I switched on the news to find that the weather man was predicting long periods of intense rain moving from the west with winds increasing as the day went on, so that put paid to the plans I had in my head as I was planning on hitting a little feeder stream high up the Dale, but if the rain came down as predicted it would colour over and rise very fast so a change of plans and a few hours closer to home on the river.
After the wet drive up I exited the car to light drizzle but a strengthening wind blowing, I had hoped the wind would stay away for a few hours but I knew the place I was heading would give me some shelter and maybe even see a fish or two rising under the shelter of the overhanging trees.
The river was slightly up but not by much and was carrying a bit of colour, but this would aid me in the close work I had planned.
I opted for an upstream spider approach with a nymph on point and straight from the off it was working but unfortunately not for the trout I had expected, Grayling were taking the flies literally almost as soon as they hit the water.
After 8 of these little out of season beauties I decided if I was to get any trout I would have to change tactics, so with a few adjustments I set off upstream hopefully leaving the Grayling behind.
Fishing the faster turbulent water was hard going but after about 20 minutes the line stopped dead and the first trout of the day was on, nothing big but it gave an excellent account of itself with its aerial acrobatics.
The rain had eased slightly and being tucked on the back end of a wooded island helped break the wind and I seen a few flies hatching, nothing of any numbers but I was hoping they might increase, the ones that were hatching were being swiftly snatched away by the sand martins and swifts on the wing.
About a half hour later the line went taught again and the 2nd trout of the day made an appearance.
another wild and golden bellied trout.
I could smell the rapeseed sweet aroma drifting across from the fields opposite in the wind, a nice change from the smell of dampness.
Deciding it was time to stop & have a break I found a small clearing in the middle of the island with a dead tree trunk, the ideal position to grab something to eat whilst contemplating the last couple of hours.
As I was putting the rod down I noticed all the fungi growing on the edge of the trunk.
Fed & watered I made my way to the final set of runs on the back end of the island, always a place that has been kind to me and this time was no exception, the first trout I hooked made its way directly into the tree roots and gained freedom, leaving me to say a few choice words! It took about 10 minutes until the next trout took the point fly and this time there was no escape to the tree roots.
The best fish so far of the day, a lovely wild trout in stunning condition & colours.
As always released to fight another day
I crossed back over to start heading back towards the car when I popped my head through the hedge to see the pheasants calling out to each other in the rapeseed fields.
The storm clouds brewing up again in the distance
Walking back down the couple of long straights heading back towards the car without seeing any movement apart from the geese with their new clutch of young ones, 7 in total, new life on the river & the first young ones I've seen this year.
All being it was a change of plan due to the weather it turned out to be a nice couple of hours, but such a change from 24 hours previous when the Grannom hatches were in abundance, today there was literally nothing.
Great read as usual, was this on the Tees or the Ure
ReplyDeleteThanks Neil, Yesterday was the Ure and today was the Tees.
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