River Lambourn - Newbury

0800 - 1015

Cool & bright after early rain. AT 4ºC. River very low and gin clear as it always is!

8 Grayling; 5 over a lb. Best 2 - 1lb 9oz & 1lb 6oz. 1 brownie - small.

A curious couple of hours, notable for the paucity of bites AND the quality of the ladies that did show up for breakfast. Starting at the top of the stretch and working my way down I was somewhat surprised and disappointed to not get as much as a chewed maggot from my first 4 swims. Was then doubly surprised to get a good fish on my first trot from my 5th swim. It would prove to be my only bite from here. This then set the pattern for the rest of the session. My next 4 swims produced a 1lb+ grayling within the first couple of run throughs and very little else. I guess low water and bright conditions made the fish especially spooky - giving you pretty much one chance in each spot. Within a couple of hours or so I'd worked my way down most of the stretch and meeting another angler working his way up decided to abandon proceedings and head 'round the corner' for a quick session on the Kennet (see part 2).