Test at Wherwell, Mission Accomplised

Every season I set myself a couple of fishing challenges, they are normally difficult and subsequently rarely obtained. My challenges this year were divided into Summer and Winter. Summer challenge was a 5lb chub from the Avon, I failed miserably. Winter challenge was a 2lb chalkstream grayling on the fly. For the first time in a while I have succeeded in a challenge!

Conditions were warm (10-12 degrees celsius) and drizzly today on the Test but no amount of rain could knock the smile off my face. I did not catch many fish, 2 grayling and a brownie were the only creatures in my net today but it is quality not quantity I keep telling myself.

The 2 grayling came in two casts from a very deep hole on the outside of a bend under my own feet. The first was an unmissable take that just sprinted upstream making me think it was a trout. A few minutes later and a 38cm male grayling was slipped back. I sat for a few minutes checked my rig had a swig of whisky and recast on exactly the same line and the gentlest twitch resulted in a heavy weight lunging at the end of my line. It was a classic grayling fight with an odd gyrating sensation sent up the line as the fish twisted in the current using its dorsal to its full advantage. No worries though and he was soon in the net.


44cm and 2lb 8oz of muscley perfection, fish do not come better than the grayling in my opinion.


 
The colours on the ventral and dorsal fin were hypnotising, I did not want to let go!

At 44cm long and 2lb 8oz he was well over my target and made my day. A spot of lunch and the obligatory  rogue suicide brown trout saw me driving home a happy man.