Saturday and a Bit of Grayling Fishing (at last!)

Arranged to fish on Saturday afternoon with Derek on Cressbrook and Litton strecth of the Wye as his guest. We decided to share a rod and so I took my 10' Orvis. We motored down to the Bobbin Mill on the A6 and started about 1400. In my haste to get to the river I left my camera in the car. We went down to the bottom of the streatch and worked our way back up, sharing the rod. I had a pink shrimp and a fox squirrel nymph, both with tungsten beads. I also tried one of those "thingybobbers" as a sighter, still think they are glorified bubble floats but they do exactly what it says on the tin. There was a bit more water than normal coming down and the earlier cold breeze had more or less dropped. I lost 2 grayling first then managed to land a grayling of about 4" and 1 of about 12", good to know the comorants haven't had them all. We worked our way up and Derek dropped a rainbow. I continued up and took another couple of grayling, one being about 14-15" a really nice fish. We were alternating the rod but in the last pool I had to get in the river and as Derek only had wellies on I got the lions share of the run. I took another couple of grayling to finish a good few hours. What was interesting was that the grayling are beginning to show their mating colours now. My casting suffered due to the lack of trips over the last few months so will have to get a bit of practice in, hopefully a couple more outings before the season ends on the 28th Feb.

Tying at Last!

Decided to make a start tying some more flies. Started off with an olive nymph which is using all the semperfli materials available from Flyfishing and Flytying. Basically olive partridge tail and legs, semperfli olive dubbing abdomen and thorax ribbed in green flash with olive dyed pheasant tail as a wing case. Hopefully will do ok. This is on a TMC 5262 size 14 so quite a long shank. Should imitate LDO nymphs or any olive 'agile darter' 

Next came a ryacophila larva on a size 12 swimming nymph hook which gives it a good profile I think. This is a 'nearly' Oliver Edwards pattern which has caught me a few fish over the years including my PB Grayling measuring 21" from the Dove many years ago. This is the first time I have tied it on one of these hooks so hoping the profile will fool them. I think I will also use this hook to tie up some hydropsyche larva too. There is something about this hook which appeals to me! 



Next I took out all my dead and tatty grey olive paraduns and replaced them with some TMC 100SPBL size 16's. This is my favourite pattern to cover most general duns. coq d'leon tails, grey olive superfine abdomen and thorax ribbed with olive moder powersilk and medium dun hackle tied parachute around a loop wing of dun TMC aerowing, lovely! I have started experimenting ribbing with threads on my dries as it is not as heavy as wire but then the difference is probably minimal but I just like the look.

I will tie some more of these in sizes down to 22. Also some with pale yellow bodies which become a very pale olive when treated with floatant, ideal for pale wateries. I tie yellow ones down to 24 with a dark thorax which I find take fish when the dreaded caenis are about.

I must try and sort out Adobe photoshop so I can zoom in closer tothe photos too. If anybody knows how to do it please let me know. Also if anybody does try some of these then again please let me know how you got on.

Till later, cheers.

Grayling Society Meeting - 1st of 2011

The Grayling Society have their 1st meeting of 2011 this Thursday at the Devonshire in Baslow starting at 1930, all welcome members and non-members alike. This time its a talk from Don Staziker and Bernie Maher which promises to be the usual excellent presentation I'm sure, not to be missed, see you there.

Have started to tie a few flies to fill up the spaces in my flybox, just the usual suspects! Will post some photos once I get a few good shots so you can all pull them apart (not literally!).