By Andrew Kennedy

First of all, I would like to wish everyone a happy 2006! I can’t believe I’ve now been writing for Anglers Times for a year already; and what a year it’s been! Thankfully the fish have been quite co-operative, giving me some material to write about and allowing me to notch up nine new Personal Bests along the way.

In the week leading up to Christmas I managed to fit in two fishing sessions of very different natures. I decided to fish for pike one day, and in the interests of diversity, grayling on the other day.

In Derbyshire and the surrounding counties, we are quite lucky to have various rivers offering the chance of quality Grayling fishing on a day ticket. Some venues are fly only, but many are mixed fisheries, recognising bait fishing as a valid method for catching ‘Lady of the Stream’.

It’s almost two years since I fished for grayling, but it is a species I shall always long to catch. Firstly, to catch one you must fish clean, fast rivers. Once you hook a grayling, you are then treated to a terrific, spirited fight, where the fish will use all of its years practice battling the current to put your angling skills to the test. Then, should you win the battle and land a grayling, the reward is magnificent. A stunning bar of silver with scales running in definite lines along the length of the body. An under-slung mouth designed perfectly for feeding around pebbles on the riverbed. The unique, almond-shaped pupil which dominates the eye. Then best of all, you have the huge, sail-like dorsal fin; glistening with all colours between magenta and maroon, with a scattering of dark spots. Oh yes, the grayling is quite a fish!

I decided to fish a method which I don’t use enough – trotting. I set up with a 12 foot float rod and small fixed-spool reel, loaded with 5lb line. The reason I use such heavy line is that there is always the chance of hooking a large trout in any grayling swim. If I hooked one, I would much rather land it than be snapped and have to rig up again. I chose a wire-stemmed stick float, rated at 4 no7, which I shotted with a bulk of two no1 and a number 6 shot, just above a micro swivel attached to my 3.2lb hooklength, which went down to a size 18 barbless hook.

Despite the weather being mild, it was still late December, so the fish would likely be in deeper water, resting somewhere near the bottom. I opted for a bulk-shotting pattern to get my bait quickly towards the bottom and keep it there. I chose a swim with a steady run along the near margin, which had quite an even bottom, at around four feet deep. Before starting to trot my hookbait through, I baited with three or four maggots every couple of minutes, for about 15 minutes. I would continue to bait with three or four maggots every couple of casts for the rest of the session.

The hook was baited with a single red maggot and on my fourth trot through, the float dibbed, then buried and I struck into the first fish of the day. I was delighted to see it was a grayling, albeit a small one. Next cast I had a bite almost immediately and as I struck, the rod tip bent round promisingly, before the fish kited across the current. The tell-tale head shaking and flash of silver told me I was into a respectable grayling. I had never landed one of over 1lb before and as I slid the fish over the net, I was sure this one would be my first. I decided to weigh the fish, which confirmed I had a new PB of 1lb 1oz. Not a bad start at all.

Some great grayling fishing can be had on a day ticket

I was delighted as my next half a dozen fish were all grayling, but it was inevitable that a greedy trout or two would turn up. Pretty soon it did. A good-sized, super-fast trout picked up my maggot and proceeded to hurl itself from the water (in December?!!). The tactic worked, as it soon shook free of my tiny barbless hook. However, it wasn’t the last trout I would hook. As the grayling seemed to disappear from my swim, I proceeded to land 12 wild brown trout of between 9 ounces and a pound. As the day drew on, I managed several more grayling, taking my tally to 14, including three fish around the pound mark. Then, as dusk approached, I connected to a heavy fish which I really hoped would be a grayling. After quite a battle, it turned out to be an out-of-season rainbow trout which weighed exactly two pounds. This fish was also a new PB for me.

This long and very lean, 2lb Rainbow Trout was a welcome distraction

I left the river having bagged a total of 27 fish during a truly enjoyable, action-packed day. I always return these wild fish, whether they are caught in season or not. I believe that in order to maintain this quality of fishing, all coarse anglers should do the same. If you want to eat trout, you can buy perfect pan-sized fish from any fishmonger, or pit your wits against the many stocked fly fishing lakes around the country. For me, the chance of returning to the river for another fish-filled day is worth much more than taking one home ‘for the pot’.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, you can contact me on Justfish@maunmotors.co.uk

Tight Lines,

Andrew Kennedy.