Brown Dun | Anglers can make most of hungry trout

Of those in northern rivers jumping at what insects remain, usually most likely are trout working a confined space, often among rushes.

For fly fishers using something like black or red spinners or Red Tag floaters, one method is to get the range right, then to bump the fly down on the jumper’s nose, hope for a reflex take - and for something to remember over winter.

While much of last weekend’s rain soaked directly into dry soil, enough did fall to give welcome lifts to levels of northern rivers.

This was especially true of stretches like the upper and middle South Esk and levels of smaller streams such as the North Esk, Nile, Liffey, Ringarooma and George Rivers.

Meanwhile, the Inland Fisheries Service warns anglers fishing the Leven River to take extra care upstream of Marshalls Bridge at Gunns Plains.

Floods in 2016 and continuing undercutting of edges have made unstable some banks above steep drops into this river, so anglers should check them carefully.

Some anglers fishing the Brid estuary at Bridport were pleased with their catches last Saturday.

Casting in pleasant weather from shore near the entrance, one using bluebait had landed not only cocky salmon but also a sizeable bream. 

Another, also using bait, reported took trevally and tailor.

A good deal bigger was the blue whaler shark weighing 148 kilograms boated recently down East.

Also known as blue sharks, these fish range open oceans worldwide, but this one was hooked and released unharmed back into Great Oyster Bay near Swansea.