Gold Head Hairs Ear: Absolute Classic! can be fished anywhere anytime. A good place is over boulders in the pockets of deep water. You have to strip the line fast to keep up but bites are fast.
This type of fishing is often referred as "pocket fishing", a bolder stretch can hold dozens of holes/ crannies behind rocks. From a 100m bolder stretch I would say their could be at least 20 fish, I say this as these areas are almost unfishable by any other method than by fly.
Gold Head Peacock Nymph: This takes a couple seconds to tie, and I think represents the caddis larva.
I think this pattern is probably one of the best kept secrets of fly fishing. In the winter I replace the gold head with split shot and perhaps tie in some partridge as feelers, for an excellent Grayling version. If I was only allowed one fly. This would be it, this pattern I believe has a 90% strike rate.
Transparent Lava: I first tie some yellow floss onto a 12 or 14 nymph hook and wind on some clear plastic tubing. With the floss peaking through. This all round grub looks like a de-shelled caddis or a maggot, "yummy". This works nice on slow water.
Caddis Bugs: This is new Fly I have been introduced to throughout the winter Grayling Season.
The main feature is a size 14-16 Nymph hook and at the eye end, a small split is pinched on some line which is super glued to the hook. From here you can dub on any hair material, add a bright wool tail and perhaps some hackle filaments for the tail.
As the split shot makes the fly sit up hook bend first it makes an excellent winter Grayling Fly. And while I'm on the subject of split shot. When the rivers high or you are in a deep hole, shot about 4" above the fly. Not only gets the fly down, but also makes the fly swim in fast almost white water.
