fresh faced fluff flinger - East Midlands

[trentjim]

Hello all,
well I've gone and done it.... Had my first dabble on a small stream since I was about 12 - The river Erewash at Toton to be precise. I didn't catch anything, didn't even get a bite, clumsily trotting maggots...
BUT - it was like a road to Damascus moment - the shallow meandering stream was just begging for a fly, A fly I have not cast for more than half a lifetime (I'm 35 now).
so i have started reading (I read a lot) and dusted off the old shakespeare blackfly 7ft #7 rod - even the flyline still looks in ok nick after the best part of 20 years at the back of a cupboard. And an hours practise in a field has confirmed that I havn't forgotten how to cast (though the ache is telling me that i am not as young as once i was and that there are muscles that my body had forgotten about that need toning up!)

So i am all set! Ok so the rod is on the heavy side - but i'll manage won't I - the river is so small it will be more like dapping than casting. I just need that first fish to get my confidence moving and the motivation going - so hopefully a perch or chub will oblige and I will be on my way...

So I'll post my progress for better or worse - shout if I need help - and graciously accept any assistance that that those with more experience can offer - be they local or on the opposite side of the world.
thanks for having me,
James

[gusstrand]

Welcome to smallstreams! Enjoy the place. :)

[Doctor]

There are a fair few UK folks over here , lots of help but dont expect instant response ,we are a slow and steady wins the race rather than a wham bam thank you mam hare !
Me I am a Londoner and mainly fish the Chalk,for grayling and head over to Wales for the trout in the warmer months !

[trentjim]

Hi Doc,
heading over to wales myself on saturday 12th - trying to sneak out some grayling from the wye nr Builth Wells - I'll be trotting maggot, but once I find some fish I'm planning on giving the fly a go...got to start somewhere!

kind regards,
trentjim

[Doctor]

http://www.rivererewashfoundation.co.uk/home

Jim , you may find these guys helpful.
The big nasty UK flyfish forum has a long Erewash thread .

As to the Wye area for grayling do take into account the water can be up and down ,next week looks damp so watch the Wye Usk Foundation river cams
http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/conditi ... 011debfcdd
Guess for you the Ryader one is the best .
My main interest in the Wye is for Salmon down on the below Monmouth beats so I watch all of the cams as down the bottom we get all the water .
If going a bit further do consider the Monnow system , some lovely more managable water especially with a 7.6 rod .Some of its on the WUF passport tickets .

[trentjim]

cheers,
yep weather is against me for next Sat, however the upper river can fine down pretty quickly sometimes (I'm originally from Hereford) - so i'm keeping fingers crossed that it will have dropped back by the end of the week, not optimistic though! - how much colour does it take to make fly fishing for grayling pointless?

[Doctor]

cheers,
yep weather is against me for next Sat, however the upper river can fine down pretty quickly sometimes (I'm originally from Hereford) - so i'm keeping fingers crossed that it will have dropped back by the end of the week, not optimistic though! - how much colour does it take to make fly fishing for grayling pointless?

Jim .
I am not really the guy to talk to ,my chalkstreams rarely take very much colour and thats where 90+% of my grayling is done.
I guess if you can see your boots when wading up too your knees you will be right to take on the fly .

[trentjim]

river at Rhayader has dropped about 4 inches today - moving in the right direction at least hopefully the prospects are looking up!

i suppose the more coloured the water the closer to the fish the fly needs to be - clearer water then better odds for a ropey caster!