3 Grafham Water Browns for 19.5lb - How Did I do that?

Grafham Water has recently hit peak form, though on my last two visits within 7 days it certainly seems to have put it brakes on, however what has become noticeable is, I have seen some big browns moving, but not latched onto one, until now !!

It was a pretty blustery day with a fresh SSW wind, gusting up to 35mph, so seeking shelter was a priority. Luckily one of the  current hot spots, the sailing club to Sludge Point, was pretty sheltered, for the first 4oyds at least, before you caught the wind.

As we motored to the area, a boat had noticeably hung back in the water, and as we approached shouted across to me where where did I recommend they fished, so I pointed all along the approaching shore. Always happy to help, though when they threw the anchor in just 20 yards off the bank, and my plan was to drift, I maybe should have pointed further down the shore, especially as there colleagues joined them 5 minutes later and  parked 30 yards to there right! 

Anyway, each to there own, so consequently this altered my plans a little, so started my first drift nearer to the Seat Point, and I was glad to do so, as just minutes in, fishing with a Flash Attack barbless Perch Popper fry, a nice brown of 5lb 7 emerged right beneath my fly, only to sip it in like it was a size 16 dry fly, right under my nose ! Lovely start.

I fished a single perch popper on a 10' leader, & only casting 10' of fly line too, thus to allow me to keep in immediate contact with my line and fly, should a fish take the fly. An immediate strike is imperative on poppers as it can be spat out in a heart beat, and a long line loses that critical second you need to set the hook !

Another 45 minutes in and I was into yet another Grafham Cracker, this time a little bigger !

This again took the perch popper fry, slow as you like off the surface, fished across the wind at just 10yds distance from the boat.

As we meandered our way around the now, anchored 3 boats, we picked up several rainbows on floating and fast glass lines, on the trusted barbless Olive snake. All great quality fish too !

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As the day came to an end, and spending some time away from the seat area, with some time in Gaynes Cove, we returned for the last 45 minutes to the 'Seat' for the last throw of the dice so to speak.

I was now fishing with a fast glass line and single Flash Attack barbless Gold Humungous. Just as my fly had landed in front of me, some 30yds away, a sizeable brown trout leapt clean out of the water, what looked a further 3oyds beyond where my fly had just landed. Having pulled the fly back 'very fast' I joked with my partner as I launched the fly a second time 30yds away in front of me, that that big fish will be somewhere in the vacinity now, if it has swam up wind. Well, 3 'yanks' in and the line went solid, and what looked a long way away, the fish wallowed on the surface - it looked hefty, and it was, as it weighed in at 7lb13oz. What a  fight, and what a stunning looking fish too. I would like to add all 3 browns taken on barbless hooks, were quickly released and swam off fast to give someone else the same excitement another day !

Brown trout, in my experience at the back end of the season, seem more catchable in two very noticeable ways. 1) A popper/floating fry fished static, or a Humungous, or any other big fry lure fished very fast, and I mean fast! Rainbows like the snake with a figure of 8, and nymphs, as well as the popper fry, but more noticeably moved across the surface, the browns prefer it more often than not static on the surface, or pulled at speed - worth a go !

The Flash Attack Perch Popper Fry that took 2 of these cracking brown trout, available at www.flashattackflies.com

https://flashattackflies.com/products/perch-popper-fry-code-k136s10?_pos=1&_sid=c2d058e7b&_ss=r

If you would like a guided day on Rutland Or Grafham Water, then please email craig@flashattackflies.com for details and availability.

Hope you enjoyed the read, and tight line to you all on your next outing.

Craig