©

The Journal of The Grayling Society

Volume 27 - Number 2 • Summer 2016 © CONTENTS

The Official Journal of Editorial Bob Male 2 The Grayling Society Notice of the AGM 3 ISSN 1476-0061 News 4 Free to all our Members in - Australia Lithuania 40th Symposium Update 7 Austria Luxembourg Belgium Netherlands Grayling Nirvana Kris Kent 10 Canada New Zealand China Norway Denmark Poland Some Thoughts on the Availability of Shrimps Eire Portugal for Grayling Stanislaw Cios 15 England Scotland Finland Slovenia 17 France Sweden Obituary - Thomas Todd Alan Ayre Germany Switzerland Italy U. S. A. Sight Fishing for Grayling (& Trout) Dave Southall 18 Isle of Man Wales Should We Still Kill Grayling? 22 Editor - Bob Male Telephone: 01722 503939 Spotting Dottiness Vincenzo Penteriani 23 e-mail: [email protected]

Advertising - Rod Calbrade Riverfly Monitoring Workshop Paul Deaville 27 Subscriptions per annum: Full £28.00, Joint £47.00 Grayling Fishing in New Zealand A. Wessiowski 30 Senior (over 70) £22.00 Junior (under 16) £5.00 Details available from the Poet’s Corner 32 Membership Secretary Mike Tebbs Area 14 Fishing Day Steven Kavanagh 32 Telephone: 01985 841192 e-mail: [email protected] Book Reviews 34 Design and Production Peter Silk Design 36 e-mail: [email protected] Officers of the Society

Society Web Site www.graylingsociety.net © The Grayling Society, 2016 Printed by Cambrian Printers Aberystwyth SY23 3TN The copyright of all material in this edition of ‘Grayling’ remains with the Authors, or the Grayling Society, and may not be reproduced, by any means whatsoever, without the copyright holders written permission. The Grayling Society and members of the Executive Committee accept no responsibility for the accuracy of any article or advertisement herein Cover Illustration and no guarantee is given for any product or service being offered. Contributions, including “Grayling” By Rob Olsen photographs or illustrations are always welcome, but the Society assumes no responsibility for the safety of contributions, although all reasonable care will be taken. Views expressed www.thefineartoffishing.com by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor or of the Grayling Society. All enquiries about articles in ‘Grayling’ should be addressed to the Editor. Grayling – Summer 2016 1 Editorial Bob Male

Spring has not sprung down here in Wiltshire; around our base at Marwell. There is a Booking it has crawled, dithered and hesitated. We have Form included in this mailing, in case you lost abundant water, thank goodness, but a month of the first one! cold winds and dull overcast has slowed Please note: everything down along the rivers. It’s English If you haven’t yet applied to come, please send weather, what can one say? Some “little graylings” your Booking Form to Rod Calbrade, not to Steve came up to my parachute black gnat earlier this Skuce as it says on the form. Just a change in week, and very welcome they were, even if admin to speed things up. technically out of season, all in fine condition for Rod’s address is: the time of year. The “brownlings” are hiding 19 Sherwood Way, High Crompton, Shaw, away and waiting for times to get easier. Oldham, OL2 7LX I hear on the digital grapevine that some of the I look forward to a record-breaking Symposium, rivers that suffered such massive flooding last and some great fishing in October. See you there! year are showing good signs of recovery. The Early May on the River Wylye resilience of these systems is always an Society Officers’ updates inspiration, and I hope that all of you who fish Area 2 has a new Secretary, Alex Adams. We New Trade member Cover Illustration them will find them in good fettle this season. Anyone who ties flies will know of Veniards. welcome Alex and look forward to hearing from By way of a change - and a They have been distributing and supplying If you do not subscribe to Trout and Salmon him about life in the sunny South. His contact rather nice one - this issue’s quality materials and equipment for many years cover feature s an illustration by magazine, you may not have seen the letter details are: published in the January edition, which now, and we welcome them as a new Trade fishing artist Rob Olsen. More of 62 Cressex Road, High Wycombe, advocated the killing of grayling to protect Member. Find their very informative website at Rob’s work can be found on Bucks HP12 4TY salmon stocks. The “reasoning” was that Veniards.com www.thefineartoffishing.com [email protected] grayling eat salmon eggs, and so must be Mob: 07730 203382 Home Tel: 01494 521801 responsible for the disastrous fall in salmon numbers in Scottish and English rivers. Barry Davidson, Area 7 Secretary, has a new Notice of Annual General Meeting Our distinguished officers, Steve Skuce and email address: [email protected] Rod Calbrade, penned a very calm and reasoned Our much-valued Secretaries in Spain and the of The Grayling Society response, which you can read in this edition. USA have asked to have their details updated: The 40th Annual General Meeting of the Grayling Society This serves as a reminder, I think, that the battles that the Society thought were won may not yet Dr. Vincenzo Penteriani, will be held at 4.00 pm on Saturday the 29th October 2016, be so, and that ignorance is still our greatest Research Unit of Biodiversity - UMIB, at the Marwell Hotel near Winchester Edificio de Investigación – 5th floor, enemy when seeking to find rational and Please note the following: hand to Steve in person not later than 12 noon C. Gonzalo Gutiérrez Quirós s/n, sustainable ways to manage our fisheries. on Saturday 10th October 2015. 33600 Mieres (Asturias), Spain 1. All Committee Members are due for re- Please indicate the position for which you Email: [email protected] election at the AGM. Anyone wishing to be AGM and Symposium wish to be considered. considered as a candidate for a position on Chris Terry We are back on my “home turf” again this year, the Committee should forward their name and 2. Anyone wishing to propose a motion for 5237 E. 41 Ave, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA and I hope to be there and share a great brief biography to Steve Skuce, General consideration at the AGM must submit that in weekend with as many members as possible. Tel: 907-764-6044 Secretary, The Grayling Society, Rosemary writing to Steve Skuce, The Grayling Society, If you haven’t decided yet, please have a look [email protected] Cottage, Fore Street, Wylye, Warminster, Rosemary Cottage, Fore Street, Wylye, at Rod Calbrade’s article in this edition to find Wiltshire BA12 0RQ or [email protected] Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 0RQ or Copy deadline for the Autumn Newsletter is out who our speakers and guests will be, and by 12 noon Thursday 8th October 2015, or [email protected] by 31st August 2015. some more about the other attractions available Friday August 19th BOB - New dates please 2 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 3 above all, the means to apply and enforce them. invertebrates demonstrate different Wider news Good science, reliable evidence, whether from tolerances to the various forms of stress professional researchers or from “Citizen Science” from pollution. Traditional and less Angling Trust Grants like the ARMI, is surely the way forward to bring exacting methods of analysing water Those of us that are members of the Angling about these much needed policy changes. quality frequently struggle to capture the Trust and Fish Legal will probably already know Please take a look at the STCUK’s website for often combined impacts of nutrients, that money from the National Rod Licence is more information, (link below). sediment and subtle organic enrichment available as grants to clubs and associations to on invertebrate life in our rivers. promote awareness and participation in angling. English riverfly survey reveals the abysmal state of our once gin clear chalkstreams The study was carried out by The Trust is running workshops to help interested ecological consultants Aquascience For the first time our once pristine, gin-clear people apply for these grants. There are also free Consultancy Ltd, on 120 sites in seven English chalkstreams and rivers have been put workshops on fishery protection, with advice from rain-fed rivers and five chalkstreams under the microscope in a national survey to the Trust, and form other informed and across the country. For the first time, the compare and investigate whether they are as responsible agencies. If you wish to know more, investigation used ground-breaking healthy as they should be. And the results are contact Angling Trust on their website. research and chemical analysis to truly shocking. accurately identify the problem. The health of our rivers The 2015 Riverfly Census, undertaken by Salmon Dr Nick Everall from Aquascience This October, many of us will be fishing on the & Trout Conservation UK (S&TCUK) has identified Consultancy said, “The national river beautiful chalk streams of Wiltshire and that there were only 14 pristine, unimpacted sites Hampshire, some of us, perhaps, for the first time. out of a total of 120 sites sampled in the survey on survey showed a mixture of improving, What are our expectations? Clear cool water, rivers across England. stable and all too many sadly declining riffles and pools over clean gravel, abundant fly life According to fisheries charity, Salmon & Trout reaches in terms of overall ecological and well-fed fish? There are rivers that will still Conservation UK, the threat to our rivers has condition, environmental stresses and fulfill those expectations, but the state of moved from industrial pollution to a range of riverfly life in particular. Several rivers England’s chalk streams is a long-standing cause subtler but equally damaging impacts from showed loss of condition with measures for concern. sources such as agricultural and road run-off, like mayfly species richness and What I have heard called the “unholy trinity” of poorly treated sewage, septic tanks and freshwater shrimp population status over diffuse pollution, sedimentation and low flows is discharges from watercress and fish farms. time. Breaking some of these river still at the heart of the decline that many people Although these forms of stress are less dramatic findings down with controlled laboratory perceive in the invertebrate populations, the than fish-killing chemical spills, the long-term tests has recently shown that raised This little chalkstram looks pristine - but is it? general biodiversity, and, of course, the fishing, in effects on flylife such as blue-winged olives are levels of phosphate and sediment, akin to Freshwater shrimp (Gammerus pulex) an these beautiful rivers. equally profound. many of our stressed river conditions, has a important element in the food chain for trout and It might be argued that the chalk streams get Paul Knight, Chief Executive of S&TCUK detrimental impact upon the survival of early life salmon, recorded very low numbers and measured more than their fair share of attention and publicity; explains, “Most of the rivers we analysed were stages of the base of the aquatic food chain for against historic Environment Agency records, are other rivers have problems too, and their needs impacted to some extent, although the chalk species such as the blue-winged olive.” showing a long and marked decline. should be recognised. This is a fraught topic, but it rivers were the worst. England’s 200 or so The Census identified that, although Paul Knight said, “So far The Water Framework must be said again that England has the lion’s chalkstreams form about 85% of the world’s total Hampshire’s River Avon - a chalkstream, came out Directive’s measure of water quality struggles to share of the world’s chalk stream habitat. They are stock of this richly diverse and complex habitat. best in the study, the next 6 places went to capture the often combined impacts that pollution potentially one of the most diverse and complex Almost all of them are in a dismal state of decline. freestone rivers, mainly in the north and south is having on the invertebrate life in our rivers. The temperate ecosystems, and we have most of them Plants, insects, fish, mammals and bird-life are west. Three of our most highly protected SAC biometric fingerprinting we used in the Census was in our keeping. suffering as a result of the loss of flylife, which chalkstreams; the Itchen, the Lambourn and the like examining these systems with a microscope There is some good news however; Salmon and plays a crucial role in the aquatic food chain. Wensum, rank poorly in the Census. These rather than a magnifying glass and, significantly, Trout Conservation UK have begun a national Basically lose your flylife and you will lose many contained low riverfly richness and abundance in the results showed that water quality is often Riverfly census, using the best available other important species too.” many reaches of these rivers. Indeed on the insufficient to sustain the life that our target rivers techniques to give a reliable picture of the health Even figures from the Environment Agency, Itchen, populations of the blue-winged olive have historically supported.” of our rivers, including the chalk streams. show that 83% of our rivers are failing to meet the collapsed, despite being relatively abundant in the In his forward to the Census, keen fisherman and (Please see the summary article below). standard of ‘Good Ecological Condition’ early 1990s. journalist Jeremy Paxman laments the loss of our STCUK also held a conference earlier this year to classification, measured by the European Water In addition, the River Test, which is an SSSI (one pristine rivers and says, “Something has gone very bring together researchers and interested parties Framework Directive. of our highest conservation classifications) wrong. Yet experience tells us that almost in an attempt to start an integration process, to Riverflies and other invertebrates are excellent showed that flylife is below that expected of a everything in nature is connected. A decline in bring pressure on national government to accept indicators of the underlying ecological condition of pristine river with many significant species flylife on rivers will have consequences. The only the need for higher water quality standards and, our rivers because different species of impoverished and rarer species absent. way we can enlist popular support – and the 4 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 5 possibility that someone might care enough to Heaton, who is leading the project, said, “This is a realise the risk we face – is to gather evidence. wonderful opportunity to engage local people and That is why the Riverfly Census matters.” communities such as anglers in the investigation Nick Measham, author of the report and and documentation of this unique heritage. and S&TCUK environmental consultant, concludes, help them to understand and appreciate the “The aim of our Census was to provide, for the first historical features and unique habitat”. time, an accurate picture of water quality in our The Watermeadows of the River Wylye, which rivers, to gauge the problems we are facing and to cover the whole of the flood plain between identify workable solutions to restore degraded Kingston Deverill and Wilton, were created in the watercourses to their pristine condition. The 17th century as the first of an extensive system of evidence from our Census is irrefutable. Increased precisely engineered water channels and 40th Symposium Update human pressure is having a disastrous impact on meadows that eventually extended throughout our rivers. the river valleys of southern England. They “We will now challenge the Government to increased agricultural yields by a factor of five tackle these damaging sources of pollution before and provided the food and hard cash that we reach the point of no return. We have a five- underpinned the Industrial Revolution of the 18th point plan of action involving working with the century. They are unique to England and form Environment Agency, but also challenging them one of the largest works of civil engineering of the where necessary, especially over the urgent need pre-Modern world. to identify and regulate polluters. However, we The type of watermeadows that cover the valley believe the best chance of reversing the floors of southern England – known as ‘bedwork’ degradation in our rivers is to work directly with systems’ - harness the natural characteristics of those who, mostly inadvertently, are the sources of the spring water of the chalk aquifers that the stress on river water quality, and to show them underlie them. The spring water flows to the that they can also benefit from adopting measures surface in the winter at a temperature of c. 5°C that protect watercourses. ” above the normal air temperature – and especially The Symposium at Winchester this year will be currently working at the Game and Wildlife To download the full report, please visit : so during the ‘Little Ice Age’ that affected our 40th, so come and help us to celebrate this Conservation Trust Salmon & Trout Research http://www.salmontrout.org/pdf/Riverfly_Census_ northern Europe in the 16th, 17th and 18th very significant birthday. Don’t forget this is also Centre researching the effects of environmental 2015.pdf centuries - warming the ground, promoting early the last time you will see Steve Skuce as a variables on salmonid vital rates and consequences growth of the grass and protecting it from frost, Committee Member - he is retiring after more for their population dynamics. He started working S&TC UK is a fisheries charity established in as well as fertilizing the soil. than 20 years as Sales Officer, General Secretary on grayling in 2013 when he joined Anton Ibbotson 1903 to address the damage done to our rivers by The project will collate existing historical and Chairman. and Rich Cove to help with the Wylye Grayling the Industrial Revolution. Since then, S&TC UK research into the watermeadows of the River The bookings to this “Chalkstream Spectacular” Study, which has been running since 1996. has worked to protect fish stocks and the wider Wylye, including transcription of interviews with at the Marwell Hotel are coming in very quickly. Vanessa finished her master’s degree in Biology aquatic environment for the public benefit. Our the last generation of ‘floaters’; engage the public charitable objectives empower us to address all Those who came to our previous Symposium at at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in the identification of watermeadow systems and issues affecting fish and the aquatic environment, the Marwell will know that we were looked after in 2011, with a focus on ecology and evolution. supported by evidence from our scientific network . their distinctive features; and identify the best very well indeed in this unique situation. For Afterwards she worked for the sites for future archaeological investigation of those who do not wish to stay in the Marwell Naturschutzbehörde (Conservation Authority) Chalk stream watermeadows receive how the watermeadows were created and and want to see no wildlife nor wild life, there is and the Association of Landscape Management Lottery funding operated. It is hoped that a programme of a list of nearby alternative guesthouses, B&Bs in Kitzingen, Bavaria, for two years on a Chalk stream anglers spend a lot of their time archaeological investigation involving aerial and hotels on the rear of the booking form. conservation project for the endangered smooth amongst Watermeadows, but few are aware of photography, LiDAR survey, geophysics and As well as Neil Patterson, Alex Jardine, Lewis snake (Coronella austriaca). This used population the purpose and historical significance of these excavation will form a second stage of the project Hendrie, Dr. Mark Everard our two other speakers genetic tools to assess habitat connectivity and unique and artificial landscapes. Now, thanks to a in the future. A ‘Facebook’ page has been set-up, will be Dr. Stephen Gregory and Vanessa Huml. measure inbreeding. In 2013 she started a PhD grant of £28,900 from the Heritage Lottery Fund from which the public can download a ‘spotters Stephen is a conservation biologist and jointly funded by Manchester Metropolitan and funding from Wiltshire Council, the guide’ and to which members of the public are statistician. He uses statistical models to University and the Grayling Research Trust on historically and ecologically unique watermeadow invited to upload their own photographs of understand and propose management actions to ‘Assessing adaptive genetic variation of systems of the Wylye Valley in Wiltshire are to be watermeadow features. conserve wildlife populations. In the past, he European grayling (Thymallus thymallus) for the subject of an historical research and public Anyone who would like to know more about the has worked at the Universities of Oxford, Paris conservation and management purposes’. Her awareness project. project please contact Mike on and Adelaide on native Galapagos rats, UK bats, work involves genotyping grayling populations Local archaeologist, historian and angler Mike [email protected] Bornean orang-utan and kangaroos. He is across the UK for immune genetic markers, 6 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 7 Marwell Hotel Lounge & Bar Executive Double room using next-generation sequencing in and USA. They give the fly dresser a unique Marryat High performance comparison to neutral markers and bacterial opportunity to be able to select exactly the right Tactical Fly Rods, Vosseler diversity to identify patterns of local adaptation. feather for the job in hand and are of special Fly Reels, Saltwater and Her work will inform management and may interest to the dressers of North Country Spider freshwater rods - Marryat enhance the success of strategies like stocking, patterns and the more innovative fly dresser. Tactical Pro Series, Dry Fly & e.g. by improving the delineation of A vast range of other products including Nymph Fly Rods, Marryat management units by including information wings, loose hackle feathers, CDC feathers, duck Tactical Bonefish Fly Rods. from these different types of genetic marker. flank feathers, herl wing feathers, hair and fur Regal The best Fly Tying The Symposium would not be the success it is products, silks and threads and capes. Vises and accessories. without our Trade Stands to provide a welcome Even very rare and special products such as As well as our Grayling addition to and diversion from the presentations; Argus Pheasant and Speckled Bustard can be Society Trade Stands we indeed many members leave their tackle and book ordered. will have: buying until this weekend. This year they are:- To keep every neat and tidy and in tip top Coch y Bonddu Books manned as ever by the grayling fishing in the UK. We will have access FlyTek condition they sell Gripseal Bags to keep them well known book expert Paul Morgan who will to some of the best beats,to which clubs and Pat Stevens’ cheery face on the FlyTek stand well protected. have with him a vast array of books of angling individuals have very generously given us will be well known to many of you. He will be Fishing Matters and other aspects of country sports and bringing the usual fly tying materials and some access. Fishing Matters is a family run business where pastimes. tackle including hooks from Partridge and The Piscatorial Society have given us water we hold old-fashioned values about service and David Miller the well known fish and wildlife Varivas, leaders from Varivas, threads from on the Wylye and Avon. care about the satisfaction of our customers and artist ,who will have not only some of the Benecchi, tungsten beads, dyed stripped eye We have secured fishing on the Wilton Club their customers! stunning fresh and saltwater fish paintings but quills, tools from Marc Petitjean, Marryat and water of the River Wylye for both flyfishers and They specialise in unique products available intriguing sketches which he has used to FlyTek’s own range, rods from Marryat, a full trotters. On the Itchen at Fulling Mill we will exclusively to us in the UK and Ireland and in eventually create his masterpieces. range of CDC feathers and a multitude of bits have 8 rods courtesy of Rochienne Pearce; some cases we own the brands such as:- who creates hand planed split and bobs to fill the van. If you want something Luke Bannister Richard Ellis has obtained 3 rods on the Itchen cane fishing rods and fly fishing tackle for in particular please contact him in advance on Partridge of Redditch Salmon, Steelhead, Sea and we have 14 rods on the Itchen below streams and rivers. He also sells a range of 01772 684033 or 07788 427660. Trout, Trout, Pike and Predator hooks and Winchester courtesy of Portsmouth Services carbon and fiberglass rods, fly lines, made in accessories. plus 2 rods on the Arle offered by a small Cookshill Fly Tying England to his own design with small stream Cox & Rawle Sea hooks, components, rigs and syndicate via Neil Faulkner. Wylye Fly Fishing Cookshill are renowned for the superb quality and river fishing in mind as well as being accessories. Club have given us 2 rods on the Wylye and we of their full skins which have been widely equally happy on the larger waters, and furled Sprite Affordable hooks in the most useful are continuing to look at more possibilities. acclaimed in the Fly Tying magazines as being leaders. the finest available. Under Steve Cooper’s patterns and sizes. If you are planning to attend and fish then we critical eye, they are produced from birds Varivas Top quality fly lines, leaders, tippet, On Sunday the 30th you will be fishing on strongly recommend that you fly fish because it individually selected for feather quality and are freshwater and seawater hooks; Try the 2100 the world famous southern English is such a waste to trot a chalkstream in October! superior to similar products available in the UK Standard dry or the 2600V Carbon short shank. chalkstreams, which provide some of the best In any case trotting places are extremely limited. 8 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 9 broad river that meandered By Kris Kent across a broad valley. Clear as a bell and packed full of trout Most years a few like minded friends and I try the day tickets. The café only accepted cash. and Grayling. I asked our to get away for a week abroad. A change of Denise and I hadn’t had time to get any Euros guide Jan how far we were scene, a chance for adventure and hopefully before we left the UK and Charles had forgotten from the rivers source. Jan some cracking fishing. We are all members of his wallet before leaving home. There was also said “a mile.” I thought I’d the Wild Trout Trust and love nothing better no cash point in the small town of Planina. misheard him, or that he had than fishing for wild Brown Trout in wild places. The Post Office saved the day. Armed with our misunderstood me or that ‘a But my friends are suspicious, they think I am permits we drove to the outskirts of the town mile’ meant something using these trips to try to convert them into and turned left down a small track signposted different in Bosnia. In Norway being Grayling anglers. This isn’t my agenda, it Planinska Jama and Ravbarjav Stolp. Ravbarjav a ‘Norwegian mile’ is ten is just a coincidence that the places we visit Stolp was easy to spot, it is a medieval fortified kilometres, these things can often have a good head of Grayling. On the tower, the only remnants of a larger castle, once cause confusion. So I asked Norwegian Trysil in 2013 probably 98% of the fish home to a robber baron. It rises high on a Jan once again. Once again caught were Grayling, so you can understand promontory above the old timber mill where we he replied “a mile.” He could their suspicions. parked the cars. obviously see from my face The last couple of years we have spent our that I was perplexed by his fishy vacation in Slovenia on the mighty Soca response so he suggested we The source of the Pliva and the more intimate Idrijca. Whilst these go there. The following day we went there, and lakes of the area appear and disappear as water rivers hold good populations of Grayling we Jan was right it was just a mile upstream. It levels fluctuate through the seasons. The area hadn’t bumped into many, that was until our turns out that the Pliva starts as a fully formed around Planina becomes a huge lake when visit to the Unica. river where it pours out of a huge pile of rocks at heavy rains deluge the region. The Unica itself During our 2014 visit our hosts Brett and Kate the foot of a limestone cliff. Above this point it is appears like a dotted line across the map as it Baxter asked if we fancied a trip to ‘the entirely subterranean. periodically retreats beneath ground before chalkstream’. As we had so much fishing on The Unica is another river that has an intimate reappearing a few miles downstream. We were our doorstep, much of it as yet unexplored, and relationship with limestone. It flows across the going to fish the main river Unica plus two of its as ‘the chalkstream’ was a quite a few more Slovenian Karst. A vast plateau of limestone. tributaries, the Malenšcica and the Pivka. Euros we decided to give it a miss and stay The area is littered with caves, caverns and Planinska Jama is a huge cave from which the local. On our return in 2015 we were feeling a potholes, sink holes and funnels, limestone Pivka emerges, gin clear. We stood on the bit more adventurous and as we felt we had got being soluble and permeable. The rivers and platform near the entrance staring into the to grips with the Idricja when Brett asked if we water. You could see every stone, wanted to visit ‘the chalkstream’ this time we every piece of gravel. But no fish. said “why not”. The winter and spring in Slovenia This new river was about an hours drive to the had been very dry and the river north east of our base near Cerkno. As Brett was on its bones. The fish were wasn’t so familiar with this water, and because elsewhere, didn’t stop Charles secretly he wanted to go play with his strimmer, having a cast anyway. it was decided that local guide and all round We wandered downstream thoroughly good egg Gregor Zupanacic would looking for a bit more water. Paul look after us for the day. After one of Kate’s was first to get started on a long fantastic breakfasts we loaded ourselves into the Ravbarjav Stolp run with a bit of flow at the top end. The rest of us moved on with two cars and headed off. We headed through Planinska Jama was less obvious. Most rivers Gregor dropping in at any spots Idrija and over the mountains following steep I’ve fished start as small springs bubbling out of with a bit of flow and depth. I got twisting roads through dense ancient forests chalk aquifers or as wee burns or becks trickling a fast deep run below a wide until we emerged onto a more agricultural rolling off mountain sides. They slowly grow in size shallow pool. The river cutting in plain dotted with small hamlets and farmsteads. and stature as they gather together with other hard against a tree, its roots exposed. Gregor’s constant chattering made the journey small streams to form rivers until they reach fly past and kept us endlessly entertained. their conclusion in the sea. A few years back I Gregor suggested a nymph so it was a nymph that I tied on. As I Our first challenge of the day was paying for was fishing the Pliva in Bosnia. The Pliva was a Gazing into the pool below Planinska Jama Cave

10 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 11 behind the pelvic fins. I cast again try to get the fly running as close along the tree roots as possible and I was rewarded with four or five more fish before the rest of the shoal spooked. As I wandered down-stream to find the others I discovered Denise towards the top of a very wide long run. She was fishing in the ‘continental manner’, by which I mean downstream. As I stood nearby and watched fish after fish rise to her fly I started to realise that the entire run was alive with Grayling. They were Grayling run on the Pivka everywhere, hundreds upon projected the nymph towards the top of the run hundreds of fish. Of course the problem was Good Grayling run below the bridge on the Pivka Charles and Paul on the Malenscica with my first cast a fish rose downstream of the that in this very low clear water we could see all I tied back on the CDC & Elk and tossed it As we wandered down to the river replete from tree roots. I quickly snipped off the nymph and the fish but they could also see us. This didn’t along the edge of the fast water. In the time it lunch we discovered a river much more akin to tied on a CDC & Elk. There weren’t any caddis seem to bother them too much, they kept rising took the others to collect the cars and drive the river we expected from its moniker ‘the about, but then there wasn’t anything much to our flies. But they weren’t easy to hook. I down to the bridge I had caught a dozen chalkstream’. Broad with plenty of weed, tall reed about. The CDC & Elk looked suitably bushy began to wish we had come in 2014 when there Grayling without moving my feet. They were beds along the margins and full of large trout and straggly, a mouthful for a fish too good to would have been much better depth and flow of packed into that fast run cheek by jowl. As the and grayling mooching about over clean gravels. ignore . And that rising fish didn’t ignore it, it water, the sport would have been amazing. others arrived and peered down on me from the took it on the second drift down the pool. It was Dodging past a dead Roe deer half submerged I was concentrating on try to winkle a large bridge I was just landing my best fish of the day, a beautiful little Grayling of about ten inches. in the river I came upon a high bank from which Grayling out of a tricky spot on the far bank a beautiful Grayling of 40cm. when I heard much commotion round the I quickly photographed it, unhooked the fish I could watch the fish unseen. The Grayling Having explored the Pivka we moved onto the corner where Paul and Charles were fishing. marvelling at its colours before slipping it back were larger in this pool and they were very Malenšcica. Before exploring the river we ate Having risen and missed the fish I wandered into the cold water. It was a very different hue active, feeding on something below the surface. our packed lunch lovingly prepared by Kate. down to see what it was all about. I discovered to my local Grayling back home. The tail was I tried a nymph but the fish immediately knew Freshly baked rolls with local cheese and salami Charles looking like the cat that got the cream. very red and it had a reddish tinge to its belly of my presence and selectively ignored my offering. This was washed down by Paul’s Kelly Kettle tea and He had caught a large Brown Trout whose lie, frustrating but strangely topped off with Date and Walnut cake. Doesn’t having been vacated, had been taken up by a compelling. Gregor caught get much better than this. Grayling of about the same size. Having up with me and got Denise unhooked the trout he tried for and I to walk up to a road the Grayling and hooked it on bridge where he would meet the first cast. Two very good fish us later having rounded up in two casts. Charles, Paul and the cars. So having fished the two tribs Logistics are always a it was time for the main river. challenge on these trips. Charles and I waded down the Denise choose to fish above Malenšcica to its confluence the bridge whilst I fought with the Pivka and then on down my way through some to a grand stone bridge by a dense scrub to get to a ruined castle whilst the others series of fast runs below the backtracked to collect the cars. bridge. We prospected as we went, rising and missing fish all along First Pivka grayling 40cm Pivka Grayling from below the bridge

12 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 13 Some thoughts on the availability of shrimps for grayling By Stanislaw Cios

I was very encouraged by the article by Les in winter and early spring is their large size, Jervis on food of grayling, in the previous issue of making them an attractive prey. the Journal. Few anglers make an attempt to The mentioned situation is typical for lowland look into the stomachs contents of caught fish, and highland streams with flourishing still fewer try to identify the organisms and draw vegetation. But there is another factor to be practical conclusions concerning fishing considered – type of stream bed. In mountain efficiency or optimal management. Having streams, with moveable stones (a common studied so far in detail about 2500 grayling situation in many Carpathian running waters), stomachs from various European countries, shrimps tend to be rare, at times even I would like to share some of my observations on nonexistent. The reason is that during a spate the shrimps. they may easily become destroyed by the They key issue raised by Les is – whether there moving stones. However, in streams with a rocky Ruined castle by the Unica is a relation between the theoretically available bottom, which is stable, there might be a that first stretch of the Unica. Charles, then Gregor and Paul before finally resources (i.e. present in the water) and their substantial shrimp population. The same is true We ended the day on a tightly meandering catching up with Denise back by the cars. occurrence in fish stomachs. It’s almost like a with respect to some streams with sandy or section of the Unica. It weaved its way across Everyone had been great, of not easy, sport all relation between the virtual and real worlds, to gravel bottom. In these waters shrimps may be open pasture growing in stature as it went. evening. Denise taking the prize for the trips use the language of the 21st century. eaten by fish on an all-year-round basis, with Gregor spread us out along the river and spent biggest fish with a cracking Brown Trout on a variations due mainly to hydrological conditions. the evening flitting to and fro keeping us right. Chernobyl Ant, the best part of 5lbs of wild fish. Complexity The Grayling were just as abundant as on the She was very happy and so were we. The answer to this problem is not a simple one. Water volume tributaries and just as spooky. I spent two A challenging but fabulous day on the Unica I will concentrate here on the shrimps (family The single most important factor influencing wonderful hours wading downstream casting to fishing for its beautiful Grayling. Gammaridae), to show the complexity of the behavior of shrimps, and their resulting rising fish and missing most of them. Downstream We stayed with Kate and Brett Baxter at Tilnik issue. These invertebrates are common in most availability as fish food, is a spate. Initially high dry fly is not an easy method, timing is critical if Farm. They offer superb accommodation and European grayling waters, but their role as fish water displaces the shrimps and many fish take you aren’t going to just pull the fly out of the fabulous hospitality. Brett guides on the Idrijca food is highly variable, depending on the natural advantage of this opportunity. The displacement fish’s mouth, and my timing was lousy. and tributaries and can arrange guided trips to environment, hydrological conditions and time of distance depends on local conditions and As the light started to fade I tracked down the Soca, Sora and other Slovenian rivers. the year. Besides, what may be true for grayling volume of water. In extreme cases (when the (www.tilnikfarm.com/) need not be true for some other fish species. water volume increases even a 100 times) the In general shrimps are eaten by fish mainly shrimps may be washed downstream even Biography during the cold part of the year. The main reason dozens of kilometers. But during such spates Kris Kent has been fly fishing and for this is lack of aquatic vegetation offering with turbid water grayling doesn’t eat, because it trotting for Brown Trout and protection, where the shrimps can hide and relies on vision to locate the food. Once the Grayling for over 20 years in the UK, thrive. Such vegetation also slows down the water becomes low and clean than Mother Europe and Scandinavia. He is PR current, reducing drift and exposure to fish (this Nature with her invisible hand enters the scene. Officer for the Grayling Society and is also the case with many other typical bottom- Since shrimps don’t fly than the only possibility helps out The Wild Trout Trust dwelling organisms, like dragonflies and crayfish). for them to regain the lost upstream sections is with their online communications During the cold part of the year variations in flow to swim (in the case of aquatic insects it’s the and events. rate (they tend to be quite frequent and of a adult that goes upstream during the so-called large magnitude) have a much stronger impact compensatory flight, which led to the theory of on the drift of invertebrates, than during the the colonization cycle). However shrimps don’t warm part of the year, when close to the bottom swim in the midstream part, where there are A big grayling for Charles the current is usually rather weak. The second many predators lurking “online” all the time. factor contributing to the shrimps’ enhanced role They swim at the water edge, with still or slowly

14 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 15 reduced pressure on the shrimps by the fish. during the last few days, perhaps even a week. There are two other observations concerning Shrimps are easy to recognize because as faeces shrimps, which may be of interest to anglers. they assume a characteristic pinkish colour. The first one concerns taking of shrimps by The number of shrimps eaten by one grayling grayling directly from the bottom (sand). In during a day isn’t large. Usually it is a few autumn on several occasions I have seen fish on specimens, rarely more than two dozen. In sandy bottom and making very slight contrast, trout may gorge themselves and in one movements with their body to intercept a prey fish I have found even over large 800 shrimps coming at most ca. 5 cm away from the mouth. (and several hundred other prey). I believe that These fish were usually difficult to catch with a the trout would need a week or so to digest fly. But luckily I caught some of them. The such a large meal. stomach contents of such grayling indicated Recently I studied the food of grayling, that shrimps (and often the waterlouse) were whitefish and perch in the River Harkån in the main food. They were taken as they were Sweden, caught in places with weak current “rolling” on the bottom. Usually only an artificial and still water. Grayling and whitefish consumed fly behaving in such a way did the job. mainly organisms in the water column and on The second observation concerns the intestines. the water surface. On the other hand perch fed Quite often it is worthwhile to make a general mainly near the bottom and among their prey check of the digested food in the intestines. there were many shrimps. This is a good This may give a clue to feeding behaviour example of food sharing in a fish community.

Obituary – Thomas Todd Accompanied by Rab Brown I attended the funeral of Thomas Todd on Wed 2nd March at Carstairs Parish Church. He was 67, a keen angler and a long time member of the Grayling Society, penning an interesting article entitled moving water, usually from 5 to 50 centimeters On such occasions some fish may learn where The Clyde as a Grayling Water for our 1991 deep (or more properly - shallow). At times it is the table with the food. Mainly trout that take Spring Journal. When I first came across him may be possible to see thousands of shrimp advantage of this opportunity, since they like to in the mid nineties he lived at Carstairs pilgrims (or should I use the word palmers, better stay at the water edge. They may even feed Junction, before later moving to Northumberland, known to anglers) on a short stretch of water. It’s voraciously during daytime, when these shrimps and I have looked forward since to meeting a wonderful sight. I have seen this happen many are active. In contrast, grayling doesn’t approach him regularly at our Symposiums. times, always putting aside my rod and the shallows. It stays in the midstream and Rab knew this decent, quiet man better than reflecting on the power of Nature and misses the meal. This preference for different me, and fished with him occasionally for both determination of these small creatures to survive, habitats may explain some of the differences salmon and grayling, so he was familiar with reproduce and continue their eternal voyage. In between the stomach contents of trout and much of his background related at the funeral Poland this occurs usually in April or early May grayling. However, once there is a minor rise of after melt water runoff. It may occur also after service. Born and bred in Carstairs he had the water level, contributing to increased drift of worked as an overhead linesman during the summer storm water runoff, as I have seen this in the drifts, then grayling cash-in on the shrimps. June on the River San in Southern Poland. electification of the railways, which is what beat through me. He was a fine and genuine man. I knew from speaking with Thomas at During the world fly-fishing championship held Driftborne took him away from the Clyde valley; he liked to travel and visited various countries usually Lockerbie that he had not been well, but it is on the River San in June 2010 just after a Another factor contributing to the shrimps’ role taking his rod with him, and was devoted to still a shock to get this very sad news." devastating flood (the water level was raised by as food of fish is increased activity during the his family. over 2 meters), there was an exceptional en reproduction period, i.e. late spring and early "Tommy" will be sadly missed by his masse migration of shrimps, which I have shown summer, when these crustaceans easily become Ross Gardiner also knew him saying "I first daughter Amelia and all his family, as well as and explained to many foreign teams. The driftborne. However, increased availability of came across him many years ago when he his fishing friends. Alan Ayre competitors were delighted to enjoy such a terrestrials and adults of aquatic insects during used to buy tickets for Pitlochry AC's salmon splendid view, unknown to them. the warm part of the year, contributes to a 16 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 17 French leader, 6” bicoloured indicator and about two reasons. The first is that I can see them and Sight Fishing for Grayling (& Trout) 5’ to 6’ of tippet (5x or 6x). Both these set-ups see the take (even if the fish is well camouflaged facilitate a stealthy presentation with minimal against the bottom & can not be clearly seen). by Dave Southall resistance felt by a taking fish, plus the ability to The second is to attract the grayling to the fly. hold everything except the tippet off the water Natural aquatic invertebrates have cryptic to facilitate relatively drag-free drifts when colouration so that they are less vulnerable to required. The indicator is there for those rare predators and there is much evidence that more situations when I cannot get a good view of the visible individuals are selectively predated by fish and so need an alternative way of detecting the fish. a take. Often I’ll miss out the indicator and just Furthermore there are the two phenomena, add a tiny pinch of bright Float Dough (Loon Oddity Selection & Supernormal Stimuli. Oddity Biostrike putty) above the tippet when I need it. Selection is where predators find unusual Take detection is usually determined by variants of their normal food more attractive, watching the fish and when possible the fly. whether that be colour, size or behaviour (e.g. It is amazing how subtle takes can be, with not Pike feeding on injured fish that are behaving the slightest indication on the indicator or line, a abnormally). Supernormal Stimuli are slight quivering of the pectoral fins, a minor exaggerated triggers that stimulate increased movement to one side, a flaring of the gill covers responses (e.g. the increased feeding activity of may be all that is seen. Any unusual movement small birds when they see the huge yellow gape is responded to with a lift of the rod. It always of a cuckoo chick in their nest). In addition there helps to drift the fly a bit to one side of the fish is some evidence that some organisms selectively so that it is clearly seen when the fish moves to feed on some foods because they contain intercept the fly and then starts to return to its lie. chemicals (pigments, toxins etc.) that are required The easiest way to detect takes is to watch for courtship displays, protection etc. (e.g. An ideal candidate for sight-fishing the fly as it drifts (or is moved to induce a take). Cinnabar Moth caterpillars feeding on poisonous Then it is possible to see the fly disappear as the Ragwort to make themselves unpalatable to I love dry fly fishing most of all because of its what it is actually feeding on. fish engulfs it. Which brings me to fly choice. birds). Why are grayling so attracted to orange visual appeal. There is, for me, nothing to beat An incredible amount can be learned about Whenever possible I use highly visible flies for and pink shrimp patterns? Is it just that they are seeing a fish rise to my dry fly. Furthermore if I fish behaviour, the response of grayling (and see rising fish I know their location, that they trout) to our flies & their presentation by sight are actively feeding and I can usually accurately fishing so I would urge anyone who has never assess what they are feeding on. However on done it to give it a try. I can and do at times my local chalk stream, Driffield Beck, the big spend ages trying to tempt individual fish, grayling virtually never surface feed. In nearly varying my presentation (dead drifts & various ten years of fishing there I have only ever had manipulations) and my fly choice till hopefully I four sizeable grayling on a dry fly (one of 2lb find the key to success. Grayling are the most 14oz on a size 14 Elk Hair Caddis, one of 1lb 9oz enigmatic species that I have ever fished for; on a size 20 CdC Shuttlecock & two of 1lb 8oz they can either be ‘dead easy’ taking my on a size 18 CdC IOBO Humpy). offering first cast or they can be inordinately Driffield Beck grayling are few & far between frustrating and challenging, inspecting, rejecting due to heavy predation by cormorants (plus or totally ignoring all my efforts. However, one of otters & herons). As a result blind searching the greatest rewards is finally tempting that with nymphs & bugs is virtually pointless: it’s elusive fish that has continually told me that I like searching for a needle in a haystack. am a rubbish angler and that I need to do better Fortunately the waters are usually crystal clear next time. and I can indulge in my second most favourite My usual set-ups for sight fishing are either a form of fly fishing, sight fishing. Here too I can Tenkara rig, 13’ 6” to 14’ 7” rod, plus a 0.285mm enjoy the visual aspect of watching a fish take fluorocarbon line 5’ 6” shorter than the rod to my fly, plus I can pinpoint the exact location of which I add a 6” bicoloured indicator and 5’ (or my quarry and usually see if it is actively 1.5x water depth) of 5x tippet & a single fly, or a Big grayling kicks away feeding, although it can be hard to determine 10’ to 12’, 2 to 3 weight rod, teamed up with a 18 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 19 with their bright orange spot and increase grayling panic at the slightest sign of my activity in daylight thus passing the parasite presence. Sometimes panicky grayling will settle onto its main host. down after a few minutes, but at other times So what highly visible patterns do I have they vacate the area, leaving a frustrated angler, success with? This winter, 2015/16 I have done particularly on Driffield Beck where it may have well with Bead-head Hares’ Ear and Stripped taken ages to locate the fish in the first place. I Quill Nymphs with white, pale pink & bright wear camouflaged clothing & kneepads. I move pink tungsten beads. Also very effective are with the stealth of a heron. I avoid any bright pink and orange Shrimps, including the unnecessary casting. When possible I lower my UVSP Shrimp for which I gave the tying in an fly into the water rather than casting it. I use earlier Grayling Soc. Magazine. Utah Killer Bugs black reels & I really ought to matt varnish my in pink or orange are also quite easily seen. rods, like I used to do when I built all my own Infected Orange Spot Shrimp There was a time that I only relied on about rods in the 1960s & 70s. three fly patterns for my grayling fishing, Sometimes the grayling want tiny Buzzer Pupae So if you haven’t tried it give sight-fishing a believing that presentation was 99% of the go. Even in spate rivers where the fish can’t be game & that fly choice was somewhat Finally stealth is vitally important, particularly seen it is possible to fish with highly visible flies irrelevant, but I have learned better in recent if fishing with a down stream presentation at like white bead-heads, watching for when the years, primarily thanks to sight fishing and close range (sight-fishing is a very close range bead disappears as an indication of a take. I well watching the grayling reject a range of flies for activity). You can’t catch a fish if it has been remember acting as controller for a match on no apparent reason and despite trying a wide spooked. I know that there are times when the Yorkshire Ure where Kieron Jenkins bagged variety of presentations. Unfortunately there are grayling can be unbelievably tolerant of the up on small grayling with a white bead-head times when for no obvious reason the grayling angler’s presence, particularly when deep nymph: even though he couldn’t see the fish he do not want bright flies and will only respond to wading, however fickle as they are I’ve seen could see when his fly disappeared. drab nymphs and bugs. Not only this but I have found that there are times when I can only tempt them with the tiniest of flies (size 24 Orange Spot UVSP Shrimp Buzzers/Nymphs and smaller). So it pays to have a range of patterns and sizes at your FlyTek Fly Fishing disposal for those times that the grayling are being fussy. Marryat Tactical Rods and the new Tactical Peacock Eye Quills , stripped and dyed, packs I still believe that presentation is generally Pro Nymph Special 10ft 6in #3wt in stock. of 25 in natural, brown, crimson, ginger, golden more important than fly choice and once again olive, olive, orange, pink, red, yellow, £3.10 grayling can prove to be incredibly fickle. One Bidoz tungsten shrimp bodies in 5mm, day they will spook as even the smallest nymph 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm, 10mm in gold metallic Varivas hooks, tapered leaders and tippets. grey, olive, orange. plops into the water, yet next day they’ll happily HMH vices and accessories. feed whilst 5mm Tungsten Bombs ‘explode’ into Tungsten beads in 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.4mm, the water around them. One day anything but a 2.8mm, 3.3mm, 3.8mm diameter in black, Petitjean and Marryat fly tying tools and CDC. perfect dead-drift is rejected, whilst the next copper, gold, silver, chartreuse, light green, olive, orange, pink, red, white and 4.6mm, 5.5mm in subtle induced movements are the only way to black, copper, gold, silver. PARTRIDGE arouse the fish’s interest. One thing that I have Bright Orange Shrimp found to be consistent is that, at least with sight Metallic colour finish brass beads in NEW Patriot barbless ranges of fishing (and dry fly) for grayling, a down and 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.4mm, 2.8mm, 3.3mm, 3.8mm, 4.6mm diameter; colours blue, brown, green, Trout/Grayling hooks stocked and Tippet more visible? Is it Oddity Selection or is it that across stream presentation gives much better pink, purple, red. Rings in 1mm, 2mm & 3mm they require carotenoid pigments to enhance control of dead-drifts and the application of their fin colour for courtship? We can only induced movements, plus it gives a clearer view Benecchi threads, head cement and micro chenille, Enrico Puglisi fibres and eyes, speculate! Certainly there is no doubting that of flies with bright bead-heads and of the opening Hareline superfine and ice dubbings and a lot more ….. the evolutionary strategy of the spiny-headed and closing of the fish’s mouth when a fish worm parasite, Pomphorhynchus laevis, that takes. Unfortunately on many clear chalk streams To order or to check further details contact Pat infects some Gammarus/Shrimps is very including the Mulberry Whin Fishery on Driffield 01772 684003 or 07788 427560 email: [email protected] effective in making fish select infected shrimps Beck fishing downstream is not permitted.

20 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 21 Should we still kill grayling?

This letter was published in Trout and Salmon hindsight was a complete waste of time. The magazine in response to an earlier letter practice came to an end some 20 or more years what is the meaning of the grayling’s spottiness? advocating the killing of grayling on Scottish ago. On some salmon rivers it was customary to By Vincenzo Penteriani salmon rivers to reduce predation on salmon kill all trout on the grounds that they ate salmon eggs. Ed. parr and eggs and to kill them would boost salmon numbers. In fact no effect could be seen Eddie McIntyre in the April issue of this and we think that the practice has ceased in magazine asks this question and suggests that particular because it is now realised that the reducing grayling populations might sustain or resident trout are important in fertilising the sea even enhance salmon numbers. Yes grayling eat trout eggs. salmon eggs and so do trout and so do salmon There are clearly a number of factors parr. Grayling and salmon parr also eat trout contributing to the decline in salmon numbers, eggs but we know of no evidence that this egg fish farms, climate change and high seas netting feast has any noticeable or significant effect to name but a few. To kill grayling would not upon any of the populations of fish involved. solve or even alleviate the problem; all that Nature has a wonderful ability to produce a would be achieved would be a degrading of the super abundance, of in this case eggs, at a grayling population, which would benefit no particularly vulnerable stage of the life cycle of one. Grayling are now protected in England and many animals. This situation is complicated of Wales under policy 11 of the EA’s Trout and course by the current low numbers of salmon Grayling Fishery Strategy and the European present on the redds.Significant population Grayling is protected under Annex V of the effects tend to occur later in the life cycle and Habitats Directive. This allows exploitation of usually involve a shortage of food and or poor the listed species by man within the wild but habitat. It is well understood now that in a good Adult graylings are characterized by conspicuous black spots on their flanks, always located on the dark lines that separate may be subject to management measures to environment populations of salmon (juveniles of two scale lines. Such spots are generally restricted to the front half of the flanks. ensure their favourable conservation status is course), trout and grayling can live in harmony not jeopardised. We would suggest to Eddie Fish spots, bars and stripes play a role in dark lines that separate two scale lines. These and balance as each of the species has slightly McIntyre and anyone else who is interested in camouflage and crypsis from predators, foraging spots have the potential to play an important different requirements, each occupies a slightly fishery management that they should join strategies, territory defence and individual role in communication within the fish group. different niche in a river. To manage these The Grayling Society, become informed about recognition. Additionally, there is some evidence Previous studies demonstrated that (i) adult populations in such a way as to reduce one in grayling and enjoy the wonderful fishing which demonstrating the essential role that spots play spots are different from those on juveniles, order to boost another is almost always these attractive and obliging fish provide. as a visual stimulus in the social behaviour of which are spread all along the back of the fish; unsuccessful. For many years keepers on our gregarious fishes living in groups. For example, (ii) the percentage of adult fish without spots is southern chalk streams took out grayling in Steve Skuce Robin Mulholland skin colouring and patterning are used as low; (iii) the number and location of spots seems order to enhance trout numbers. This had no Chairman Trustee conspicuous visual cues for intraspecific to be stable, that is the amount and disposition noticeable effect on trout numbers and with The Grayling Society Grayling Research Trust communication, may shape the behavioural of spots do not change over time nor with the interactions among individuals and signals the size of the fish (larger grayling are neither more status of the individual. Indeed, the recognition nor less spotted than smaller ones); and (iv) the The Righyni-Roose Trophy of individuals within the same group through number and disposition of the spots are not visual signals may be crucial for survival in symmetrical on the two sides. The theme for this coming year is gregarious fish: gregarious species tend to have Here, I present the results of a study that Photography stripes and spots, which are generally used by analysed the relationships between the individuals to establish preferences. characteristics of spottiness in graylings and with themes related to Grayling and angling. Patterns of spottiness in the European grayling environmental factors and individual features. Submissions may be published in the Society’s Journal. are intriguing. Adult individuals are When thinking on grayling’s spottiness, three Entries to Steve Skuce by characterized by conspicuous black spots on main, non-exclusive possibilities came to my 16th September 2016 their sides (Picture 1), generally restricted to the mind: (1) there is a sexual difference in flank front half of the flank and always located on the spottiness, which may be the result of sexual 22 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 23 random; and (b) Morisita’s index was extremely homogeneous for the whole sample, displaying similar patterns of spot aggregation among graylings. Furthermore, length and sex of the fish did not show any effects on the characteristics and spatial distribution of spots. In addition, the spatial distribution of spots was never explained by environmental variables, which only explained (i) the number of spots, (ii) the mean number of spots per line and (iii) the number of spotted lines. Intriguingly, quantitative patterns of spots were always positively associated with the same environmental features, i.e. high spottiness was related to fast waters, greater depth and transparency (due to both water Examples of differently spotted graylings, from a heavily spotted individual... colour and type of river bottom), whereas the selection. Indeed, spottiness could be used by notable sexual dimorphism and generally I obtained a sample of 55 graylings (26 males, negative relationship between spottiness and males to intimidate or defeat competing males, allowing easy sex identification. From each 19 females and 10 individuals of unknown sex), fish position in the river demonstrated that the and/or could have evolved if females prefer to picture (one per flank), I calculated: (a) the total ranging from 100 to 870gr in weight (average = most highly spotted individuals tended to mate with males that exhibit elaborate traits; number of spots; (b) the number of spots per 343gr) and 18 to 43cm in length (average = 32cm). occupy the head of pools and streams. Thus, (2) spottiness differs as a function of the grayling’s scale line; and (c) the number of spotted lines. Although graylings generally showed bilateral spottiness did not show any relationship with size, which could support the possibility that The spatial patterns of spots on both sides of an asymmetry in the patterns of spots, there was no sex and body size, but quantitative features spots represent an honest signal of individual individual were also described by three consistency in the direction of this asymmetry, such as the number of both spots and spotted quality; and/or (3) spottiness is related to the dispersion indexes, which represent three neither for the number of spots nor for the lines appeared to be correlated with some (genetic) characteristics of the individual and alternative methods for examining the deviation number of spotted lines. The analyses on the physical properties of the river: more highly varies as a function of the environmental from a random distribution: (1) the index of spatial patterns of spots revealed that: (a) both spotted graylings seemed to generally inhabit variables, with the most highly spotted fish dispersion, which under a random distribution of the index of dispersion and the index of cluster fast and deep waters, and were positioned at representing the most dominant individuals that points is expected to equal 1; (2) the index of size showed a distribution of spots close to the head of pools and streams. inhabit the most advantageous but costly cluster size, which under a random distribution sectors of the river. of points is expected to equal 0: positive values Samples indicate a clumped distribution, whereas During my study, graylings were sampled from negative values denote a regular distribution; five rivers in three different countries: Unec and and (3) Morisita’s Index, which is the scaled So ča in Slovenia, Kupa and Kupica in Croatia, probability that two points chosen at random and Glomma in Norway. All fish were sampled from the whole population occupy the same in June 2013 by means of flyfishing (dry flies space. For the latter index, the higher the value, only and barbless hooks). Given that one of the the more clumped the distribution. aims of the present work was to relate spot For each grayling, I estimated six environmental patterns to environmental variables, catching on variables (with an approximation of ~1m around a fly only those graylings rising for insects the exact point where the fish was caught): allowed me to precisely locate the fish along the (1) water velocity (slow, medium or fast); (2) type river bed. Caught fish were measured and of river bottom (sand, sand with v egetation or photographed immediately after capture, and rocks); (3) water depth; (4) distance from the then released. I measured body length (from the river bank; (5) water transparency (low, medium mouth to the fork of the caudal fin) using a ruler. or high); and (6) fish position in the pool/stream Sex was determined by external morphology, (head, middle or end). The head/end were particularly the size and shape of the dorsal fin: considered as the very beginning/end of a the large "sail-like" dorsal fin of the grayling is pool/stream, i.e. ca. 1m after the beginning or larger in males than in females, producing before the end a pool/stream. ...to one with no spots at all.

24 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 25 The recognition that individual differences Moreover, on the basis of previous studies, we within a population represent biologically know that there is strong heritability in the meaningful adaptive traits has raised questions number of black skin spots and spot patterns RIVERFLY MONITORING concerning the circumstances that benefit and numbers do not change over time. Thus, different phenotypes, as well as the costs and spottiness may just reflect the status of WORKSHOP benefits of limited plasticity imposed by more or individuals and, consequently, their position less fixed trait associations. Melanin-based within the natural and social environment. colouration, such as the black spots dappling The possibility that spottiness might be a status the skin of the Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and signal should be considered as an open rainbow trout, demonstrates that darker question. Further experimental and behavioural individuals are generally more aggressive, studies are needed to support or refute this sexually active and resistant to stress than supposition. Actually, it is still unclear how a lighter individuals. These findings might help temporally fixed pattern of colouration might explain the recorded observation that more imply that spots function as social signals highly spotted (and consequently darker because social status may be dynamic: a flanked) individuals occupy the most dominant individual in one breeding season may advantageous places (the head of pools and not have the same social status in the next streams where, for a fish mainly preying on season (although high quality individuals have drifting insects, the food arrives first and is the potential to have a high social status for generally more abundant) and costly portions of longer than low quality individuals). the rivers (e.g. faster streams). This might Graylings continue to surprise us with their indicate that spottiness signals the status (e.g. peculiarities and the information presented here quality and/or dominance) of individuals, which is only the beginning of the path we need to or obviously plays a role in determining the spatial follow for elucidating the function of flank Friday 13th... a good day after all! arrangement of individuals along the river bed spottiness and its role in regulating life within a and, consequently, within the group, which may school! Well, I must admit there were times when I Lakeside reaction was “ if the JCB AC are be especially important for a gregarious fish like For their support during the different phases wondered if this plan would ever come to supporting you, there will be no charge for the the grayling. of this study I would like to thank the Fisheries fruition; contact had been made with various room.....but we will have to charge you for Status symbol Research Institute of Slovenia for logistic conservation bodies over the preceding 24 lunchtime refreshments”. The environment should not affect the support (in particular the biologist Miha Ivanc), months only for emails to be either ignored, or So, with many thanks to JCB Angling Club and spottiness of grayling as there is little evidence as well as María del Mar Delgado, Roberto answered in a manner that did not inspire. Then JCB Lakeside Club the plan was in place. that persistent melanin-based pigment patterns Pragliola, Mirko Cordiglia and Luca Natalicchi I heard that a local conservation scheme had As Friday 13th May approached the level of arising from melanophore aggregations in fishes for sharing with me unforgettable flyfishing run 2 or 3 ‘Riverfly Monitoring Workshops’ that I the river Dove had continued to drop and it was are subject to environmental influence. moments. hadn’t heard about (so much for the on a dry bright morning that several members of grapevine...). But they had sadly come to the the Grayling Society gathered at the Rocester end of their funding stream. venue. Rod Calbrade our Gen Sec attended in As Stuart Crofts has supported me from the his official capacity of photographer, James ‘Friends’ of the Grayling Society start with this idea, I contacted him once more Please give our TRADE MEMBERS be low your full support when considering making a purchase of Rowlinson represented the Environment fishing tackle, clothing and accessories or fly tying materials. and although he was reluctant at first, due to it Agency, as did Mick Buxton our local EA being ‘out of his area’, I informed him that this TRADE MEMBERS CORPORATE MEMBERS Fisheries Officer, although sadly Mick was called was a personal invite to Staffordshire both from away early to a reported fish kill. Nick Mott from COOKSHILL FLY TYING FISHING MATTERS CAERSWS ANGLING WILTON FLY FISHING Tel: 01782 388382 Unit 3, ASSOCIATION CLUB me as a friend, and as Grayling Society Area 5 the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust was also in Mobile: 07932 653492 Lawrence House Yard, Tel: 01686 688196 Mike Tebbs Secretary; how could he refuse! attendance. [email protected] Wincanton,Somerset BA9 9EB acgameangling@btinternet. Rivendell, Newton Now I needed to consider finance, I www.cookshill-flytying.co.uk Tel: 01963 31623 com Heytesbury Following the obligatory Health and Safety [email protected] www.caersws-aa.co.uk Wiltshire BA12 0HN approached JCB Angling Club of which I am a section, which I believe we all need a reminder FLY TEK FLY FISHING www.fishing matters.biz Tel: 01985 841192 life member. The committee immediately agreed about occasionally, Stuart proceeded in his own Tel: 01772 684003 DERWENT ANGLERS’ [email protected] Mobile: 07788 427560 VENIARDS to support me and suggested that if I needed a inimitable style through the Introduction to [email protected] Veniards.com CLUB venue for the workshop, why not enquire at the monitoring, The target groups - Life History & Full details of Trade and Corporate Membership can be obtained from the Editor JCB Lakeside Club. Were things really starting Ecology were covered in that order, before we to fall into place? On making my enquiry the all proceeded to the river Dove where we were

26 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 27 instructed on how to take samples correctly. A very nice lunch was laid out for us on our return to the Lakeside Club, during which we were able to chat with people whom some had not met before, and generally weigh up the course so far. We then came to the most interesting section, sorting and recording the samples. Stuart had provided two microscopes which gave us all a much closer look at the invertebrates that live in the rivers we fish. (And we never saw anything that resembled UV Orange Fritz, or a 4mm Tungsten bead!) Following a data overview and guidance in establishing a monitoring programme on our own river where we fish, there was a far from usual Q & A session. The presence of Nick Mott and James Rowlinson was invaluable, as along with Stuart there was an extremely good interchange of information. out to other Grayling Society members in all Without exception each participant went away areas. Stuart Crofts has stated that he would be fully enthused about ‘Riverfly Monitoring’, and honoured to be asked to carry out any future that cannot be a bad thing! workshop’s for the GS. Thank you to all involved in making this day Participants on the day: Rod Calbrade, Iain happen. Baddeley, Chris Salmon, Neil Chandler, Karl I view this day as having been a very Humphries, John Green and myself Paul Deaville successful pilot for what could easily be rolled Grayling Society Area 5 Secretary. The Ron Broughton Trophy for Conservation

(Formerly the Presidents Trophy)

Each year the President of the Society awards the Trophy to a person who has impressed you, the members, with their work or commitment to conservation.

Write to the Society’s President with your nominations for this prestigious award before 16th September 2016

Alan Ayre, 43 Blinkbonny Road, Falkirk, FK1 5BY

28 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 29 Regarding some text about the fishing methods and devices of Grayling fishing in New Zealand the Ma-ori, E. Best, in1929 wrote, By A. Wessiowski "… but coming into the shallows towards evening. They then took Like no other country Aotearoa – the land of In 2003 Cadbury, the British chocolate the fly readily, and provided good the long white cloud – is famous for its manufacturer, released a series called "Forgotten sport; were strong fighters; the beautiful landscapes, its wilderness, its remote friends". Among other animals like the Caribbean finest tackle and small trout-flies streams and the trout which live in them. I fell Monk Seal, the Red Gazelle, the Bavarian Pine were required for them." Which is in love with this land and the people many years Mole and the Dodo – the New Zealand Grayling. interesting, because they were ago. The only setback to me was, that there are From the series' name and the list of animals it living on a plant diet ... no grayling, which would have made New quickly dawned on me: all these creatures are When Cadbury launched the Zealand paradise. Until some chocolate crossed extinct! Unfortunately, I was right. My visit to the The New Zealand Grayling was one of many other extinct animals, which "A" series of extinct animals it my path... database of the International Union for Conservation were presented by Cadbury as a toy in the series "Forgotten Friends" in 2003 came with a slogan: "Learning (Photograph by the author). Grayling in New Zealand – that sounded to of Nature (IUCN) confirmed my fears. from the past to protect the good to be true, but on the note I got it clearly Prototroctes oxyrhynchus , as the scientific future!" I think this is a very good advice, and to "They then took the fly readily, and said: New Zealand Grayling ( Prototroctes name already suggests, does not belong to the see that many angling clubs, institutions, provided good sport" oxyrhynchus, Günther , 1870). Boy, was I subfamily Thymallidae , not even to the family officials and individuals put a lot of effort into surprised! Did I really miss something? So I Upokororo used to be endemic to New Zealand Salmonidae and is a smelt. Today, a close land restoration and other environmental started my research. and widely distributed both on the North Island relative still lives in Oz namely the Australian activities gives me hope. And every time I catch The native New Zealanders, the Maori, call it and the South Island. Their life cycle is Grayling ( Prototroctes maraena ). a grayling I regard myself as a lucky fisherman, "upokororo", but I also found "pokororo", amphidromous: large shoals of adult fish entered So, in the end I have to face the truth that because I got the opportunity to do so. "paneroro" and "kanae-kura". The grayling's in late summer the brackish zones and fresh- there never were "real" grayling in New Zealand The author wishes to thank the Victoria maximum length does not exceed 40cm, but water rivers presumably to spawn. Until spring and never will be (which is good from a University of Wellington Library, the Museum of depending on the literature the average length they spent the rest of the year in freshwater, biological point of view). Furthermore, it New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and the is quoted at only 20cm. before they returned to the sea. saddens me to learn that another beautiful Ministry for Culture and Heritage in Wellington A significant decline in species got extinct by the hand of man. Not just for its support and permissions to use the population was registered another fish, but also a good fish for fly-fishing. shown images. already in the 1870s, only ten years after the first European This watercolour and settlers had arrived. About fifty pencil picture was drawn by F. E. Clarke years later, in the 1920s, the in 1889. New Zealand Grayling was The Museum of New close to extinction. In 1930 Zealand purchased probably the last specimen was this artwork in 1929 brought to the British Museum; (www.tepapa.govt.nz, registration number although a reliable observer 1992-0035-2278/1). reported in 1939 that he had seen them two or three years earlier in a river in South A fibreglass reproduction of the extinct New Zealand grayling on display in Westland (this might have been Otago Museum, New Zealand (Photograph by Carl Walrond, the "Loch-Ness-Monster-effect" ). www.teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/13676/grayling). Opinions differ when it comes The fish had a long slender body, blueish to the cause of extinction and it seems several silvery colouring of the flanks, with green hue impacts lead to the fatal end. Upokororo was an - Drawing by J. Buchanan and yellow-beige fins of which one is an adipose important fish to the Maori and they used nets, (K. Radway Allen, The New fin. The latter is usually a clear sign of fish-traps and drive fishing (even with horses) to Zealand Grayling – A Vanishing salmonids, but the dorsal fin is by far not as catch them. Additionally, the clearance of Species; Tuatara: Volume 2, Issue forest stretches, which led to raised water 1, March 1949; impressive as in the grayling of the northern http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/schol hemisphere. At least this was what the image temperatures and finally, the introduction of arly/tei-Bio02Tuat01-t1-body- looked like that I finally got from Australia in non-native species, above all rainbow and d5.html#Bio02Tuat01-fig- form of a children's toy. brown trout. Bio02Tuat01_023a). 30 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 31 Poet’s Heron Fervent What Brings Me Frustrated I wandered on up from Duffer’s pool along the turbulent stream To The River? I’ve usually on my birthdays past And just on ahead I caught a glimpse of old grey lag - a treat. Gone riverwards to have a cast Corner The run with stones and flat end-glide is a favourite spot of mine. What brings me to the river To tempt some wily troots to rise The stalking bird was bent cowered down and did in reflection shine Malevolent, dark, malign? And sup my own handcrafted flies. He looked down attentively, in the broken light, for a trout to eat. Silent killer as the levy breaks Cracked a creator’s great design Accordingly it was my aim The grey heron is the very patient sort in seeking out its prey, This April to repeat the same. So may spend a long and ponderous stand at any time of day. What brings me to the river? At eighty, and long past my prime, The smaller par can take to flight before the much bigger trout. Catharsis, amnesty unfolds It was a rather special time. They scare the younger ones to swim and seek those legs at bay. In ancient steps I wade in deep On which the heron may surely root and forever stand about. To claim the promises of old But sadly it was not to be Instead of setting off with glee Attracted by his most dexterous skill, his perfect stance to stab What brings me to the river I scowled and cursed the wretched rain The scene was still and fanciful, though I felt that I should chide, Consecrated, holy and divine? That battered on my window pane. But I was surely spotted before his daggered strike did jab In Ganga’s wash I humbly bathe And show his fleeting kill between his bills; I nevertheless did sigh. Where peace and grace combine The website showed the river high, Then in slow grace broad wings did beat to take him up on high. And though the weather bye and bye Ginger Quill What brings me to the river Might better turn, I’d little doubt Teeming, turbulent and cold? There was no point in going out. My lady of the covenant Her shoulders flecked with gold The garden was too wet to till, Responding to the Government’s Bill What brings me to the river? On Fish Reform held no allure..... AREA 14 FISHING DAY And programmes on the box were poor. Area 14 was at last able to host a fishing day good sign of the river’s health. Glyn Williams Eden’s stream where fishes dart on Saturday, 5th March 2016 after two advised us that this was about the maximum Joyful current and crystal flow So, wondering what else to do - postponements, and an abandonment after size it would reach before heading off to the The arteries of an angler’s heart Apart perhaps from getting foo - two hours of fishing. sea. I am sure we all wish the fish the best of I thought, instead of wasting time, Six participants completed a day of fishing in luck and hope to see him return when he is What brings me to the river? I’d cobble up a birthday rhyme. reasonable river conditions and everyone bigger. David Hill from West Wales confirmed Ficklest of fish, fluvial queen caught fish. Visitor Glyn Williams from Area 4 reports of grayling in the Teifi but not as yet in Rising as with an angel’s kiss To juggle with both words and tense showed the way with a double figure bag with any great numbers. This is a position we will A dimple on the water’s sheen And end up making perfect sense six of his fish caught within the first hour. continue to monitor and would make the Teifi Helps keep my brain alert and may Asked for his secret, he revealed that most the most westerly river in Wales to hold What brings me to the river? Just keep dementia long at bay. success was achieved fishing upstream with grayling (probably the UK as well?) Shoal of a silversmithy’s art an olive shrimp pattern. Having just managed to squeeze in a day Veiled, inviolate, concealed Time tends to fly when thus engaged To thwart anew my fruitless part So, rain forgotten, less enraged, The Pencoed club kindly allowed the wash before the end of the grayling season it is to I clicked this verse on my PC off tickets to be carried forward and club next season we must now look for another get You bring me to the river Ere leaving for a family tea. secretary, Adrian Nash, also provided his own together. Given the experience of the year we may well hold a day early perhaps even during Expectant, cautious, keen tied purple and orange bead headed nymphs for And now, this aged birthday bard the trout season. Next year we are planning Lying deep within your sanctuary participants to try out on the day. Roger Lewis, Gives thanks to those who sent a card to fish the Rhymney as well as the Ewenny. The shadow flits across my dreams although he could not join us for the fishing, Or bade me well via other mode - We are restricted for choice of rivers and DJ Roberts also was present at the start and handed out To them I dedicate this ode. some of his home tied creations for our use. access so if anyone out there has any suggestions and contacts, perhaps on the Taff, Thanks to Adrian and Roger for their gifts. I’ve only one thing left to wish.... Steven Kavanagh (GS treasurer) was we would love to hear from you. Pease contact Less bloody rain so I can fish. Area secretary Geoff Bevan for information and delighted to catch a personal best salmon parr Anon of about 8 inches in length, which is a very with any suggestions. Steven Kavanagh

32 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 33 issue of fly-fishing, especially if you may not feel collect the Abu “Tight Lines” catalogue, and there was Phil. He was the keeper on the Book ready to delve as deeply into history and because I liked the artwork so much. Haddon Hall Estate in those days and, once he biography as some of our authors require, then He gives an account of his own experiences as checked that I wasn’t poaching, bang went the Reviews this is a great starting point. a collector, and states that he does not collect fishing – because you know how he can talk! for investment but because the books are useful Phil has a great approach to his observations – Angling Books and informative – a very healthy attitude in my bridge leaning. It is something he and I talked A Collector’s guide opinion. about when I moved to Wiltshire 11 years ago Imitators of the Fly The second part of the book is an annotated and he encouraged me to do lots of it. by Peter Hayes by Keith Harwood list of recommended angling books that reflects Watching the water and the air and the weather Coch-y-Bonddu Books Coch-y-Bonddu Books the author’s eclectic tastes. I am sure that I whilst gently leaning on a bridge parapet is Angling Monographs No.1, 2016. Angling Monograph No.3, 2016. could find in it the basis of an angling library to probably as good a reason as any to call this 98pp with illustrations. 138 pp with illustrations. be proud of. angling malarkey the ‘Contemplative Man’s Recreation’ as Walton so neatly put it. These two books are part of Coch-y-Bonddu I really enjoyed this book. It’s a concise, A very good book, and one that can be In this great book Phil shows us how the Books’ new Monograph series, each one a thorough and inspiring guide to an aspect of browsed for ideas and inspiration for a long time . Bob Male simple process of observation can make us compact single-topic volume. There will be 250 angling about which I know very little. understand more and become better fly tyers numbered copies in paperback format, and I’m not a collector; I lack that “magpie” instinct and anglers. He takes us through aspects of the twenty-six lettered copies in hardback, and all and the true interest in order and completeness trout’s behaviour and their senses; through are printed with the high standards of text and that I see in those who are! I do have shelves of judgements of depth and rise forms to angling books, but they have been acquired, illustration that we have come to expect from watercraft before listing over 40 fly patterns, Coch-y-Bonddu. each with a step-by-step photographic “Imitators of the Fly” is sequence. All of his patterns are good and some Peter Hayes’ account of the are great. development of the idea of I was talking to Phil and Mary at the recent imitation – how anglers and BFFI and it seems they are now pretty naturalists have contributed determined to remain in Ireland permanently – to the idea that a confection and, with great countryside, great food, great of fur and feather could fishing, great people and ‘proper’ Guinness who appear like a natural insect can blame them! and persuade a trout to eat it. This is a great, beautifully designed and nicely He also sheds a skeptical and printed hardback book and, at a mere £14.95, is allusive light on the ethical a must for every thinking angler. and political issues that have Steve Skuce been generated over the years. The story is told at a fine pace, and in clear language – YOUR TURN TO WRITE! this is not an academic treatise, but a story about Perhaps there have been improvement works on people and what they believe. a river in your area, some notable or not so Having said that, a lot of notable catches – or just a good day’s fishing research has gone into this book. Peter has bought, received as gifts and so on, without any Observation that you would like to share. Words or pictures mined the archives of the Fly Fishers Club as sense of planning. by Philip White well as his own extensive resources, and given Keith Harwood does a great job of inspiring are welcome, concerning places fished, new or Published by Coch-y-Bonddu, 2016. an overview of a fascinating and on-going people to collect and explaining why it is a familiar flies tied and used, tales of anglers from Hardback, £14.95 process that sees anglers striving to make satisfying activity. The first part of the book is the past, or your own observations on grayling artificial flies that really do reflect the stages in about collecting and the great range of angling- I guess we all know who Phil White is! and grayling fishing in general. Contact the an insect’s life cycle. related items that one may pursue. Not only I first met him one sultry and spooky night on Editor, Bob Male, by any means you wish. That process divides anglers as much as it books, but magazines, catalogues and the Derbyshire Wye many years ago. I was unites them, even to this day. bookplates are covered. Notwithstanding what I fishing a pool with my back to the A6 at about All contributions are gratefully received. For anyone who is interested in this central said above, I was reminded that I did once 9.30 pm. Suddenly, I ’felt’ a presence behind me

34 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 35 Area 4 - Hereford, Worcester- Area 12 - Scotland Professor Roger Hughes OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY shire, Gloucestershire, Bob Perrett Nant-y-Graean, Hen Dumpike President Sales Officer Holland Warwickshire, Shropshire & Powys 32 Kaimes Place, Kirknewton Tregarth, Gwynedd LL57 4NS Alan Ayre Brian Clarke Hans van Klinken Roger Smith West Lothian EH27 8AX Tel: 01248 600821 43 Blinkbonny Road 21 Corve Way, Holme Hall Wormgoorlaan 33, 176 Upper Welland Road, Malvern, Tel: 01506 883553 [email protected] Falkirk, FK1 5BY Chesterfield 6732 CB Harskamp, Holland Worcestershire WR14 4LA [email protected] [email protected] Derbyshire S40 4YA Tel: +31 (0)318 456474 Tel: 01684 560690 Dr Les Jervis Tel: 01246 271324 [email protected] [email protected] Area 14 - Dyfed, Gwent, West, 12 Bartholomew Way Vice President [email protected] Chester CH4 7RJ David Liversedge Vacant Mid & South Glamorgan Italy Area 5 - Leicestershire, West Tel: 01244 678526 Dalruchil, Comrie via Crieff Geoff Bevan Conservation Projects Officer Midlands, Staffordshire, [email protected] Perthshire PH6 2ED Norway Tel: 01446 774223 Richard Cove Ole A. Bjerke Northamptonshire, Tel: 01764 670365 [email protected] c/o Environment Agency Johan Bojersveg 8, Cambridgeshire & Suffolk Hans van Klinken Chairman Chester Road, Buckley 2816 Gjovik, Norway Paul Deaville Wormgoorlan 33 Steve Skuce Flintshire CH7 3ZZ Mobile: +47 40 43 61 76 21 Beckenham Close 6732CB Harskamp Rosemary Cottage, Fore Street Tel: 01244 894521 (work) ole@gamefish.no off Caverswall Lane TRUSTEES OF THE The Netherlands Wylye, Warminster 01829 759376 (home) Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs ST3 6HW GRAYLING RESEARCH TRUST Tel: 0031 318 456474 Wiltshire BA12 0RQ Richard.Cove@ Poland Tel: 01782 396806 [email protected] Dr Stanislaw Cios Tel: 01985 248134 cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk fl[email protected] Chairman ul. Stryjenskich 6 m 4 [email protected] Dr Ryan Taylor Robin Mullholland OBE Public Relations Officer 02-791 Warszawa, Poland Area 6 - Gwynedd & Clwyd Technical Fisheries Officer Knapp Cottage Kristian Kent [email protected] Vice Chairman Louis Noble Environment Agency 38/39 Corton, Warminster Rob Hartley 5 Mildenhall Court, Oxford Street, 6, Westminster Close Scarrington Road Wiltshire BA12 OSZ The Gables, 36 Caverswall Road Lambourn, Hungerford, Spain Dr. Vincenzo Penteriani, Wrexham, Clwyd LL12 7AY West Bridgford, Nottingham Tel: 01985 85D450 Blythe Bridge Berkshire, RG17 8XP Research Unit of Biodiversity - UMIB, Tel: 01978 312443 Tel: 07954339633 (Personal) [email protected] Staffordshire ST11 9BG Tel: 01635 201543 Edificio de Investigación – 5th floor, [email protected] 07917041227 (Work) Tel: 01782 388743 Mob: +44 7793 652039 C. Gonzalo Gutiérrez Quirós s/n, ryantaylor.hifi@gmail.com Professor Tom Northcote e-mail: [email protected] [email protected] 33600 Mieres (Asturias), Spain Area 7 - Wirral & Cheshire 10193 Morrison Close General Secretary Marketing Officer Email: [email protected] Barrie Davidson Secretary Summerland Rod Calbrade Karl Humphries Tel: 07776 391196 Ross Gardiner British Columbia,Canada VOH 1Z7 19 Sherwood Way Tel: 01782 615780 Sweden email: [email protected] Scottish Government [email protected] Harry Salmgren High Crompton, Shaw Mob: 07724 461450 Marine Scotland Science [email protected] Oldham OL2 7LX [email protected] Area 8 - Derbyshire, South Freshwater Laboratory, Pitlochry Steve Rhodes Tel: 01706 842890 USA Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Perthshire PH16 5LB Apple Tree Cottage [email protected] Chris Terry Lincolnshire & Norfolk Tel: 01224 294400 (work) 9 Moorber Lane,Coniston Cold Brian Clarke OVERSEAS SECRETARIES 5237 E. 41 Ave, Anchorage, 01796 472157 (Home) North Yorkshire BD23 4EA Treasurer AK 99508, USA 21 Corve Way, Holme Hall [email protected] Tel: 01756 748378 Keith Mason Tel: 907-764-6044 Chesterfield, Derbyshire S40 4YA steve@goflyfishinguk.com End Cottage, 173 Park Road Belgium Pedro Guridi [email protected] Tel: 01246 271324 Treasurer Thackley, Bradford Land van Waaslaan 84 Bus 201 [email protected] Paul Frid Dr Michelle Smith Yorkshire BD10 0TE 9040 Sint-Amandsberg, Belgium 1 Riverside, Wellington Hull International Fisheries Tel: 01274 621719 UK AREA SECRETARIES Area 9 - West, East & North [email protected] Somerset TA21 8LJ Institute [email protected] Yorkshire Tel: 01823 664084 [email protected] Area 1 - Devon, Cornwall, Dorset & Department of Biological Sciences Steve Rhodes [email protected] Membership Secretary +32 486 559898 Somerset Appletree Cottage University of Hull,Cottingham Road Mike Tebbs Mark Hamnett Hull HU6 7RX 9, Moorber Lane, Coniston Cold Dr Jonathan Bolland Rivendell, Newtown, Heytesbury Finland Tel: +44 7917 543392 North Yorkshire BD23 4EA Tel: 01482 466429 Wiltshire BA12 0HN Matti Rantanen mark@fishingmatters.biz Hull International Fisheries [email protected] Tel: 01756 748378 Institute Tel: 01985 841192 Tohlopinranta 25C 12, steve@goflyfishinguk.com [email protected] FIN-33270, Tampere, Finland Area 2 - Berkshire, Buckingham- University of Hull,Cottingham Road Dr Steven Weiss shire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Hull, HU6 7RX Tel: +358 3 3441 931 Area 10 - Lancashire, Merseyside, Karl-Franzens University Graz Editor Mobile: +358 40 501 5212 Surrey, West Sussex & Wiltshire Tel: 07815 064735 Institute of Zoology Bob Male Cumbria, Greater Manchester & e-mail: raitane@sci.fi Alex Adams. [email protected] Universitätsplaz 2 24 Victoria Road, Wilton 62 Cressex Road, Isle of Man Pat Stevens A-8010 Graz,Austria Salisbury, SP2 0DY High Wycombe, Bucks HP12 4TY Rob Dings France Taenross, Orchard Close, Wrea Green Tel: 0043 316 3805599 Tel: 01722 503939 Mob: 07730 203382 Bunderstraat 21A Jean-Pierre Coudoux Preston, Lancashire PR4 2NH [email protected] [email protected] Home Tel: 01494 521801 5555CM Valkenswaard [email protected] Tel: 01772 684003 [email protected] The Netherlands Scientific Officer [email protected] John Wieja Ross Gardiner Germany and Austria Area 3 - London, Kent, Essex, Tel: 0031402045766 Burnierstraat 28 Fisheries Research Services Andreas Schumacher Middlesex, Hertfordshire, E.Sussex Area 11 - Co. Durham, Tyne & [email protected] 2596 HW The Hague Freshwater Laboratory c/o Spiess Schumacher Schmieg & Gavin Keegan Wear & Northumberland The Netherlands Pilochry, Perthshire Partner Hurstfields, Allington Road Paul Firmin David Edis Tel: 0031652000380 PH16 5LB Märkisches Ufer 34, 10179 Berlin Newick, Lewes 101 Edge Moor Road Ballyteige, Glenhest Newport [email protected] Tel: 01224 294400 (Work) -- Tel: +49 (0)30 440 133 00 East Sussex BN84A Darlington, Co Durham DL1 4QE Co Mayo, Ireland Tel: 01796 472157 (Home) Fax: +49 (0)30 44 01 01 44 Tel: 01825 722045 Mobile: 0796 9733508 Te: 00353 9842787 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] p.fi[email protected] [email protected] 36 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 37 Grayling – Summer 2016 39 Tungsten Beads Special Offer for Society Members! NEW Colours now available. Round beads in gold, copper, nickel, black (gunmetal) and now in white, bright green and hot orange. Sizes from1.5mm up to 4.6mm (depending on colour). Packs of 50 are only £7.50 inc. p&p. State quantity, size and colour. ALSO - mixed 10 compartment box containing 200 beads (see image). Just state your choice of size and colour – only £28 inc. p&p. To order or for more info email to [email protected] or ring 01543 689117

GUIDED TROTTING ON THE WELSH DEE with George Ashton One to one or two person share Tackle & bait provided Full day or half day tuition Advice on tackle, rigs & tactics

Tel: 0151 548 5741 For more information, contact: Email: [email protected] Fishing Matters Ltd, Unit 3, Lawrence House Yard, Southgate Road, Wincanton BA9 9EB Tel: +44 (0)1963 31623

Mick Williams – Fishing Guide Cysgod y Coed B&B and Self Catering Llanfor, Bala, Gwynedd LL23 7DU 01678 520036 or 07896634483 www.cysgod-y-coed.co.uk [email protected] Fancy a bit of fishing on the River Dee or in the mountains and lakes of Snowdonia? We can arrange transport, accommodation, packed lunches & meals out. Arrangements and advice can be provided for Fishing Licences, Permits, Equipment, Locations, etc. Mick is also available as a Guide if you fancy fishing for trout or grayling. Stay for a short break or even a week.

Grayling – Summer 2016 41 Ê

Price List and Order Form

Wild trout and grayling fishing ANDREW CARTWIGHT Item Price £ No. Req’d £ p Bait Float Tube 45.00 GAME ANGLING LICENSED FLY CASTING INSTRUCTOR. in the Welsh Marches Righyni Large 3AAA (new) (yellow, orange or red) 5.50 The Upper Tanat Fishing Club has vacancies for new members BASED IN BEAUTIFUL MID WALES. Righyni Small 2BB (new) (yellow, orange or red) 5.00 for wild trout and grayling fishing (including some real GUIDING ON THE RIVER SEVERN, WYE, DEE AND THE RIVER Avon Large 5AAA (New) (yellow, orange or red) 5.50 specimens) on 7 miles of a tributary of the upper River Severn, VYRNWY, ALSO REMOTE MOUNTAIN LAKES AND RIVERS Avon Small 3AAA (New) (yellow, orange or red) 5.00 and a 9-acre hill lake in the Welsh Mountains. FOR GRAYLING AND WILD BROWN TROUT. Fly Amadou Drier 9.50 Contact ANDREW on Floatant Bottle Holder 8.00 For details contact Wilf Nelson (Secretary) 01686 688196 or 07929 469160 Fly Stand 6.50 Tel: 01743 365904 Email: [email protected] Furled Leaders Dry 36 inch 7.50 E-mail: [email protected] Dry 48 inch 7.50 or via www.tanatfishing.com Web Site: www.acgameangling.co.uk Dry 65 inch 7.50 Nympher 36 inch 7.50 Nympher 48 inch 7.50 Nympher 65 inch 7.50 Mayfly 48 inch (anti twist) 7.50 Tenkara Tapered Line 9 foot 8.00 Tenkara Tapered Line 12 foot 8.00 Till Fishing Holidays Holidays in Wales Fly Box Swing Leaf 15.00 Standard 10.00 GLASLYN - RHAYADER Leather Nymph Wallet 15.50 Northumberland Mucilin Silicone 1.50 Comfortable cottages, beautiful River Wye Estate. 1 mile of grayling, sea trout and salmon fishing Quick Sink 1.50 on the River Till. 3.5 miles salmon, trout, and specimen grayling. Badges Enamel 3.50 Fishing, birdwatching, walking, relaxing. Pewter 3.50 4 star centrally heated orchard cottage available. Self clinging Car Badge 1.00 Brochure – 01597 810258 Cloth Badge 7.50 Contact Lucy Carroll: 07974 416692 Caps Baseball cap (Blue) 14.50 Email: fish@till-fishing.co.uk www.glaslynestate.co.uk Baseball Cap (Green) 14.50 Booklets River Reminiscences 4.00 Some Favourite Flies (volume 1) 4.00 Some Favourite Flies (volume 2) 7.50 Back Issues Newsletters issue date/s 2.50 The Journal issue date/s 3.50 Grayling issue date/s 3.50 Binders Magazine (A5) 6.00 Go Fly Fishing UK Phil Fly Fishing Robin Ade Grayling Print (P& P £4.50) 10.00 Specialists in the best of the UK’s Malcolm Greenhalgh (Signed limited edition of 25) framed Grayling Flies 60.00 Phil Ratcliffe offers guided fishing ( P&P £6.00) River Brown Trout and Grayling fly fishing on the Welsh Dee and Severn Malcolm Greenhalgh (Un signed limited edition of ) framed Grayling Flies 50.00 ONE-TO-ONE GUIDING/TUITION AND ( P&P £6.00) TAILOR-MADE SHORT BREAKS Phone: 07875 718718 Sub Total Postage and Package envelopes £1.20 small packets £3.50 large packets £4.50 Web: www.philratcliffeflyfishing.co.uk Total to Pay Tel: +44 (0) 1756 748378 Email: [email protected] Mail: [email protected] Please PRINT CLEARLY all details. www.goflyfishinguk.com APGAI & IFFF MCI Name:______Address:______Postcode: ______Telephone No. ______Date Ordered: ______Email: ______ARTICLES WANTED Signed: ______There is always a need for material for the Society’s publications, both the Newsletter and the Journal. The editor will welcome anything that relates to your experiences of grayling and their habitats. Words or pictures are Please note the following- make all payments payable to The Grayling Society welcome, concerning places fished, new or familiar flies tied and used, tales of anglers from the past, or your own Post completed order & payment to: Brian Clarke, 21 Corve Way, Chesterfield S40 4YA England. Use this order form or observations on grayling and grayling fishing in general. a photocopy of it. Make certain that you send the completed form back to Brian Clarke with your payment in £GBP made Contact the Editor, Bob Male, by any means you wish. All contributions are gratefully received. out to The Grayling Society and enclose sufficient funds for postage and package. Overseas members can arrange to pay by “PAYPAL” by contacting Brian Clarke before hand for details.

42 Grayling – Summer 2016 Grayling – Summer 2016 43

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Join the Angling Trust today 44 Grayling – Summer 2016 Call: 0844 77 00 616 www.anglingtrust.net