1st Trip Out

Thankfully I was able to get back out onto the river again today, albeit under escort of my longtime fishing friend Martin.
We normally get together a few times a year where he will come up Dale or I will go urban around his home but this time we had arranged to fish neutral ground and somewhere we have been meaning to fish together for over 10 years, so this week it was down Dale for me & Up Dale for Martin.

We had arranged to meet at the permit outlet at 0800hrs get our tickets and get out early on the river, and after squaring all the necessary tickets away we were soon walking down the bank away from where we left the cars looking both for our first grayling of 2018.

The river was low & crystal clear so finding some depth where fish might be lying was tricky at first but not before long Martin was onto his first Grayling of 2018.











It took me slightly longer, 5 minutes longer before I could lay claim to my first Grayling of 2018.

Not the larger fish we were expecting but we were both on the score sheet for 2018.

We fished on down the river without much fish success at first but plenty caddis larvae between us, with nearly every cast producing one somewhere along our team of nymphs.

Speaking to a couple of bait anglers on route they had no success at all so it was a tough day so far allround.

As Martin fished the bottom of the pool & I was at the head we simultaneously hooked up together, both landing another small Grayling each and thats how it went on for the next 10 minutes or so before the pool went dead again. I had another 3 small Grayling as did Martin.

Time for a brew as the wind was picking up, not too badly but it was bitter cold.

Now what rod & reel is your one again?

We fished on downstream without touching another fish and the presence of a couple of Canadian Kayak's making their way downstream didn't help any.

I had the sheer pleasure of watching a couple of Red Kite's hunt for food along the river high above us, with one swooping down to the other side before taking off again and heading away from us.

It was good to be back out on the river and the lack of fish did not dampen our spirits as we always have a laugh when we get together.

Smile, I'll make you famous....

For all the wrong reason!! not another tippet change... :)

Hooking into another fish and managing to loose it we decided to head back upstream

And only another small grayling for Martin before we both called it a day, I had pierced my wader on barbed wire, it will fix easily, more than I can say about Martin's as he peeled off his waders to reveal wet trousers & socks, might as well just not bothered with the waders.....a lovely piece of river with not many fish showing up for us but any day on the river is better than what I had last weekend so will not complain at all. 

Excellent company, a few small fish each and a many laughs along the way!