Fifth Day of the River Trout Season - Third Session

Interesting start to Friday's session. As I arrive at the parking spot a sheep was gazing longingly into the field from the wrong side of the gate. I opened the gate and it just sauntered back into the field. Quite how it had got out I've no idea, nr had the farmer when I mentioned it later. 

 








The river has been dropping less than half an inch a day so is still well up. The section I was fishing was one I'd never landed a trout from. As part of my cunning plan for the day I'd tied up some San Juan Worms to along with the usual collection of weighted nymphs. I'd also acquired a Wychwood River Nympher Line, which proved quite interesting. The san juan worm proved very tempting to the minnows who kept grabbing at the ends, occasional one managed to hook itself as I worked my way up from the bottom of the section. Thank fully the minnows were only present in the slower lower half of the section.

 








While having a cuppa and something to eat a stoat popped in and out of some rabbit holes on the far bank until a couple of crows dive bombed it. After lunch I had a try casting small dries with the nymph line. It had functioned very well flicking weighted nymphs about, far better then the long leader rig I'd used previously. The rod I'm using, an eight foot four weight, probably isn't the best for this sort of tactic on a river this size another foot or so would help, but I don't feel it's hindering either. I was rather surprised at the lines ability to cast small flies the sort of distances I'd require. Not sure how it would cope into a gusty wind though. It did take a little while getting used to as it gives very little feedback through the rod. We'll see how it goes over the season.

 








Back to the nymphing, as there was no sign of any hatches or fish rising. I was generally fishing as close to the banks as I could as this was were I assumed the fish would be sheltering in the still swollen river. Near the end of the day and the top of the section I got my first proper take. A small grayling quickly flicked off the hook as apart from the take it was pretty lethargic, coming in like a leaf.  One trout in three sessions may not sound great, but given the state of the river and the fact that there are not a lot of trout in this section, is one more than I felt I'd get when I arrived on opening day.

 








On the way home I ha a wander along a short section of a beck I've access to. It looked in far better condition then I thought it would. The steamer weed was a bit sparse, don't know if the floods had washed a lot of it away again. I did however see one nice sight. Four small pencil size eels swimming up a shallow section. Like most I've not seen many eels over the past few years never mind any this small. lets hope they can avoid the predators.