I did managed to scrape an hour last night at just before 9pm I headed the couple of miles up the Dale to a spot where I was hoping there might still be some oxygenated pocket water holding a fish or two.
The first piece of moving water I came to I was just about to take my first cast into it when a face appeared out the water no more than 10ft away from me, I stood perfectly still as the otter looked at me as if to say what do you think your doing!
It felt like a few minutes that I stood there looking at it and it looking at me but it couldn't have been more than 20 seconds and then it dived under the water & I seen the wake of its body head off downstream all very calmly and surreal.
Looks like I disturbed his fishing hole as the water was just over knee depth and the deepest part of the river around.
Pointless seeing if any fish were in that hole so I wandered upstream to another place I knew would be moving.
This shingle bank is normally 2 ft under water in normal summer levels but at the moment its holding mimulus flowers high & dry.
On reaching my chosen piece of water I seen some movement at the tale of the faster water & suspected these would be Grayling and sure enough drifting a dry fly down I managed to coax a couple out.
I managed two Grayling within two drifts and on the third dropped another fish.
Moving to the faster water at the head of the pool only produced a couple of smaller Brown Trout
With only small Salmon Par snapping at the flies I called it and started heading back to the car, only an hour fishing but very contented and peaceful after a week of ups and downs.
As I started over the bank my eye caught 3 hares all playing in the middle of the field, total oblivious to me being there, Jumping all over the place and having a go at each other, I did attempt a picture but my small pocket camera was insufficient in the range dept for it. After a few moments of watching them I raised myself over the bank & they were off at speed across the field in the opposite direction.
Satisfied and at peace its amazing what an hour on the river can deliver.
George you put a wonderful look at fly fishing.
ReplyDeleteI love those wild browns.
Thanks Alan,
DeleteI simply say what I see.
Lovely piece and lovely fish too but boy is that river low! Is the riverside mimulus an escapee from someone's garden?
ReplyDeleteThe weather broke here yesterday evening with the fiercest storm I've ever seen in our nine years here. Trees down, fences over and the top ripped out of a massive walnut tree in a neighbours garden. Feast or famine it seems. I'll check the rivers and a few drains tomorrow.
Regards, John
The mimulus grow wild up here in certain places in abundance John, my favourite wild flower, I've seen a complete small island covered in them, They differ in colour from one riverside to another. We have been hit & miss here, a nice lightning show last night but nowhere near the amounts of rain we need.
Deletecheers
George