Following an eventful day on the Eden I dashed east to meet up with good mate Richard Tong for a spot of action at Ilkley. Things might have got off to a slow start the following morning, yet come lunchtime a few olives emerged and stacks of female needle flies took to the air. Yes, the first half dozen grayling might have come blind to a mix of spiders and nymphs, but by early afternoon we were pitching at risers. A team of North Country flies (black magic, waterhen bloa and orange partridge) trundled down to dimpling fish worked a treat. As for the new 10ft 3-weight Helios2, pure poetry when loaded with Barrio GT90 WF3 line.
Admittedly this feisty fish might have fallen to a nymph, but it’s always nice to get one or two under your belt before the main event…
~Clean, bright and sleek this Wharfe grayling is as fit as a fiddle~
