Early Season Fly-fishing

Welcome to Grafham Water; home of monster trout, both rainbows and browns. Your guide today is Alex Stevenson (left) who hails from Bristol but recently returned from fishing adventures in the USA, both in California and in the Deep South "Crappie Country".

Today is very windy, so boats are out of the question. In fact, it may be impossible to fish at all. Eye protection will be vital in these conditions to avoid the danger of flying hooks. It's also necessary to wade deep to reach the fish. Alex is trying out his Simms waders and his warm Cammo jacket, both bargain buys in the USA.  Also along for the day is local resident angler, Jim Stevenson (below) who's gear is mostly made by Grey's of Alnwick.

At the tackle shop there is a gathering of prospective anglers who are discussing the possibilities. It looks like there will be a race for the few spots that can be fished in a strong NE wind. We need a spot that will be sheltered but also where deepish water comes close to shore. Jim knows just such a place; in fact we scoped it out on the way down to the shop. The worry is that someone else will beat us to it, so, after buying tickets and some extra flies, we race off for the NE shore. Jim grabs all his gear from the car and runs to the favourite spot which is a rocky spit, built up by the wardens on the end of a short promontory in a clump of pine trees. It's perfect and no one is about, so we can set up our gear with no rush.

It is windy, but the water is still clear and there are fish in front of us. One idly swims up to Alex on the spit and almost goes between his legs. Our dilemma is, are they going to be on the top like this one, or how deep down are most of them? We have to decide whether to fish floating lines with long leaders which hang down into the water, or sinking lines with short leaders. We opt to do both. Alex goes for a floating line with two or three flies, and Jim goes for a slow sinker with a single fly. We both get tugs but no fish. 

  

A willow warbler sings from the bushes near-by and we see a few swallows, but the cold wind has held up most of the spring birds. Normally in mid April we would expect to encounter flotillas of ducklings along the shore.

Later we swop around and Alex is soon into a fish of about 3 lbs. that rolls over and over the line and repeatedly dives deep. Jim follows with a smaller fish, taken on the top. It jumps about a dozen times before coming exhausted to the net. We keep then both. 

We loose a few more fish, but have to leave for the school run. However, Alex returns at tea time to capture another plump 3 pounder.

Not a bad day, especially considering the conditions.