Splendorous Spring

Spring has definitely arrived if you go by fishing in shirtsleeves to rising fish. Last Saturday was just such a day, resplendent in sunshine, the greenery of new tree leaves and bank side stinging nettles, wild flowers, bird song, inquisitive lambs and bounding, nervous squirrels. The riverside has finally come to life.

Four trout in succession were tempted to take a size 18 nymph drifted past the tree roots centre left of the image

River X was in fine fettle as it always seems to be, running clear whilst other rivers seen through the train window were brown and murky after recent rains. Trout were active and willing to rise to the dry fly - what a joy it was after so long to take a trout on a dry fly! I caught somewhere in the region of 25 fish, all brown trout but for a lone grayling. A pair of trout measured 14" and I will be hard pressed to match them for quality in the season ahead.

A lovely 12" fish taken on the dry fly

Laszlo was surprised by a rather wild looking rainbow trout, his first. Initially at a loss to explain its presence in the river I have since learned that there is a stocked trout pool about 5 miles upriver which is fed by a small tributary. This rainbow must have escaped. Whatever the case, it is a fine looking rainbow trout.

The evening walk home