I’ve fished both the beats we are trying before and managed two small rainbows on my one trip to the Wye, which I’m told is one of only two rivers in the UK where they breed successfully in the wild. I’ve also fished the Dove quite a few times and taught myself how to fish dries on the Isaac Walton Hotel stretch we’re trying, with big sedge flies normally working well for brown trout.
First stop is the Wye at Upperdale though, below the Monsal Head beauty spot, which is stunning countryside and importantly has a good battle cruiser at the top of the hill above the fishery for lunch, after we’ve done the morning on the river. It’s on a day ticket at £40 pp per day. The rest of the “Fish” family is running late so I scan out the runs and pools with my light amber Costa Del Mar polaroids I bought last year. They are great even in low light and show that the river is absolutely stuffed with good solid rainbows going from 1lb all the way up to 4lb and perhaps 5lbs. It’s only a small river and I’m shocked at their size, particularly as three years ago the biggest fish I saw were about 1lb brown trout. Any wild rainbow over 8oz would be a PB for me, so perhaps one is actually on the cards…
After waiting for three tedious hours for the others, I finally stop being polite and move to a pool to practice some single handed spey casting, which I’ve been studying on You Tube clips. It’s going out surprisingly well and about 4th or 5th cast the line judders into life as a trout takes the small amber coloured bug I’ve put on to straighten the leader on the casts. A snatched late strike hooks the fish but after 5 seconds it’s off – good sign though.
The troops finally arrive, but it’s now warm and hard going. The big rainbows don’t have the good grace to slunk into the depths when we start covering them (Klinkhammers; sedges; mayflies; bibios; adams; hawthorn fly etc.) and merely sit in plain view watching every fly go over their heads with no interest at all.
Finally, dad tempts one on a small white dry but it’s a tiddler of 3-4 oz and by late afternoon we’re really struggling. I’m virtually through the fly box and settle on a Tups Indespensible because there’s some pale olives coming off and I can’t come up with any other ideas. I’m trying to tempt a brown of about 1lb, which just keeps ignoring the fly even when I’m positive the drift is perfect, when I notice two larger rainbows further back in the pool on station, at least looking like they intend to feed. The drift seems ok, so I let it keep going over one of the trout, which as usual just lets it go straight over but, maybe me being lazy; or perhaps I’m learning this game(!), I don’t take the fly away and when it’s a foot past the fish turns rises to the surface, accelerates with the flow and eats it with no wariness or urgency whatsoever. Fish on…
I throw myself down the steep bank through the nettles and cow parsley and it’s a good fight in the clear water and small pool, with the fish looking about 2lbs. It’s still streaking across the pool whenever it turns onto the current so I tighten the drag a touch to gain more control and bring the fish into the edge. A final dive for some close in rocks at my feet is cushioned by the rod, but the fish goes for them again and the 3lb fluoro leader touches a jagged rock edge and………..parts – it’s off. I resist the temptation to have a swearing rant of Viz Comic style proportions, but I know I’ve missed my chance for the day – gutted.
We give it three more hours but it’s a fat zero and off to the Isaac Walton Hotel 20 miles away to drown our sorrows and plan for tomorrow.
Blank No 7 of the Diaries...Mr Fish
No comments:
Post a Comment