A couple of trips on the River

2 March 2014

River conditions seemed ideal for a grayling or two, so I decided a trip to the upper river was in order. Back in October I was getting a bite a cast from tees grayling so I was hopeful.

I was using a Drennan floatmaster, coupled with an Okuma Sheffield and 3.2lb drennan float fish to a size 16 kamasan animal hook. Two pints of maggots as bait and feed. Standing in the river, I was having a dozen casts into each likely pool, but was really struggling - where were the grayling??

I finally managed a bite, and realised pretty quickly it was a trout given the athletics it showed. Nice to get a bend in the rod though...

This was repeated in the next bit of water, with a bite straight away (its interesting that, whenever you move to a new part of the river, trout are always the first to bite - very aggresive feeders)..

I didn't get the grayling I was after - wonder where they are hiding?? Still I've got a few locations for trying the fly during trout season.


9 March 2014

After have one or two too many real ale's at the pub last night, I didn't manage the usual 6am start today! I wasn't going to go but felt better after a good breakfast so grabbed the gear and popped to the river in search of Chub. The river looked spot on, and with the mild temperatures I was hopeful. It was good to take in some fresh air anyway!!

I had two rods in use, the first a drennan specimen barbel 1.75lb, with hair rigged pellet and scolded pellets in a feeder, more hopeful than anything just cast into the main flow. The second rod was a drennan series 7 1.75lb avon quiver, using cheesepaste as bait (and pallatrax cheese liquid attractor).

 

After spending an hour in the first swim without any indication, I moved on and found a nice chubby looking swim. The barbel rod got constant attention but without a positive hook up - this often happens when chub are mouthing the bait. So I brought it in and concentrated on the cheesepaste. The first bite was one of those that in hindsight I should have hit. A recast brought a very positive bite within minutes and I soon had this nice 3lb 12oz chub in the net.

 

I moved on and tried different stretches, but didnt get any more bites in the bright conditions. Took a few photos to pass the time, as you do...

 

 

 

One more trip till the rivers close.....