever the trout and the conditions (wind, light, water and temperature) throw at you. No one wants to be caught short.

This month, I am looking at a lure box. As the season gets underway, lure fishing is likely to hold sway, provoking aggression from trout, rather than a feeding response. The following are my recommendations for a fundamental selection – styles and patterns that I wouldn’t wish to be without, and which can be built upon over time.