©

The Journal of The Grayling Society

Volume 27 - Number 1 • Winter 2015 © C O N T E N T S

The Official Journal of Editorial Bob Male 2 The Grayling Society 39th Symposium and AGM; Chairman’s Report S teve Skuce 4

ISSN 1476-0061 39th Symposium and AGM 6 Free to all our Members in - Poet’s Corner 14 Australia Lithuania Austria Luxembourg Grayling Fly Fisher’s Paradise D ave Martin 16 Belgium Netherlands Canada New Zealand Drag? - An Annan Revelation Alan Ayre 20 China Norway Denmark Poland The Novice Angler - Part 2 T he Novice 21 Eire Portugal England Scotland Area News and Fishing Days 24 Finland Slovenia France Sweden My First Area Day P aul Deaville 26 Germany Switzerland Italy U. S. A. Not a Grayling Sunday 27 Isle of Man Wales Update on the Fate of Grayling Editor - Bob Male in North-East and East Yorkshire Dave Southall 30 Telephone: 01722 503939 e-mail: [email protected] Big Grayling 2 R obin Mulholland 34

Advertising - Rod Calbrade Arctic Grayling Haven D ave Radcliffe 35 Subscriptions per annum: Full £28.00, Joint £47.00 What do Fish from the River Alyn Eat? L ed Jervis 38 Senior (over 70) £22.00 Junior (under 16) £5.00 The Perfect Line? J .S. Davison 44 Details available from the

Membership Secretary Unica Grayling D ave Southall 46 Mike Tebbs Telephone: 01985 841192 Cannibalism in Grayling S tanisław Cios 50 e-mail: [email protected] Book Review Bob Male 53 Design and Production Peter Silk Design e-mail: [email protected] Officers of The Society 54

Society Web Site Minutes of the 39th AGM 56 www.graylingsociety.net © The Grayling Society, 2015 Society Accounts 2015 58 Printed by

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 Fishing the Alyn - photographs or illustrations are always welcome, but the Society assumes no responsibility See Les Jervis’ article on what the for the safety of contributions, although all reasonable care will be taken. Views expressed fish here eat. 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 2015 1 A relative newcomer to fly-fishing Steven The Righyni - Roose Trophy Editorial Bob Male started as a coarse fisherman in early life before The Righyni - Roose Trophy for 2016 will be becoming distracted by football and later golf. He awarded for photography. has now returned to his basic hunting instincts Entries should be sent to Steve Skuce, the and is a member of three clubs in South Wales Society’s Chairman, by September 16th 2016, with the majority of his fishing being carried out and may be in printed or digital format. Welcome to the winter edition, and another Treasurers – on the Pencoed & District AC waters on the very varied and international magazine it is. We farewell and welcome River Ewenny. Grayling Society Publication Schedule 2016 have a splendid range of articles about grayling Members will know that Keith Mason stood Steven admits he is To improve the flow of articles, reports and in Alaska, Canada, Eastern Europe and, of down this year after more than 20 years as the unlikely to, and has no advertising, I am suggesting the publication course, here in the UK. Many thanks go to all our Society’s Treasurer. The Committee decided to ambition to, serve schedule below with deadlines for copy. contributors, regular and new. give him a parting gift at our September meeting, longer than Keith and is I’d also like to encourage new contributors and The new Society Sales Catalogue is included, as a token of our appreciation, and, as you can keen to get younger reinforce good practice for our stalwarts with a with a very tempting special offer of classic flies. never have too many rods, we got him two! members into the few guidelines: It’s the time for Xmas gifts, and we hope that The first one society to preserve it for I will publish any material that is appropriate you will find something suitable for friends, presented was a the future. Having spent and relevant to Grayling Society members. family or for yourself. very small, very the majority of his life in The Newsletter and the Journal are important When I moved to Wiltshire, one of my motives cheap crab- industry, after training with top four firm Ernst & services to members, and reflect our mutual was to be closer to my fishing (naturally!), and I catching job, and Young, he is hoping that his commercial interests and aspirations. So, essays, stories, am now within walking distance of two rivers. A for a moment we experience can be applied to helping the Grayling recollections, poetry, photographs, research long-standing dream achieved, and I find myself almost had him Society to achieve its aims as well as position materials or fly patterns, all are grist to the mill. spending as much time on the rivers without my convinced that itself for a future of growth in membership. If you are unsure of how to present your fishing gear as with it; a very fortunate position this was his Steven can be contacted via email at materials, just give me a call and I will help in to be in. This year I have been much involved farewell gift, but [email protected] any way I can. with a restoration project on a rather neglected Steve produced stretch. One aspect of the work was the the real thing and 2015 AGM As a rule, separate photographs, of fairly high introduction of new gravel, and a group of us Keith looked I couldn’t be at the AGM and Symposium in resolution, are preferable to ones already volunteered to spread the stuff over the selected much happier. Scotland this year, but everything that I hear embedded in text. Most digital cameras and area of the riverbed. We had put in about ten indicates that it was a great success. Many thanks smartphone cameras will now produce one-tonne bags of gravel and raked it out, with to all who have sent photographs and reports for publishable quality pictures. By keeping them all the inevitable disturbance – you can’t do that this edition, as well as the essential minutes and separate from text it just makes the job of laying sort of job quietly. Before we had even finished financial summary. The Society is clearly in very out easier. Jpeg format is fine, and keeps file size the spreading, we noticed that there were two good fettle, and long may it remain so. more manageable, but please remember about good-sized grayling exploring the upstream edge resolution. Even printed small a low-res photo Apology of the new gravel no more than twenty feet doesn’t look good. away from us. This was a sunny day and with When I receive articles from contributors, I always Files are easier to handle in .doc or .docx format, very clear water, so the fish were aware of us and try to keep the relevant details, who wrote it, and rather than pdf. Its hard for me to edit in pdf, as I if we came too close they retreated upstream, but when, with the article. In the case of “Not-a- haven’t got the software (very expensive!). they were willing to approach very closely as Grayling Sunday” my usual high standards slipped, If you feel like contributing, give it a go. Your long as they didn’t feel threatened. I’m willing I reiterate our sincere thanks to Keith for all I mislaid the key details, and I have had to publish ideas and experiences add to the value of the to bet that they would not have taken a fly, had those years of dependable careful work, and hope the piece anonymously. My heartfelt apologies to magazine and I hope that you will enjoy sharing anyone tried to tempt them! that he will have even more time for fishing now. the author, and if he or she will contact me, I will with fellow members. Steven Kavanagh publish a proper acknowledgment in the next issue. Bob Male Something else that counts as a reason to be is taking Keith’s place, cheerful; there seems to be an abundance of having been elected unopposed at the Lockerbie Publication Copy Deadline Target Publication Date little 0+ grayling this year. Some of them are AGM, and here is a brief biography and a photo Copy Deadlines for 2016 already 3-4 inches long and willing to take a size to introduce him. Welcome Steve, and we look Will all officers and contributors please note Spring Newsletter Friday February 19th Monday March 21st 18 nymph intended for their bigger relatives. The forward to working with you. these dates. I have allowed some lead time Summer Journal Friday May 20th Monday June 20th gentler flows of last winter and the spring of this Steven is a member of Area 14 (South Wales) and for final layout, proofing and printing, but as year seem to have favoured grayling spawning has been a member of the society for two years. you see, these timings are tight. Your help, as Autumn Newsletter Friday August 19th Monday September 19th and survival, and I hope to see these little fish He is a chartered accountant and runs his own always, is much appreciated. Editor Winter Journal Friday November 18th Monday December 12th grow on and thrive. practice in Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan. 2 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 3 THE GRAYLING SOCIETY 39 TH SYMPOSIUM AND AGM

about such a project we agreed to look at it in On the Area Secretary side we are going to consider. The concern I have, however, is that Chairman's Report Committee. We have discussed this and the need a new one in Germany since Christian our funds available for conservation grants are problems of cost and logistics are such that we Mohr has decided to stand down. Many of still mostly our bank account and not being Well that is the second year over so just one to have decided against that approach for the those here today will know Christian and his used on projects. The number of applications go now - assuming that I am still Chairman at wife Stephanie and they will both be missed. we receive is pitifully small and needs to the end of this meeting of course. moment. Thus we will be hosting next years Symposium in the South of England which is Christian is already looking for his successor. increase. This report will be a bit like me - short and to the fallback position we discussed at this Membership has remained fairly stable despite We have agreed to take a more structured the point! meeting last year. The decision not to go ahead the ravages of the recession over the past few stance with marketing the Society and myself, It has been a busy, and crowded, year for the with an overseas event is not cast in bronze and years. We now have a fairly solid cadre of Mike Tebbs, Kris Kent and Bob Male will be Committee. I don't know what the General there is a possibility that it could be looked at in members although we have dropped below the meeting in early November to look at strategies Secretary has been saying to Committee the future with a possible trial event before a full 1,000 mark. However, several people who had and plans for a more pro-active approach. I am members but we have had huge turnouts at our blown Symposium. not being paying anything like the full sure that promotion of Conservation Grants will quarterly meetings culminating in a record subscription have now been removed from be figuring in these talks. breaking 16 in September just gone. That is two As you will have seen from today's Agenda membership and we have a solid group of fully Brian Clarke, one of our greatest stalwarts, thirds of the maximum possible number of our Treasurer, Keith Mason, has decided to hang up his abacus and go off fishing. Keith has been paid supporters. keeps taking our stand to shows and driving the attendees. It means we have had some lively mail order business. Sales have slowed down in debate and had the opportunity to share several Treasurer for 22 years and has always ensured The Think Tank has been active and, although our funds have been secure and accounted for. implementation of their ideas will take time in a the last year or two it is true but that I think is different opinions on the subject matters we just a reflection on the harder times we have all have discussed. The meetings have had a fresh He assures me that his yacht in the Bahamas voluntary organisation like ours, they will be has nothing to do with his management of our making moves as the year progresses. The Vice faced and certainly not on Brian's' work or the and lively air about them too which is good and product range he has developed. He isn't able they have always been very constructive. I'd finances! Seriously, he has been a stalwart of Chairman will be reporting to us from the Think the Committee and his humour, sensible Tank later. to be here today but the stand is - so get like to thank the guys for putting up with me buying! and my bullying and also for eventually working comments and overall geniality will be sorely The PRO continues to promote our organisation Our Scientific Officer keeps working for us as out what Rod's Swear Jar is for! He only had missed. The Committee avoided giving him the wherever he can. You may have noticed his well as his commitment to the GRT and he just about £3 at the last meeting which at £1 a word traditional fishing book as a leaving gift and articles in Total Flyfisher over the last couple of never seems to think of retiring. Good for him probably shows how nice we have become to presented him with a Vision 10 foot 4 weight months. I think there is one more to come and and long may he continue. each other! rod which, he tells me, has already accounted they are a great advertisement for the Society. Finally, I would like to thank all the And Rod has even reached the twenty first for several good grayling. So thank you Keith for I also understand there are now more than 1,300 membership for their continued support over the century with a new-ish digital recorder to all your sterling efforts over the years. likes on our Facebook age - whatever that year and hope we can go from strength to replace the old tape driven one which didn't Also, just before coming here, I received a note means! We have at least 2 other facebook strength as we move forward to 2016. work at our first meeting. Unfortunately it was from David Liversedge, our Vice President, pages now in Area 11 and Area 1. So keep it up AFTER the meeting that he realised it hadn't announcing that he too would like to retire at guys. You never know but one day even I might Finally, finally - the old chestnut. If you think worked, which made the writing of the minutes this AGM. David has been VP for more years be curious enough to try and find out what you can help out then don't be afraid to a bit of fun! than he or anyone else would care to remember Facebook is all about! volunteer. As you can see most of t'Committee are getting on a bit and, as I continually remind One welcome change this year has been the and, although he has not been too active over The Editor continues to produce some great people, I am retiring at the next AGM so we will regular attendance of Ryan Taylor representing the last few years he has always had the Society Journals and Newsletters despite having to beg need some boots on the ground please. the GRT. He is always a source of good at heart. He is now getting on a bit and is and cajole to get the content he needs. I don't information and takes the inevitable ribbing virtually house and garden bound in the lovely know how he does it but he seem to keep Thank you all and, of course, I lied about the from the mob of hooligans, who like to call town of Crieff in Perthshire. Thank you David coming up with the goods. If there are any report being short!. themselves Committee Members, in really good and long may you enjoy your retirement from budding author's here who haven't yet Steve Skuce spirit. It will be a great shame to see him go as the Society. contributed then get your quills busy and let Chairman Chairman of the GRT and, thus, not be attending The Rules call for there being 1 or more VP's Bob hear from you. October 2015 our meetings. The Committee wishes him well. and, in view of the short notice we have been On the Conservation side Rich Cove is still as Last year we said we would continue to look unable to consider a replacement. I suggest keen and active as he always has been. I met with him the other day and he couldn't stop The Minutes of the AGM at the possibility of an overseas Symposium. that we add this to the Agenda for the next and the Report and Accounts Whilst we felt there were strong reservations Committee meeting. talking about thoughts and ideas we might appear on pages 5 6 - 59.

4 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 5 THE GRAYLING SOCIETY 3 9TH SYMPOSIUM AND AGM

Saturday 10th October dawned cool and all those had helped with organising the 39th overcast. As breakfast service commenced, Symposium with special thanks to Bob Perrett bleary-eyed Grayling Society members started and Chris Thomas and the River Annan Trust. to emerge from their rooms, some a little worse There was a moment of silence for those members for wear due to excessive red wine consumed who had passed away since the last Symposium. with the wonderful steaks served up in the Dryfesdale Hotel restaurant. As the Symposium 09.45 started to come to life more members started to Chris Thomas welcomed Kenny Galt from the arrive, some having stayed in other Lockerbie River Tweed Foundation. Kenny gave an hotels, some having driven from home. insightful talk on the colonisation of the Tweed by Grayling over the last 150 years, evidenced Honor and Amanda welcomed all and handed through historical references. Grayling do not out information packs and name badges. Before fully populate the Tweed catchment due to proceedings commenced there was the obstructions to migration, primarily weirs, which opportunity to browse the trade stands. although they are fitted with fish passes, Pat Stevens of Fly Tek was doing good trade Grayling seem unwilling to use. selling fly tying materials. Paul Morgan of Coch Amanda and Honor offer a warm welcome Malcolm Greenhalgh stakes out the y Bonddu Books had lots of people browsing the 11.00 front row shelves. Many were fascinated by the sculptures After coffee Rod Calbrade introduced Fin Wilson, by John Fairgrieve and Ronnie Glass’s trophies . fisherman, guide and writer. Fin shared his Rob Hartley manned the Grayling Society stand experiences of catching larger Grayling on the helping to raise money. A wonderful selection of Upper Tweed. Finn favours gravelly areas, lots were on display, whetting member’s bobbly water with drop offs for big Grayling. appetite for the evening auction. Whilst these larger Grayling will take a dry fly Fin’s favoured method is Czech Nymphing with 09.30 VERY heavy nymphs on the point that get down Steve Skuce opened proceedings with a run- quickly to the bigger fish and more imitative through of the programme for the day. He thanked pheasant tail nymphs on the dropper.

Kenny Galt talks about Tweed grayling

Rod Dibble and his superb donated cane rod

An attentive audience Ronnie Glass and his amazing grayling

Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 6 7 Snowbee products donated for auction

Robin Mulholland presents the GRT report

The Gala Dinner in full swing

11.30 16.00 Ross Gardiner welcomed our Austrian speaker, Following tea Steve Skuce chaired the Annual Steven Weiss. Steven shared with us the current General Meeting of the Grayling Society. He knowledge on the worldwide diversity of provided an entertaining Chairman’s report with Grayling. Steven debunked lots of myths about news from the Area and Overseas Secretaries the genetic origins and diversity of Grayling and Committee members, an update on finances species based on his research findings. What is and other items of interest. In Keith Mason’s now clear is that all Grayling sub species do not absence Steve stepped in and delivered the derive from Arctic Grayling. European, Amur Treasurer’s report and went through the accounts. and possibly Arctic Grayling all appear to have It was agreed that Steve Skuce should carry on emerged from a common heritage. John Fairgrieve’s fabulous trophies Auction Corner Just prior to lunch Nick Chisholm, formerly of the River Annan Trust, talked members through the fishing on the Annan.

14.30 After a fabulous lunch, a drink and much bonhomie, Bob Perrett introduced Ronnie Glass, international competition angler and resident fishing expert at Orvis in Kelso. Ronnie has spent all his life fishing the Tweed and his tributaries and he shared his many entertaining experiences with us, including some of the language challenges we might face during our visit to Scotland. Before tea Robin Mulholland provided some insight into the recent work of the Grayling Steve Skuce presents the Righyni-Roose Trophy to Roger Research Trust including updates on the major Smith for his poem “The Lady of the Stream” which you Alan Ayre announces the Broughton Award....and presents to winners Tony Donnely and Nick Chisholm projects. can read in “Poet’s Corner”

8 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 9 as Chairman for a further year. All other in Scotland. Finally, Ron Broughton’s cane nets A message from Keith Mason, In my earlier years it was sometimes Committee Members were re-elected. As Keith made a re-appearance – this may become an embarrassing to give my reports due to lack of Mason was stepping down as Treasurer, Steve annual event! Treasurer 1993-2015 funds, however, as this years report shows, the Kavanagh was duly elected as his replacement. Finally, many thanks must go to Bob Perrett (written before this years AGM) Society is mow in a good financial position, to hand over to my successor and I wish the The motion to reduce the age for Senior and Chris Thomas for handling the Raffle, As I am unable to attend this years AGM, I Grayling Society even more success in the future . membership from 70 to 65 years old was Auctioneer Extraordinaire Pat Stevens with Kris would like to take this opportunity to say what a debated and rejected. Kent, Rob Hartley, Amanda Jones for very pleasure it has been to serve on the committee At my last committee meeting I was pleasantly Rob Hartley provided an updated from the expertly handling the Auction, which was a very as Treasurer for the past 22 years! surprised by receiving a rod as a present, which civilized event this year! has been christened on my local Yorkshire Think Tank, his report was accepted. I had no idea when I started that it would waters and I would like to thank you all for the The next meeting was advised as 29th indeed be so long(!!) and possibly neither did you? Symposium comments kind words of appreciation. October 2016 at Marwell Hotel, near Winchester. To date I have served with a total of 5 Chairmen And so, finally can I wish you all a successful and The raffle raised £295; thank you to everyone A big well done to Bob Perrett and his team for and several committee members. pleasant AGM and the tightest lines on Sunday. who contributed prizes. organising the 2015 Symposium and A.G.M. Over the years I have made many good friends The Righyni-Roose Trophy was presented to After a little flitting about Iain Baddeley and and acquaintances at AGM’s, shows and area Kindest Regards, Keith Mason Roger Smith who recited his winning poem to myself managed to secure a room at the venue days with my wife Sylvie. great acclaim. The Broughton Award was following a cancellation, and we were pleased presented by Alan Ayre to Nick Chisholm about that as it eliminated any taxi use following (outgoing Director) and Tony Donnely (Nick’s wine consumption. And talking of the Sunday.... successor) on behalf of the River Annan Trust. The speaker line up was spot on and very Members enjoyed a fabulous dinner in the interesting. The dinner was also excellent, followed evening with Pat Stevens as auctioneer working by the banter (auction) ably conducted by Pat hard to separate members from their hard Stevens. Malcolm Greenhalgh managed to earned cash. Everyone dug deep and the entertain us two (via the 'Top Shelf') until 1 o'clock. auction raised £2,212 (£1,947 for GRT, £265 for Sunday was an absolutely cracking day on the GS). Thank you to everyone who donated lots. Annan, and by staying until 16:00 we managed to avoid much of the M6 'Snarl up'. Symposium Raffle and Auction See attached one of Iain's better fish of the These events are very much part and parcel of day, I didn't manage to get a photo of the 'Silver the Symposium weekend. Even though we Tourist' that got away from the net. were low on members at this Symposium, Paul Deaville thanks to their generosity we achieved a record The Righyni-Roose Trophy sum in excess of £2,500. The winning entry was ‘An ode to the ‘Lady of Thanks must also go to Snowbee who the Stream’ from Roger Smith. continue to provide Greg Payne with goods for It went down well when Roger was forced to the Raffle, Barrie Davidson of the Frodsham read it to the Symposium. I can be cruel Brewery who give us a case of “Lady of the sometimes! Stream” ale each year, Mark Hamnett of I had a total of 8 entries, which I thought was “Fishing Matters”who donated 3 excellent pretty good and the standard I thought, not as a Marryat rods, Rodney Dibble who donated one literary critic but just someone who likes a good of his very fine cane rods which many members read, was very high. It was a most difficult lusted over during the day. This year the decision to have to make. Committee members, as well as donating other Steve Skuce material, offered several days’ guided fishing on their individual waters ranging from the river New European Secretary Tees to the Wylye. As usual, many books were Mrs Jitka Rutkayova part of the Auction, the best being Atlantic Sokolska Salmon Magic donated by Paul Morgan of Coch Ceske Budejovice y Bonddu Books. And a sculpted grayling by CZECH REPUBLIC John Fairgrieve went to Ross Gardiner, to keep it Her email address is: [email protected]

10 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 11 Above: Iain’s River Annan grayling Geoff Pittham with one in the net

Bob Lomax on the Annan Annna fishing hut

Bob Milne with (below) an Annan acquaintance

Another bonny fish 12 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 13 Fishing for Grayling, not for Trout I want to breathe her fragrance and caress her The Lady of the Ceiriog Stream I am teased by her flagrance I confess her Poet’s He shuffled out a little deeper, She taunts my deepest dream The fresh river torrent holds any fly fisher’s finest dream, Where the river shelved sharply steeper, And haunts each beck and stream A fish that is silvery bright, with a long dorsal fin gleam, Hooded black like a frail grim reaper, Lady lies in the deeper passage rushes of an angler’s stream. He released his hook from its keeper With killing fly selected I am reminded Corner She positions lower in the faster water, closer to the bottom, And then cast his line a short way out, How often it’s rejected, I am derided Fishing for grayling and not for trout. My box of feathered fantasy And feisty puts up a corkscrew fight never to be forgotten. Roger Smith won the Righyni-Roose trophy this Borders on audacity On brighter summer and autumn day’s she is highly established, year for his poem “The Lady of the Stream”, which A cold hand gripped his staff like a scythe, Coming up to take top flies on the surface her rise is found. appears below. The harsh wind cut as sharp as a knife. With nymph or dun or spider I am frustrated I am forty years the wiser and ill fated The judges thought that the two runners-up should His mind turned to a girl, pretty and lithe, Lady’s wish of repast is similar to her trout family cousin Not the woman who was now his wife, Perhaps, just if or maybe also be printed, and by happy coincidence another But there is a special collection of selectable flies to begin. poem has been sent in by “Ginger Quill” which, And once again he cast his line out, I’ll catch my Thymese lady Guidance does at times suggest a little bright colour to test, although not entered for the competition, still Fishing for grayling and not for trout. My perfect fly detected she hits me That which brings attention to forefront, creating life’s zest. deserves its place. He cast his mind back to their wheat field bed, With dorsal fin erected she outwits me But an exact natural imitation is perhaps the optimal prime, Many thanks to all the writers and congratulations Back to a summer long since dead, I’d like to think I’m winning Select colour, shape and size of a pattern obviously profound. to Roger. From a battered, borrowed book he read, But it is only the beginning At the best of the day it is whatever is seen to flitter around. And on his chest, she laid her sweet head, I’m addicted to this drug, I’m a junkie An Ode to the “Lady of the Stream” Although to naught would this time amount, She’s got me for a mug, I’m her flunkey When the natural river flies are disappointing, not seen in flight, Her love for another winning out. Thymallus thymallus, “Lady of the Stream”, Every call or her command Then the grayling’s own ‘fancy’ style may result in a fight. so wild in your heart, and in guile so supreme! All of a sudden, a surface splash, She’s knows it’s as she’s planned There are dedicated known pattern names all tried and tested, Into the depths the grayling did dash, Lady may not be left long down near the bottom well rested. Your scales and your fins iridescent in hue, Armed with a baited hook she sought me With a transitory silver flash, The bright colour maybe said red but others say the purple, make you and your kind such good sport to pursue. Charmed by a tainted look she caught me Brief happiness into the weeds would crash. She knows we play a game An Orange Otter may be right, for reasons far from simple. Many times you lure me to the river bankside, There stood the fisherman in no doubt, She’s rekindled that old flame Any experiential may hook her and make your rod pound. where you’re cunning and sly and often will hide. Reel silent now, no more line paid out. With fly or with worm I’ve tried hard to seduce you, D J Roberts “Ginger Quill” sometimes I succeed, but frequently miss you! Disheartened from losing the first fight, Hard to come by was the second bite, The ‘Witch’ or some other fanciful flies, The rod bent well, the line pulled tight, I’ve managed to cast in front of your eyes. But there before him, a dismal sight. Fussy you are, and a hard one to tempt, This time he had won, the fish played out, but take them you have done, and I am content. Alas, no grayling, it was a trout. The Righyni-Roose Trophy Many rivers I visit, to fish for your sort, The wind had died and the last light faded, with my rod, line and fly, you bravely have fought. From the river the old man waded, Armed with brandling or maggot I sometimes resort Cold and crooked, bitter and jaded, The theme for this coming year is to ‘trot’ past your nose, and oft’ times you’re caught. His journey there, uncompensated. He’d lost the thing for which he’d set out, A lifetime spent fishing, and methods show change, Photography Forced to settle for a winter trout. but the rod, reel and line remain much the same. Dyfan Morris Czech nymphs and French leaders head up this new craze, with themes related to Grayling ‘Klink’n’ dink’ has its place – and can truly amaze! and angling. That Old Flame Submissions may be published The first time I caught you I mused at your stealth, in the Society’s Journal. now fifty years on I still ‘drink to your health’! Each sunny Autumn morn she enthrals me My Red Tag it lured you – to the net you did go, Across the dew soaked lawns she calls me your successors I tempt now… how little they know! Through fallen apples, berries Entries to Steve Skuce by And rusted leaves I hurry Thymallus thymallus, “Lady of the Stream”, 16th September 2016 so wild in your heart, and in guile so supreme! I try to second-guess what might entice her Some folks called you villain, how cruel and how mean, I know that I am blessed if I surprise her but for me you are always - “Lady of the Stream”! And if she plays the game Roger Smith She’s rekindled that old flame

15 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 15 By Dave MartinAGrayling Fly Fisher’s Paradise

As a keen Grayling fisher for over 40 years and eat small fish (usually Salmon fry or parr) they reading reinforced my urge to go a Society member for half of that time I thought can be caught on lures – flies and spinning there and a large stock of air miles I ought to let members know about the best lures. They live longer than our Grayling but as helped bring forward the trip by a Grayling sport that I have ever experienced so they grow more slowly they grow to a very year or two by funding the that you could consider going to this place similar length and weight. Their large dorsal majority of the transatlantic flight yourself….but it is in Alaska! and overall colouration are equally impressive as cost. There are others much more qualified than me our Grayling but are subtly different. Lake Clark is just 100 miles south to report on Alaska Arctic Grayling, including My favourite places to fish in the world are in west of Anchorage, Alaska’s Peter Cockwill, Chris Terry and Cecilia Kleinkauf, Yorkshire, Scotland and Alaska. All of my largest city, but can only be but I’d like to add my experiences to what these Scottish and Alaska trips are holidays – not just reached by a flight to Port and others have written about Alaska Grayling fishing trips. To me experiencing the scenery, Alsworth – the only village in a 4 in previous editions of ‘Grayling’. the local culture and the flora & fauna are all million acre area. The Lake Clark My wife and I have taken holidays to Alaska in just as important as the fishing. And in all of my area is VERY wild – 99% true 1999, 2007, 2010 and now again in 2015. I have favourite fishing places it is surprisingly easy to unspoilt wilderness with 10,000 caught Arctic Grayling on all my visits to Alaska experience all of these on the same day. foot high volcanoes, glaciers, large – fun fly fishing with average sized fish – but I While in Alaska in 2010 I came across and lakes, boreal forest, tundra and had never caught anything bigger than about bought Cecilia Kleinkauf’s excellent book ‘Fly wild rivers. There are no paved 1lb 6oz. With this year’s trip I hoped to put that Fishing for Alaska’s Arctic Grayling’. What roads and almost no maintained right….and I certainly did! caught my eye the most in her book were the footpaths. Most travel is by small plane, fast fighters, jumping much more than English Arctic Grayling are very similar to European pictures of her Grayling fishing in rivers in the boat, quad-bike or on foot. I did note with Grayling do. Sometimes the sport was almost Grayling. Perhaps their biggest difference is Lake Clark area. It looked stunning. I was interest in Cecilia Kleinkauf’s book that it was too easy and sometimes I had to work at it, that they have a larger more forward facing already aware of the non-fishing attractions of possible to walk from Port Alsworth to some changing fly patterns a few times to ‘match the mouth. They take dry flies with even greater the area having read ‘One Man’s Wilderness: an spectacular Grayling fishing spots. In order to hatch’ before I felt like I was really succeeding. enthusiasm than UK Grayling and as they often Alaskan Odyssey’ (Sam Keith, 1973). Further keep the cost down it was important that my The most successful flies were imitative patterns wife and I could so some unguided walking to like Griffiths Gnat and Black Gnat (both in size good fishing spots. This did prove to be the case 16) but at other times ‘attractor’ patterns like a and I caught lots of Grayling from two very Royal Wulff or a Humpy (both in size 12) worked scenic spots on the Tanalian River – one just best. The fish were not at all spooky and would below some spectacular waterfalls and the other often be easy to see directly under my rod tip in where the river emptied into Lake Clark – both the crystal clear water. A Tenkara approach of which I visited twice. would have been ideal for hooking the fish but I The highlights of my trip were my two days think landing them in the often-fast flows might travelling by boat to reach a small clearwater have been a challenge. river. It was the lodge owner who wanted me to The Lake Clark area is most famous for its fish this ‘secret’ river and he asked me not to huge runs of Sockeye Salmon and this summer name it (but if you contact me I’ll tell you). there were record sized runs. Huge shoals of These two days provided me superb sport with Salmon were in some pools but where they had the Grayling – over 60 landed with many 2lb not yet started to spawn the minds of the Grayling plus fish and the largest measured at 19” (UK were still on feeding on insects. Had I been a measurement to fork of tail) and weighed at 2lb couple of weeks later it would have been Salmon 14oz (by coincidence exactly the same weight egg imitations that I’d have needed. I did fish as my largest ever UK Grayling). My wife also these in some places for Rainbows and caught caught a similar sized fish. They were strong fish up to around 4lbs, plus some nice Grayling.

16 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 17 cause you death or injury than a bear. By taking sensible precautions it is very very unlikely that bears will cause you any inconvenience at all. My wife and I want to fish where the bears are fishing. To us this is a major attraction of a few fishing locations. But at most fishing locations in The General Lodge in Port Alsworth is perfectly Grayling present I just had to have a go fishing (north America’s highest). Driving in Alaska is Alaska you are unlikely to see a bear. situated for Grayling fishing the best waters in for them. You might have thought that the fish very easy and there are some good fly-fishing I have made many overseas fishing trips and the area and its owner Peter Goodwin knows would now be a little spooky. Not at all! It was waters that are easily accessible from the main rarely have they fully lived up to my expectations. where all the best places are and can guide you as if nothing had taken place. And later on in highway. I caught Grayling, Rainbows and This one did 100% - my most prolific ever big to them. Although I hadn’t specifically booked it the day Peter’s jet boat did a fast turn right over Chum Salmon. Not the quality of sport that I’d Grayling fishing. So if you fancy experiencing Peter wanted me to take a trip to SWIM with the one of my hotspots that I was dry fly fishing at had at Port Alsworth but great fun none-the- some amazing Grayling fishing then consider fish. He normally bills his activity as ‘Swimming the time. Again I thought my fish would be less. In 2007 we drove up past Denali to beyond this location. It was my 4th trip to Alaska and I with Salmon’. He knew that I was a very keen spooked but again they carried on rising as if Fairbanks to fish the Chena and Chatanika rivers hope to be back there again. Please don’t hesitate Grayling fisher so I think he actually wanted me nothing had happened. – tributaries of the Yukon. I wrote about the to contact me if you’d like more information to be able to see the Grayling. Initially I wasn’t There is another top Grayling river a very short excellent Arctic Grayling fishing that I about the Lake Clark area Grayling or anything as keen as him on the idea as I had visions of floatplane hop from Port Alsworth – the experienced on these rivers in the winter 2008 else to do with visiting Alaska. getting cold and wet. But he was keen for me Tazimina River. One day we flew over it on our edition of ‘Grayling’. I caught to do it so I said yes. I needn’t have worried. way to the Battle River (in northern Katmai) and many fish – but not the big Peter had all the right equipment to keep me I said to the guide and the pilot that if the ones of this year. warm and dry – a rescue dry suit, snorkel and fishing on the Battle did not live up to I ought to mention the facemask. It took a little getting into but once expectations, then could we stop at the bears! The bears are one of in it I was confident and waded out into the Tazimina River on our way back to Port the big reasons I want to go stream. Suddenly I had a completely new Alsworth? They said fine. But as the fishing – for to Alaska. Most UK folk I perspective on the fish. Grayling and Rainbows – was good on the speak to are frightened of The first pool I drifted over contained perhaps Battle River we ran out of time to try the going to wilderness Alaska 200 Sockeye Salmon, 100 (mostly big) Grayling Tazimina. Next time…. by the thought of bears. and 50 Whitefish (and no other kinds of fish that The final part of our Alaska adventure involved Don’t be. Be very frightened I saw). After about an hour of watching the fish using a hire car to drive from Anchorage up to of getting into your car. Cars and being amazed by the number of big Denali to view the wildlife and the mountain are MUCH more likely to

18 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 19 Drag ? – An Annan Revelation The Novice Angler – Part 2 By “The Novice” I packed my trotting rod and some maggots for them with little indication of interest. Finally, the fishing day after the symposium at Lockerbie , however, the red tag nailed a 10” trout then just in case the river rose, but I didn’t need another three ladies of similar size and colour to It is now over two years since I returned them. It was a fine October day and I didn’t don the first, whilst Duncan K watched me from the far to fishing –this time as a fly fisherman my thermals, a mistake I was to regret as the bank. Hunger pangs eventually sent me back to whereas previously I had been a coarse morning progressed. the car for lunch, where I also put on an extra layer. fisherman. I believe it fair to say that my The Annan was on the low side and Michael Fortified, I returned to the tail of The Willows coarse fishing instinct is well ingrained and promised there would be grayling rising before where several grayling and a few trout were I think this is unavoidable. I have still not midday, so I rigged up two rods, one for bugging rising. I covered them, confident in the red tag’s entirely kicked the need for a strike with Czech nymphs, and one for dry fly with a magic, but time after time after time the indicator when nymphing. I have had some wee #18 dry red tag on the point and a partridge wretched fish refused it. They also seemed to success with this method and am reluctant and orange spider on a dropper. The Halleaths move away from me as I fished, and I recalled to drop a method which is catching fish. I beat was new to me, so I eased into my Nicky Mulholland once writing an article for the find using a braid indicator difficult where breathable chesties instead of my usual thigh Journal on herding chalk-stream grayling. the water is turbulent as the indicator soon waders, and made upstream from the central Eventually I pricked one, then a game little gets swamped and sinks so I feel these are car-park, whilst the trotters went down. “shot” less than four inches long grabbed the best suited to calmer water. The The beat was a succession of long flat glides dry; this lovely wee creature was also darker "thingamybobber" indicator works well in each with a good flow at the neck where I lobbed than the more silvery ladies I am used to further turbulent and faster flowing water and its my bugs expecting some action, but nothing north. Frustrated, I waded out and returned to gyrations add life to the suspended nymph. checked (sic) their progress. The wading was the hot spot of earlier in the day. I do feel that I am rather one dimensional easy on the gravel bed, but a cold east breeze A couple of salmon splashed, and a few but I am catching fish and enjoying it. My had got up, the water was icy, and it wasn’t long grayling and an odd trout were still rising, but it catch rate is increasing so Ii feel there is before I wanted out to try and warm up a bit. As was a similar story; they just ignored whatever I evidence of improvement. My river craft I walked along the high bank to prospect the offered them and moved away from my position. skills are getting better and on my local very top of the beat, skeins of graylags honked Then around 5.30pm things changed. With river (the Ewenny) I have identified certain overhead, one or two fairly red salmon splashed, puckered brow I pondered what to do next and “go to” places where there are invariably and others arrowed away in the shallow tail of let the flies skate round below me, when bang, fish present. I am a keen fisher of weir one stretch. an 11” grayling grabbed the red tag and came to pools where the oxygenated water attracts the fish and the surface is broken and At 11.45am, towards the top of a long glide hand. Normally a dragging fly is fatal, but here I disguises my approach and presence. known as The Willows, I noticed the first rise, found that is what these fish wanted. Edging There is also the benefit that a fast moving then another, and another. I heard later there slowly down to where they were now rising I nymph does not allow the fish the luxury of had been a small hatch of large dark olives and covered several which refused the flies until I close inspection of the nymph and they deliberately twitched the line making them furrow pale wateries further down, but I saw none and have to grab it while they can. couldn’t figure what the fish were taking. the surface. The fish must have thought they I did recently achieve an ambition which Cautiously clambering down the steep bank, were hatching insects for takes were solid and was to catch a fish on fly I tied myself. It half on my bum, through popping balsam and positive. Most came to the red tag, which took was a reasonable, average size grayling for nettles, I slid down the last bit into two feet of three of 13” 14” and 15”, but the P&O also scored the river in question – the Rhymney this A grayling run just downstream of an Ewenny weir pool water hoping I’d be able to get out again. with two of 11”. I pricked a few, and one fish hit time where I have noticed that the average size it should not have been and lacking in the P&O so hard it broke it off. Time was passing The first grayling took the red tag unexpectedly of the grayling is a few ounces heavier than on symmetry. Had I entered it into a fly tying fast so I didn’t replace it but crawled back up in wind-ruffled water just in front of me, its dark the Ewenny. I put this down to the fact that it a competition I would expect to have been quietly the bank before the light failed, happy with peaty-brown colouring suggesting a “brownling” slightly wider and deeper river –but I could be asked (politely no doubt) to withdraw it. I did another excellent symposium weekend under rather than a grayling, and at a tad below 11” it wrong. Anyway I must admit that this elf tied fly however catch this lovely grayling on the my belt and a new slant on grayling behaviour. gave a good account of itself. I lengthened line was not a creation of beauty or technical second cast. Whether this was a fluke or the fish Alan Ayre to cover the risers further over in calmer water, excellence in any way. I really can only be was sight impaired was unable to be tested as but they weren’t easy and my flies sailed over October 2015 described as an "ugly bug" bulky in parts where the third cast resulted in a collision with an 20 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 21 overhanging branch of a bramble and were regularly culled. This subject (grayling community. I do think it would have been a resulted in the loss of the fly. I have not yet eating trout spawn) was mentioned at the AGM challenge during the last season though as I attempted to repeat the feat as it takes me during Ronnie Glass’s presentation. Although saw very few rises although there were at least half an hour to tie a fly and I would recognising that grayling would eat drifting and hatching flies around. I understand from talking rather fish than tie flies or perhaps do half therefore unsuccessful trout spawn Ronnie to others and my reading of magazines that this an hour’s work and buy a shop bought fly doubted that grayling dug up the redds to was the experience across large areas of the UK for now. If presented with a spell of really expose eggs and reserved judgement on their in 2015. I have also just read an article about bad weather then I will have a go. It is guilt until he saw a grayling swimming around the declining numbers of freshwater shrimps in something I can see myself getting into as with a spade! I think I will keep a watch out for many of our river systems by Richard Donkin in it is another branch of this fascinating sport. what happens this coming season and continue T &S. Yet another challenge for fly fishers to I am writing this article whilst sitting in to observe and evaluate the evidence. add to the many we already have to face. the back of a luxury fishing wagon on the In my first season I reported on my mink I have heavily scored using shrimp patterns way to Lockerbie for the GS AGM of 2015. experience and my second season has resulted over the past couple of years so may have to We will, of course, be stopping in Penrith in another encounter that astounded me. This expand my repertoire and even do some kick and all three of us in the car have a was the sighting of an otter. This was after a samples or enquire of the club about their kick shopping list. My list is drastically reduced working party on the river and followed one of test results. Perhaps I might give the Squirmy from yesterday due to a slice of good the members reporting the sight of an otter at Wormy a go. I bought one of these but have fortune this morning before setting off. My one of the landmark pools. This resulted in the never used it. Does anyone fancy writing an wife was away visiting her mother and I working party members except me article on how and where to fish this unusual had collected my gear for the trip to congregating at the spot and chatting and pattern? I, for one, would look forward to Scotland and found that a carrier bag into hoping to see an otter spotted at that place reading it. which I had collected together a three weeks earlier. Now I give up a couple of Tight Lines – The Novice. miscellany of unused furled leaders, hours on a Sunday morning to be productive, so braided indicators, French leaders, strike I carried on collecting fallen timber to the back- indicators etc could no longer be found. I fill of a deflector groyne that is under had convinced myself that my wife had construction. When we congregated back at come across the bag and, assuming it to the hut and the car park for our Kelly kettle be for disposal, had put it into the brew I was talking to the chairman, who had recycling to be lost forever. No small his back to the river, when I saw the body of an matter as I reckon the cost price of the otter sliding into the water. I reported this bags contents was in the region of £60. I immediately and the sighting was greeted with wasted at least two hours searching the some scepticism (they all thought it was a leg house for the bag with no luck and had pull). I insisted however and some members resigned myself to its loss and made a list looked downstream whilst the smarter ones of items required to be purchased at the A weir pool on the moors section of the Enwenny looked upstream and this latter group was John Norris shop. The luck came this grayling population in my local river on the wild rewarded with the sight of the pair of otters morning when rather than take advantage of a brown trout. Like most of you I suspect there is cruising mid stream upriver. What amazed me lie in, as departure time was not until 11 am, I equal joy in catching both trout and grayling. more than the sighting of the otter was its size got up at my usual time (not really early) and My first season resulted in a catch ratio of 80:20 (I only saw the dog) as it was the size of a Jack whilst mooching about and tidying up for my in favour of grayling, and my second season has Russell. Had I been shown video evidence I wife’s return I looked under a pile of clothes in shown this move to 90:10. There may be an would have guessed that it was a beaver! the spare room – awaiting washing or the explanation other the fish stocks for this; e.g. I I have still not broken my duck for catching charity shop (could have been either) and I am fishing grayling pools and runs and not on the dry fly. This is unsurprising as the total found my plastic bag. I was pretty pleased to identifying where the trout might be. This is time of a dry fly on my leader was less than one say the least and relieved as my wife has something to work on when the trout season hour for the whole season. A member did previous form as regards throwing out items I starts and the grayling season ends in spring contact my area sec. after my first article and did not want thrown out –but that is a non- 2016. I have recently read the Carter-Platt book offer to assist me with the fishing of the dry fly fishing story which may be told at some future and was interested to find that he reports the but I stupidly lost the email address forwarded time-if the editor permit such a digression. widely held belief at the beginning of the 20th to me. It was a kind offer and I hope it might be Back to the fishing. I recently have become a century that the presence of grayling in a river repeated. It shows a generosity of spirit which I Geoff Bevan, Area 14 Secretary, fishing a grayling run on bit concerned about the impact of the healthy was detrimental to the trout population and they have noticed is prevalent among the angling the River Rhymney

22 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 23 Office No. 01264 860243. Robbie the 'keeper is on 07771845841. Grayling fishing day ticket costs Area 4 Fishing Day Area News Saturday 23 January 2016. Venue: Caer Beris £41, of which £1 goes to help fund a local Hospice. Mick Siggery showed me the Astroplast hook Manor Hotel with beats on the river Wye and Irfon & Fishing Days remover, a new product designed for removing Any member of the Society wishing to take even barbed hooks easily. They don't claim part in this event (either fly-fishing or trotting) painlessly! Only £1.99 from Sportfish. Astroplast should contact Area 4 Secretary: Roger Smith by Annan Grayling Fishing Days also make angler’s mini first aid kits that include email: [email protected] the hook remover at £3.99 (See also Mick’s e- There are places for about thirty rods and the Glyn Williams in ‘Tenkara Heaven” Interested in grayling fishing on the River mail and photos below. Ed.) cost will be in the region of £20 - £25. Annan? For the past 8 years the River Annan The water level was low and was running clear, (Safety appeal: I once had the task of removing Full details of time,place and cost, will be has been working with anglers to monitor the there was little fly emergence and even less in a barbed size 10 Soldier Palmer from a lady’s given to those who apply for a place. status of Grayling stocks on the river. This is has the way of rising fish. Even so small nymphs, hand. It convinced me that barbless hooks were created an important data set that can inform emerger patterns and a few dry flies captured the best for fish and anglers alike! Ed.) fishery management on the river. To help is Area 4 Report the imagination of the sixty fish that were I was asked by a new member, Ian Mitchell if I simple, join us on one of the dates below with For the fourth time of asking the Area 4 caught, twenty-nine grayling and thirty-one knew of a Salisbury and District Angling Club either a fly rod or a float rod and go and fish on September fishing day did actually take place, brown trout – in the closing stages of their season. water that GS members can buy a day ticket for. one of the fisheries we allocate you. the previous three had failed to happen owing Later we learned that the bulk of the water Tickets can be bought for fishing on the Avon at The dates are: Sun Nov 29th; Sun Dec 13th; to high and coloured water. flow was due to Compensation water being Amesbury for the Recreation Ground and Abbey Sun Jan 10th; Sun Feb 7th; Sun Mar 6th. Eleven stalwart members of the Society met at flushed from Clywedog Reservoir which probably beats. Grayling fishing costs £25 per day, 9.30am at The Red Lion Inn in Caersws and accounted for the lack of insect and fish activity. We meet at Café 91, Lockerbie High Street for Mondays to Fridays only, and a maximum of feasted on bacon baps washed down with tea or between 8am and 9am. For more information visit: four rods per day. Mayfly time costs £50 a day coffee courtesy of the publican and his wife. http://www.riverannan.org/#!grayling- with similar restrictions. Tickets can be bought (Sadly they won’t be there next time as they are fishing/cha0 in advance from: moving to pastures new). Mrs. Joy Elliot, 50 Kitchener Road, Amesbury, Area 2 Fishing Day Wiltshire SP4 7AF (Tel: 01980 622828) Greg Payne Hi Greg, An enjoyable day with an amazing sunset. Caught 8 small grayling, 2 around just under Shortly after 5.00pm the party re-assembled at 1lb and the 14" fish in the picture. the pub for a short de-briefing session and a pint 4 wild browns under 1lb and a 4lb stock fish prior to dispersing in order to catch some or all on a 18 Adams. Most fish on a 16 pheasant tail of the Wales-England World cup Rugby match! Klink and dink. Regards, Mick Seven of the participants in The Red Lion (Dyfan Morris, Geoff Bevan, Kris Kent, Chris Salmon, Paul Deaville, Mick Siggery, Licensed Game Angling Guide. Iain Baddeley, Glyn Williams} Angling Trust Registered Coach. After collecting day-tickets from the garage Mob. 07902927173 next door or Spar shop 100 metres down the Mick’s best grayling road everyone completed the formalities and The area 2 day at Wherwell last Saturday, signed the Risk Assessment and heard the October 31st, went very well. 12 members fished briefing we’d been given by local river bailiff and and all caught Grayling, with a total of 64 landed, GS member Andrew Cartwright. as well as some other out of season fish. The Five rods then stayed in the region of Caersws weather was exceptionally kind, although the very and the other six drove to parking areas close to low bright sun hampered the fishing somewhat Llandinam Bridge a few miles upstream. The de-brief back at the pub! in the afternoon. Most anglers caught on dry fly The high pressure system that had been with Postscript: We’ll just have to ‘work on’ the next with some using the 'klink and dink' method. us for a while obliged once again and although publican and inform them of the high standards For those who would like to take on the Test chilly to start with the air soon warmed up as we expect thanks to their predecessors! grayling, the contact details for Wherwell are: the sun established itself. Roger Smith

24 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 25 After a slow start, most anglers chose to fish the nymph and were soon finding the ladies My First here and there. It wasn’t easy, but as the day progressed the fly life started to increase and one or two ventured with a little success on to Area Day the dries. When I drove down to Rocester the By Paul Deaville sun had not burnt though, but the 5 anglers at the lower end of the beat were reporting quite nice numbers, with the majority caught on nymphs, but also a few coming to the On the days running up to Sunday November dries...which was nice for November. On my 1st, I must admit that I was a little apprehensive return to the top of the beat a few members having never organised anything of this nature were reporting better numbers, but here the Not-a-grayling before. With grateful thanks to Norbury FFC we nymphs were the catchers. were able to fish their excellent beat of the (real) At 4 O’clock (-ish) everyone I spoke to was river Dove. very happy with their day and their catch and Sunday During the Thursday/Friday prior to the was ready to head home. Many compliments weekend we had our first rainfall for quite some were paid and I have passed them all on via Mr time, so that didn’t help my run-up nerves. Jeff Body to Norbury FFC. There's this little fly I use from time to time, rises. We should get up there'. Now, the Checking the river on the Saturday morning the On behalf of Grayling Society Members, thank when I remember it's in my box. It sits quietly excitement of someone as knowledgeable as level had dropped back and was clearing, so no you NORBURY FFC. tucked away in a corner, dull and outwardly Tony is not to be dismissed. As soon as Keith need to text everyone as it was all systems go. uninteresting. But sometimes – quite often, in rejoined us, we headed upstream to the bridge, Total for the day: 147 fish to 12 rods, incl o.o.s. Sunday morning arrived with quite patchy fog fact – especially when I'm being foxed, I spot it parked up and ate more lunch while Tony in places, but having said that 12 GS members spotties. minding its own business, and tie it on. And disappeared across the field to check the action were at the meeting point at 09:00 and raring to very often, it does the trick... was continuing. Like me, Keith had tried every- The remaining Area 5 GS days for 2015 are: go. Following the usual formalities some I'd fished hard on a short, very promising- thing and touched nothing either – same boat. members ventured down to the Rocester end of Sunday November 15th looking stretch. When I spotted it, walking down 'They're still at it. There's one really regular the beat, while the rest decided to start at the at Birdsgrove on the River Dove. (Full) the river, the omens looked good – very good: riser'. Down at the fence, hiding carefully behind top and progress down. Soon the sun started to moon and planets clearly aligned, requisite the willows, we could see Tony's regular across burn off the fog and blue skies were on the Sunday December 13th numbers of r's in the month, all that sort of from us towards the big, pale stone. 'A good thing. More prosaically, there was a nice crinkly fish'. We agreed we should take turns in the menu (for most of us). at Norbury on the River Dove. (Full) flow, narrow under the far bank, a soft light, the pools up from the bridge. Winning the toss, right kind of breeze and, best of all, a few olives Keith went first, while, being relieved of the coming off and the odd rise. After a bit of pressure to succeed, I went quite happily ‘Friends’ of the Grayling Society watching, and trying to think things through, I downstream to some nice looking streamy stuff, Please give our TRADE MEMBERS be low your full support when considering making a purchase of started to fish – surely I could feel confident... just to get my arm moving more than anything fishing tackle, clothing and accessories or fly tying materials. Two hours later, I was cold, hungry, humbled else – and put in some much-needed casting TRADE MEMBERS CORPORATE MEMBERS and back at the car, devouring something brown practice. On my river, much smaller than the COOKSHILL FLY TYING FISHING MATTERS CAERSWS ANGLING WILTON FLY FISHING described as duck in hoisin sauce, but which Annan (there, I've told you now), 'casting' Tel: 01782 388382 Unit 3, ASSOCIATION CLUB may not be, and swigging some coke. largely comprises contrived flicks and the like, Mobile: 07932 653492 Lawrence House Yard, Tel: 01686 688196 Mike Tebbs [email protected] Wincanton, acgameangling@btinternet. Rivendell, Newton Endeavour is a poor substitute for the right all close-in stuff. Here, rather more distance skill www.cookshill-flytying.co.uk Somerset BA9 9EB com Heytesbury knowledge and experience, and, right now, I felt was required, a skill that had largely been un- Tel: 01963 31623 FLY TEK FLY FISHING www.caersws-aa.co.uk Wiltshire BA12 0HN a great lack of both; the possibility of a blank exercised in recent years, if it was ever there in [email protected] Tel: 01985 841192 Tel: 01772 684003 www.fishing matters.biz day was circling irritatingly. This wouldn't do. the first place. Mobile: 07788 427560 DERWENT ANGLERS’ [email protected] [email protected] CLUB Then Tony's silver estate reappeared rather I worked my way slowly back up to the stone www.flytek.co.uk urgently and, even before it seemed to have pool. The rises were still there. Keith and Tony Full details of Trade and Corporate Membership can be obtained from the Editor halted, he was out and excited. 'There's a great had moved upstream, and I could see Keith's hatch going on up at the bridge – and lots of back-cast loop unfurling smoothly from behind

26 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 27 the river-side bushes. Tony was coming back sometimes accompanied by mini upstream down-stream towards me. I'd known Tony pushes that gave away their better size; splashy briefly a few years ago when he was on our rises of smaller fish were few. This wasn't going Association committee, but his fishery studies to be comfortable... and work had taken him away from our river The next couple of hours saw Tony and I (the East Lothian Tyne – there, I've told you that working really hard. But all we seemed to now, too), to a much wider world of angling and manage to do was push the fish ahead of us or fisheries management. I was delighted to spook them. Occasionally, there was a bow discover he'd landed the Annan Fisheries wave, or an olive torpedo, just visible over the Directorship, taking over the reins from the gravel, would zip down past us. 'Good fish that' inestimable Nick. We should, he said, leap-frog muttered Tony. I know my casting wasn't Keith. There were more good fish rising on the helping, but Tony wasn't having any success next stretch, though not after we'd given the either, even with a fly that had them leaping into regular a couple of casts. The little dull fly in my his hands last weekend. So much for good box tentatively put its hand up. On it went. A omens. A salmon pushed itself skywards and couple of casts and there was an offer – landed with a heavy splash. It felt like rebuke encouragement, at least. But the rise looked and I was resigned to a blank. very like a little parr – too quick and We rounded the next corner and watched. In inexperienced to hit the fly securely. We decided the middle of the river, there was a gentle, pushy it was time to move on. riser, persistent and purposeful. Olives had been A wriggle under the electric fence and a slither coming off for a while: LDOs and pale waterys. down the steep bank landed us in a narrow, but Willow flies were common too. There were even surprisingly deep channel with waving some sedges appearing on the surface as if ranunculus, separated from the main flow. The through a worm-hole in space-time, fluttering a in the middle, we didn't seem to be pushing it a day of non-cooperation, the fly wasn't there latter was pushing over a sill of gravel into a moment in apparent surprise at their new world, up or spooking it. Things might go quiet for a and good rings were quietly expanding across very nice-looking runnel that Keith was then flying off to mate. Sometimes, fish took the few minutes, but then the fish would start the smooth flow. All I had to do was lift. And it dimpling the surface again. But time was wasn't a grayling, but a fit and aerobatic trout that approaching from below. It spoke of grayling olives, sometimes they didn't. 'There's one'. A getting on and I had to be back in Edinburgh by proceeded to give me the jitters, given 7X tippet waiting for nicely plopped bugs. Wistfully, I small galleon of an olive floated serenely down 6.30. Only a few casts left. Well, it's always a and a size 20 barbless hook. 'Take your time'. turned to look upstream...Achilles' Heel: large the flow, unaware, one assumes, of any waiting privilege to fish on a great river with someone as Good advice – I was going to, concentrating expanses of smooth glides, almost without maws. We'd been watching to see if they experienced and knowledgeable as Tony, so at very hard on the knots. This fish was suddenly disturbance – there would be nowhere to hide. passed over lies unmolested, or disappeared. least I'd learned some things, and my casting badly needed at this end of a difficult day on a And good fish were rising regularly. Rings were This time, even though we cast hard at the fish had improved, at least a little. beautiful river, and I wasn't about to be satisfied Quite suddenly, there were two fish rising with one of Mr Edward's 'long releases'. After a vigorously quite close together, both willing to few minutes of vigorous exchanges, it was The Ron Broughton Trophy for Conservation move to flies. We tried again, both of us. Tony between us and Tony could reach down with reckoned at least one was a grayling; there were wet hands and cup it out of the water. Indeed, signs of a big dorsal fin. Failure! Well, some days not-a-grayling, but about nineteen inches of (Formerly the Presidents Trophy) are like that. You have to take what the river very lovely, very sleek wild brown trout. I'll take Each year the President of the Society awards the Trophy to a gods will let you have, and that includes lessons that any day, and be very grateful. person who has impressed you, the members, with their in the humilities. And the fly? Well, you probably know it. The work or commitment to conservation. 'There's one rising right in front of us – look'. basic pattern appeared in one of the magazines The middle fish had 'reappeared'. I muttered a few years ago, proffered by an Italian fly- Write to the Society’s President with your nominations for something, concentrating on tying on the little fisherman. It is compelling in it's simplicity. this prestigious award before dull fly. I looked up. There it was, perhaps 10 Some careful surgery and manipulation of a yards ahead of us. 'Go on...' single CDC yields an ephemeral-looking fly so 16th September 2016 Several reasonable casts were ignored, but the like an olive, it's uncanny. With practice, you can fish was still comfortable and rising. I moistened tie one in a couple of minutes. A thing of very Alan Ayre, 43 Blinkbonny Road, Falkirk, FK1 5BY the body of the fly a little, wanting it to sit down simple, undemonstrative beauty that just so in the film some more, and cast again. The drift happens to catch fish, often when all else fails. was perfect, if only because, quite suddenly, afte r Thank goodness... 28 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 29 It is a travesty that such a stream which borders onto the site that until recently housed the local Update on the Fate of Grayling EA offices should have been allowed to die. Sadly bureaucracy and a grossly understaffed in North-East and East Yorkshire and underfunded EA seem to render any progress virtually impossible. By Dave Southall Pickering Beck has seen a slight recovery in grayling numbers and the fly-only grayling match In my last report on the sad decline of grayling stocks but also for large numbers of big roach, held by the PFA in Early October 2015 produced a in my area I was rather despondent about the dace, chub and barbel, it is now a shadow of its winning catch of 4 grayling (a very long way short future, however recent events have cast a former self: the roach, dace and barbel have of the huge catches of the past). Cormorants (plus glimmer of light in the pervading gloom. disappeared, whilst chub numbers are very low. a few mink, isolated Goosanders and, dare I say, The glimmer of light is that this year (2015), on On Driffield Beck, my home water, grayling stocking with oversized brown trout) would my regular visits to the water, I have seen more populations have steadily declined over the last appear to be the main problems. thirty years, with the main cause undoubtedly grayling (mostly small) than for many years and Finally on the Yorkshire Derwent near cormorant predation (in the winter of 2012/13 I’ve even seen one roach, one dace and several A Driffield Beck grayling Scarborough there are some signs of a slight we had a flock of over 300 that devastated the small perch. Unfortunately this September and been reported to be active below the town and increase in grayling numbers, probably thanks grayling stocks). Heavy stocking with relatively October the cormorants, which have been few grayling numbers there would appear to be low. to a slight decrease in the numbers of oversized large brown trout and the escape of vast and far between in the last two years, have The Yorkshire Dove holds a small number of brown trout and rainbows being stocked into numbers of rainbow trout from the local trout started to reappear. grayling, as does the River Seven. The latter has the river. Once again cormorants (and herons) farm, plus the steady increase in herons and A recent visit to the upper reaches of the produced some very big fish for such a small are a factor in the equation, but as mentioned in otters have not helped the situation; neither has Yorkshire Rye, above Helmsley, confirms a stream with several authentic reports of fish in my earlier articles the stocking of large numbers water abstraction and diffuse pollution. A river decent population of small and medium sized the 17 to 20 inch bracket. of big trout, particularly rainbows has once renowned not only for its huge grayling grayling, although, once again cormorants have The most depressing situation is that in undoubtedly caused serious damage to the Oxfolds/Costa Beck, once on a par with Driffield grayling stocks. I mentioned previously how the Beck in their Glory Days. Oxfolds/Costa used to grayling numbers exploded and the average size hold huge numbers of grayling with many increased significantly as a consequence of the reaching the 2 pounds mark and more. Despite two years 2004 and 2005 when very small stock ten years of hard work from the Pickering fish were introduced and the subsequent Fishery Association, environmental studies done collapse following the return to stocking with on behalf of the Angling Trust and Fish Legal, big fish (some well over 3 pounds!). When will thousands of pounds of EA, PFA, Fish Legal and clubs and their members realize the damage East Yorkshire Rivers Trust money having been spent trying to The upper Yorkshire Rye resolve the problems, not to mention the many hundreds of hours spent by various folks including the volunteers who do the bimonthly Riverfly Partnership 3 minute kick samples on five sites, NO PROGRESS seems to have been made. The grayling have gone and may well be totally extinct in this once superb limestone spring-creek. The problems? Pollution from two fish farms and a sewage outfall appear to be prime factors, compounded by the dreaded cormorants and large numbers of escapee Driffield Beck, once a prolific grayling water rainbows from the trout farms. 30 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 31 big) thrive thanks to clean waters, that are not stocked with big farmed fish and where cormorants rarely venture due to human disturbance. Let’s hope that: G Europe-wide, we eventually get a policy of predator control that ensures a viable balance. On a recent trip to Northern Italy I heard about the collapse of grayling stocks in some of the rivers there due to cormorant predation and a friend returned from Holland with tales of coarse fisheries equally devastated for the same reason. G It’s great to see good numbers of small grayling in Clubs stop stocking completely or at least the upper Yorkshire Rye reduce the size and number of fish stocked. Stocking with tame fish just puts food on the that stocking does? This is an ongoing bird-table for predators, ensuring that they visit problem for many clubs: they are scared of the river and have a successful breeding season. loosing members if they stop stocking Costa/Oxfolds Beck used to hold good numbers of grayling like this with big, tame, easy to catch trout. If only G The EA bans stocking with rainbows, which these members who crave the ‘easy life’ are even more predatory on small fish than are would look at the ever-increasing brown trout. evidence from those clubs that either have G The EA and the Government take the Water never stocked (rare) who have superb Framework Directive more seriously and fishing or those who have stopped actually do something to control the pollution, Stocking with large numbers of big brown & rainbow trout stocking (increasingly common) showing siltation and water abstraction that are killing is no good for the Derwent grayling how the fishing, particularly for grayling, many of our rivers. Below: Grayling fishing the Yorkshire Derwent has improved. How will we ensure healthy stocks of grayling and trout in our rivers? All we need to do is look at some of the industrial rivers in Yorkshire where huge numbers of wild grayling and trout (some of them very

Costa Beck, at one time a grayling paradise A sewage discharge into Oxfolds Beck during a period of dry weather!

Results of kick sampling Oxfolds Beck In spring 2011

32 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 33 about 1.5 pounds. A similar picture emerges on Big Grayling 2 the Itchen. I can have some excellent days of grayling fishing with numbers of fish up to 2 Dear Bob, pounds but only the occasional one actually In your Journal article you ask about the reaches that figure. Contrast these rivers with conditions which produce big grayling. I have the Frome, which I do not know well but which I written previously in the journal about size in know is not as prolific as my home rivers. There grayling but have continued to learn from the we have a population, which is fewer in number, work of the GRT and elsewhere a little more but consequently the fish grow larger and it is in about size. It is clear that any river will hold a such a river that I would look for a large fish. given biomass of grayling. This can take the The Driffield beck which I have visited only once form of a large number of relatively small grayling would appear from Dave Southall’s writings to in a river where recruitment is good and food be an extreme example where poor recruitment supply also good or a smaller number of larger has lead to a small population of large fish due grayling in a river where recruitment is poor but to a good food supply and a lack of competition food supply is also good. We have also learnt in from within the grayling population. relevantly recent years that the most serious Away from the chalk streams I suspect that competitor for a grayling is another grayling. the picture on the rain fed rivers is similar but The rivers where I do most of my grayling could be more complex and perhaps varies from fishing, the Avon, the Wylye and the Itchen are stretch to stretch depending on the size of the prolific rivers and hence the grayling are grayling population on a particular length of relatively small, a 2 pounder is outstanding and river. It appears to me and this is only a 3 pounder almost unheard of. The annual speculation, that where recruitment is very grayling match which I would now describe as erratic as on the upper reaches of some rain fed Mike Mee’s team versus the Piscatorial Society rivers there is sometimes a small population of started life as a fund raising exercise for the large fish. This was the case for a short period of S&TA but now raises funds for the GRT, has years on a stretch of the upper Hodder which I been fished on the Avon for more than 30 years. used to know. A classic example also is the one In all of that time more than 30,000 grayling grayling which existed on the Skirfare in the have been caught and since the early 90s all 70s. This fish was of the order of 3 pounds and have been returned. Of that huge number only a the late Fred Tattershall, the Kilnsey club keeper handful have exceeded 2 pounds, none I think caught it regularly, said hello and returned it. I have reached 2.5 pounds and certainly none suspect that tales of large grayling from the have approached 3 pounds. The same picture Glen and the Bowmont, headwaters of the Till, emerges from the Wylye recruitment study could again be examples of one of these small financed by the EA, the GRT and the Piscatorial headwater populations. Unfortunately these two Society. There is a strong population with the rivers seem to have disappeared from the radar larger fish in times of good recruitment, just in recent years. failing to reach 2 pounds and in periods of poor I cannot speak for the large rivers such as the recruitment they just exceed 2 pounds. Most of Tay or Tweed but I suspect that the same the fish in these two rivers live for 4 to 5 years generalisations hold good. If therefore you wish but even the occasional fish that lives longer to find large grayling you should look for them does not necessarily continue growing. One fish where there are not large numbers of grayling. in the Wylye study, which lived to 8 years of age, Best wishes. stopped growing at 38 cms, which would be Robin Mulholland 34 Grayling – Winter 2015

32 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 33 3XEOOLLFDWWLLRQV6SHFLDO (GGLLWWLLRQV ARCTIC GRAYLING HAVEN %LQGHUUVV 7KH$ ELQGHU LV GHVLJQHG WR KROG -RXUQDOV  *UD\OLQJRU RWKHU SXEOLFDWLRQV WKH 6RFLHW\  SURGXFHV7KH ELQGHU KROGV  FRSLHV RI RXU SXEOLFDWLRQVDQG DQ LGHDO ZD\ WR EXLOG XS D OLEUDU\RI LQWHUHVWLQJ DUWLFOHV DQG LQIIRRUPDWLRQ

6LLJJQHG/LLPPLWHG (GLWLRQ 77KKLVLV WWKKH VHFRQG VLLJJQHG OLLPPLLWWWHHG HGLLWWWLLRQ RI VHWV RI PRXQWHG *UUDD\\OOLQJ )OOLLHV WWLLHG H[FOXVLYHOO\\IIRRU WWKKH 6RFLHWW\\ E\ 'U 0DOFROOPP  *UUHHHQKDOOJJK77KKH FROOHFWWLLRQ DOOOO (XUURRSHDQ  GU\U\ZZLLOOOO KDYH WWKKH SDWWWWHUUQQV DQG GHVFUULLLSSWWLLRQV  By David Radcliffe LQFOXGHG To use the correct common term, the silence exceptional. One of the advantages of the is deafening. remote location is the incomprehensible I was recently angling in Canada’s newest exclusive access to water that has never been territory, Nunavut. And if you think some place fished. Never. like Iceland is big and exotic, Nunavut will Grayling are taken daily up to 2.5kg, nearing amaze, no, astound you. Not just it’s sheer size, 88QQVLLJJQHG/LLPPLWHG (GGLLWLRQ world record territory and the ultra pristine but also it’s many other natural attributes, like conditions ensure a more than courageous 77KKLVLV WWKKH XQVLLJJQHG HGGLLLWWWLLRQ RI  VHWWVV RI the fishing. battle on 4wt. tackle. Lake Trout up to 15kg can PRXQWHG(XUURRSHDQ *UUDD\\OOLQJ )OOLLHV WWLLHG This vast territory makes it the fifth largest be taken by trolling or casting prodigious silver H[FOXVLYHOO\\IIRRU WWKKH 6RFLHWW\\ E\ 'U 0DOFROP  country subdivision in the world and second and black slender streamers with a 10wt. rod *UUHHHQKDOOJJK largest in North America next to Greenland. and sinking tip line. This is done along deep It just so happens that much of its area is shelves or rocky reef edges in the open lake. fishable water. And open it is at over 80km long and in places, Unlike in the UK, in Canada’s high Arctic, fly- 20km wide. fishing is in its infancy; it’s a hard place to find Pike are taken in early season shallows with anyone who consorts with the sport let alone floating lines and big brash flies and later on anyone where I was. sink tips with big, up to six inch, brightly *UUDD\\OOLQJOLLPPLWHG HGGLLWLRQ 3UULLQWWVV Arctic Haven Lodge however, has been coloured lures or minnow patterns. 7KLVLV DQ LGHDO RSSRUWXQLW\ WR SXUFKDVH RQH RI developed with a warm embrace for the sport The Grayling, the star of the show, is best lured WKHPRVW EHDXWLIXOO\ GHWDLOHG LOOXVWUDWLRQV RI D and has the Kazan River virtually at its doorstep. with a hare’s ear gold beaded nymph but JUD\OLQJDGXOW \HDUOLQJ DQG IU\ 7KH SULQWV DUH Paddlers have long known the Kazan River as realistically, any fly, presented with or without SDUWRI D  OLPLWHG HGLWLRQ SULQWV E\ WKH  one of the Arctic’s special rivers that winds its grace, will suffice. Dry flies drifted in the currents 6FRWWLVKDUWLVW 5RELQ $GH way 1000 kilometers to Baker Lake on onward to were our favourite and were smashed with vigor the Arctic Ocean. in each and every drift. This new eco lodge’s intention is to introduce So abundant are the fish, we had lake trout fly fishers to a Northern Pike, Arctic Grayling and accosting Grayling, in attempts to release them Lake Trout fishery that can only be described as from the fly, and into waiting jaws. On one Grayling – Winter 2015 35 occasion, we managed to hook both trout and grayling with a well-placed streamer while we held the Grayling with a dry. It was simply plopped behind the hooked and combative Grayling, which was trying to escape both fly and predator. The lodge is promoted as an eco tourism destination and guests who choose to spend their odd days fishing will be amazed at the myriad alternate activities and potential wildlife encounters on the off days. no one had ever fished before, was truly The area is home to the 350,000 strong unbelievable. The take of the fly, by a truly wild Qamanirjuaq caribou herd, which migrates in fish, one that thrives in the cleanest, taintless spring and again in the fall directly beside the waters coupled with the surroundings of a vast lodge. As do their predators, Grizzly bear, Arctic and sedate land, rich in wildlife is a trip you will Wolf and Wolverine and these are often not soon forget. photographed at close range. There is access to The author lives in Canada’s arctic with his hiking, kayaking, boating and northern lights wife and two dogs. Retired from teaching he viewing. During our stay it was commonplace to spend his days either thinking of fishing or see a lone white wolf on our way to and from fishing in exotic locations around the globe. the fishing boats. When not either fishing or thinking about The meals were first rate and the equipment fishing, he books clients on exotic DIY fishing was top of the line for fly-fishing or other trips in a myriad of locations around the world excursions. Above all of this however, it was the and for many different species. He can be Arctic Grayling fishery. Fly-fishing in a truly contacted at [email protected] or pristine environment, in a stretch of river where on his Facebook page at DIY Sport Fishing the best beat is only around the corner, where Adventures.

36 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 37 So, what are the fish eating? – gammarus. eating with what we count as part of the They are bound to be eating gammarus (shrimp) Riverfly ARMI counts. We analysed the gut What do Fish from the River Alyn Eat? aren’t they? They are so nutritious and there are contents of both grayling and trout and the By Les Jervis so many of them that they provide an easy feast results for one short season are presented here. for hungry fish, why would fish waste energy Next year I intend to concentrate more on rising to catch flies on the surface? grayling and, unlike this year, where most fish Although there are upwing flies – baetis, blue- sampled were in the 1+ and 2+ age range (apart I know, I know, I should The Alyn’s link to the winged olives and large brook duns for example from one 4lb brown trout), next year I will have guessed. I’ve read Welsh Dee is interesting – their numbers are small by comparison with sample a wider age range. “Flyfishing for Grayling” by because, some 40 years those of the gammarus. Hatches of upwings are We didn’t get started until late May but we 1 John Robert s . I’ve even read ago, an analysis of trout not dense or frequent so fish don’t get time to then caught and analysed stomach contents the original articles on fish and grayling gut contents key onto them. Steadily rising fish are seen throughout the season. This meant that we diet in the Journal of the was carried out on the rarely except when they are sipping hatching missed early fly hatches and any possible Grayling Society by John Welsh Dee by Dr John midge pupae – as a change from eating switch in feeding habits as the fish moved from 2,3 Woollan d . It still escaped me. Woolland. The results are gammarus? However, it is almost always winter through to spring and early summer. I can only plead increasing very well summarised in possible to find fish that rise fairly frequently, if However, we have been able to draw some senility for my omissions. John Roberts excellent not steadily, so dry fly fishing is often quite early conclusions . Even now, after the event, I book “Flyfishing for productive. So some fish eat things other than The first trout, caught in May on a dry fly, still find it difficult to believe Grayling”. One of the gammarus but, on the whole, most of us contained mostly terrestrial diptera and blackfly the findings. surprises was that assumed that gammarus formed the mainstay (simulium) larvae whilst the first grayling had terrestrials formed on I am a member of the of fish diets. been eating the expected gammarus. The trout average 25% of the diet of Rossett and Gresford Fly Assumptions are all very well but they don’t results were a bit of a puzzle but it was a sampled fish, with fish Fishers (RGFF) and I fish the catch fish. During one RGFF committee meeting stocked fish probably used to getting its food from wooded areas eating lovely river Alyn in North last autumn, the club chairman, Eddie from the surface. However, it had found blackfly far more. Surely on the Wales, the longest tributary of Wilkinson, and I agreed to autopsy a sample of larvae attached to the riverbed stones or drifting Fishing the Alyn - our cover shot Alyn, gammarus being so the Welsh Dee. The Alyn is the fish that we caught throughout the season in the current so we expected a gradual shift to abundant by comparison with the Dee, quite different from the Dee, starts on limestone to see if we could confirm the assumptions, or gammarus as the season progressed and the fish terrestrials would not figure so prominently in and has an alkaline pH of about 8.2. The river has find another explanation for the feeding got used to the full range of food available. The the average diet? an unusual invertebrate population and many club behaviour of Alyn fish. We thought it would be grayling, being largely a bottom feeder, had members have, for several years, assumed that the How numerous are the gammarus? Well, Table useful to compare what the fish are actually indeed been eating the expected gammarus. main invertebrate – Gammarus pulex – forms a 1 is based on the club’s Anglers Riverfly large part of the fish diet. Indeed the fish respond Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) data collected over well throughout most seasons to a pink shrimp several years. The data illustrates the scale of pattern. The river has a good head of grayling that the gammarus population compared with other has been increasing in recent years, with 1lb fish aquatic invertebrates such as baetis nymphs, relatively common and 2lb fish caught every caddis larvae etc. The figures given are the season. More of the latter would almost certainly averages of several counts taken throughout the be caught if the season were longer. whole year, not just the season.

Table 1 Food item availability on the Alyn based on Riverfly ARMI data

Fish rising in Alyn pool

38 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 39 The second grayling caught in July on a dry fly, We made a special effort in September. The had a couple of gammarus, small caddis larvae crane flies should have been out in numbers and and baetis nymphs but mostly contained large and they often get blown onto the river. In addition, small diptera, a hoverfly, small beetles and midges. the Alyn has varieties that have aquatic larvae A more varied diet than the first grayling, probably so the females fly over the water surface dipping indicative of more terrestrials being blown onto as they lay eggs. Trout love a juicy crane fly so the water during what was a windy month. we expected to find them in autopsies. In addition, the female trout are developing eggs, for which they need carotenoids (the orange pigment) while the male trout are developing spawning colouration, for which they also need carotenoids. These pigments they get from their diet. The best source of carotenoids? Gammarus of course! So in September, we expected the Contents of May grayling: gammarus and simulium larvae. trout to really switch on to eating shrimp! The gammarus look orange in this picture because the gut Contents of early September graying: Snails, diptera, sample was stored in methanol before analysis. Methanol What happened? chironomid pupa, simulium larva, baetis nymph removes most of the pigment from the gammarus, leaving The first grayling, caught on a weighted bug, the orange colour contained very little. Just a few snails, small The second and third trout, caught in June, diptera, a chironomid pupa, a simulium larva added to the puzzle as neither contained any and a baetis nymph – but no gammarus. The gammarus. The second, another stocked fish Contents of July grayling: Hoverfly, large and small terrestrial diptera, small beetles, midges, gammarus, baetis second grayling did have a few gammarus but caught on a dry fly, had eaten a wide range of nymphs, caddis larvae, simulium larvae had also been eating freshwater clams, snails food items. Many were terrestrials – diptera and and a cased caddis. The third grayling had Neither of the trout caught in August, the first beetles – but it also had small caddis larvae and developing eggs but had eaten only snails, on a nymph, the second on a dry, contained any caddis pupal cases. In addition to showing a beetles and bloodworm. The remaining fish gammarus. Both were wild fish. The first had wide range of food items, the results for this fish were all trout, two of which were caught on dry been eating earwigs! The second had the most showed that the stockies had rapidly learned to fly. The first of these had eaten a wasp, nymphs varied stomach contents yet - medium and feed on natural items. (BWO?), caddis (cases), snails and midge larvae. small diptera, midges, numerous beetles from The third trout was a wild fish caught on a The second contained plenty of gammarus and large to flea beetles, chironomid pupae, a small nymph. It had eaten a bullhead, bloodworms snails – all indicative of bottom feeding, in spite spider, a hoverfly, an ant, a caseless caddis and a and possibly a coryxa (or it may have been a of the fish being caught on a dry fly. The final caddis case. There were also remnants (legs, beetle). In common with trout 1, neither of these trout, caught on a PTN was full of chironomid head etc.) of a very large terrestrial, possibly a bee. Contents of late September grayling: Beetles, snails and fish had anything identifiable as either an pupae AND large numbers of gammarus. None bloodworm upwing adult or nymph. of the September fish had any evidence of crane caught on emerging caddis imitations. Until fly, the only evidence being from an August fish September, apart from the two grayling caught that contained a pair of large wings that looked in June and July, not a single fish contained any like those of a crane fly. gammarus. One of the grayling and two of the The season on the Alyn ends on 30th trout caught in September contained gammarus. September for both trout and grayling, so further The two trout in particular had been feeding analysis of grayling diets has not been possible. heavily on them, especially the fish caught on a What does this tell us? That terrestrials, both dry fly. So much for assumptions! diptera and beetles, form a large part of Alyn There are, of course, flaws in the analysis. fish diets. The sizes of items eaten were very Many of the fish were caught on dry fly and may varied from midges up to what appear to be simply not have devoted much effort to seeking large beetles, a hoverfly and a bee. These were out gammarus, although given the large very opportunistic fish prepared to eat what the numbers of gammarus available, that is unlikely. Contents of August trout: medium and small diptera, midges, numerous beetles from large to flea beetles, wind brought to them. Although caddis larvae, Several of the fish were stocked this year and chironomid pupae, a small spider, a hoverfly, an ant, a particularly the smaller ones such as Agapetus may simply have been used to surface feeding. Contents of June trout: Snails, large and small beetles, caseless caddis and a caddis case. There were also remnants were eaten, as were pupal cases, we saw no Again unlikely as they were well used to the small diptera, agapetus (caddis) larvae, caddis pupae cases (legs, head etc.) of a very large terrestrial, possibly a bee adult caddis, even though two of the fish were river environment by the end of May and there

40 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 41 was enough evidence that they were taking The conclusions raise the question of the in most samples whereas the Dee items from mid-stream and the bottom. The differences between the Riverfly counts and fish had eaten very few. All of the grayling did eat gammarus so they were what we find fish are eating. The Riverfly count groups in the lower part of the table available and one of the grayling had similar does act as a warning indicator of any water were present as important diet stomach contents to those of many of the quality problems. It , however, necessarily items in the Alyn fish (Table 3). As stocked trout. indicate the full range of food available or what far as the fish are concerned, what There is the possibility that the larger, wild, fish might be eating. the Riverfly counts leave out is at Alyn fish do eat gammarus but only one of these It is difficult to draw accurate comparisons least as important as what the was caught. The trout caught by Eddie, mostly with Woolland’s findings of 40 years ago on a counts include. caught on nymphs, were larger than the stocked linked, but different, river. It is possible to try to The main question remains - fish, and one had eaten a bullhead. The largest do some comparisons however by looking at the when Alyn fish seem so ready to (4lb) and one of the others had been eating Riverfly ARMI counts and the table of food take a pink shrimp why are there so quantities of gammarus. These fish were full of items in Woolland’s final article (3) few gammarus in their diet? This eggs, as was the trout caught in late August. To get the Table 2 figures, I have bulked question is, to me, particularly All this gives us some suggestions but raises together Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera and pertinent as, in alkaline chalk more questions. Plecoptera larvae/nymphs and adults from streams, gammarus can form over 1. Successful flies included whitehead PTNs, Woolland’s data. We do not yet have food items 90% of grayling diets (1). John green and brown bugs, green paraloops, numbers for the Alyn so the table is trying to Woolland concludes his Spring 1987 Alyn gammarus in a kick sample caddis emergers and Griffiths gnats compare numbers (%) with Woolland’s volume article by saying “Grayling 2. We should try more artificals that imitate (%). The availability numbers add up to 100% generally fed on organisms which Table 3 Alyn Autopsy Results 2015 terrestrials – both flies and beetles. but the Woolland numbers do not as they leave were most numerous or most 3. If Alyn fish take such a varied diet of such out items not measured in Riverfly counts such accessible”. Alyn gammarus are differing sizes, they should be very tolerant of as terrestrials, most of which I’ve included in the certainly numerous, seem no less artificial fly size but small artificials seem to lower part of the table. accessible than in other rivers but be better accepted. This is possibly because It is interesting that so few crustaceans are not consumed in the numbers it is easier to tie a small rough, ‘buzzy’ fly (mostly gammarus) were also eaten by Dee fish, assumed – why? Until we catch a than a larger close imitation. although the Dee is noted for its high caddis talking fish, we can only guess! 4. Small caddis larvae are reasonably common populations. It is also interesting that the Alyn Acknowledgements and often drift downstream. Imitations of size autopsy findings showed coleopteran (beetles) Thanks to Eddie Wilkinson for help 18 and smaller are worth a try. with the autopsies, to Howard 5. The increased number of fish Table 2 Food item Availability Numbers Stevens for comment on the draft containing gammarus in September manuscript, and to the RGFF points to a seasonal change in diet, committee for encouraging the work. possibly to meet the needs of The Rossett and Gresford website is: spawning. http://www.rossettandgresfordflyfishi 6. We need to do more early season ng.co.uk/index.html autopsies, not involving stocked fish, to Day tickets are available from the Wye check spring and early summer diets. and Usk Foundation at: 7. Most of the fish were caught morning http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/fis orafternoon – before most adult hing/obs/beat_details.php?beat=alyn caddis are about. Some evening- caught fish might contain undigested References caddis. 1. Roberts J, (1999) Flyfishing for 8. Most of the fish were Y1+ or Y2+ Grayling, Excellent Press, Ludlow (except for a 4lb trout). Next year we 2. Woolland J, (1987), Grayling in the will include larger fish to see if/how Welsh Dee, part 3, Feeding. Journal of diet changes with age. Also next year the Grayling Society, Spring 1987. no stocking will take place so all fish 3. Woolland J, (1988), The feeding will be either wild or overwintered relationships of grayling & trout on stocked fish. the Welsh Dee. Journal of the Grayling Society, Spring 1988 42 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 43 By J. S. Davison

A few months ago I realised that my fly line, utilised fully the action of the rod: it was perfect. against a weak pound for the top USA lines. rising fish at more distance remains easy, which was some years old needed replacement. However such lines are not easy to find and Note the lines are only sold on the Web under predictable and controlled. It was very badly cracked and would not float. I very expensive. They also crack easily. My www.flylineshop.com. The Barrio Smallstream has been specifically visited my local shop and was recommended a attention was drawn to an advert in a magazine He sells the following lines which may be of designed for the purpose and developed so that line by a well-known maker. When I put it on for Barrio Lines. I had not heard of them before use to us grayling fishermen. a #1 line will suit a #1 rod and a #3 line a #3 rod. my rod it was quite clear it was not suitable, as and so I rang the Company and spoke to Mike The Barrio Mallard weight forward fly line is This has been achieved by targeting the correct the front taper was wrong and it landed like a Barrio himself and told him of my problem. the original ‘Barrio Line’ designed, tweaked and line weight rating at what the designer considers bag of spanners on the water. It clearly was not Well-balanced tapers refined back in 2004. The Mallard has gained a to be the optimum length for this type of fishing. fit for purpose. He suggested I purchase a 5 weight GT90 line strong following over the years and this Barrio Smallstream weight forward floating fly Perhaps at this stage I ought to mention a few with a fairly long front taper. He told me that conventional we rd profile is just as popular now lines are available in a pale tan colour from things about lines. Originally the only lines you some years ago he used to run a fishery and that as it was back then. WF1F to WF5F. could buy were double tapered lines, the very he became frustrated with seeing his customers Superb Finally the Barrio GT90 fly line, designed for first lines being made of silk. The manufacturers struggling to cast with poorly matched up It is a simply superb fly line for traditional trout larger waters and offering superb presentation, cut off the first 10 yards of line and then outfits and lines. As a result, he set about fishing tactics, anglers of all levels of casting line control and stability in the air. The finely weighed it in grains. So a 5-weight line would designing some easy to cast, well-balanced ability will find the Mallard a very easy line to balanced 73 ft head helps us to achieve sweet weigh 5 grains and a 10-weight would be 10 tapers and he formed Barrio Fly Lines, which he cast. Suitable for most fishing styles and presentation at pretty much any distance and grains etc. This is why anglers talk of 7-weight, sells on the web under www.flylineshop.com. techniques, these well balanced fly lines are simply excels with long, smooth casting strokes. 2-weight lines etc. Rods were designed to cast a Setting my new line up was easy; simply certainly capable of casting a good distance, but The relatively short belly and front taper produces weight of a fixed number of grains and that was attach the end of the line, which is marked with more importantly, capable of accurate and a line that will load a rod well at short range for about their limit. a tag, to the backing with an appropriate knot delicate casts at normal fishing ranges. off the tip casts, yet the extended rear taper Wider range and wind on. You also need to attach the leader Barrio Mallard weight forward floating fly lines allows huge lengths of line to be aerialised However with the development of modern to the front end of the line, again with an are available in a pale cream colour from WF3F under control when desired. carbon rods and with modern tapers, rods can appropriate knot. There are clear diagrams of to WF8F. All rounder handle a much wider range of lines. In addition the knots required on the website. The next line is the Barrio Mallard double An excellent all rounder, the GT90 will appeal manufacturers began to produce weight forward I went down to the river, attached a fly to the taper fly line, again one of the original 'Barrio to all anglers that enjoy casting a longbelly style tapered lines. Today they can make lines with cast and put it through its paces. The line was Lines' that was designed back in 2004. This line fly line and is equally enjoyable to fish on both short thick heads and concentrate the weight in superb, it landed lightly and the long taper made has also gained a strong following over the rivers and lochs. The "Mushy Pea" olive colour the front part of the line. This concentration of little disturbance. The line was very supple and years and the conventional double taper profile is excellent for a stealthy approach to wary, weight means the lines turn over well in a wind roll casts, spey casts and curve casts were is just as popular now as it was back then. selective fish and very subtle in the air with and can cast large bulky flies. The downside is performed with ease, the line perfectly following Both lines are very easy to cast, suitable for minimal line flash, yet nice and visible on the that they can land heavily on the water. They the movement of the rod tip. Short-range casts most fishing styles and techniques and they water to the angler. can make lines with longer heads which land were executed well, but for really long-range offer great line control, accuracy and Barrio GT90 weight forward floating fly lines are lightly, but this length of line can often mean casts the 5-weight line was a bit light for the presentation. available in an olive colour from WF3F to WF8F that they are more difficult to cast, as the angler rod. I spoke to Mike and he sent me a GT90 6 The Barrio Mallard double taper floating fly and there is also a longer, more brightly coloured has to control more line in the air. weight line, which with the little bit more lines are available in a pale cream colour from version called the GT125. It was the GT90, Here was the problem, my Sage 5 weight rod weight easily put out the 25 yard + casts which DT2F to DT6F. which I found to be perfect for my Sage rod. is designed to cast 5 weight lines but it is are so useful on big rivers. Anyone who does The next line in the range is the Barrio The firm also sells Spey and Switch lines, actually designed to handle long casts, and will not have a rod with as fast an action as a Sage Smallstream fly line, which has been designed copolymer tippet, a fly reel made for them by also easily cast 6 weight lines as it is designed would find the 5-weight line perfect for the job. I for small streams, rivers and any location where Vosseler and various other products on their for fishing the large western rivers of the USA. tried the 5-weight on some other of my rods and fishing distances are likely to be more limited, or website, all at very reasonable prices with free When I first purchased the rod I used a Lee it was ideal. your casting area restricted. Presentation and worldwide shipping. Wulff triangle taper line – a forward taper line, The price of Barrio Lines is also very competitive; accuracy at short range with the Smallstream fly I commend this line to members and shall use which when fully cast became a 6 weight and remember, you are paying in strong dollars line is simply sweet, but shooting line to cover a these lines in my future fishing. Happy casting! 44 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 45 Unica Grayling By Dave Southall

Typical Unica grayling

across or down and across the stream with suitable slack-line casts (reach casts, parachute Unica September 2006 casts, Italian style slowed down angular casts etc.) to control drag. Even with what appears to be perfect presentation, all too often the response As a grayling angler, if you are ever in be expected in spring with steadily decreasing to your fly’s drift will be a close inspection Slovenia and as long as money is no problem levels throughout the fishing season, which followed by refusal: if the fish could speak it (day tickets cost 99 Euros in 2015) then you extends from May 1st till the end of November. would be saying “Do it better next time” . It pays must fish the Unica. This lovely spring-fed I have fished the Unica twice, in September to target a visible fish and repeatedly cover it till limestone stream contains probably the biggest Picture from the Unica day ticket in 2006 2006 and September 2015. On both occasions I a good drift is achieved. If you still fail to get a concentration of grayling that I’ve ever seen, fished the dry fly-only section. Fortunately this is positive response and the fish is with the bonus that some of them are very big. a rich river with abundant weed growth and still rising to naturals then try a It is located 50Km south of Lubljana in the Karst good hatches of assorted Olives. Be prepared for change of fly (in September 2015 region of Slovenia close to the Postojna caves. It challenging fishing. The Unica grayling are some fish were rising to tiny is only 10Km long, rising from a cave system and extremely fussy about the flies that they will midges even though there was a finally disappearing into sinkholes. The upper take and the angler’s presentation must be hatch of small Olives). I had section is available for nymph or dry fly; the flawless if they are to be fooled into accepting success with size 24 IOBO middle section is dry fly only and the lower the angler’s offering. Long leaders (6m/18’ or Humpies, 26 Minimalistic Micro- section is a cyprinid zone. A big plus is that more), fine tippet (7x/0.10mm diameter or less) Midges and size 20 CdC Olives. being spring-fed it is virtually unaffected by and tiny flies (size 20 to 26) are the order of the With such fussy grayling I would heavy rain. In September 2015 we had a yellow day, coupled ideally with a long, light-line rod normally be tempted to fish with a rain warning and the Sava and other spate rivers (10 or 11’ for a 2 or 3 weight line) to facilitate short-line Tenkara set up, but the were raging coloured torrents but the Unica was good line control, rod tracking and line mending. big Slovenian grayling are low and gin clear. The highest water levels can The best angle of approach is undoubtedly unbelievably hard fighters, making

46 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 47 BWO on Unica September 2015

Unica grayling

long runs and jumping repeatedly, more like rainbows. Furthermore very fine tippet is required to facilitate decent presentation of the small flies that we found were required for success. If you do opt for Tenkara then make sure that 7”/43cm Unica grayling you have a long, soft actioned rod to absorb the surges of these strong fish and be prepared to follow the fish when it makes a run. The wading is very easy, with a fine gravel bottom and weed. In normal river levels most of the river can be waded with chest waders and you won’t need a wading staff. However, the water is cold (10º C from the source) so make sure you have some good thermal/fleece trousers on. The following website gives plenty of extra information : http://www.flyfishingpoint.net/en/destinations/49-unica-unec

Below: Size 20 CdC Olive (left) and a size 26 Minimalistic Micro-Midge, Sign on Unica just a tuft of CdC lashed to a short-shank hook

Unica September 2015

48 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 49 CANNIBALISM IN GRAYLING By Stanisław Cios During my research on the food of grayling in pharyngeal teeth), I visited the site of the catch Sweden in 2015 I encountered an interesting and caught some fry swimming in the water. case of cannibalism. In the stomach of a The characteristic large dorsal fin in the fry was grayling 43 cm long, caught in River Kaitum well visible and identification of the species was (ca. 60 km south of Kiruna) on July 17th by my beyond doubt. friend, I found, among other items, 21 specimens The grayling was caught near a confluence of of grayling fry 20-25 mm long. In the scientific a stream, where there was still water. In this literature I was able to trace down just one place the fry were swimming just a few paper on grayling cannibalism. Vladimirskaâ centimeters below the water surface at the (1957) reported grayling as a prey, but didn’t current edge, where the depth of the water was

snow-melting in the mountains. During the rise but also below dams, common in many waters of the water level it did not overflow the edges, in Europe. The release of high water may greatly because the bank was steep. Therefore the increase the vulnerability of fry to predators. For water became deep at the edge. This had two researchers such predation may be difficult to consequences. Firstly, occasionally large document or prove, in view of problems in grayling could come close to the shore and procuring adequate material under such consume organisms, like the fry, which were conditions. In fact very few anglers go fishing well visible and easy to attack. Secondly, some during high water, though various predators, like fry were swept by the strong current to deeper trout and chub, feed intensively. water, where they became an easy prey of predators. I believe that the large number of the Literature fry speaks in favour of the first option. Vladimirskaâ M.I. 1957. Grayling from the lakes This case has some implications concerning of the north-western area of the Lake Imandra. the survival of grayling fry during periods of Zoologi českij Žurnal, 36:729-736 (in Russian, with high water not only under natural conditions, an English summary). comment this issue, what may suggest that this about one meter (this is marked with a yellow ARTICLES WANTED was accidental. In a few papers there is also line on the photo below). Depending on the information on grayling eggs found in the current flow at times the fry were swimming There is always a need for material for the Society’s a good day’s fishing that you would like to share. stomachs (in Denmark, Sweden and North above the aquatic vegetation and were well publications, both the Newsletter and the Journal. The Words or pictures are welcome, concerning places America). Therefore this case merits interest in visible (photo at the botton of the page). editor will welcome anything that relates to your fished, new or familiar flies tied and used, tales of view of some possible broader implications for In general grayling fry thrive in shallow water experiences of grayling and their habitats. Perhaps anglers from the past, or your own observations on fisheries management. with weak current. The choice of the place in there have been improvement works on a river in your grayling and grayling fishing in general. Contact the Due to partial digestion of the fry and difficulty the River Kaitum resulted from the lack of area, or problems with the creation of better habitat; Editor, Bob Male, by any means you wish. in recognition of the species (initially I thought shallow places on a long stretch, due to high perhaps some notable or not so notable catches – just All contributions are gratefully received. they were minnows, but I could not find the water (ca. 40 cm) being a result of prolonged

50 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 51 Book Review

Flyfisher’s Chronicle by Neil Patterson Published by Constable, London. Hardcovers, 373 pp. £30.00

Many members will know Neil Patterson as a regular writer on fly- fishing, fly tying and fly design. His minimalist impressionistic flies are rightly famous, and his regular contributions to the angling magazines have been widely acclaimed. His first book, Chalkstream Chronicle, has become a modern classic, telling the story of Neil’s and his family’s move to a new home near the River Kennet, and how he honed his observation and fishing skills on that delightful river. That was back in 1995, and the new only illustrations in the book. Apart from the book has a much broader scope and a much dust cover, there are no photographs here. brisker pace. I rather like this approach, with little sketches of Flyfisher’s Chronicle is an angling idyll that flies, fish and landscapes scattered through the takes us all over the world in search of sporting text in margins and at the head or foot of the fish in fresh and salt water. It is organised into occasional page. Photographs are great, but a 22 chapters, each set in a different location and different approach can be refreshing. featuring a different fly that has been There are tying instructions for all the patterns successful there. and hints and tips as to how to get the best Over the years, Neil has fished almost from them. everywhere; Cuba, Patagonia, Wales, the Neil is a traveller and an adventurer and his Western Isles, Russia – the itinerary is long and writing has a real sense of place. He writes with fascinating. Sometimes we are taken to the enthusiasm and with a seasoning of good wilderness, sometimes to more homely humour that makes for a very enjoyable read. destinations. One story concerns night fishing in The characters that he meets and fishes with a Florida shopping mall! come to life on the page, and he describes an The theme is consistent – catching fish on angler‘s changing fortunes with a simple flies, and the best ways to do so. Neil’s tactics fortitude that we can all identify with. and patterns are explained, and illustrated with In all, a thoroughly enjoyable book, one to be the sparse pen drawings that are familiar to us kept and revisited often; strongly recommended. from his magazine articles, and which are the Bob Male

52 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 53 Area 5 - Leicestershire, West Area 14 - Dyfed, Gwent, West, Dr Les Jervis Midlands, Staffordshire, Mid & South Glamorgan 12 Bartholomew Way OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY Northamptonshire, Geoff Bevan Chester CH4 7RJ President Sales Officer Norway Cambridgeshire & Suffolk Tel: 01446 774223 Tel: 01244 678526 Alan Ayre Brian Clarke Ole A. Bjerke Paul Deaville [email protected] [email protected] 43 Blinkbonny Road 21 Corve Way, Holme Hall Johan Bojersveg 8, 21 Beckenham Close Falkirk, FK1 5BY Chesterfield 2816 Gjovik off Caverswall Lane TRUSTEES OF THE Hans van Klinken Wormgoorlan 33 [email protected] Derbyshire S40 4YA Norway Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs ST3 6HW GRAYLING RESEARCH TRUST Tel: 01246 271324 Mobile: +47 40 43 61 76 Tel: 01782 396806 6732CB Harskamp Vice President The Netherlands David [email protected] ole@gamefish.no fl[email protected] Chairman Tel: 0031 318 456474 Dalruchil, Comrie via Crieff Dr Ryan Taylor Conservation Projects Officer Poland Area 6 - Gwynedd & Clwyd Technical Fisheries Officer [email protected] Perthshire PH6 2ED Richard Cove Dr Stanislaw Cios Louis Noble Environment Agency Tel: 01764 670365 c/o Environment Agency ul. Stryjenskich 6 m 4 6, Westminster Close Scarrington Road Robin Mullholland OBE Chester Road, Buckley 02-791 Warszawa, Poland Chairman Wrexham, Clwyd LL12 7AY West Bridgford Knapp Cottage Steve Skuce Flintshire CH7 3ZZ [email protected] Tel: 01978 312443 Nottingham 38/39 Corton Rosemary Cottage, Fore Street Tel: 01244 894521 (work) Spain [email protected] Tel: 07954339633 (Personal) Warminster Wylye, Warminster 01829 759376 (home) Dr Vincenzo Penteriani 07917041227 (Work) Wiltshire BA12 OSZ Wiltshire BA12 0RQ Richard.Cove@ Area 7 - Wirral & Cheshire Tel: 01985 85D450 Kalarjarventie 25 Barrie Davidson ryantaylor.hifi@gmail.com Tel: 01985 248134 cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk 01970 Espoo (Helsinki) Finland [email protected] Tel: 07776 391196 [email protected] [email protected] Secretary Public Relations Officer email: [email protected] Vice Chairman Kristian Kent Ross Gardiner Professor Tom Northcote Sweden 10193 Morrison Close Rob Hartley Tel: 01635 201543 Harry Salmgren Area 8 - Derbyshire, South Scottish Government Summerland The Gables, 36 Caverswall Road [email protected] [email protected] Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Marine Scotland Science Blythe Bridge Lincolnshire & Norfolk Freshwater Laboratory British Columbia Staffordshire ST11 9BG USA Brian Clarke Pitlochry Canada VOH 1Z7 Chris Terry Tel: 01782 388743 OVERSEAS SECRETARIES 21 Corve Way, Holme Hall Perthshire PH16 5LB [email protected] 6237 E.41 Avenue, Anchorage e-mail: [email protected] Chesterfield, Derbyshire S40 4YA Tel: 01224 294400 (work) Czech Republic AK 99508, USA Steve Rhodes Mrs Jitka Rutkayova Tel: 01246 271324 01796 472157 (Home) General Secretary Tel: +1 907 333 3884 Apple Tree Cottage Sokolska [email protected] [email protected] Rod Calbrade [email protected] 9 Moorber Lane 19 Sherwood Way Ceske Budejovice Area 9 - West, East & North Treasurer Coniston Cold High Crompton, Shaw Czech Republic Paul Frid North Yorkshire BD23 4EA Oldham OL2 7LX Yorkshire [email protected] 1 Riverside Tel: 01756 748378 Tel: 01706 842890 UK AREA SECRETARIES Steve Rhodes Wellington, Somerset TA21 8LJ steve@goflyfishinguk.com [email protected] Belgium Area 1 - Devon, Cornwall, Dorset & Appletree Cottage Pedro Guridi 9, Moorber Lane Tel: 01823 664084 Treasurer Somerset Dr Michelle Smith Land van Waaslaan 84 Bus 201 Mark Hamnett Coniston Cold [email protected] Keith Mason 9040 Sint-Amandsberg, Belgium North Yorkshire BD23 4EA Hull International Fisheries End Cottage, 173 Park Road Tel: +44 7917 543392 Dr Jonathan Bolland Institute [email protected] mark@fishingmatters.biz Tel: 01756 748378 Thackley, Bradford [email protected] steve@goflyfishinguk.com Hull International Fisheries Institute Department of Biological Sciences Yorkshire BD10 0TE +32 486 559898 Area 2 - Berkshire, Buckingham- University of Hull University of Hull Tel: 01274 621719 shire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Area 10 - Lancashire, Merseyside, Cottingham Road Cottingham Road [email protected] Finland Surrey, West Sussex & Wiltshire Cumbria, Greater Manchester & Hull, HU6 7RX Hull HU6 7RX Matti Rantanen Greg Payne Isle of Man Tel: 07815 064735 Tel: 01482 466429 Membership Secretary Tohlopinranta 25C 12, Mike Tebbs Tel: 01985 213023 Pat Stevens [email protected] [email protected] FIN-33270, Tampere, Finland Rivendell, Newtown, Heytesbury e-mail: [email protected] Taenross, Orchard Close Tel: +358 3 3441 931 Wiltshire BA12 0HN Wrea Green, Rob Dings Dr Steven Weiss Mobile: +358 40 501 5212 Area 3 - London, Kent, Essex, Tel: 01985 841192 Preston, Lancashire PR4 2NH Bunderstraat 21A Karl-Franzens University Graz e-mail: raitane@sci.fi Middlesex, Hertfordshire, East [email protected] Tel: 01772 684003 5555CM Valkenswaard Institute of Zoology Sussex The Netherlands France Gavin Keegan [email protected] Universitätsplaz 2 Editor Tel: 0031402045766 Jean-Pierre Coudoux Hurstfields, Allington Road A-8010 Graz Bob Male Area 11 - Co. Durham, Tyne & [email protected] 24 Victoria Road, Wilton [email protected] Newick, Lewes Austria East Sussex BN84A Wear & Northumberland Tel: 0043 316 3805599 Salisbury, SP2 0DY Germany and Austria Paul Firmin David Edis Tel: 01722 503939 Tel: 01825 722045 [email protected] Christian Mohr 101 Edge Moor Road Ballyteige, Glenhest [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Darlington, Co Durham DL1 4QE Newport, Co Mayo, Ireland John Wieja Scientific Officer Holland Area 4 - Hereford, Worcester-shire, Mobile: 0796 9733508 Tel: 00353 9842787 Burnierstraat 28 Ross Gardiner Hans van Klinken Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, p.fi[email protected] [email protected] 2596 HW The Hague Fisheries Research Services Wormgoorlaan 33, Shropshire & Powys The Netherlands Area 12 - Scotland Professor Roger Hughes Freshwater Laboratory 6732 CB Harskamp, Holland Roger Smith Tel: 0031652000380 Pilochry, Perthshire Beacon’s View, Bob Perrett Nant-y-Graean [email protected] Tel: +31 (0)318 456474 32 Kaimes Place, Hen Dumpike PH16 5LB [email protected] 176 Upper Welland Road, Malvern, Tel: 01224 294400 (Work) -- Worcestershire WR14 4LA Kirknewton,West Lothian EH27 8AX Tregarth,Gwynedd LL57 4NS Tel: 01796 472157 (Home) Italy Tel: 01684 560690 Tel: 01506 883553 Tel: 01248 600821 [email protected] Vacant [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 54 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 55

Minutes of the 39th Annual General Meeting “Think Tank” of The Grayling Society report presented to the held at Lockerbie on Saturday 10th October 2015 39th AGM at Lockerbie

1. Apologies The accounts were duly approved on the formalise a situation which already exists. It The original three reasons for the Society’s Apologies for absence were received from proposal of Malcolm Greenhalgh, seconded by reads ’(d) The Area Secretaries shall be elected, existence were analysed. Brian Clarke, Keith Mason , Bob Male, Greg Rodney Cartwright and are attached as as required, by the Committee upon the Conservation – it was felt that the need to Payne, Denise Payne, Glyn Williams, Jean-Pierre Appendix B. recommendation of the General Secretary. The promote the presence of Grayling in Trout and Coudoux, Han Engelen, Christian Mohr, John Committee shall have the power to remove any Salmon rivers was no longer required at least in Machin, Alan Davies, Chris Hosker, Neil Sinclair, 6. Election of Honorary Auditor Area Secretary or make any amendments to the England and Wales. The point was made that in Mrs Carol Kellett, having indicated she was Norman Shippey, John Mycock. Area Structure as deemed appropriate.” Scottish rivers it might still be needed. However, willing to continue as Honorary Auditor, was Proposed by the Committee, seconded by Chris conservation should be addressed more duly re-elected. Proposed by Mark Hamnett, 2. Minutes of the 38th Annual General Meeting Pedersen and voted unanimously for by the specifically for Grayling where their seconded by Keith Mallinson. The minutes of the 38th Annual General members present. requirements differ from Trout and Salmon. Meeting held in Mickleover were approved as a Awareness – it was felt that this area still true and accurate record and duly signed by the 7. Election of Chairman 10. “Think Tank” report needed addressing as many game and coarse Chairman on the proposal of Roger Smith, Steve Skuce indicated that he was prepared to The Vice Chairman presented a report which anglers do not pursue Grayling. seconded by Robin Mulholland. stand as Chairman for a further year. There were updated the members on the progress of the no other candidates and thus, Steve Skuce was “Think Tank”. The report is attached in Angling – The extensive coverage given in 3. Matters Arising duly elected on the proposal of Steve Rhodes Appendix D. journals, books and even TV programmes, would There was only 1 matter arising, the motion by seconded by Ben Klinck. The report was accepted by Paul Deaville and have seem to have addressed all the Bob Milne to reduce the age of Senior requirements for this. 8. Election of Officers seconded by Mark Hamnett. membership from 70 to 65 which was covered in As regarding any new reasons for the Society’s Keith Mason has announced his intention to Item 10. 11. Date and Venue of Next Meeting existence – none were identified. stand down as Treasurer and the Chairman read The 40th Annual General Meeting will be held If the Society is moving away from its original 4. The Chairman’s Report out a “retirement’ note which is attached in at 4.00 pm, on Saturday 29th October 2016 at appendix C. purpose of protecting the fish to one of The Chairman presented a written report, the Marwell Hotel, near Winchester. promoting the fishing for and awareness of All other officers except the Treasurer had reproduced on page 4. On the proposal of Keith Grayling, there were some specific areas which indicated their willingness to remain and, there Mallinson, seconded by Roger Walker, the OTHER ITEMS could be addressed. Chairman’s Report was accepted by the meeting. being no other candidates, it was agreed to elect them en bloc and this was duly actioned Righyni-Roose Trophy Area Secretaries. These could have a more 5. Treasurer’s Report and Audited Accounts on the proposal of Robin Mulholland seconded This year the trophy was for “The Written clearly defined role regarding activity with The Chairman presented the audited accounts by Malcolm Greenhalgh. Word”. There were several entrants but the fishing days approaching clubs and generally having a more proactive attitude to promoting of the Society for the year ended 30th June 2015. The only applicant for the post of the Treasurer trophy was awarded to Roger Smith for a poem the society within their Area. Also Area He advised that a surplus of £1,352 of had been is Steven Kavanagh who was proposed by Steve entitled “An ode to the “Lady of the Stream”. Secretaries to be approached for each Country achieved thus increasing the General Fund Skuce, seconded by Rob Hartley. Well done Roger. balance to £60,755. with a reasonable population of Grayling. The Broughton Trophy The Chairman said that the accounts are 9. Any Other Business at the Chairman’s Action. As regarding the UK role, this has The Broughton Trophy for Conservation was probably missing one issue of “The Journal” Discretion been addressed by the Committee. awarded to The Annan Rivers Trust for the work because of publishing and invoice timing. He A motion was raised by Bob Milne to “Reduce Conservation. Specific guidance for Grayling which they have done in recent years on behalf also said that we are not receiving requests for the age of Senior Membership from the current waters are being produced by the GRT and of the grayling in the Annan catchment area. Conservation funding and that we have age of 70 to 65, with effect from January 2016”. hopefully be released before the end of this year. The trophy was accepted by Tony Donelly and currently £15,000 allocated to it. Robin Following much discussion both for and against Michael Fearns of the board. Marketing. A small sub committee are Mulholland stated that the EA are giving large the motion, a vote was taken which was against meeting shortly to discuss how the GS/GRT can Well done to the Board and keep up the good grants and maybe that is all or part of the cause the motion. The Chairman thanked Bob Milne promote themselves better. for putting the motion forward. work. for this lack of interest. It was suggested we Integration. Due to the Charitable status it is The Chairman also put forward a motion from The meeting closed at 4.57pm. make contact with the E.A. and invite a not possible to integrate into the same body, but the Committee to add Paragraph D to Rule 3. representative to a future Committee meeting to each group is asked to have an attendee at each The Chairman explained that this motion will explain how their funding works. other’s Committee meetings. 56 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 57 Minutes of 39th AGM of The Grayling Society 10th October 2015

The Grayling Society The Grayling Society Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended 30th June 2015 Balance Sheet as at 30th June 2015

2015 2014 2015 2014 ££ Income £ £ Subscriptions 23,817 23,274 General Fund Trade Membership 615 1,148 Balance at 30th June 2011 60,755 59,403 AGM 7,331 6,444 Sundry 1,061 1,122 Surplus on Sales 372 292 Represented by: Donations 0 67 Fixed Assets 33,196 32,347 Show Equipment 00 Expenditure Laptop 00 AGM 6,708 6,207 Projector 00 Journal 3,802 9,015 00 Grayling News 3,061 2,571 Current Assets Fairs 1,097 2,448 Stock 4,136 4,926 Printing 2,040 2,281 Debtors and Prepayments 00 Admin Costs 8,284 7,867 Cash Advance 00 Donation 5,050 0 Bank 56,619 54,477 Website 398 669 60,755 59,403 Greyling Angling Code 0 0 30,440 31,058 Liabilities Prov for Life Members 00 Surplus for the year 2,756 1,289 Creditors and Accruals 00 00 Less Grayling Trust Donation 1,404 1,424 Balance to General Fund 1,352 -135 Current Assets less Liabilities 60,755 59,403 General Fund at 1st July 2014 59,403 59,538 Net Assets 60,755 59,403 General Fund at 30th June 2015 60,755 59,403

Explanatory Notes 2015 2014 2015 2014 Approved by the Committee Journal Costs Administration Expenses Production 2600 4330 Postage & Packing 622 725 Distribution 1202 4684 Stationery 396 414 Steve Skuce Chairman 3802 9014 Telephone 233 220 Grayling News Costs Insurance 849 849 Production & Printing 1581 1200 Other Admin - Meetings etc. 4817 3963 Distribution 1480 1371 Sundry (Website, Auditor) 1367 1697 Keith Mason Treasurer 3061 2571 8284 7868 Sales to Members Other Printing Costs Sales 1861 1682 Booklets ANGLING CODE 0 65 Cost of sales Letterheads 613 354 To: The Members of the Grayling Society Opening stock 4926 4640 Order & Booking Forms 122 577 I have examined the books, accounts and vouchers of the Society for the year ended 30th June 2015 Purchases 699 1676 Application Forms 00 without carrying out an audit. I confirm that the above Balance sheet and annexed Income and 5625 6316 Sundry 185 261 Expenditure Account are in accordance with the records and with the explanations that I have received. Closing stock 4136 4962 Comp slips 00 Cost of Goods Sold 1489 1390 20th September 2015 Carol E. Kellett. Surplus 372 292 2040 2281 58 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 59 FlyTek Fly Fishing

Marryat Tactical Rods and the new Tactical Peacock Eye Quills , stripped and dyed, packs Pro Nymph Special 10ft 6in #3wt in stock. of 25 in natural, brown, crimson, ginger, golden olive, olive, orange, pink, red, yellow, £3.10 Bidoz tungsten shrimp bodies in 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm, 10mm in gold metallic Varivas hooks, tapered leaders and tippets. grey, olive, orange. HMH vices and accessories. Tungsten beads in 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.4mm, 2.8mm, 3.3mm, 3.8mm diameter in black, Petitjean and Marryat fly tying tools and copper, gold, silver, chartreuse, light green, olive, CDC. orange, pink, red, white and 4.6mm, 5.5mm in black, copper, gold, silver. PARTRIDGE Metallic colour finish brass beads in NEW Patriot barbless ranges of 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.4mm, 2.8mm, 3.3mm, 3.8mm, 4.6mm diameter; colours blue, brown, green, Trout/Grayling hooks stocked and Tippet pink, purple, red. Rings in 1mm, 2mm & 3mm Benecchi threads, head cement and micro chenille, Enrico Puglisi fibres and eyes, Hareline superfine and ice dubbings and a lot more ….. To order or to check further details contact Pat 01772 684003 or 07788 427560 email [email protected]

Calling all Fly Fishers! The Portsmouth Services Fly Fishing Association was South of Petworth and on Wintershill Lake near Bishops Waltham. formed in 1949 to provide serving and retired members of all the Both lakes are stocked with 1½-2lb rainbows and are included in Armed Forces, including their reserves, with reasonably-priced fly members’ annual subscription rates and are available year round. fishing on two of the finest chalk streams in Hampshire. The PSFFA limits its membership each season, to the maximum The Association leases about six miles of excellent fishing along the number that the waters will support without over-fishing. From time to very pretty banks of the River Meon, between Exton and Wickham, which time there is a waiting list although to date there has never been a many visiting expert fishermen have described as an absolute gem. Most waiting list for active service members (who take priority), although we wild fish are below the ten inch limit, but stocked fish are above it. do reserve the right to review this if we are full to capacity: this does We currently own the fishing rights on one beat and lease several not include serving members of the Reserves. other stretches of excellent water near and downstream of Winchester, Rates are currently set as follows:- which are regularly stocked with brown trout of twelve inches or more LIFE MEMBERSHIP £100.00 and there are plenty of wild grayling, which provide good sport right (payable on joining, allows members to rejoin at any time without through until 31st December. having to go back on any waiting list) Both rivers are maintained and regularly stocked by the Association's team of volunteer keepers. These are chalk streams renowned for their ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION £425.00 fly life so fishing is with single dry fly or nymph, fished upstream. Both - Family Subscription £212.50 the Itchen and Meon support an abundance of river flies, including the - Family under age 18 £106.25 main species that are of interest to dry fly anglers such as Olives, Blue - Seagoing and overseas £212.50 Winged Olives, Stonefly, and Caddisfly with excellent hatches of the iconic Mayfly providing exciting sport in late May and early June. For further information please see our website http://psffa.org and The Meon is known for its exceptional quantity of wild brown if you wish to join, place your name on the waiting list or if you would trout and during the 2014 annual EA fish monitoring survey, one of the just like more information, please write or email the Membership PSFFA Meon beats was found to have a density of wild brown trout of Secretary, Mrs Denise Payne, at Green Banks, Dry Hill, Crockerton approximately 255 per 100 metre: members often enjoy catching large Green, Warminster, Wilts, BA12 8AT or numbers of these beautiful and challenging fish. [email protected], providing brief details of your The Association also leases fishing on Seaford College Lake a few miles service qualification.

Grayling – Winter 2015 61 Tungsten Beads Special Offer for Society Members! NEW Colours now available. We stock round tungsten beads in size s 2. 0- 4.6mm in several colours. Please email or ring for details. Packs of 50 are only £7.50 plus £1 p&p. ALS O- 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 – Winter 2015 63 64 Grayling – Winter 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 65 Ê

Wild trout and grayling fishing ANDREW CARTWIGHT GAME ANGLING LICENSED FLY CASTING INSTRUCTOR. in the Welsh Marches BASED IN BEAUTIFUL MID WALES. The Upper Tanat Fishing Club has vacancies for new members GUIDING ON THE RIVER SEVERN, WYE, DEE AND THE RIVER for wild trout and grayling fishing (including some real VYRNWY, ALSO REMOTE MOUNTAIN LAKES AND RIVERS specimens) on 7 miles of a tributary of the upper River Severn, FOR GRAYLING AND WILD BROWN TROUT. and a 9-acre hill lake in the Welsh Mountains. Contact ANDREW on For details contact Wilf Nelson (Secretary) 01686 688196 or 07929 469160 Tel: 01743 365904 Email: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] or via www.tanatfishing.com Web Site: www.acgameangling.co.uk

Till Fishing Holidays Holidays in Wales Northumberland GLASLYN - RHAYADER Comfortable cottages, beautiful River Wye Estate. 1 mile of grayling, sea trout and salmon fishing 3.5 miles salmon, trout, and specimen grayling. on the River Till. Fishing, birdwatching, walking, relaxing. 4 star centrally heated orchard cottage available. Contact Lucy Carroll: 07974 416692 Brochure – 01597 810258 Email: fish@till-fishing.co.uk www.glaslynestate.co.uk Go Fly Fishing UK Specialists in the best of the UK’s Phil Fly Fishing River Brown Trout and Grayling fly fishing Phil Ratcliffe offers guided fishing ONE-TO-ONE GUIDING/TUITION AND on the Welsh Dee and Severn TAILOR-MADE SHORT BREAKS Phone: 07875 718718 Web: www.philratcliffeflyfishing.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1756 748378 Email: [email protected] Mail: [email protected] www.goflyfishinguk.com APGAI & IFFF MCI

66 Grayling – Spring 2015 Grayling – Winter 2015 67 Please use this page for your own notes if you are not detaching the Order Form

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68 Grayling – Winter 2015 Join the Angling Trust today Call: 0844 77 00 616 www.anglingtrust.net