Crossed one off the Bucket List

[RangerGuy]

So we just returned from a week in England. I could not pass up the chance to

fish The River Test in England which is arguably the most famous fly fishing

river in the world.

 

What a cool experience. First was a 1/2 hour walk through London to the Waterloo Train

Station. I met my guide in Basingstoke about 1 hour later 9am. We then drove about

1/2 hour or so where we would walk into our beat which was reserved for

just us for the day.

 

Our walk in started here. We had to cut through what used to be commoners land where

employees of the king were allowed to raise a few cows & sheep for food. VERY COOL!

 

 

We had less than desirable weather with rain and 35Km per hour winds.

Apparently, the preferred method is to work upstream fishing specific fish you have already spotted.

So when the wind blows this is very tough.

 

We did have some luck on my very first cast I got a fantastic hit on a Adams by a grayling (My first ever )

We caught several similar graylings throughout the day, man I was surprised how good of a fight they put up.

 

Finally, close to the end of the day. We managed to spot a few browns that were actually feeding. We did see 2

earlier in the day but they would not move for anything.

 

England had rain everyday for 2 weeks before I got there, I could not believe how clear the water was. Chalk

Streams don't mud up like free stone rivers because of the type of ground they run over PHEW! In one of the

pics you can see the bottom of the stream.

 

I was hoping for some bigger fish but the weather slow the hatch and made seeing the fish almost impossible.

Never mind even laying down a nice presentation for them to take. I've not fly fished for many many years and

did practice some before at home.. Good thing I did because it was very hard to cast. The pictures are infront

of a slow moving section of our beat. You can see the waves the wind was creating OUCH!

 

It was so cool to stalk these fish, present the fly and watch them come up and take the dry fly. They didn't

charge it they just raised up and took the fly very gentle. It was very hard not to set the hook to soon LOL!

 

Brown #1

 

Brown #2

Edited May 4, 2012 by RangerGuy

[misfish]

Very cool.

 

I would of never thought you would catch Greyling there. I would be thinking NWT.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[manitoubass2]

Very cool.

 

I would of never thought you would catch Greyling there. I would be thinking NWT.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

I was thinking the exact same thing!

 

Awesome report and pics! Thanks for sharing

 

[bushart]

Neat trip

[Sinker]

Graying is one I need to scratch off as well! Congrats! Cool trip!

 

S.

[johnnyb]

That's great -- congrats on a trip you will never forget!

[Headhunter]

That would have been the last place I would have thought of for Grayling... really cool!

Thanks for taking us along...

HH

[BillM]

Gorgeous brownies! No idea they had grayling in England!

[NAW]

Awesome!

[RangerGuy]

Yeh, I was surprised to hear how common they are there. These are a European strain of graylings.

 

I also was surpised at the fight and their lifespan only 4-5 years.

 

I am glad we only booked the 1 day as the following 3 days were much worse for rain PHEW!

[Christopheraaron]

Comparatively fly fishing for grayling and salmon in great britain is supposed to be better than most of canada (mostly for grayling), it is definatley on my bucket list and I'm glad you got the chance to cross it off. Also rain and wind is just another way of saying let's go back for another try!

[Gregoire]

Thanks for sharing, cool report.

[Twocoda]

sweet report! Congrates on the bucket list scratch....ive had to re look at the roofline on that house a couple times kinda funky in a smurfy kinda way..

Thanks for sharing your adventure

[Musky or Specks]

Excellent. European Grayling are abundant in most cold water streams on the mainland as well. Now that you've fished the Birthplace of flyfishing you have to go fish the birthplace of North American flyfishing the Catskills.

Edited May 5, 2012 by Musky or Specks

[cuzza]

Great pics - I used to live near there before moving to Ontario, the fishing is great!

 

Funny people saying "Didn't know they had Grayling in Europe" - I didn't know they existed in North America til I saw them in a fishing magazine , beautiful fish and great fun on a fly rod.

Edited May 5, 2012 by cuzza

[kickingfrog]

I knew there was grayling in England but had no idea they were in/near London.

 

Very cool. Thanks.

[lovetofish]

Awesome!