Thursday, 26 December 2013

Of Grayling and Cherry blossom

Boxng day, I was given a unexpected chance to go to the river I arrived a little after twelve,  probably around an hour or more too late to make the most of the day  but getting your daughter organised for a weeks skiing trip and sorting out the other tasks allocated to me stole precious hours. The small stream was in fine form , fining down after a rise over the last few days but now running clear and slightly up on the last few weeks low levels. The river surface was dead though, no rising fish the pretence of summer seemingly gone.  Temperatures hovering around the 3 degree mark.  I fished a single nymph fished on a 8ft 3lb leader on a 3wt rod.  Searching the glides and runs for feeding fish.




This was the first fish and proved to be the best of the day a few more tiny grayling and several small brownies came in the next two hours but there was nothing of note only small grayling pristine  in their steel grey chain mail coats .  Along with the grayling were a good few out of season brown trout still obviousley feeding . I guess the lack of seriously cold weather has allowed them to stay so active.




As I walked back to the car a flash of colour caught my eye. The autumn mild weather has fooled a cherry tree to share its blossom.  Another sign of what this strange weather has done .  In the last week I have seen the buds on willow and horse chestnut swelling and bursting and catkins appearing.When real winter weather appears these will receive a real shock.




Sunday, 15 December 2013

Autumn highlights...



Well with only a few days to go before the winter solstice and the official start of Winter it seems a good time to look back on the Autumn. From my fishing perspective  Autumn takes in October and November and December seems like a winter month to me.  Whereas I think of March as the start of spring fishing and yet the calender says the 21st of March is the first day of Spring.  Anyway that's just me I digress
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As usual in Autumn the fishing trips have been few and far between.  Work commitments haven't helped and neither has the weather .   Anyway odd hours at the tying bench and the occasional grayling trip have been beneficial.   I have even had chance to explore a tiny bit of the Yorkshire Derwent.  My new working arrangements have convinced me that rejoining was a smart move as the river is within 15 minutes of my door and will give lots of opportunities for short and long trips.



Had one trip to the Derwent and winkled out a few small grayling but perhaps the highlight of the day and award of best cute dog goes to the little cocker who was wrapped in towels and buried under a pile of clothing in the car boot.  She belongs to a fellow member and friend who was enjoying drowning worms in pursuit of the grayling.  Sorry about the shocking picture but hadnt realised the lens had a orrible great smudge on it..


Anyway Saturday I had an invite form a friend to fish one of the wolds chalk streams where he assured me grayling heaven awaited me.   It was a good day with a few fish, good crack and even the wolds " breeze" managed to hold of till the afternoon.  None of the real monsters decided to play but I had one lovely fish a couple  of ounces below that magical two pound mark and thoroughly enjoyed myself.  Couldnt believe how low the river was though....














So lets talk about the past year and the future...

  It really has been a strange sort of a year . A spring so wet it was biblical .  Followed by a summer that never really matured it was eit...