Tuesday 2 August 2011

A more superior fisherman

Reports from the R&G members forum suggest that their stretches of the Alyn are not fishing too well this season. Persistently low levels seemed to be most agreeable reason. Until lately...
Indications of  more proficient fisherman have been filtering through. On Saturday my intention was to do a spot of Grayling fishing on the lower Alyn, but whilst driving I was thinking about this new fisherman so much that I found myself turning right and heading to the R&G stretch. Rather than turn around I continued and arrived at the Sewage field at about 07.30. Setup the 'T' with a couple of nymphs and stealthily fished the riffles, runs and pools. Stealth had to be the order of the day in the form of crawling, hiding behind trees and bushes. Early morning sun casts a long shadow over the water here if your not careful. Anyway, two finger sized Grayling from the first run I tried, then nothing, not noticeable anyway. I worked my way through the deeper run of the Kingfisher pool, then spotted the first rise of the morning. I crept (on kness and elbows again) upstream and nearly put my hand in this...



Plenty of fish bones and the like here

Now these pictures were taken after I had prodded and poked to reveal the fish bone and other mush...however is this more proof of our ultimate fishing visitors? Can this be the spraint of an otter?

As for covering the rise I had seen, no takes so I kept creeping upstream and eventually into the Sewage pool.
All I connected with were two salmon parr and two fingerling Grayling. A really disappointing early morning session. However with approx 90mins fishing time left, I exited upstream of the sewage works, jumped into the Landrover, still wearing my waders, and headed for the lower Alyn at Ithells Bridge.
What a stark contrast...
I climbed over the style below the farm and tentatively peered over the high bank into the water. Around 20 Grayling up 11/2 lbs could be seen in the clear water. So creeping into the river just downstream and carefully flicking a small pink tinged nymph into the shoal, I caught 8 in succession until one particular splashy specimen disturbed the lot.
I then quickly worked the water upstream past the farm and around the two bends until, in a shallow straight section, another Grayling shoal were spotted enjoying the sunshine. Some sight fishing and inducment again picked out another 8-10 fish.

So, mornings result stats
River Alyn Sewage Field: 2 small Gralyling, 2 Salmon parr in 2 1/2 hours
River Alyn Ithells Bridge: 18 Grayling up to 1 1/2lbs, numerous parr!?? in a little under an hour.

Possible conclusions: There have been reports of Otter in Worm's Wood where there have been a much higher ratio of Grayling to trout caught lately. This is the first I have heard of a potential Otter as low as the Sewage field, where fishing has also been rather slow of late. Reports of trout catches lower down at Llay road and in to the much lower Alyn are more stable. Do we therefore, have welcome fishing adversaries working their way down river. If so, will it be a year or two before the river again sustains a 'reasonable' head of trout and predator?