How Lucky Can I Get

The wind has gone round to the north east; it was cloudy with occasional light rain shower and quite cold after our short summer of 2 days. Though conditions were looking rather grim I still persisted in fishing a dry fly for the brown trout, while other anglers chose to fish a nymph. I chose to use a Thomas and Thomas 9 foot 5 weight Helix with floating line with a 12 foot leader with a 2.5lb tippet and a size 20 barbless Adams. In the short morning session before lunch I caught 2 brown trout 14-15 inches. Both fish put up a good scrap and these September brown trout on our river are super fit fish in excellent condition.

Today for lunch David Jones and I had hot soup with our sandwiches, it was that type of weather, more like winter than autumn. Over lunch we discussed the prospect and David said "I will go down to the bottom beast with your 14 foot Thomas and Thomas Spey rod for a couple of hours". I chose to fish at the top end of the bottom beat for a couple of hours then retire to the cabin for a sandwich and mug of tea. It would be a late night, as the bailiffs and I would be guarding our salmon pools until around 8-0pm. Fishing either Adam or suspended midge I had 3 nice trout and missed 2 takes. The rises were rather spasmodic; a fish would rise then not show for thirty minutes. I decided to cast directly I spotted a rise. It worked, having seen the rise I cast the fly a few feet upstream of where the fish had been. In either the first or second cast I would get a take. It was an interesting couple of hours despite the cold strong downstream wind.

Back in the cabin I had a mug of tea and a sandwich while reading my newspaper. Half an hour later I was back walking across the field to the river. As I arrived at the ‘Big Oak’ I spotted a dimpled rise, grayling or small trout I though. Pulling off enough line to cover the fish I made a cast the fly landed perfectly. It drifted three feet then disappeared in a very slight rise; in fact it was hardly noticeable. I tightened and immediately said “This is a good fish” I was forced to give line. A good brown I thought. Suddenly it leap skywards a it did so I said “Bloody hell that a big bugger it’s a sea trout” again I was forced to give line in the ensuing fight the fish leapt clear of the water on seven occasions. I kept thinking 2.5lb tippet and a size 20 fly how much longer can I keep control. But control I did as I started to gain line back on my reel. Eventually I beached the fish then leaning down I prised open its mouth to retrieve the fly, which was well back in its mouth. A light touch with my finger and the fly was free; I quickly taped the fish, and then held it in the current for a minute or so before it kicked hard for its freedom. I watched a slightly coloured cock sea trout move out intro the faster water. Now that’s what I call being a lucky angler. It was very noticeable that several members hooked and lost salmon in the previous 48 hours, could some of those fish been sea trout