Help! need some advice with fly fishing for grayling.

[don626]

Hi everyone I’m new to this forum so I hope someone can help with my prob.

 

I’ve just started out fly fishing so don’t know much if anything yet it would seem. I no I’m too late for the trout season so thought I would give grayling a go. I’m using a Greys G series 9ft 6inch rod and reel with a normal fly line, nothing special, and a 9ft long tapered leader. I’ve tried many different flies and bugs both wet and dry but nothing seems to be working. The stream isn’t too deep only about 4ft maybe deeper in places but is running steady not slow plenty of weed and rock bottom but rather clear. No matter how much I try I don’t even get a nibble on the line.

 

I see people in the same river and same place as me who seem to be pulling them out one after the other. I can’t seem to see what they are doing different from me.

 

If any one can help or give me hints on what to do so I get a bite or even land a fish I would be grateful.

 

Cheers Don.

[five bellies]

Hi everyone I’m new to this forum so I hope someone can help with my prob.

 

I’ve just started out fly fishing so don’t know much if anything yet it would seem. I no I’m too late for the trout season so thought I would give grayling a go. I’m using a Greys G series 9ft 6inch rod and reel with a normal fly line, nothing special, and a 9ft long tapered leader. I’ve tried many different flies and bugs both wet and dry but nothing seems to be working. The stream isn’t too deep only about 4ft maybe deeper in places but is running steady not slow plenty of weed and rock bottom but rather clear. No matter how much I try I don’t even get a nibble on the line.

 

I see people in the same river and same place as me who seem to be pulling them out one after the other. I can’t seem to see what they are doing different from me.

 

If any one can help or give me hints on what to do so I get a bite or even land a fish I would be grateful.

 

Cheers Don.

 

 

There are loads of things that might effect your fishing,

and without watching you it would be almost impossible to give you guidence,Can you see the fish you are aiming to catch,are you fishing up stream, are you aware of the reflection you are throwing over the area you wish to fish, are you mending your line in order for the nymph to present correctly, A 9' leader in a fast 4' deep stream may be causing you some problems if your presentation is a tad off, Try using a team of wieghted Check Nymps and reduce your leader by about two foot let them trundle down the gravel bars and give them a lift over obstructions constantly mending your line. if you are fishing blind concentrate on the under cuts along the bank,

In my experiance If I am struggling on an unfamillier stretch have a half a day without your rod and watch what the successfull anglers are doing, when they stop for a warm up and a coffee ask them for advice. Nothing beats Local Knowledge.

 

OH and by the way Welcome

Edited November 8, 2008 by five bellies

[don626]

Hi five bellies

 

Thanks for your response to my prob. I’m only just starting out fly fishing so not sure if I’m presenting ok. I am casting up stream but then walking with the line down with the flow. I think my fly line maybe overtaking my leader so that mite not be presenting the nymph correctly but I don’t know how to correct this if it is.

 

I can’t actually see the fish but I no they are there… somewhere… I’m not sure if I am casting a shadow but when I do fish it is cloudy with a temperature of around 11 degrees, I’ve not actually fly fished in bright weather yet.

 

I shall try a shorter leader as you advised and I will try a few check nymphs on the leader.

 

Would it be best to try different types of nymphs and different sizes together on the same leader?

 

Many thanks.

[five bellies]

Hi five bellies

 

Thanks for your response to my prob. I’m only just starting out fly fishing so not sure if I’m presenting ok. I am casting up stream but then walking with the line down with the flow. I think my fly line maybe overtaking my leader so that mite not be presenting the nymph correctly but I don’t know how to correct this if it is.

 

I can’t actually see the fish but I no they are there… somewhere… I’m not sure if I am casting a shadow but when I do fish it is cloudy with a temperature of around 11 degrees, I’ve not actually fly fished in bright weather yet.

 

I shall try a shorter leader as you advised and I will try a few check nymphs on the leader.

 

Would it be best to try different types of nymphs and different sizes together on the same leader?

 

Many thanks.

 

Your line over taking your leader, thats why you must keep mending your line, are you fishing a dry fly? Greyling will rise to them but i would stay with a Nymph untill you get the hang of things.

 

 

Keep them of a similar size or you will be in all sorts of trouble, stay still let the line do the work, Get some good poleriod sunglasses this will protect your eys and improve your vison of the fish.

 

I cant over state the importance of chatting with locals most anglers of any disipline are glad to help.

 

Edited November 9, 2008 by five bellies

[don626]

Hi five bellies

 

Thanks again for your advice I will ask around as you sagest.

 

I have some Polaroid’s but I don’t think they work to well so think I shall get some different I have my eyes on a set of coccon Polaroid’s that I can wear over my prescription glasses for £40. I think that’s how they’re spelt .

 

However on a lighter note I have now christened my rod as I went to Meon Springs and caught a 3.5lb rainbow, in fact I caught 3 of them . They where very helpful friendly and quick to give me hint’s. They where very affordable as well… only £28 for a days fishing that’s including 2 fish, for each additional fish £7. I shall be going back again.

 

However I have not given up on the stream, I am determined to get those grayling .

 

How do you correct your fly line if it over takes the leader? I know this maybe hard to explain but i will be grateful for any tips…

 

Cheers Don.

[Newt]

Don - one of the best investments I've ever made was having a set of Rx glasses done with polarized lenses. Way better than any other option I tried over the years and not usually any more expensive than good sunglasses - in fact, cheaper than many of them.

 

I use them for fishing and for driving. The difference in eye comfort on a bright day is amazing and they do well for fish spotting as well as for dealing with any glare off the water.

[don626]

Hi Newt

 

Thanks for your response do you no where I mite get a set of them glasses from and how much they are likely to be? I’m willing try anything.

 

Cheers Don.

[Newt]

Over here, any optical shop that can fabricate clear prescription lenses can also do polarized. I imagine it is the same over there but I can't be sure and I have no clue what sort of prices a UK shop would charge.

 

Try posting a question in the coarse section about sourcing them. I know its been discussed in the past and someone will probably have the info you need.

[five bellies]

Hello Don,

a mend is a slight adjustment of the Fly line to stop the problems you discribe this can be done with a deliberate but gentle twitch of the rod tip or a pull of the line some times both, the aim is to keep your fly presented in the most naturaul way as possible for as long as possible,

 

Thirty quid on a lesson of a Patiant angler willing to help a fellow sportsman will have you catching in no time.

 

as for the Poleriods Elton had a link going for months on cheap perscription ones, check back on this forum you should find them.

 

Good luck mate

Edited November 10, 2008 by five bellies

[navybloke]

Don,

 

Here's an idea. Rather than casting and then walking the line down, give it an hour or two in a spot with decent steady flow and try standing still, casting and retrieving the line with your left hand so you keep in touch with the line. By 'keep in touch', I mean not drawing the fly back faster than the flow but not letting slack develop in the line either - it's a difficult thing to describe, but if there's slack then your line will be drifting in curves downstream of the rod tip and if you're too quick you will see the fly line skating towards you quicker than the flow. So there's one idea - use your hands rather than your feet to keep in touch with the fly.

 

Here's another one - stand still! One of the problems with your walking back and forth each cast is that you might be disturbing a lot of fish with your movement. If you cast upstream to one spot then you are casting over fish looking upstream for food which can't see you downstream of them. The fish are - or should be! - relatively undisturbed and might be more inclined to feed.

 

If you can see the grayling, let's assume there's more than one of them. Put your first cast short - very short. Then lengthen subsequent casts by a foot or two each time. The idea is that the first fish to see your fly is the tail end charlie of the shoal. This way, you can genuinely catch most of the fish in the shoal, back to front. I've done this a few times, not often, on the Avon on Salisbury Plain. It does work, it just takes a gentle touch.

 

Fly choice is relatively easy. Confine yourself to three patterns - Killer Bug, Pheasant Tail Nymph and Hare's Ear Nymph, the latter two patterns with and without goldheads.

 

Oh, and ignore the howls of the purists and try a SMALL indicator to fish the patterns at dead depth or a couple of inches above the bottom. It will give you an idea of just how quick and delicate the bites can be - then once it gets too easy with the indicator you can take it off and make things really difficult!

 

Tight lines,

 

John