So, after my "getting away early on Friday" failed, I did not get onto the river until late on. By this time the wind was cold and blustry making casting a right nightmare on some sections.
I did not see any flies or fish AT ALL, not a damn thing! I worked my way downstream with a wolly bugger set up on my 5 weight and an SLX. My, that line makes fishing in a wind pleasurable, with a Snap T and single spey letting me pop the Bugger square to the flow into small pockets of slack water or seams in the current. Still no fish!!
After stumblinging into a field full of young bullocks who took far to keen an interest in me, I ran...and I do mean ran for the sty and pretty much Fosby Flopped my way over, closely followed by the brown beasts! And still no fish!
So, around 8pm, I headed back to the car, cold, dejected and my heart still racing from the "Beast" incident.
And lo and behold, what did I see on the far bank in a wee hollowed out section of bank not more that 30 yards from the car. Yip, fish!!
On went a small (size 18) parachute "thing" I had tied up. Hares ear body, with a grizzle para hackle and tail.
The dimples on the far bank were small, but I thought I would have a go anyway.
With the wind behind me and a high release I managed to get a fly into the "killing zone" but with an entire river to contend with, I could only keep the fly stationary for a couple of seconds before it was whipped away. With deep water between me and the fish I had no choice but to cast square across the current from the bank.
First fish hit just on the edge of the slack. A really bonnie Brownie of around a pound. Very dark back and bright spots. Once it was in the main current it made a few dashes worthy of a bigger fish before I managed to get a net under it and pop out the fly.
As I was doing this something big put its nose out mid river, just above a riffle. Not sure what it was as I only got a fleeting glance, but I am sure it was a Brownie. I sat and watched for a good 30 minutes but it never showed itself again, so back to the far bank rises.
Second fish was a tad bigger, by an ounce or two. This fish was very pale in comparison. I would not say silver, more "washed out" as if it had been in a boil wash to long. This fish did not really fight and was easily brought in.
So strange to have two very different fish from the same spot.
And with my nose sporting a dew drip and my hands numb, I called it a day.
