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Lambourn 30.1.12
Posted by
The Flying Tench
,
30 January 2012
·
807 views
Quite cold (AT 3degC dropping to 0degC). I decided to have a crack at ledgering for grayling. The main reason was so I could have gloves on to keep my little handy pandies warm, but I also wondered if I'd be able to get a bait into one or two places that my trotting skills aren't adequate to reach.
I'm aware that some anglers reckon you shouldn't ledger for grayling because of the risk of them swallowing the hook, but I tried it a few years ago on a different river and didn't have any problems. However I did have problems today so stopped after catching 4 grayling, none of them of any size. It was also getting cold.
Much of the time was spent fishing a spot with a gentle flow. Almost immediately at this swim I had a solid fish on and thought it could be a pb grayling, when the trace broke. I was puzzled because I wasn't putting that much pressure on the fish and the trace was 2lb 4oz. Then I missed several slow, cautious pulls and wondered what species was the cause - I started wondering about big roach! But all was explained when a 'roach' started roaring off in a very un-roach-like manner and turned out to be a 5lb 8oz pike! I'm pretty sure the first one, which I lost, was smaller, so there are at least 2 pike in that swim! I guess it's gone down in my rating as a grayling swim, but I was pleased to land it and it added some excitement on a cold afternoon. Hmm, I've never had a pike take a trotted maggot, but I've had jacks a number of times on maggot feeder. Slightly surprising as you'd think they might prefer a moving bait.
I'm aware that some anglers reckon you shouldn't ledger for grayling because of the risk of them swallowing the hook, but I tried it a few years ago on a different river and didn't have any problems. However I did have problems today so stopped after catching 4 grayling, none of them of any size. It was also getting cold.
Much of the time was spent fishing a spot with a gentle flow. Almost immediately at this swim I had a solid fish on and thought it could be a pb grayling, when the trace broke. I was puzzled because I wasn't putting that much pressure on the fish and the trace was 2lb 4oz. Then I missed several slow, cautious pulls and wondered what species was the cause - I started wondering about big roach! But all was explained when a 'roach' started roaring off in a very un-roach-like manner and turned out to be a 5lb 8oz pike! I'm pretty sure the first one, which I lost, was smaller, so there are at least 2 pike in that swim! I guess it's gone down in my rating as a grayling swim, but I was pleased to land it and it added some excitement on a cold afternoon. Hmm, I've never had a pike take a trotted maggot, but I've had jacks a number of times on maggot feeder. Slightly surprising as you'd think they might prefer a moving bait.
