Turn over a rock on the average freestone river and you will find that a great deal of the fish food available is on the small side. This being the case we need to imitate as closely as possible the size of the bugs to stand a chance of connecting with a Trout or Grayling. But small flies don't lend themselves to depth and if the fish are down on the river bed picking nymphs from the rocks then this is where we need to present our artificial.
Freestone rivers tend to have a swift current that will pull a leader up in the water and also the fly. To combat this the obvious place to start is with the fly itself, there are many ways to add weight which will in turn help the pattern to descend quickly. A popular method of introducing weight is of course the gold head which imparts attractive sparkle that on its day is a real fish catcher. However beware that many anglers fish patterns incorporating a gold bead and soon enough the fish become wary of them. All is not lost because there are a variety of beads on the market including dull colours including Black. Even better to gain real depth it is now possible to purchase flies or create them for yourself using tungsten beads which will add a great deal of weight even in the very small sizes. In fact many of my own flies now include both a tungsten bead and several wraps of lead as an under body which results in a fly that will sink like a stone. When fishing deep there is a great deal of pressure placed on the hook when an angler strikes so use heavy wire hooks when tying flies to introduce further weight.
Heading to the river with a variety of patterns in several colours and densities we need to consider our leader construction. It is possible to fish one heavy fly on a standard leader but this is tricky if the pattern we believe is going to do the damage is perhaps as small as size sixteen, eighteen or even twenty. The simplest way around this problem is to add droppers within a total leader length of around 7' to 9'. Construct droppers at the end of the leader spaced around six inches apart; my preference is to include two allowing for three flies in total counting the point fly. Top droppers should house a seriously heavy bug which in fact is often sacrificial made up of perhaps a tungsten bead or two and a decent few wraps of lead covered in tying thread. Varnish the whole lot and you now have a fly that will descend very fast indeed. Our sacrificial pattern can be tied using a large size twelve or even a ten hook that of course may well pick up a fish or two but in reality is purely included to help pull the small fly down. The second dropper may include a similar fly if the water being fished is particularly fast or tie on a different colour to offer the fish a choice. Finally the point position is reserved for our miniature pattern that is expected to outwit our quarry. Typical choices include Copper Johns, Hares Ears and Pheasant Tails although I also use mini Czech Nymphs as well as Spiders on occasion.
Presenting this rig to the fish requires concentration and carefully chosen tackle; my preference is the 10' #5 Streamflex by Greys. The fly line does very little because casting a set up such as this is courting disaster, instead exercise an improvised lob. The best location to try the technique is through fast flowing runs, small pots and those mysterious pools that are often home to some decent specimens. Position is important and should allow for the flies to be pitched upstream so that they reach the taking area when at their deepest. The long rod really assists this process, lift it high allowing the leader to hang vertically below. Some anglers add a bright indicator to aid the observation of takes but I prefer to watch the leader carefully for signs of a fish. These may register as a stabbing pull, a sudden unusual hesitation of the leader or if you are lucky an obvious draw. My advice is; if in doubt, STRIKE! While guiding I often find that clients miss fish because they either don't see the take altogether or more commonly assume that a rock or weed bed was to blame! So once again, if in doubt, STRIKE! Actually it is quite wise when conditions allow for long drift to make several strikes all through the run or pool. The law of averages say that at some point an unseen fish will grab the fly just as the strike is made or when the fly suddenly lifts, otherwise known as an induced take.
This style of deep presentation with small flies is particularly beneficial when angling for difficult fish towards the end of the season. As the year progresses the inhabitants see an awful lot of patterns which may well have been their downfall in the past, but now a little wiser there is a chance a small pattern that mimics their natural diet closely will not arouse so much suspicion. This is not a tactic to try if you are out for a lazy day and many feel it pushes the boundaries of true fly fishing. For those who are open to whatever tactics will work on the day this variation of the Czech nymph style can be deadly. However remember that the control of small flies at depth takes a great deal of practice to develop the skills required to enjoy regular success.
Finally as with any subsurface tactic always create a mental picture in your mind of what is going on underwater, if conditions allow Polaroid sunglasses will reveal a great deal including the fish. Clear water conditions are seriously exciting as it is often possible to see a take that comes in the form of a quiver, a flick of the tail or an obvious head movement. A swift strike meets with solid resistance and an extremely surprised fish! There is also great enjoyment to be had from digging unseen fish out of fast moving deep water, try the technique for yourself and once proficient you may well be surprised by the results.
