After a spell housebound with domestic issues I made a few telephone calls to friends and arranged a couple of trips.
For the first trip of this week, I managed to get out fishing with my friend Trevor on the Frome just outside Dorchester. The last couple of trips had been very fruitful but today the barometric pressure had dropped. I fished for around five or six hours struggling to get bites, even from the trout.
I had been suffering recently with fish shedding hooks and today proved no exception. I have been trying smaller hooks, but think I will revert to my size 12 favourite, I always find that size holds grayling better than the smaller ones. I managed just one grayling and a brownie but it was so good to be next to a river, and meeting great company. Smaller rivers of carriers offer really fascinating fishing and are so often overlooked when people head for the larger waters thinking the fish will be larger but it isn’t always so.
Today definitely helped to restore my equilibrium. I also haven't modified my newer centre pin reel yet so I took a wider drum match aerial - what a difference- it was a pleasure to use after the frustrations of my last trip.
I also can’t finish without mentioning Trevor catching two grayling on a nymph, just flicking it out during the quiet moments. Maybe I should consider tankara, and no awkward casting!!!