Xmas Grayling - The Hard Way!

I am officially, heartily sick of wet weather and English winters like this current one. How on earth is one to justify deploying a hip flask containing something warming in the absence of frost and near-zero temperatures on a day's grayling fishing? On a more serious note, it has been a pretty miserable last few months (and Christmas) for those in parts of the UK affected by the severe and life-threatening flooding.

My Christmas on a personal level was peaceful and enjoyable. Sadly, a planned trip north of the border had to be postponed as we realised we had insufficient time to justify a 24 hour round-trip for the sake of a three-day stay. This left Mrs. Fisheswithfly&walkswithborderterrier and me with Ellie and Hamish as Christmas companions, remaining at home. This also meant that I could schedule in a grayling day on the Itchen during my time off before New Year.

So, on Thursday I headed to my favourite stretch of the Itchen, more because I'd booked and paid for the fishing than that the day invited one to angle "on the fly". A grey, overcast morning was bad enough but when the rain started pouring as I arrived at the beat, I realised that the wind was also gusting very strongly and regularly. This was not going to be easy fishing, as I was pig-headedly intent on fishing a "duo" rather than a heavily-weighted nymphing "rig". Having said that, most of the beat suits the duo, but the weather may have rendered nymphing the better option.

The water lacked its usual gin-like quality, clarity-wise, while the gusting wind and low light levels combined to make sight fishing impossible. There was also a nasty, chilly "edge" to the wind which rendered it far from pleasant to be outside, and I cast my mind back to the roaring wood burner and range of single malts that I'd left behind.

A-prospecting I went; I could make out the gravelly patches in between the weed beds, and - wind permitting - I targeted these areas. Usually successful flies like the RNPTN and others attracted not a touch; in fact, my Parachute Adams attracted some offers from rising fish, which were actually withdrawn before I could respond. These were, I suspected, grayling rather than out-of-season trout.

I decided to abandon my usual nymphs, and instead go for something a bit "blingier". Again, my camera and photography skills fail me but I think you'll get the idea of a light coloured, tungsten beaded quill bodied nymph.

Complete with a "red neck"!

Anyway, this went on about 4ft of Stroft tied to the eye of the Para Adams, rather than the hook bend. I was now at the point of being cold, dispirited and a little desperate to catch at least one grayling in December (although this was only my second trip).

Lo and behold, within my first few casts at the end of a drift as I was lifting out to recast I felt some resistance. Without a doubt, the ol' inadvertent "induced take" had saved the day and I found myself attached to a respectable-sized grayling. I cannot tell you how pleased I was to see something piscine had eaten my nymph, and to have some return to show for my morning's effort!

Not a monster, but Xmas grayling nonetheless.

I can't quite recall exactly how I was holding the fish to produce the above shot, but the fish obliged with another snap of the release back into the wild.

Wild? It was livid!

This picture gives some idea of how discoloured the water was - normally a shot like this would really show the gin-like clarity - or vodka-like, if that is your preferred tipple! Anyway, once again I'm left to admire the colouring of the grayling and I am determined to get a better camera with which to do them justice.

Breathing a sigh of relief, at this point I tackled down as I was due for a visit from my son and daughter later in the afternoon. As I walked back to the car, the wind was dropping, the sun was breaking through, and I spotted a number of grayling on the fin. Resolutely, I kept walking and resisted the urge......