Czech nymphing

This technique is designed mainly for fast flowing waters with gravel bottoms, the main principal of the technique is to get the Czech Nymph's down to the fish feeding from off the bottom.
My preferred tackle
1. I use a 10 foot weight five Fly rod. I find the sage XP Ideal as the extra foot gives better reach and touch.

2. The reel is incidental but my personal choice is the Shimano Ultegra

3. I use a dry fly line weight five double taper.
4. (Optional) Roman moser fast sinking leader 5 foot. Manufactured from a 10 foot (two for the price of one! (Gary lyttles 'tip' Trout fisherman 2001)
5. Cast constructed from 10 foot of 4lbs - 6lbs uncle Jacks fluorocarbon with two 3 inch droppers.
6. My Favourite selection of home made Czech nymphs, Peeping Caddis, Hares Ear of various colours and sizes. Please See Czech Nymphs Picture Guid to tying comming soon!
7. Chest waders. A must for River fishing.
8. Polarized Sun Glasses. Lets you see into the water reduces glair also protects your eyes from fast flying hooks!

9. Using a split link swivel between the dry fly line and the lead rig makes it easy to swap from dry fly to czech nymphing rig.

First you need to locate the fish, during the summer Grayling will spread out taking advantage of the various hatches. During the colder winter months Grayling tend to lie in the deeper pools often in shoals. Although cormorant plagues do have an impact on shoals!

Tip of the year tell everyone you know how wounderful roast cormorents taste!!!

Gravel bars and gravel beds are ideal locations for the Czech nymphing technique. The water that will often appear broken with a slight dead crease, is often a promising starting point. V's in the river are also a good prospect.

To start Czech nymphing stand at the edge of the river facing directly across. Cast the rig directly upstream of you. Only 5-8 feet of dry fly line needs to protrude from the end of the rod. Yes you are virtually fishing under your own feet! Stealth is advised.
Cast your Rig up river and allow the team of Czech nympshs to sink, at the same time keep the junction of your lead-leader and Dry fly line directly on the waters surface. As the team of nymphs passes in front of you adjust your rod upwards then as the team descends downstream lower your rod to allow the team maximum time bumping along on the riverbed " you need to feel the tap tap tap of the nymphs bumping the bottom". This action keeps you in contact with the team of nymphs. If you cant feel the bottom you haven't enough weight on. If your team has too much weight the rig will not move or will frequently get stuck. Play around with your middle dropper until you have got the required weight. Consider a barbles hook for the heavy middle nymph this will reduce the amount of fatal terminal tackle snags (loss of all your flies). Most nymphs I use are 10s-14s although in really heavy water I will use a 6 - 10s but this is less frequent now with the availability of Tungsten Sheet and beads which enable you to used heavy weighted smaller nymphs. A Good tip is to use Hook snaps, which allow easy clip on change of fly's or Czech nymphs. It also saves fluorocarbon tippets and droppers, as you are not shortening them each time you change a fly.
Each time adjust your cast, fan slightly outwards giving you maximum coverage of the riverbed. Then move systematically covering the surrounding area. Don't just wade into where you feel the fish are lying fish your way too that spot. You may surprise yourself with the unlikely places fish can hold.
The take can come at any time during the team's bumpy ride along the bottom. This is why I must stress the importance of keeping in touch with your team on nymphs. Allow slack line in your rig and you will not feel the take! If the line moves or you feel the take a slight pull or take indicated by a sudden stop in the tap tap tap as the bugs grind along the bottom, Just lift your rod this is often all that is need to insure the fish is hooked. Takes often come at the end on the run as the team start to rise from the bottom to the surface. As you feel this action known as on the dangle a light stike as this happens often produces a bonus fish.
Play the fish away from the spot where you hooked it. You don't want to spook the shoal. Play the fish and land it with a net. When the fish has been safely unhooked, release it holding it in the flow until its ready to go. It may take a minute or two but you are protecting future stocks. If you take one for the pot despatch it quickly before unhooking it.

Philip Anthony Price 2001-12-20 update 6 Feb 2005

A lighter method is Grayling Bugging Please see Introduction to Grayling Bugging by Steve Cullen.

If you want to learn how to tie some of these heavy bugs nymphs read James Matthews fly tying page

home page www.graylinghunter.co.uk

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