FLURE~FISHING FOR TROUT
& OTHER PREDATORS
— by Dr. Dickie Devereux —

INTRODUCTION
by Brian Barwell, Assistant Editor
Dickie Devereux doesn't see any boundaries or divisions between his fly-fishing and lure-fishing. As far as he's concerned the two techniques overlap a lot, and so he's coined the word FLURES to describe the hybrid combination fly-spoons, fly-spinners and other hackles lures that he finds are so successful for trout and other predators. Here's his first article for us about flure-fishing and it's packed with ace hints and tips to increase your catch rate.

EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR TROUT
Although I'm a big fan of fly-fishing for all species especially for trout but also including pike, I'm just as keen on using my lure-angling skills when I'm out-and-about after trout so I use small hybrid combination flies and lures which I call FLURES — and I've found that flure-fishing is such an effective method! You should always check first, though, whether lure/flure fishing is permitted for trout on the venues you have in mind.

When I'm lightweight lure or flure-fishing, whether I'm after trout or any other predators, I habitually replace even the tiniest treble hooks on my flures with double or even single hooks. Also and although it does undoubtedly adversely affect the action of small flures, I always use a wire trace of about 15 lb BS when I'm after trout because you never know when there's a pike about .... and personally I'm not at all fussy about which species grabs my flures!

FLURES
As for exactly which flures — hybrid combination flies and lures — that I use, almost anything small with a shiny blade and a hackles hook will do !There are plenty to choose from such as Mepps Mouche, Stream-Mepps, fly-spinners, fly-spoons, hackled spinners such as Wordens Rooster Tails. I'm also very fond of some small Ondex hackled spinners that I have but sadly Rublex who made them are no longer in business.

It's also very easy to add some hackles to the hook of any lure to turn it into a flure. Trout are often found in flast-flowing water and your really need a willow-bladed spinner such as Mepps Aglia Longue to tackle these venues, and I've found that they produce even better results when the hook is hackled.

FLURE-END TACKLE
As I've said, I always use a wire trace when I'm flure-fishing but to keep the weight down at the flure-end of my tackle, I don't use swivels, snap-lock links, crimps or any of that stuff.

Instead I use a very cool idea that I got from an article ages ago, written by that fanatical all-round lure-angler John Worzencraft i.e. 12 to 18 inches of soft but strong wire, a 2 mm carp rig ring at each end and a small but strong stainless steel slip ring to attach my flures to the rig ring. It works perfectly and so far it has never let me down, unlike some of the small snap-lock links around! I should add that I usually add a tiny drop of waterprood superglue to the knotted wire and rig ring.

FLURE-RODS, REELS & LINES
Also I should add at this stage that Editors Nick & Brian have asked me to try to be very specific about what tackle I have found best for flure-fishing. The problem is that manufacturers change their ranges of rods and reels so rapidly, or they go out-of-business, that it's quite difficult to keep up-to-speed with what's around that's good, especially when, like me, you're very happy fishing woth what you've got.

Rods
Personally I use an Abu (UK), a Fenwick (USA) and a BassPro (USA) rod for my lightweight flure-fishing — my favourite is probably my Fenwick HMG although I'm not sure how easy they are to get these days, but there's lots more information about rods for this and other styles of lure-fishing right here in Nick Caine's Top Tackle Section, so check it out !

Reels
Small fixed-spool reel sideal for lightweight flure-fishing used to be easily obtainable in the UK but nowadays they're not quite so easy to find — that said, £30 or £40 should get you something that's up to the job. Small Abus are a favourite of mine and I must admit that since up-grading to their centre-drag models, the smallest CD-4, I've never looked back nor had to look for another reel.

Lines
Like most lure-fishing enthusiasts I guess, for some years now I have been braided main lines based on Spectra and Dyneema. I have to say that in the early days, my initial experiences with them were not good and they were very expensive.

Since then there's been a big shake-down in the types of braids available, the quality has gone up and the prices have come down, which is all very good news. Even under pressure from the Editors, it's a job for me to pick an outright favourite braid for my lightweight flure-fishing because I tend to chop and change depending on which reel I'm using and what line is loaded on to it.

For lightweight flures I would say that I probably most use Relum Sufix Herculine and Berkley Whiplash braids. I have tried loads and loads of others and, for example, when I'm off-shore, deep-sea or big game fishing, I like to use TUF-Line and Power Pro. But for any lures in the medium and lightweight range, I reckon Herculine and Whiplash are very hard to beat for strength, low diameter, all-round performance and competitive prices.

Essentials for Success
As for the Essentials and Preferables that Brian has asked me to talk-about, I thought that I would tabulate them (below) for easy viewing:-

All the smaller items will fit nicely if a tad tightly in a fly-fishing shoulder bag — I also use a landing net with a sling so I can carry it over my shoulder too, leaving my hands free for my flure-fishing.

Waders will always give you the edge and let you cast to parts that others can't reach, but always take great care when you're wading — I always use my landing-net handle as a wading staff !

Safety
If you can, always fish with a friend — if I'm on my own I always take my mobile phone well-wrapped in cling-film. Check the weather forecast before you go and take suitable clothes — any fool can be uncomfortable ! And let someone know roughly where you're planning to fish.

Check all around AND ABOVE before you cast and steer well clear of any power-lines or other hazards, especially in damp. misty weather.

Venues
If you want to find the best local venues, ask in your local tackle shop and/or join your local Club — many of them have Exchnage Books with other Clubs as well ...... so much the better!

Club Rules & Regulations
If you lure and flure-fish, but don't fly-fish, check-out any Club's Rules and Regs BEFORE you join This may seem bvery obvious but I've knoiwn quite afew flure-fishing enthusisats who have been so keen to get on certain venues that they've not checked in advance whether or not flure-fishing is allowed.

Care of the Environment
You can practise your casting without using a fly on the end of your line. I spent ages practising on my Village Green much to the amusement of the locals. But it helped tremendously because by the time I fly-fished in earnest for the first time, I felt very confident, and what's more, I was rewarded with three nice fish from our local stocked trout lake.

Fight Pollution
Always keep a look-out for any signs of pollution, however small, and use a Public Phone Box to Free-phone 0800 80 70 60 to report anything suspicious — calls from your mobile phone won't be free even to this 0800 number!

Fly-fishing
And if you find that it's "Fly-fishing only" for trout on your venues, then why not have a go at this overlapping method if you haven't tried it before? And if you need a helping-hand to get you started, do have a look at the other articles about fly-fishing right here on Nick's web-site!

ENJOY YOUR FLURE~FISHING !
Dickie Devereux

Please click the Key-Chem logo button
to go back to our Home Page