Hi All,

Spent a very windy day at Grafham yesterday.

I fished it with a slow sinking intermediate line, red holo diawl bach on the dropper and an orange blob on the point.

I had a drouge out and simply back drifted. However I saw a number boats fishing with a drouge but casting with the wind behind their back and retrieving their flies at varying rates. What's the best option?

I tried casting and found getting a good distance rather easy due to the strong wind. However, I found that my boat was over my line within seconds. I checked the drouge to make sure that it was deployed properly and it was. I'm at a loss to understand what I was doing wrong. Any ideas?

Cheers

Fazzer

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If you're too busy to fish then you're too busy.

The boat was drifting to fast for your chosen line.in a case like that a DI 3-5 or even 7 is needed to fish over the front ang get control of your line,even a DI 7 fished with a big wind will only be fishing about 1-2' down.because of the speed of the retrieve.
And remember if the boat is drifting at 5mph you will have to retieve at least at 6mph to have good contact with your flies.

Backdrifting or trawling is an option to a casual angler, but is not allowed in competitions.It will also fish your flies very high in the water.

The waves were 2-3' high off the Seat, what made you pick a slow inter.It was not even going to get below the wave troughs. On Sat ,I fished a DI 3 but then changed to a DI 5 and started catching.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

Ahh...

Excellent thanks for the advice.

Fazzer

__________________
If you're too busy to fish then you're too busy.

Hi fazzer, be careful when trawling, it is banned on all the waters I know in Scotland. I am surprised at you James, will have a word with you Mr Chairman at our next Meeting!!!!
Billy.
Ps. Don't know about England Jim.
B.B.

Thanks Billy. Now that Jim has enlightened me with regard to the correct line for the weather conditions I'm going to knock back drifting on the head, it is a tad lazy and it won't improve my casting.

Jim,

Sorry, didn't reply to your question.

I switched to an intermediate on the back of advice from the warden. I was on a floating line and had no joy, he recommended the switch to an intermediate.

I really am a novice at this game (2nd season). Having a young family restricts the time I get to go fishing. As a result my learning curve is not that steep.

What would you recommend by way of good reading for someone like me?

Cheers

Fazzer

__________________
If you're too busy to fish then you're too busy.

A wee bit dated but very readable and good info.''Trout from stillwater''Peter Lapsley.You should pick up a p/b copy on amazon for about £3

Jim

__________________
The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

Cheers Jim.

Copy just purchased for £2.75 inc postage.

Fazzer

__________________
If you're too busy to fish then you're too busy.

I don't know about reading fazzer, I reckon Stan Headley's Loch Fishers Bible is as good as any and better than most when it comes to a primer on drifting. Steve Parton's Reservoir Boat Fishing is another good title to look out for as it covers a few more angles relating to anchoring and ruddering, if that's your bag.

However, the one thing you should never leave at home is a vivid imagination. If you can visualise what your line and flies are doing in response to your retrieve and line density you're half way there. Don't forget to count down your sinker, it'll give you a reasonably indicator of the depth reach and then think how the speed of the retrieve slows the sink rate.

In the case of sinking lines fished over the front it's a fair rule of thumb to say that the higher the wind speed the faster the sinking line you'll need to get to a given depth and the shorter the time the flies will be there.

In a high-ish wind, say 15mph, you're best to dispense with a floater all together and fish an inter as a floater as it helps to dig the flies under the surface film and stops the wind getting under the line and lifting the flies off the water on the bob. In short, it helps you control your flies so they do what you want, when you want. In the same vein, use a slow/med sinker as an inter and so on.

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I admit it, I have sharpness issues.

Thanks Midlander.

Ok understand the fly line / wind relationship. Do you have to give any consideration to the length of your leader?

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If you're too busy to fish then you're too busy.

That would depend on what you're fishing. If you think about it, a booby on the point of an 18ft leader on a Di7 isn't going to dip under the surface in a gale. I'll leave you to fire up the old imagination.

__________________
I admit it, I have sharpness issues.