August's tips for young anglers, with Bob Goble

July started unseasonably warm, with record temperatures in the south east – though cooler and wetter elsewhere. I suspect August will be much the same.

Trout fishing has been difficult , with some fisheries deciding to close until the end of the month.

Trout are a cold water species and don't tolerate water that is too warm. Oxygen levels in lakes and some rivers get too low for them and they can die.

Trout can be caught in warm weather but the best time is early or late in the day - before and after the heat. I suspect catch and release will be suspended at some of the waters that remain open. But don't despair. If you catch and take for the table that's fine, you will have dispatched your fish. If you are allowed to return please keep the fish in the water in the net - do not place on the hot ground you will be cooking the fish and could kill it.

Play the fish a little harder than normal and try to remove the hook from the fish without handling. A little tool, called a catch and release disgorger (pictured right), is available from fly fishing shops or online.

The other alternative is to visit somewhere like Bewl Water at Lamberhurst. Bewl is a very deep water reservoir and can be accessed by a boat - they have a large fleet of fishing boats. Obviously you will need an adult to accompany you.

Head for the main bowl and fish with slow (intermediate), or full sinking fly lines. There is an aeration system at Bewl (which is called 'the bubbles') and trout will be in this cool aerated water.

Flies to try this August are the usual - lures, and nymphs - and don't be afraid to go small with either.

Another alternative is to fly fish for coarse fish. Rudd can be caught on the surface with small dry flies (midge gnat like insects) but you can also try to catch carp off the surface using a deer hair imitation with an 8 or 10 hook and a bucket of dog biscuits to match the size of your artificial ones.

Scatter the biscuits around in your chosen area - but please ask if this way of fishing is permissible, as some waters do not like this as it interferes with normal angling practice,

I don't see a problem if you act sensibly. Move to an area far from others as not to interfere with them, scatter some biscuits around taking into account the wind - you don't want your offerings to float down to unsuspecting anglers using conventional tackle.

Find a place with some sort of cover like reeds and in a corner of the lake. The tackle to use would be a 9ft 7-8 line weight line with 8ft of strong leader and tippet. I use 10Ibs breaking strain (these are strong fish and you will realise why).

Feed little and often, be patient and when the carp arrive there will be no mistaking them as you will see their cavernous mouth on the water taking in your biscuits, slurping and sucking.

Gently and slowly cast your imitation into this mayhem of feeding and be ready. The take can be explosive even from small carp. They will hit it hard and run and if you hold on too tightly there is a possibility you will lose your fish. With patience and luck you will land that fish. Let it run but under tension and you will experience the power of these carp.

Don't forget your hat and sunglasses and of course sun cream.

Tight lines have fun Bob G.