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Fishing For Grayling... Josh Fisher
Chasing The Lady Of The Stream... Josh Fisher
Grayling may be a species that are often associated with tweed clad toffs prancing around on over priced stretches chucking tiny Czech Nypmhs around; however this doesn't have to be the case, as providing you can find a stretch that allows for bait fishing these magnificent fish can be caught on a whole array of methods.
I recently received a phone call from a good friend of mine informing that the river in question was in perfect condition and invited me to accompany him to a stretch that could produce fish in excess of 3lb, such a proposition could only be turned down by a fool! As I had never caught them before I jumped at the chance.
With the car loaded up at 4am we began the long 5 hour drive across the country which passed surprisingly quickly whilst chatting of recent captures and trips for other specimen fish.
At first glance the river appeared to be no more than a lifeless stream, the majority of which was simply a matter of inches deep with a series of deeper glides at regular intervals. It was in these steady, deeper areas that we’d start, as they were obvious holding points for small groups of grayling, which would hopefully be waiting to intercept any passing morcels that happen to drift past.
Tactics were kept very simple, I opted for a 13ft Hardy marksman float rod, Okuma Martin Bowler Centerpin Reel, 3lb line, a size 20 guru hook under a 3 AAA chubber weighted by a small olivette and a single tiny dropper shot.
We waded out quietly upstream of the likely areas, trickling in maggots or corn followed by the hook bait. Several fishless hours past before I finally had my first bite, whilst holding the float back, to cause the maggots to rise up off of the bottom and flutter around. A short but erratic fight resulted in a modest fish of perhaps just over a pound however it was my first encounter so I was chuffed. Another couple of hours passed before I came to a deep corner which shallowed up at the back end, such a likely spot surely held grayling?
Apon the first trot down the float had barely settled before shooting under followed by a violent run which caused me at first to think I had hooked into one of the migrating salmon that occasionally swam passed our legs, however as the fish turned and ran upstream in a bid to get amongst some over hanging trees I saw its huge dorsal and knew I was playing a good grayling.
Once in the net she was rested and then weighed.... 2lb 6oz, it may not have been the elusive 3lber however I was ecstatic to catch such a gorgeous fish on my first attempt. Light levels were low after releasing her so it was time to head back to the car for a sleep, however on the way back I couldn’t resist dropping into one last swim! Armed with a small maggot feeder, first cast produced a young sea trout which turned out to be the last fish of the trip for me, as the following morning I had a hook pull on my final chance.
Unfortunately I haven't made it back there as yet, as once again I have become preoccupied chasing big roach and perch however I’m sure that there’s at least one weekend before the end of the season that can be spared for such an occasion and maybe that 3lb fish that we all dream of.
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