Q. I have a question regarding weed and the hook position on my hare's ear nymph: can I turn the fly round so as the head faces the gape of the hook so weed doesn't attach so easily? More...

Q. Do you really need to legs to fly fish? More...

Q. Does the term klinkhammer mean any dry fly with a white parachute 'top'? More...

Q. Can you direct me to a good book on repair and maintenance of carbon fibre rods? More...

Q. Could you please tell me how to attach a dropper to my fly line More...

I would love to try fly fishing for grayling but I don't know a thing about it. I live near Dunfermline in Fife and don't know which rivers hold grayling, what flies to use or how much it costs. Could you please enlighten me. Charlie Murray

I would recommend that you either buy, or borrow from the library, The 'Complete Book of The Grayling' edited by Ronald Broughton. This covers every aspect of fishing for grayling around the world. Where to find them, tackle and all the best flies. I have reviewed it for Fish & Fly here. Grayling fishing is growing in popularity because they are usually eager to take a fly and the fishing is cheap. In most of Europe, the grayling is considered far superior to the brown trout. If your local rivers are fast flowing, with rapids etc, you may want to try Czech nymphing. I have written a primer on it. Terry Lawton

I'm from Otago in New Zealand and I've just finished the Waipahi gold medal. This competition is one of the oldest competitions in the southern hemisphere for trout. The question I have is regarding weed and the hook position on my hare's ear nymph: can I turn the fly round so as the head faces the gape of the hook so weed doesn't attach so easily? Steve Mcguire

To answer your question, you need to know why you are hooking an unacceptable amount of weed. Are you fishing in rivers with a lot of weed? Or, are you using a nymph with too much weight, so that it is dragging along the bottom where the weed is? You may need to use flies with less weight, or fish them less deeply. If neither of the above appeals to you, I can see no reason why you should not tie the fly back to front. Another idea to try - and better I think - would be to add a weed guard. This is a length of mono running from underneath the eye of the fly, down to the point of the hook and taken up round the bend and tied-off by the tail of the fly. Terry Lawton

My name is John Williams and I am a 42 year old war pensioner living in Germany. I have just passed my fishing exams and now hold my fishing licence. The problem is I am above the knee amputated and I don't know what to fish for or even what to buy. More than anything I really want to learn how to fly fish but everyone I know tells me to leave it alone. There reasons are the money I would have to spend to get started and then wasting the money by placing it all in the cellar. Are they right, do you really need to legs to fly fish? I can stand all day and keep fit by doing wheelchair marathons. If you can help me with any contacts or advice I will be grateful. John Williams

If you can get about and stand happily, I cannot see why you should have any real difficulty in fly fishing. If you want to do it, then do it! People fish quite happily and successfully with only one arm. In Germany you will be able to fly fish for trout and grayling. Grayling are held in much higher respect throughout Europe than they are in England. So if a German takes you fishing, it is more likely to be for grayling. You can use the same tackle for both fish, although you will want different flies for grayling and trout. I would recommend that you get some casting lessons to start with. Help in finding a good instructor should be available from local fishing tackle shops or advertisements in FliegenFischen magazine. Tackle does not have to cost a great deal. For example Snowbee is selling discontinued, ex display and demonstration rods at the moment at quite considerable discounts. Also Sportfish has a winter sale currently. Have a look at Snowbee's website - you can find it through Fish & Fly. Also Greys rods are very good value for money. For example a Greys 9 foot GRX rod for a 5 or 6# line is only £79. My final though is that you post a message on the main Forum Messageboard asking for help from a fly fisherman near where you live. I know that there are some regular contributors from Germany but I don't know where they are. I DO hope you get started in fly fishing and I look forward to hearing from you when you have caught your first fish! Terry Lawton

The term klinkhammer seems to cover a wide range of flies. Does it just mean any dry fly with a white parachute 'top'? David Clark

A Klinhåmer (Special) is a specific pattern of fly designed by a Dutchman, Hans van Klinken, around 15 years ago. van Klinken's pattern was called a Klinhåmer by Hans de Groot. It is a parachute-type fly as it has a horizontal hackle but not all parachute flies are Klinhåmer Specials. This fly is designed to float IN the surface film. The 'white parachute top' to which you refer is, in fact the wing post on a parachute fly. A parachute fly has a hackle that is wound horizontally around the vertical wing post. The wing post is usually white, or some other highly visible colour, so that the fly can be seen easily and from a distance. Terry Lawton

Can you direct me to a good book on repair and maintenance of carbon fibre rods? Paul Roberts

'Graphite Rod Repair' by LA Garcia, is available from Country Books Direct. Tel: 01584-877456, www.countrybooksdirect.com It is an American book and as I have not read it, I can't comment on whether or not it is any good. Terry Lawton

Could you please tell me how to attach a dropper to my fly line, as no matter what knot I use, it slips up and down the leader. Your help would be fantastic.

The wording of your question tells me exactly where you are going wrong. A dropper is an integral part of your leader - not an additional length of nylon. Take a look at www.fishandfly.co.uk/ffedit0501.html and you will see how to make up a leader with one or more droppers. The important point is that each dropper is the long end of the piece of nylon nearest the fly line. Terry Lawton