Email Address


End of Year Grayling - 30/12/16

After being housebound since watching the Exeter Chiefs v Leicester on Xmas Eve (great performance by the Chiefs 31-10), I had to get another days fishing in before the year end so went with Graham to the River Tamar to try for grayling and give my new centre pin a run out.

It was 5 degrees with no wind and was a pleasant day for a bit of trotting, whilst Graham fly fished with a couple of flies.

We fished at Netherbridge between Holsworthy and Launceston where the river is wadeable and about three rod lengths wide. I had got a few red maggots, my preferred bait for trotting along with corn and I managed 6 grayling and two brownies, plus another 4 that flipped the hook. When Grayling have mouths hard enough to munch caddis, how does the hook pull out? I was using a size 16 as I expected smaller fish but perhaps should have used a 12 as I find the hook hold slightly better.



Graham, as usual managed about the same number which has become the norm. Some days he edges it, some days I do but it shows both techniques are equally effective.

The new reel was fine but I tried a new make of 3lb line suggested by the tackle shop which I am in the process of cutting from the reel. How does it kink and twist so badly on a centre pin? I guess I’ll stick with the tried and tested maxima in future.