Fingerlings & Numb Fingers.

I was restricted for choice this weekend with several planned events happening on the river's around my normal haunts and being unable to attend this years Grayling Society Symposium at Lockerbie I was determined to get a few hours away from the mad crowds, so opted for a short stretch up the Dale which normally with the trout season being over wouldn't bother with but I know there is a few Grayling around so decided to spend a few hours there.

The river was a nice height and slightly coloured which made things a bit easier so I opted for a couple of nymphs to start off with and the very first cast captured an out of season trout, a bad omen or the signs for a good day to come I wasn't quite sure.




The view back upstream to where I started from, not a sign of any fish movement at all.

I came across a few small fish rising slightly downstream on a large bend but couldn't see what they were rising too as nothing was evident at the time so opted to stick with the nymphs and headed downstream through the wood.

The wild blackberries were everywhere and in prime picking condition. a visit during the week to harvest some was duly planned. I love this time of year as nature is in a giving mood with many wild fruits and berries readily available to pick if you so desire, and nothing better than spreading homemade blackberry jam on your morning toast on a cold winters morning.





I got to the part of the river I had been looking forward too and within a few moments the first Grayling fingerling succumb to the nymphs, and over the next hour 15 other fingerlings followed before I decided enough was enough and break for a brew.

This year I have scaled down my storm kettle to a smaller 1 pint version which I fitted in the back of my fly vest with ease, primarily for later on in the Grayling season when trotting takes over and I carry a small rucksack, so the inaugural coffee was made and a break admiring the view of natures autumn colours.

A small hatch of flies had started to appear and the fish started to rise to them so I decided to switch over to dry fly and see if I could tempt a couple. The rises were very sporadic and the one fish would rise to a particular pattern but nothing else would, so changing fly the same thing happened again, one fish rises to the artificial the remainder just totally ignore it, thankfully though a slightly better size of Grayling than previous decided not to ignore the fly I presented to it.

Safely returned as always to give sport another day. ( Yes, the water was freezing cold! )

Walking back upstream via the other side of the wood, I found the mushroom ring still present that I discovered last year, not quite as prolific as last year but still very clear that its a circle.

I was almost back at the car when I seen a couple of Grayling smutting just off the end of a branch that was dipping into the water so got a few casts as close as I could to them hoping that one might ease further out and take the fly and after a few casts one did just that.

Similar in size to the previous Grayling, but very welcome and great fun on dry fly.

Numb fingers as it swam away.

and that was it a few hours away from everything, recharging the batteries and taking in the wonderful sights and sounds around.

This is the first video I've made & edited so as the old saying goes...."Things can only get better"