The Grayling-Pike Plan

I had been looking forward to this trip for a couple of weeks. Up at 4:30am, a near 6 hour round trip, 4 pints of maggots and 2 packs of roach deadbaits - we were on the bank to watch the sunrise...

When we had light we could see the normally gin-clear chalk stream was high and carrying a lot of colour - cr*p! Stick 'n' pin was swapped for feeder fishing and float fished roach for ledgered sprats...


I had a grayling first cast about 1¼lb and bumped two more in the next two casts - hopes remained high. The next bite was midday, the 1lb 10oz grayling above - and that was to be my last all day.

Not enough grayling to feed Des Taylor (if you're keeping up with fishing news). But a pike would save the day - nope, just one dropped run, they really weren't on it in the dirty water.


James did suggest a move to The Stour early on and in hindsight that would have been a far better plan, but when you've been planning a trip and with such high hopes it's hard to drag yourself away.

December fishing has been tough going so far, the plans have been great - but the weather and the fish don't follow plans. I really hope The Wye is on fine form over the Christmas break...