Thread: Fly advice for a beginner

Great piece of water right behind your mate with the funny hat. 10 x better spot than where you are standing with the dog mid-pool. With an overcast sky spotting will be marginal unless you are already experienced so really, blind nymphing the choice water like behind your mate would be the way to fish.
How I would fish it is to wade out about 8 metres downstream of where your mate is, then fish upstream along the edge below the little stream casting from the side opposite the sun so that you don't get line shadow spooking the fish - Sun on right = fish from left to right etc and cover all the water up to the drop-off that is left in mid photo. Then land the nymphs about a metre above the drop in the shallows and let them drop down to where the fish are. Most trout feed is produced in the shallow water and trout wait behind the drops for nymphs to wash down to where they can get them. The reason to use a double nymph rig is to get to depth quickly. In fast water two weighted nymphs may be required, where you were fishing,one weighted with an unweighted following, a full rod length of leader and tippet with the wool indicator 2mtrs above the first nymph would work well for a beginner.

I've almost exclusively caught my fish on Hare and Copper with a Pheasant Tail. That may have something to do with the fact that's pretty much all I use.

I've got a soft spot for Totara flats, it's where I shoot my first solo public land deer. Must get back there and take the fly rod by the sounds of it.

Cracker spot alright @Dorkus. I also shot my first deer in there back in December 2014 at the far end of the main flat, on a solo over night trip in my last year of high school. A cherished memory that I will never forget! Amazing place, and by the looks still a few sneaky deer about.