ADVANCED TIP: CATCH MORE GRAYLING IN FAST WATER
Former Welsh rivers international Gavin Jehu explains ...
PROFILE
Gavin Jehu, aged 33, a postman from Merthyr Tydfil. Won team gold medal in the 1998 rivers international on the Tweed and also made the Welsh World Team in Sweden two years ago.
MY CZECH NYMPH
This is a sample adaptation of a Czech Nymph incorporating the use of a small leader ring (right) used for carp rigs or attaching droppers in fly-fishing Czech Nymphs should be trundled along the leader system stays in a straight line and hopefully hugs the bottom more effectively than the conventional dropper system. The advantage of my method is that when a fish takes the fly, the take is registered immediately - allowing the angler to hook the fish earlier.
When fish earlier. When fishing deep in fast water, a six or eight inch dropper could actually slacken without the angler knowing. This might only take a few seconds, but it's enough time for the fish to take the fly, without indication, and also reject it. With my system, the leader is constantly straight, offering a better chance of detecting a take.
In the past, some anglers have claimed that you can simply tie the leader to the hook bend, as in the New Zealand Dropper, but most Czech Nymphs are tied down below the bend. This means that there is either no room, or very little room, in which to attach the leader. With the leader ring tied as part of the actual fly, there are no such problems.
TYING THE MINI RING TO THE CZECH NYMPH
- First, choose a light grade hook such as a Kamasan Shrimp & Buzzer B100. A light grade hook will give slightly when snagged on the bottom - an unfortunate mishap when fishing weighted flies hard on the riverbed. The lighter hook will at least ensure that you retrieve your cast of flies. And, although not ideal, you can bend the hook back into shape with pliers.
- Next, place a 3mm Tungsten bead the right way on the hook and then a 5mm bead backwards. The two beads should connect very neatly. Add a drop of clear varnish between them to secure them both together.
- Once the beads are on, add about 12 to 14 turns of medium or heavy round lead for extra weight around the shank. Slide this up the shank against the beads. Add some clear, thinned-out varnish and allow to dry. At the rear end of the lead tie in a leader ring with thread and secure with a few turns. When the ring is secure, dress the fly any way you like.
THE SET-UP
From the end of the fly line attach a 6ft to 8ft leader down to the eye of the first fly (the heaviest fly) Then take a separate 18in to 2ft piece of leader and attach it to the ring of the same fly If tied to the hook curve New Zealand dropper style the hook's barb could be masked.
Next, take the leader down to the eye of the middle fly. Again attach another length of leader to the ring on this fly, connecting it to the eye of the remaining point fly. You'll find that this method provides better take detection.
HOW TO FISH THIS TECHNIQUE
Use a longish rod and fish the flies Czech Nymph style. They will trundle along in the fast water but flick the flies up above the riverbed and allow them to drop down again. If lighter Czech Nymphs are being used, the flies will take about six seconds to hit the bed in fast water. My patterns take just three, so you're able to cover more of the riverbed. The beauty of this technique is that the angler can use it in swims that other anglers might consider unsuitable and pass them by. As a competition angler, I've found that this means an extra two or three fish in the bag.
COLOURS
Colour isn't as important as getting the flies to the required depth. But pink has proved successful as has green with a red spot. Remember that the grayling don't have a lot of time to inspect the offerings the fast current will see to that.
THE PITFALLS
You re always on the bottom. But you also catch a lot of fish because you re flies are right in their feeding zone. Standard Czech Nymphing is fine, but in deeper, faster water my method works even better.