weekly trotting fix

I was looking forward to another day on the river trotting for the Grayling, arrived at at the back of eight where i found the river maybe slightly lower than last weekend and although it wasn't frosty it certainly was feeling a lot colder.

It was really slow to get going, a couple of out of season trout was all i had to show for my efforts for the first hour or two, by this time my feet were feeling like ice blocks so time for a much needed coffee and a walk along the bank to warm up a bit before trying again. In for round two and pleasingly this time the float went under where i usually expect the Grayling to be lying, not a monster but i was pleased to get of the mark.

I was hoping this would be the start of the swim coming to life but apart from dropping another fish it just wasn't happening, i decided on a move to some streamier water upstream and this proved to be a good idea, after a few trots down i was into a nice Grayling which turned out to be the biggest of the day at 2lb 4oz

a few more followed throughout the day

  nothing massive but all welcome

ended the day with ten hard won Grayling, really enjoyed it apart from feeling a bit cold, extra pair of socks on next time i think.

Graylings in the Mist

It was a Misty start on Sunday when me and Bri had a go for the grayling . We went to the spot he had done so well at last weekend , i was really looking forward to a bit trotting , but first with bellies rumbling we stopped off for a bit breakfast. After a sausage and egg roll and a latte , we were ready to go.

It didn't take long for the mist to lift and with it Brian  hooked the first of the day a fine fish that went a couple of pound .

I then lost a grayling  before hooking into something that just held out in the current , actually thought i might have snagged, up on a old sack or something , till it started to swim upstream then jump about, and eventually a nice big  grayling came to the net  .

a few wee fellaes followed , then it went quiet.

Though Brian managed to find a few nice fishlittle upstream in the afternoon. I gave the fly rod a go but , no luck on that front , must get on the vice and tie up some more bugs.

The mist returned as it began and the cold started to set in and darkness slowly began creep in so we called it a day.

Great fun , looking forward to next time!

November Grayling

Out today for my first trip of the Grayling season,  with all the rain of late I knew I would have to travel to the upper reaches of the river to find some clear water.After an hour or so drive I parked up at my spot and got my first proper look at the river, aye it was carrying a bit of extra water right enough but running clear, I had packed the fly rod as well as my trotting gear but in truth i fancied a bit of relaxed trotting so decided to leave the fly rod in the car.
George from the http://traditionalfloats.blogspot.co.uk/ made me some lovely floats last winter with this river in mind,  I've been so looking forward to fishing with them and today I would finally get the chance to put them to good use, one of them anyway!

 I headed down to a pool that gave me a few nice grayling last year and after two or three trots down and I was into a fish, not what I was looking for though, a little trout which was followed by one or two more of his pals before I found myself connected to the first Grayling of the day.

only a little one but i was pleased to land my first of the winter

the next Grayling was a different creature all together, what i call a line whistler, nervous moments as i drew him ever closer to the net, he went 2lb 4oz in the mclean.

if that was to be my last grayling of the day i would have went home delighted, but i seemed to have found a shoal of good fish, to cut a long story short i ended up with eight Grayling for the day with five of them between 2lb 4oz and 2lb 8oz, happy days!

some pictures in no particular order, a memory card full of grayling pictures gets a bit confusing as they all look the same!  

in truth i probably could have stuck it out a little while longer but with some prolonged heavy showers late afternoon i decided to call it a day around four, a great day and a big thank you to George for making me those lovely floats.