Tuesday 18 August 2020

Small Streams, Cane rods and pretty fish


How can i add much to these photos.   This was my Saturday . I had intended to fish elsewhere but a farmer working noisily , together with cattle in the stream put me of and I gravitated back to one of my favourites .  Despite the very low conditions and very spooky trout I managed a few 


Its been a while since I had taken the cane rod out for an outing .  Forgotten how nice it feels with a fish on the end. 



Pretty fish on a pretty stream , simple pleasures 


Its normally 6 inches deeper than this . On a small stream thats a lot...I spooked a lot more than I landed ... a hell of a lot more .


 First time out for the new reel .  It balances the cane very nicely ...perfectly you could say 



 Something very soothing about moving water....



Monday 3 August 2020

Yorkshire Day. The river Ure, Flyfishing and Yorkshire Trout and Grayling


Yesterday was "Yorkshire Day"  .  A day to celebrate our County and its heritage and Beauty .   By coincidence I had planned a day of fishing .  To the river Ure in Wenslydale.  A more Yorkshire fishing destination is hard to imagine .  I had invited a friend along for the day .  Part of the fun of membership of Fly fishing clubs or syndicates is that it gives you the opportunity of sharing days with friends .  Apart from good company  on the day the cries of lapwings , curlews and the occasional buzzard overhead added to the scenery.  As for fishing conditions , well low water , bright sun and a cold downstream wind made fishing challenging .


We both were hoping for dry fly fishing but on the day the conditions told us"Nymph" . But after a bit of fruitless Nymphing in the faster runs I switched to a duo .My fist decent fish was a Grayling which came up and hammered the Klinkhammer.  After that we both pretty much reverted to dries occasionally casting to the sparse visible rising fish but mainly casting to likely lies and holding places .  here is my Guest for the day happily exploring the Skinny water 


My first few fish were dwarfed by a pretty average Cuban Cigar this was the first decent fish to show .   On a dry fly despite both of trying nymphs extensively all fish came of the top  despite there been very little evidence of rising fish .  It was a case of putting a fly where you thought a fish should be .


Apart from a couple of little wildies the other trout that showed up was this one and one a good bit bigger .  Pretty sure that despite the colours this was a stocked fish .  Pulled well though and was welcome on a pretty slow tough day. 


I suppose the winner on the day was Wenslydale . Tremendous scenery a beautiful river and the sounds of Curlews , lapwings and Oyster catchers , even a kingfisher put in an appearance.  On the day we sort of ended honours even I had six trout and two Grayling ,  my guest did the opposite with six grayling and 2 trout. He has a well deserved reputation of been able to sniff out a grayling in a puddle. 


A very surprising result

 So my last post used a racing analogy .  My Friday a couple of weeks ago  was another day that would be backing the long odds .  Until Thur...