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Post by Pete Tyjas on Dec 16, 2015 8:28:40 GMT
Popped over to the tone for a couple of hours this afternoon, more to practice euro nymph technique than any serious fishing intention. Having only fished the tone this year it was nice to see it with a bit more water in it. The first hour I had a couple of tangles but it was slowly getting better. Two things were immediately obvious- I've no accuracy at the moment when euro-French nymphing at 25-30'. I can't wait for new waders to be delivered this week.... Trying to avoid wading/crossing deeper areas of the river really does interfere with how well you can fish it. Felt a bit strange fishing the long French leader, felt slightly out of control and sync, but I guess with practice the feeling will come. Only picked up one small grayling, hopefully I'll get out for a longer session this week. One last thing- shame to see cattle still in riverside fields in mid-December, fields were looking heavily poached.... No wonder our rivers aren't what they could be! Think I know the beat you fished. I hadn't fished it this year until recently but was amazed the impact the cattle have had. I mentioned it to one of the committee members at the Funky day. When it comes to the Tone I don't tend to fish the flies at long distance there. I don't really measure but I'd guess I'm fishing nearer to 20ft often shorter on some of the beats. I work more on depth I'm fishing and good tracking of flies through the drift more than anything else. I fished a bigger river that was pretty high for a few hours Mon and needed to throw a longer line 30ft+. As I tend to fish smaller streams most it was interesting that I noticed I concentrated hard on my line control and management as a result.
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Post by boisker on Dec 16, 2015 16:18:40 GMT
That's a good point Pete, I wasn't really fishing properly much of the time, more trying to get the timing on lobbing the flies out.... I undoubtedly should have been fishing closer much of the time. The benefit of a slightly longer cast was a slightly longer drift as practicing the line control is interesting, it's very easy to lose control briefly as the flies start to sink, which from what I've read can be a key area for catching fish. Enjoyable trying something new, but after only 2 hrs with my arm up high I could feel it in my back. Delay on wader delivery and a couple of 'issues' on site at work mean I won't be out this week, but will let you know as soon as I have a chance.
Glad you mentioned the state of the field to the club, I was going to raise it at the game (assuming I can make it), I doubt there is much the club can do but you never know.
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Post by Pete Tyjas on Dec 17, 2015 7:51:43 GMT
Think you are right Boisker about line control. Often people take a little time to get the line organised when it is out there and miss the first few seconds of the drift. This can be when a fish can often take as it has been alerted by the noise of the flies entering the water.
I tend to fish a 9 1/2ft rod most of the time but having fished a bigger water I have been convinced that a longer, say 11ft rod would definitely have benefits when fishing at longer distances on a bigger water. Perhaps Tenkara?
Interestingly,there have been a good amount of people requesting the 11ft version of the Mag we're giving away with this months ESF.
Regarding the field I believe they are going to talk to the farmer and also said they had money for potential fencing etc. There was a spot along there I used to call "grayling alley" that always had plenty of fish.
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Post by boisker on Dec 17, 2015 20:37:36 GMT
Cheers for the update Pete, be great if the farmer was willing to fence out the cattle.
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Post by paul on Dec 17, 2015 21:45:35 GMT
As a confirmed vooeidÃphobic I'd be delighted!
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Post by boisker on Dec 23, 2015 17:19:47 GMT
Popped out to the upper Bradford beat again on the tone this morning. I did call in at Hele bridge as well, but having never fished it the thought of dropping in from a high bank into still fairly coloured water that was pushing through seemed a bit risky... So went back up to the upper beat. Caught nil.... But winter grayling fishing is still new to me and the conditions were only just fishable... So no real surprise, but great to get out for a few hrs. It has become obvious that my shoulder is never going to allow a full day 'euro-nymphing' with the arm held high... I'm going to have to come up with a mid-way house where I can keep the elbow down. Wind picked up after about an hour and got progressively stronger, found it very tricky to keep control of the line.... Need to have a think about it as at times I would have needed Moby dick to take the nymph for there to be any chance of registering a take. If the water had been clear and lower I would probably have switched to dry for an hour as surprisingly there were a few LDO's knocking about... Bring on a warm spring and start to the season! First outing in new waders.... Which coincidentally means it's the dirst time I've finished a session with dry feet since about July... Nice!
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Post by yeoman on Dec 23, 2015 17:47:00 GMT
Fished a different stretch today,was very high and coloured for the fly. Luckily had trotting gear as back up so all was not lost and a few fish were obliging.
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Post by boisker on Dec 23, 2015 18:56:51 GMT
Yeah it was coloured... I reckon I could see a max of 14-16", still I thought I'd pick something up in the slacker water. i even tried an electric pink squirmy wormy with pink 3.5 beadhead on the point.... First time on the darkside!
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Post by jezney on Dec 23, 2015 21:45:45 GMT
That's super dark boisker.ha ha.
Are you fishing a single fly,or more?
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Post by boisker on Dec 23, 2015 23:19:11 GMT
Hey Jezney... I was fishing 2, squirmy on point and then about 40cm up a bead- tried a couple of different colours- orange, gold, silver, all either 3 or 3.5 mm, also followed Pete's advice to reduce the amount of leader out the rod tip and fish closer than last time out. The first hour went pretty good- well apart from not connecting to anything!.... could feel the nymph bumping the bottom and stayed in pretty good contact, but found it tougher once the wind started to gust harder; plus my shoulder struggled after about 1.5 hrs, old injury so need to try and build some strength back into it if I want to nymph for longer sessions.... Reaches the point where I have to have my elbow down so can't lift the rod up and fully extended from the body..... Annoying.
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Post by jezney on Dec 24, 2015 8:16:55 GMT
By the sounds of it then it's just the high water making things tough. Your setup is OK if your hitting the bottom.
Try keeping a bit more of a bend in your elbow when tracking the flies downstream. I sometimes have my elbow just a few inches away from my body and my hand is about shoulder height.Once you raise it above your shoulder,it becomes a strain.
Try and find a comfortable way of doing things and think that not having your arm perfectly straight,is not going to affect things really.
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Post by boisker on Dec 24, 2015 11:53:42 GMT
Cool, that's good to know, that's pretty much what I ended up doing as no way can I keep my arm extended straight at shoulder height. Hopefully we'll have some cold settled weather after Xmas and give the rivers time to calm down
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Post by jezney on Dec 24, 2015 12:09:23 GMT
I've been doing more recon work and have several new places to chase grayling,so I'm hoping for a day with gin clear waters very soon.Its not the same when it's coloured. My new fly that's doing the do is dead easy. Grub or pupa hook,very lightly weighted and use virtual nymph electric blush colour nymph skin.Use globrite #2 pink as thread,varnish or uv glue finish.Pop it on the dropper and go heavy on the point. I may see you on the tone in the new year.
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Post by marcouns on Dec 24, 2015 12:22:21 GMT
12.21 pm tone in flood. Oxtail soup! Post again Boxing Day Mark
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Post by marcouns on Dec 27, 2015 9:51:41 GMT
Just watched joe Humphreys on you tube. Wow sums up so much about what we do AND need to do M
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Post by boisker on Dec 27, 2015 11:19:49 GMT
Hey Mark What's the Tone looking like?
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Post by marcouns on Dec 27, 2015 15:10:00 GMT
Not good despite little rain over las 24 hrs still rising. Maybe OK by Tuesday! M Just tried for two hours. Watching rugby now
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Post by boisker on Dec 27, 2015 15:35:51 GMT
Yeah, that was what I was hoping before the rain arrives Wednesday Cheers
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Post by marcouns on Dec 27, 2015 21:30:20 GMT
Fishing at Nynehead weir from 1st light . Will pm my phone number. Text me on the day M
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Post by marcouns on Jan 5, 2016 15:49:58 GMT
Well river just into flood level(bottom end) and ezine eat sleep& fish only partly satiating. Limit to 1or 2 articles to make it last! Got out for couple of hours. Enchanted again with casting tiny weighted nymph. Field master is ideal. No fish but good to be out! Spatters of rain as I packed to go home for cuppa & ginger biscuits! As an aside was meant to be fishing the Frome. However fishery emailed in plenty of time suggesting postponement. Given that he had had a late cancellation for a whole weeks fishing he could have let me come down only to struggle in impossible conditions, in order to get back at least some lost income. That's what I really like about the fly fishermen & women I have encountered. Their integrity & honesty. Sadly lacking beyond the river,lake& sea.
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