Catch a Grayling

I have been really enjoying my river fishing just lately (before all this rain) venturing to the river Dove near Ashbourne where the Grayling have been very kind to me. In one session I've had five on-the-trot, all around the magical 2lbs mark.. this was in a catch of over 30 fish in total!

It's deep wading in most places, so on go the 5mm neoprene waders because the Dove is especially cold this time of year.

Killing flies are of a new breed. Yes - I like to use the basic gold heads sometimes when conditions allow, mainly on easy fish, but I mostly prefer the Caddis larvae and the 'Shrimpy'fied' types which I find, produce the better fish.




The area where I start is often fished by bait anglers and it's here where a little Red bug works a treat.
I suppose it's the red maggots they are used to? A pattern dressed by my daughter Sophia aged 10 using the material from 'Swimming Arm Bands'. She caught her very first (unassisted) Grayling on this fly.
Just cut it into 2-3mm strips and wind it onto a 'de-barbed' Partridge YK4A size 10s grub/shrimp hook (leaded), a black waterproof marker is used on the thorax area.
Top dropper...


The other 'new' fly is an Orange 'Egg carrying' Shrimp.... again, using the same hook. The body material is Orange Lite Brite with 'Pink' Lite Brite (The eggs) tied in at the rear. This is covered with Orange shell back and tied down with 6lbs mono. A black marker is used to finish the fly as before.
Middle dropper..





On the point I have a sacrificial heavier Caddis nymph. A Hares Ear with pearl rib and olive shell back. Tied on a Knapek barbless hook. Tie these on a leader of around 9ft (with a rod of the same length) spacing the flies 20" apart... closer if the water is coloured. I shall go more in depth with the 'basic' tackle required in my next article

A great gold head fly for those who prefer to use them:
'The Black Ram' a pattern given to me by the late Andrew Ramsden from Keswick... the one I reach for in the goldhead range.. never ever lets me down!
Leaded body, black mohair body, red wire rib.

Rods
I have several river rods. The main ones at present are a 9ft Redington TFF 4 Piece for a 4wt, and my trusty 3 piece Vision 'Intro' 9ft for a 5wt.

Leader material is 'Rio' Fluoroflex fluorocarbon. I don't use bite detectors but rely on either my 'Bungee Butt' or a short piece of bright yellow braid on the end of my flyline.

A short cast upstream and allow the bugs to drift with the current... any slight movement and 'strike'!! as I have detailed before in previous articles.

Keep on the move and don't stay in the same place for too long.


Here's my choice of leader material: 'Rio' Fluoroflex fluorocarbon

More info in my next article

Until then...

Good Fishing

Martin Introna