Big Grayling - Attempt No 8 (River Dee)

Having recently had the arrival of my second daughter, Lola Fish, fishing time has been in short supply and I've had more time tidying up tackle in the late hours when waiting to get the final feed done for the new little miss trouble.

I have had a few hours on the Dee trying to get some kind of respectable spey cast going because I have a trip to Kelso, Scotland on 10th October to fish the Teviot for salmon and I've not cast a double handed salmon rod for 15 years.

Anyhow the Oliver Edwards fly fishing DVDs (Essential-skills.tv) have been on again while waiting for nappy changes and feed and encouraged me to give the dry fly a go for grayling rather than the deep nymphs while the weather is still good and insect life prolific. I've never caught one on a dry and anyone who has read these blogs will know that my nymphing experience for grayling is only 18 months old and still on a steep learning curve. I have caught trout and coarse fish on Klinkhammer emerger patterns though so that was the line of attack today at a stretch near Bangor on Dee.

10 small grayling caught on black and brown Klinkhammers so my first "Dry(ish)" sorted and a PB of sorts. No size though with the biggest only going 6 ins but I'm now getting an idea of the water to target - the seam just off the main tongue of water going into a pool seems to be the hot spot. Slower glides didn't produce and interestingly running a heavy czech nymph through the same area didn't cut the mustard either.

I did try to get another session in near Corwen on 3rd October but it lasted 15 minutes including a 14 minute walk from the car to the beat. For some reason my pride and joy Hardy Angel decided to clean snap the second section after merely threading the fly line and putting a modest bend in the tip. Not really what you expect from a £600 rod (A rare treat to myself) and after owning it for 5 years it seems a strange time to go. I can only think that a heavy nymph has clacked the blank but I'm hardy powering them out.

The internet forums are worryingly full of vitriol as regards Hardy, in particular Angel rods and customer service but it's been a fabulous tool so hopefully they are actually a helpful bunch and fix/replace it for me promptly so I can get out there and find some grayling to finally threaten the 2003 1lb 8oz PB.

Mr Fish