In search of Grayling on the Chew

After a break from game fishing for a while I decided to go out this beautiful February day to try and find some Winter Grayling. The banks were barren with Snowdrops bursting through in the sunshine to make it feel like Spring was just round the corner.

The Chew holds pockets of Grayling in a number of areas mainly where the current runs fast but they are not prolific and the fish rarely exceed a llb. The river was low and clear with little in the way of woody debris. It appears the recent high water has cleaned the gravel but also washed down any debris. First fish was a small Grayling to the nymph which gave me comfort after covering numerous runs without success. I had missed a rise through a turbulent riffle but things were slow to say the least.

Noticed lots of Otter or possibly Mink tracks on the silty berms on the inside of bends - I had convinced myself they were the reason for lack of success. Next fish a good wild Brownie quickly released - it was slow and lethargic but definately a wild fish taken close to the bank and roots of an Alder. Unfortunately my leaky waders were beginning to numb my feet so I had to leave but it was nice to be back out if only for few hours on the nicest day of the year so far.

Its that time of year again when thoughts turn to Pike on the fly..

Red and I have been out roving the banks on those sunny Winter days looking for Pike. We have walked for miles in wonderful surroundings seeing relatively few anglers. Mainly on the Somerset levels and Bristol Avon searching the margins and reed beds with intermediate lines and large streamer flies. Most of the fish have been in the 2-5lb bracket but just occasionally a big one comes along and then its a struggle on a 7wt rod. We have even found that a bit of colour doesn't dissuade the takes.

Lower Avon jack.

Red and a good double figure Pike from the Bristol Avon

 

 

North Drain Pike

Rest Bay mayhem on a good swell

Surfed Rest today with son Henry and friend Rich. We got there an hour after high to find the tide just coming off the rocks with beautiful head high peaks reeling into bay. It was busy and the tide soon started to undo the great swell as it ripped out. At low tide it cleaned up again with some nice 4' peaks hitting the banks down by the golf course. Saw the sun quickly set before departing. A nice trip with the odd good wave. I didn't really get cold but fear next session will see gloves coming out.

It's been a while but I will recap a glorious summer in the South west...

Spent many wonderful weeks in Cornwall. Kayak fishing and surfing with my family. Lots of Mackerel inshore and a few suprises but no Bass although it is a different story at time of writing with plenty of Bass now being caught along the South Coast.

Little video of two of my lads enjoying prolific Mackerel on the Roseland. One interesting trip out from Portreath saw a close encounter with an Ocean Sunfish and squid surprise. The squid regularly took the feather but rarely stayed on long enough to enter the boat!

 Back in July the Black Bream fishing was superb off the Solent with the shoals feeding on the moving tide and then switching off immediately on the slack.  

The surf was in no way great over the summer but I was super stoked to see my two eldest lads finally getting the bug. Now they know what it feels like to be a surfer!

I need to relocate returning to Bristol and work just doesn't get any easier.

Mixing it up the summer months from Black Bream, to Mullet, to Carp..

Some lovely summer weather has diverted my attention away from the trout to other quarry. My brother and I had a great session focussed on Black Bream from the kayak. Armed with squid and sabiki we headed for the Solent to a mark half a mile out. Within minutes of anchoring up we were into fish and this continued for an hour until the tide went slack. Incredible little fighters and good eating fish made this a rewarding day out. No Bass but plenty of Mullet in the shallows however they were not just not interested. Knowing the tides here is a must too much and its unfishable too little and the fish just aren't there find a happy medium and you will be rewarded.

 

Talking of Mullet huge numbers now up the Severn but still no luck. I am going to down size to Size 18 shrimp patterns as I observed large numbers chasing tiny organisms on the incoming tide. More success with the carp on local lake with warm evenings providing great sport off the top on dog biscuit flies.

 

Its hot and the fish are still making the most of the dwindling Mayfly...

Fished the River Chew on a muggy hot afternoon. Mayfly still trickling off and a few lazy rises from the large fish that frequent this section of the river. I have not learnt my lesson and the first fish, a good fish, snaps my 3lb leader. I change my set up to a 5lb fluro straight through to the dry. I miss a few rises but then hook a nice wild fish of about a 1lb.

The banks are like a jungle as I scramble between entry and exit points with nettles chest high. At this time of year parts of the Chew become unfishable with vegetation but it keeps the fishing pressure down and provides lots of cover. Next fish a stocked or escapee Rainbow that provides a test for my little Fladen, this time taking a brassie nymph on a deeper section. I finish off with another nice Brown that I watched come from a deep undercut to inspect and engulf the dry. I caught some smaller wildies which was good to see as this section is often dominated with stocked fish.

 

 

 

 

Small stream and kayak exploits in Cornwall

Spent the week in my second home Cornwall with the family. Weather wasn't great all the time and the surf was underwhelming to say the least. However as ever I was out to make the most of a well deserved break from work. The Mullet were out in force and despite a concerted effort I avoided hooking one on the fly. The fish I was targeting this time round were quite a way up the creeks and large in the 4-8lb range. At times I watched as they grazed algae from the boat moorings and tempted the Mullet with green algae flies, red bead head diawl bachs, bloodworm imitations, shrimp patterns, ghostbusters and bread flies. The only one that seem to illicit any sort of interest was the algae fly but not sufficient to result in a solid hook up. Arghhh is all I can say. Still the challenge remains to catch a really good sized Mullet (2lb+) on the fly.

Back to more successful forays. I fished the smallest stream in a wooded valley in the heart of Cornwall. My 7' Fladen totally over gunned but adequate to flick a leader of 4' 3lb fluro into the crevices and creases of the meandering stream. Some of the pools (puddles) gave up some beautiful adult wild miniature browns. Stealth and patience were fundamental to success as the fish readily rose to a passing dry fly should it land with success. Such was the confining space at times I was not sure who was most startled after disturbing both Dipper and Roe Deer within feet of me. 

On the sea and a couple of kayak trips brought a variety of fish including Lance, Pollack and Wrasse. Pollack were abundant although small in size. The Mackerel and Bass seemed to be taking an extended Spring break!

Typical inshore Pollack

A wonderful Wrasse caught on some small feathers.