End in sight?

As the year moves on and the lengthening days presage the arrival of spring, grayling fishing draws to a close on 15th March . This is the beginning of the close season for what are termed "coarse" fish, and although the grayling is a member of the salmon family, it spawns in the spring rather than the winter like other UK game fish. Although it may be wrong of me to do so, I consider the grayling a game fish.

My wife has been very understanding and supportive of my fly fishing. We took up this fascinating sport together in 2008, becoming Rockbourne regulars and using what would become an annual holiday on the Isle of Harris to fish for salmon and wild brown trout in a mixture of different lochs. Sarah no longer fishes but still holds the family salmon record with the handsome cock fish shown below.

This was taken on a fairly wild day at the beginning of September 2010. We'd fished the morning without success, and in the afternoon moved to a different loch further up the river system. Tim, our ghillie, had just commented that the wind was getting up and we'd have to go in when the fish took Sarah's orange muddler as she dibbled it back across the surface. This was literally no more than a metre from the boat - exciting, or what?

15 minutes of high drama ensued, the only time I've ever seen the fly line off the reel and some yards of backing for good measure. This was one of the first reels we'd loaded and spooled ourselves - the knots duly held, tension between angler and salmon was maintained, we put into the bank in order to land and swiftly release this magnificent fish. Tim reckoned this weighed about 8lbs, a well above-average sized fish for Harris. I recall we packed up after that and took a shaking (with excitement) Sarah to a pub for some medicinal single malt.

Not bad for a crappy phone camera.......

The best salmon I've ever managed on Harris went to 5lbs, caught the year before Sarah's. Another quite dramatic capture, although a different loch and from the bank. Heavy, heavy rain overnight had brought the water level right up, and the runoff was continuing to torrent into the loch in a couple of places. I fancied one of these spots, and trudged the half mile or so to get into position. My third or fourth cast into this oxygenated water produced a savage, rod-wrenching take and the fight was on in quite a strong current. I was grateful for 10lb breaking strain tippet, my Greys GRx 9ft 6in 7wt, and my wife for arriving promptly with the net.

Preparing for the table

This was a clean, silver fish; the fishery manager (who arrived after the capture) was adamant that we should take this one for the table, which we duly did.

It's interesting to reflect that we didn't make it back to Harris last year, holiday plans this year are already made around family commitments so neither will we in 2013.

Anyway, the end of the 2012/3 grayling season is in sight and I need to record a visit yesterday to the Test at Timsbury. Not the day ticket stretch but the next water upstream, courtesy of Lloyd's Fly fishers. I was once again to have the pleasure of Nicholas Steedman's company.

Yesterday was bitterly cold, with a nor' easterly wind bringing flurries of snow throughout and little or no sunshine. The main river was high and coloured, as were the carriers. We had a plan to start at the end of the main carrier nearest the access road and work our way upstream.

Spot the angler

This was an early start - fishing by 08.30 and the place to ourselves. There are a number of beats here, each of which comprises carrier and main river fishing, but outside of the trout season these do not apply. I think this is the start of Beat 1 on the carrier. Nicholas commenced proceedings with a small but very welcome grayling, whilst I persevered with my first attempt at fishing a French leader. What little wind there was made this baptism a challenge - but I persevered.

Probably with my first "decent" cast of the day into mid-stream, something very strange happened as my sighter stopped then moved upstream. Instinct took over and I lifted the rod tip into a fish, which soon made it's presence known as a grayling. My third visit to this fishery, and I had a fish at last! By the way, I firmly believe this is more to do with me than the fishery as I have seen plenty of candidates for selection on my previous visits.

Who'll give me a pound and a bit for this pewter beauty?

This was a great start to the day; thinking we'd found the fish at the off, surely where there was one then more would follow? This turned out not to be the case, strangely, and we moved on to an inviting looking hatch pool. Nicholas set up about 30 metres downstream and caught a fish of a pound and a half or so, whilst I rolled my heavy nymphs around the quieter side of the rough water seams. To no avail.

A pattern began to emerge, to which the rest of the day would conform. Sight fishing was difficult with the high, coloured water so we prospected the likely looking spots. Lunch came and went, restoring our spirits with hot soup and Whisky Macs.

The afternoon produced a micro grayling and one trout for Nicholas whilst I alternated between using my French leader and nymphing rig dependent upon the water being fished. The afternoon had passed fishless but interesting and enjoyable, nonetheless, until I decided about 16.00 to find Nicholas and suggest we call it a day.

Thus, agreement was reached, but as is his wont Nicholas wanted a couple more casts where we'd caught first thing and I was happy to oblige. It was an opportunity to observe how a French leader could be cast/ deployed with considerably more skill than I had managed!

Just one last cast... and another....

Nicholas' perseverance paid off, as his indicator shot forward and contact was made with a good fish. Initial excitement that this could be a very good grayling dissipated when the fish introduced itself as a rainbow trout. Quickly on the bank, we were able to admire a fish that was well-mended and in excellent condition. This fish was obviously adapting well to life in the wild and over-wintering well. It will make for some good sport when the trout season opens.

Remembering that it is called fishing rather than catching, this was a tough day. We couldn't find the grayling in any numbers but the nature of the day did not make it easy. A rise in temperature and resulting hatch would have been of welcome assistance, as would some clearer water. Despite a mainly dry last couple of weeks or so in Hampshire, more of the same will be needed before the colour goes from the water.

Talk as we packed up and made ready to depart turned to the forthcoming trout season, although there was clearly an ambition on both our parts for further grayling sorties before 15th March. Me, I was delighted to have caught a fish here after previous blanks - and on a French leader too! We'll have to see if this was the curtain coming down on our grayling season, or whether there may be an encore to relate.....