A Couple of Hours

This weekend I was hoping to get out for a full day on the river, probably my last time before the end of the Grayling season but an over indulgence at a friends 50th birthday party yesterday put paid to that, the Blacksheep Ale was flowing as was the whisky.
So after a long lie and a nice chilled breakfast I decided to drop onto one of my club stretches not too far from home for a few hours, I also wanted to check out the damage the constant floods had brought to our part of the river.

Packing a few slices of my German Smoked meat into a roll which arrived from a good friend in Austria a few days ago.
 (An absolute Lifesaver as you cannot get smoked meat of this quality in the UK)  and I had used the last few pieces of the meat he sent me previously a few weeks before.

Thank You Klaus you are an absolute gentleman.

Just before 11am I walked down through the field from the car to see that snow was still settled on top of the Dale.

The river still had a bit of runoff in it but was crystal clear and a very cold downstream wind certainly woke me proper, it was biting cold.

A few casts and the first & only fish of the session fell to a recently tied weighted nymph, nothing big but a welcome sight in the net.

  

As I walked downstream I was surveying the damage the floods have done to the stretch, in some places it has taken the bank back 10 - 15ft, completely washed out creating wide deep channels, which although a shame to see such devastation it has slightly improved some of the stretch making it more accessible which will be rewarding during the summer months.

The geese weren't too impressed when I popped my head over the bank right at the point where they had been feeding in the neighbouring field, after sheer panic they took to the wing and circled over the top of me.

 

It was great to be back out on the river, the pair of Oyster catchers were still in residence and as I walked along the top of the bank a couple of large hares took to their heels and sped off across the fields, the pair of cock pheasants in the distance fighting for supremacy were just a few of the things I saw on the walk along the bank, with new life popping up under foot everywhere. these crocus the most colourful I seen apart from the vast array of snowdrops everywhere. 

As I got to the bottom of the stretch I saw an abundance of life swimming under the water close to the reed bed so stuck the camera underwater for a quick glimpse of the new life.

Just as I was about to turn and walk back up the stretch the snow started to fall heavy so I decided to call it and head home to stick my feet up in front of the fire a couple of hours on the river with a single Grayling, well worth the few hours being out and seeing everything.