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 either too hot or too cold and things never really seemed to get going , Rising fish seem to have been notably absent and judging by other anglers I speak to that seems to have been a pretty common experience. The chalk stream has been a constant fascination though. As much for the bird and animal life as for the fishing and it must be said the fishing has been hard for most of the season. Guys who have fished there for many years have struggled which makes me feel better. I had a few days where all was right in the world , fish were rising and everything slotted in to place . I had a fine couple of days there with a guest who like me enjoys bamboo rods . The favourite rivers have delivered a few cracking days in what generally has been a below par season .
Early season getting access to the new upland stream was brilliant as an early season option it is superb. . Cheap too so as a Yorkshireman that`s a big plus. here`s a couple of reminders of the place.
Otherwise this year I am starting to think more and more about the R word , retirement that is. I am Part time now and in the next year total days not working will outnumber those working . readers may be thinking that retirement will mean that I just fish all the time . Well in some ways I feel it could be the opposite. All my life fishing has been partly an escape to de stress from work and I believe when I do pack work in other things will also move in to fill the time . Although I think fishing is in my very bones ,
I recently received the rod I promised myself as a retirement gift . The Luke Bannister fly rod it was a tad late for the trout season but anxious to put a line on it I had it out with me on a favourite stream after grayling with hope that I may get a grayling on it without resorting to the heavy stuff . I also took another favourite carbon rod with me as the new rod is not really intended for slinging bead head nymphs about . So I took along a favourite winter rod for small streams a Scott original G series in a 8ft 3 wt and was catching steadily in the deeper runs . It is a perfect having a bit extra reach . Anyway the first few fish came to bead head nymphs in the deeper runs . But I couldn`t catch a grayling on the new rod with the lighter nymphs , the rod solved the problem for me as I approached a small pool I was casting and lengthening line and had a take in the thinner water. It was this lovely OOS trout the rod was saying , look I don`t want a grayling I am for casting s dry fly on a summers evening take me home until the spring.. So that is what I am doing...Apologies for the OOS pic. but the event needed recording. The barbless hook fell out and the fish wasn`t handled
The other thing that has lost its shine for me , not that I was the greatest fan and to some extent why I have the blog is the dreaded Facebook . I caught myself some months ago taking a picture of a fish I caught and thinking how best to put it on Facebook and even wondering if I had taken a picture of the same bit of river before and at that point I thought what the bloody hell am I doing . The reality is that moment made me question my motives for taking the camera . This last few months I have had many good days fishing and come the day when I catch a new PB or something really noteworthy I may well bubble over with joy and stick it on FB . But at the heart of it is the very reason I fish . It is to relax, enjoy nature and hopefully catch a few. Also for me fly fishing is an intensely personal pleasure , although I have to say that taking someone as a guest and sharing favourite places with them is a special distraction and I guess gave me some of the most enjoyable days of the season. But sharing on line is a risky business . I know that a blog is in itself social media and I am aware that others may say I am more than a little hypocritical. But FB is a very two edged thing . great for the odd political joke and keeping in touch with folks . But Its a pervasive thing that is just a series of soundbites and snapshots without any real thought and message . The blog is hopefully about how I feel and spread the joy of fly fishing and the places I fish but it will be less from me in terms of the grip and grin type stuff ,
As for retirement , apart from the downside and the obvious that it means I am getting older . It also means that I have more time to enjoy the wonderful fishing in the rivers I am fortunate to have access too. But as said above it doesn`t mean that I will fish more . I also have an allotment garden which I enjoy and the old coronet major in the garage will get more use . For those that don`t know that is a woodworking machine and not some sort of military band leader . Truth is like the rivers I fish I am changing . I saw a video recently of the actor Michael Hordern talking about that great writer Arthur Ransome he used the phrase "Gardeners and Fishermen make fine old men" I rather liked that and it seems like a reasonable ambition to move forwards with into retirement. I will keep you informed on how I progress.
One of the few times this year I have had an Audience...
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