Those frequenting Dales rivers wax lyrical about the appearance of Grannom (a daytime hatching caddis). According to reliable sources the trout can go positively daft, making surface tactics worthwhile. West of the Pennines however, my findings are different. Come those blizzard hatches, it’s been an uphill struggle. In fact, more than once this week, finning trout have ceased rising, only to drop down in the water and hoover up Grannom pupae. This became obvious one afternoon where from a high vantage point, fish could be seen through polariods swinging this way and that to intercept ascending pupae. A dry fly enthusiast at heart, maybe it’s time I turn to the dark side…a nymph…
At one point, discarded pupal shucks carpeted the river from bank to bank
Adult Grannom doing what they do best…mating. Over recent years Grannom have increased on many rivers
A haze of Grannom, how the hell do you compete with their numbers…?
