Storm Clouds Approaching

I wasnt sure whether I would get out his weekend or not, the forecast for the Dale wasnt great and my go to set of Ikon waders are currently up in the possession of Dave Gordon (Diver Dave)  being repaired,  It wasnt cold enough for the neoprene chest waders and I didnt want to get absolutely soaked in sweat wearing them, after a brief search in the attic I knew I had a pair of breathable waders  I bought in the USA over 10 years ago, from a Bass Pro shop in Miami called Dogwood Canyon, never heard of them before but they looked ok as a backup pair at the time.

 Arriving up the Dale the weather front that the forecast had promised was closing in and the wind was picking up, making my way to the starting point I had chosen to give me a bit of shelter to set up and looking over the high bank you could see the weather moving down the Dale from the high tops.




Before long the rain was coming down and it was turning dark.

The tree against the grey background looked quite eerie but nice.








The river was in a good state. clear and just the right height so after a quick look through the box I settled on a couple of Brass nymphs and started fishing.

It didnt take long to hook the first Grayling and an average size for this part of the river.

After another couple of casts, I hooked up on the bottom and lost the team of nymphs I was using so decided to have a sit on the bank and tie up a new leader.

It always amazes me what you see when taking 5 minutes out and just let the world go by you, in the short time of tying up a new leader and attaching a couple of nymphs, I had seen a kingfisher fly past, a couple of dippers hopping from rock to rock in search of food, a spotted woodpecker in the tree above me and another stoat on the far bank, making its way along the top of the riverbank in & out of the tree roots. Nature at its best if we only took time to sit & observe it.

Deciding to come down a hook size I was now fishing a couple of size 18 nymphs in the hope that the Grayling might react more to the size in the clear water conditions.

Before long they have confirmed my thoughts and I was catching steadily, nothing big but it was sport.

even managing to entice a few of the smaller and in perfect condition fingerlings.

With a couple more decent sized Grayling thrown in for good measure.

I had taken around 20 or so of the smaller fish before the bites started to dry up so I decided to make my way upstream in search of other Grayling.

The Salmon are littering the riverbank now that they have spawned,  but I haven't see the numbers I did compared to last season.







The last flood has taken its toll in places with the riverbank receding steadily into the field, and to think that gaping hole in the field did not exist at all last year with the riverbank being totally washed out by some 30 foot & more.

The gorse is still barely hanging on to the last bit of riverbank just out of sight.

Back on the trail of the Grayling I headed to a run that was sheltered somewhat from the cold northwesterly wind that was blowing and managed to find a couple of Grayling in residence.

A few trout also took a fancy to the nymphs, most showing the ware & tare of spawning, but this one I had to take a quick photo of before I slipped him back as it was the golden colour and pattern that were simply stunning.







A very enjoyable day and a lot of things on my mind simply washed away in the current, there are far too many things to worry about and taking a few hours away to get out fishing definitely lightened my burden.