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!).

Some Photos

I have added my favourite photos for 2010 to my picasa album.

Its snowing here again today and I have some family jobs to do over the weekend so probably won't get fishing again in 2010.

Wishing all my readers a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and hope you all have a good 2011 season.

Thanks for looking in.

Colin

Not a Chance!

I managed to dig the car out from the drive yesterday afternoon after being stuck since Tuesday, Note to self:- next car must be 4x4!

The main roads around here are clear but the side roads mostly impassable unless in a 4x4. Consequenty not a chance to fish and I beliee the temp must have well below zero all day yesterday.

Anyway a few more snowy pics.

I am still trying to kick start my tying, can't seem to motivate myself yet. I have made a list of what I am going to tie :- LDO, pale watery, Adams, Grey duster, black gnat, tiny yellow parachute to name  a few. I have decided to have a clearout of my flybox and get shut of all those patterns of flies I have never used and just stick to those I have used recently. I thin most people carry far too many flies, I know I did so I am going to be strong and those flies I tied or took with me "just in case" are going!
Watch this space.

Snow Snow Snow

Well I think it will be a few days before anybody gets on the river. Snow is knee deep and still coming down although thats probably diddley squat to wat comes down over the pond!

Anyway a few pretty pics!

Baslow St Annes Church

Calver Road Baslow

Bakewell Saturday 27th November

Fishing again soon (I hope!)

Well it is ages since I have been fishing due to having work done on the house but now most of it is done I am hoping to get out this weekend however heavy snow is forecast for tonight and over the weekend so watch this space!
I have kept up to date on the various blogs I follow and its good to see midgeman back! Some good tying has been placed online too, DW especially ties some excellent patterns. I am having to clear all the dust off my tying desk but hope to get back into the swing later.
Its good to see some of you guys (and gals) still out after the grayling, Hope you are LTD Glen. Have you used the nymph Roger as we all know its not your favourite method?
Keep fishing and tying!
Colin

BFFI Sunday 31st October

Went to the Flyfair at Trentham with Roger. Decided to buy a bit of pike gear for tying up some pike flies, size 1 hooks, various hanks of synthetic for wings, wire trace, and bigfly thread mmmm lovely. Just need to practice tying some stuff, Celtic Fly had some good looking pike flies immitating roach, perch brown and rainbow trout all very realistic looking so hopefully mine may look something like them. Any way back to the BFFI, there was a lack of punters this year, maybe the recesion is hitting more people this year however it did make walking around the various stalls easier but it must be worrying for them at the lack of buyers. There were loads of excellent tyers too from all over the globe tying flies from tarpon down to size 32's! All in all it was another good day out, long may it continue, however next year it is in June at Stafford. Personally I think it is a mistake having it during summer surely people will be fishing? Anyway thats just me.

BTW does anybody know what has happened to Midgeman from USA as his blog has disappeared?

What a Weekend!

Well I was hoping to get out this weekend but to no avail. It poured down for most of the weekend and the derwent is running high and coloured. At least I can see some of you guys have been fishing in various parts of the globe, good on you!
Got my counter back, its amystery as to how it disappeared.

Wednesday 22nd September - A Grand Day Out

As I am on holiday this week and I have not fished for a while due to work being done on the house, Derek invited me onto the Wye for a fish and a get together with Bill, David, Don, Keoth and John. We started about 1100 below Litton Mill as I have not fished there before and it always looks interesting and fishy whenever I walk along the river there. I tackled up my 8 1/2 footer with a small olive nymph and immediately took a decent rainbow at the head of the pool where numerous fish could be seen on the fin. Needless to say that was the only fish to take it as the others took fright! I notice a few olives about with the occasional rise so switched to a BWO and started to take fish (and losing some!) I worked my way up the pool and finished with 5 rainbows and a good brown.
Lunch was at the hut where Don was the chef performing well on the BBQ. The wine flowed and banter too! It was good to see David after his accident earlier this year, hope your back on the bank with us fully recovered next season. Keith was also there who I hadn't seen in ages and Bill one of my all time fishing friends, we joined L&DAA together then Chatsworth before he was seduced by the charms of the Wye and C&LFC.
After lunch Derek and I wandered upstream but as the valley was in deep shade the temperature must have been 10 degrees cooler than by the hut. No rising fish ao I went back to "Duffers" pool for a last cast before heading home after a thoroughly enjoyable day. Only downside was that I forgot my camera, DOH!