Just had an incredibly frustrating (though fascinating) day at Grafham.

Large numbers of what appeared to be very large overwintered fish seemed to be herding pin-fry in the shallows, almost like you see sharks doing in nature documentaries.

Despite casting virtually every fly and lure I had at them, they simply weren't interested.

This seems to be a common problem with pin fry feeders. Does anyone have any magic solutions??

I'd have thought some of the silvery wets (Butcher, Peter Ross or Silver Invicta) would have worked, but no joy.

Any insight much appreciated.

I was reading this the other day, it might help?

Trout, Fry, & Stillwater - techniques for fry-feeders

Just a suggestion but are you sure these fish were actually feeding on the pin fry? I can remember reading an article in one of the magazines that described similar behaviour but the trout were actually eating something else (corixa I think) and the fry just happened to be in the way so to speak but obviously scattered when the trout were around.

Obviously this may not be the case in this situation but if the usual pin fry imitations had failed, a hares ear, ptn, damsel or the like may have done the trick. Just something to consider should you come across this scenario again.

Mat

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I have on occasions been sood waste deep in Rutland and had trout chasing pin in front behind all aound me, I tries small lures, ptn with the silver belly and butchers etc and got nothing.

I put a small diawl bach on with white biot's and a red flouro head an had started getting regular and very hard takes, dont know why but it worked.

Perhaps because it was something that stood out in the crowd. Something different. That would be my way of doing things if the fry imitations were not working.

What ive done in the past is either cast out a small flashy type lure and pull it in real quick or failing that a small white zonker with a foam head mylar tubing body cast out and left to drift about ( resembles a floating dead fish )

Neil

Thanks very much folks.

I had tried all of the above (and variations), to no avail.

I think stripping a huge double through the mess and hoping for a foul hook might be the best option...

I can remember a party of us on a weeks trip to Rutland during the early 90s when the fish were on the jelly fry and according to the wardens, very difficult to tempt.Packs of rainbows could be seen surging into and pushing the shoals of tiny fry ahead of them up at the sticks in the nature reserve and Lax Hill.We found they would take a big dry fig 8 ed away from them just at the point where they were about to meet the fly.Size 10 fiery brown or flame red hoppers worked for us that year.Ive never had the opportunity to try it again in quite the same circumstances though so it may have been a bit of a one off......worth a try though....

Dynamite is another option

Neil

It is worth trying a static presentation.Pulling an imitation through the masses just lookes like all the rest of the fleeing fry. Chuck a slow sinking imitation into the swirl and leave it. Trout come back around and mop up the cripples and stragglers.

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