3 River Test evening trout tweaks
On the River Test tailwaters at Stockbridge, brown trout often sip within a rod-length of the bank as evening falls.
Three stealth tweaks change routine into consistent takes: shorten the leader, downsize the fly and make a short, pinpoint cast into the slack seam.
Low‑vis leader choice wins on Hampshire chalk: build a 7.5–9 ft tapered leader finished with 4X–6X, and when trout are picky use a 9 ft leader to 5X with an 18–24 in 6X tippet extension to present size 18–22 dries. For stronger silhouette work at dusk ease to a slightly stouter final piece so fish can be landed quickly.
Micro‑dry presentation means tiny profile flies that float high but read naturally: size 18–22 Parachute Adams, Iron Blue Dun patterns, Griffith’s Gnat or small CDC emergers. Cast upstream or slightly across, land softly into the film and let the fly ride the seam close to foam lines and slicks.
Pinpointed short casts
Keep casts to 10–25 ft and aim at the first soft seam, undercut edge or the tail of a glide below a beat — a short drift inside the rod‑length draws reaction faster than a long drag. Use a crisp loop and neat turnover; knots like a double surgeon’s for tippet joins keep the connection slim and reliable.
A brown trout slipping from a foam line at dusk, barely a ripple under the Stockbridge light.