Chocolate-brown Christmas!?

Coloured water at the bottom of the beat

The amount of rain we have experienced in the last few weeks has been incredible and this has rendered the rivers unfishable; sometimes dangerous. Last weekend we ventured out hoping to find some hungry grayling, but despite trying to get above the coloured water feeding into the river, conditions were against us.

Mike reaches to maximise the drift of the nymphs

A colder morning than planned. A new 55-200 lens tried out too.

So much water coming through the system!

Frustration struck in as we tried to find Mike his first grayling. Despite a grand effort on his part covering the water methodically, it was not meant to be. A loan grayling graced my net just before lunch, but the colour was increasing - the polar opposite of the chances of more grayling.

Another belt of rain is set to hit this weekend and bring the river up again. Some pike fishing maybe on the cards or a festive trip after some winter rainbows - all will depend on these oppressive weather fronts.

I am running a grayling day on 30th of the month and my fingers are firmly crossed that the rain will ease long enough to bring the river back into fisheable colour and height.

New lens time again... a buzzard mobbed by a crow

If you are out and about this Christmas, wade safely and take care. Wishing you all the very Happiest of Christmasses!

~Dave