If you've kept your ear to the ground in recent seasons it won't have escaped your attention that Czech Nymphs have made something of an impression when it comes to trout and grayling sport on rivers such as the Welsh Dee.
These flies are cleverly tied to be ultra-heavy with a slim profile that represents various aquatic creatures. The point is they look right but sink right down, even in strong flowing water.
But now they're also being used to devastating effect on Hanningfield to catch the hefty trout that sometimes hold around the Essex reservoir's trout cages.
Our cameras were at Hanningfield to witness the method in action. It certainly proved highly successful with Phil Barker from Simpsons of Turnford tackle shop boating a 121b 4oz rainbow and Hertford angler Bob Woodford taking a brace of 10lb 8oz and 8lb 4oz.
Haw did they do it? Well like this ...
Six steps to 'static' sport
- FIRST OF ALL take up a position close to one of the cages. At Hanningfield there are mooring buoys, though an anchor would also be work. Basically the boat must be static.
- YOU'VE ALREADY tackled up a rod with a fast sinking line, such as a Di-7/Di-8. The Teeny 300 is popular since it has an eight metre fast-sinking tip. Fix on a leader of approximately 8ft that should include three Czech Nymphs, spaced 2 1/2 to 3ft apart.
- NEXT PLUMB the depth as you would when coarse fishing. It is crucial to know exactly where the bottom is. In most cases around the Hanningfield cages it will be around 28ft. When you've found the depth wind the line back round the reel about 1 1/2 times.
- NOW CAST OUT and allow the line and flies to sink down until you're hanging them vertically beneath the boat. If you've plumbed the depth correctly they should be holding a few inches off the bottom.
- HOLD THE FLY LINE between finger and thumb so you can feel for takes, while keeping a fixed gaze on the line between rod tip and water surface. DO NOT RETRIEVE. In a normal breeze the slight motion of the boat should be enough to move the flies two or three inches up and down. Any greater movement must be avoided, the trout don't seem to like it.
- IF YOU'RE LUCKY a trout will grab one of the droppers and the result may be a smash take. But more often than not the trout will intercept the fly nearest the bottom and the resulting take will be little more than an inch 'tug' on the line. You must be alert to these 'soft' takes and lift quickly into them. TF
