Going For a Wander.

Not the usual view from Up the Dale this week.

Instead this next picture should show where we were heading to.

The wife & I headed up to Scotland at the tail end of last week for a couple of days with family & friends and as always the fishing gear took up a little corner of the car which was filled out with Christmas presents and alike as this would be our last trip home this year.

I had arranged with a longtime friend Davy, to have sunday out on the river, so instead of the normal up the Dale, we went this time to one of the shires, there's only about 34 to choose from, but we both knew which one we would be heading to.

The morning started with me having to defrost the car as the temperatures had dropped like a stone overnight and the car was completely iced over, but before we knew it the miles were behind us and we were pulling up beside the river which looked in top notch condition.

Kitted up we headed downstream to our first stretch we wanted to fish and got started, on the 2nd cast through with the nymphs, my line stopped and I lifted, I knew instantly it was a decent fish  with the way it was behaving.

 A lovely Grayling and if this what was to come it was going to be a good day,  I was however very satisfied no matter what happened.

A few moments later my second fish of the day was hooked, smaller in size but by means no less beautiful.

Fishing downstream for a considerable way and it was now Davy's turn to hook into a fish, and this fish was most definitely not giving in easy, it was doing ever trick in the book to try & free itself, it was leaping out the water, taking long runs in the fast current, but finally it succumb to davy's efforts and the net was under his first fish of the day.

A lovely fish which would bring a smile to any Grayling anglers face...even Davy's!








We both fished hard up until lunchtime and never touched another fish so it was time to regroup back at the car and have get a bit of heat as the wind had been harsh and very cold and what better way to reminisce over the mornings fishing than a scotch pie in a roll and a cup of coffee, Heavenly.

We both decided to split after lunch and try our luck in separate areas, and it soon paid off for both of us with the two of us taking nice fish throughout the afternoon.

I had fished to the bottom of my stretch so decided to head back upstream in pursuit of Davy, taking in the surroundings as I went.

 The fungi  absorbing the last rays of sunlight of the afternoon.

And a sole acorn which as yet had eluded the clutches of the grey squirrels in the trees.

I soon stumbled back upon my fishing partner for the day, working the stream in front of him as the dappled light shone through the trees.

and continuing to catch a couple.

We continued to fish on until I looked upstream and saw Davy was merely a silhouette in the fading light.

So we had come to the end of our day and we both thoroughly enjoyed it, a couple of Grayling fanatics back on the river again enjoying each other's company and everything nature has to offer,  14 fish between the two of us on a cold day that when the wind blew it would split you in two, but very much a positive day and loads of fun, Until the next time a memory to reminisce on with a dram in my hand.

PS. I never managed to raid Davy's nymph box, it was tied up tight but he did make off with my packet of tippet rings! Good job I know where he lives....lol