Grayling on the Kennet - 3 Nov 2002

Occasionally overseas anglers ask me if they are expected to respect the dress code when fishing English chalkstreams. Of course, the tweed-clad image that generally comes to mind is 60 years out of date. Nowadays, even the old fogies dress in the latest technological performance weeds.

There are philistines who break every law of decency, but you can rest assured it won't happen again. I will no longer offend my fellow anglers with my bright orange hill-walking jacket, because I have finally got around to buying chest-waders, wading boots and jacket. The ladies tell me it is a really sexy piece of gear. After peering long and hard in the mirror, I can only deduce that it may have something to do with me being totally covered up.

Our club, West End Fly Fishers had a day on a carrier of the Kennet. The day started off fine, but by 9am, clouds were beginning to gather.

A number of us were trying out furled leaders made from woven polyester yarn. The leaders are tapered and end in a tiny silver ring to which tippet material can be joined using a loop to loop attachment.

I started fishing my beat working upstream. Initially, the bank was under water from recent rain, but the water was very clear.

Spotting fish was not that easy, the wind had got up and was gusting, but there were a few nice individual brownies and grayling scattered about. They were very easily spooked and really it is best to just sit and wait for a rise before casting. Only problem with that approach on a club day is that other anglers will presently be working their way behind you.

Trees creep up on you  Pike's lie

Just before a small double brick bridge, I spotted what I first thought was a salmon. This fish was about 68.58cm (27 inches) long. I soon recognised the shape and position of the fins and realised it was a pike. Not much point looking for grayling there then.

Above the bridge, I cast a dark brown klinkhamer fly to the other bank and caught an overhanging branch. I managed to pull the fly free and spotted a rise 10 metres to my left. I covered the rise and got a savage take on the surface from a brownie, but it appeared to throw the hook. I tried to check the fly and found the tippet had gone completely. Pulling the fly out of the tree had weakened the knot at the silver ring.

A few metres upstream, I missed another take and shortly after caught another tree. This time I decided to wade across to free the fly. I forgot to mention, wading is not permitted on this particular fishery. I soon found out why; the bottom is none too firm. I slid into two feet of water and found myself up to my waist in the stuff. It was hard work pulling myself out I can tell you.

I switched to a classic grayling fly; the killer bug, but it did nothing at all. A sparrow hawk swooped over the treetops and I cast and lost another klinkhamer on another overhanging branch.

The furled leader worked really well. It is supple, casts well, even into wind and has a breaking strain of 4.95kg (11lbs). There is a certain amount of give and tangles just seem to fall out. My only concern is with the silver ring. I think it may be necessary to re-tie the tippet after catching a decent fish or oversized bush as the tippet seems to weaken at the ring if it is put under pressure. Although the furled leader is lightly waxed, it sinks slowly. Treating it with silicone spray does help it float.

Lunch was a bit special, venison sausages and steak served in a hunk of ciabatta bread, lubricated with a few bottles of the French stuff. As we ate, a pair of greater spotted woodpeckers worked over a tree nearby.

The other anglers had spotted a couple of other smaller pike on the other beats and Ken and Thorsten had taken a couple of small grayling each during the morning. Thorsten was fishing a goldhead hares ear and reckons his success is down to not striking; let the fish hook themselves, but more experienced grayling fishers reckon otherwise. The general feeling was that it was hard fishing today with very few rises and no one spotting any sizeable shoals.

I wandered further afield after lunch, disturbing pheasants along the path, but had to turn back when I ran out of bank at the junction of carriers. Ken and I met up and I followed him upstream. I had several takes on a large klinkhamer mid-stream, probably dace. A fine double rainbow graced the scene beyond the river.

Double rainbow

Then I spotted a huge goldfish. On closer inspection, it turned out to be a golden orfe of around 1 kilo.

Moving on, I had a couple more missed takes and I'm certain they were undersized grayling or dace.

Eventually, I neared the pool just before the fishing hut and saw Geoff hook and land a nice grayling around 30cm (1ft) long; his first ever. Soon after, Jon took one in the same spot on a black spider. As he was sorting out his leader after catching a tree, I switched to a size 18 black spider and caught on the third cast. This was a cock fish and it fought well with its sail-like dorsal fin flashing red.

Geoff's first grayling and my first respectable one

This one was a 33cm (13") grayling and a few minutes later as I chatted to the others and certainly not concentrating, I felt a tug on the line and reeled in to find a tiny grayling around 100cm long. Maybe Torsten has a point about not striking.

Oh yes, the waders kept me dry all day. I'll have to test them properly sometime, but they were comfortable too. They were Snowbee Prestige breathables. I had the Snowbee boots and a Barbour Endurance wading jacket to complete the kit.

These and the furled leaders are available at Sharpes on 0207 258 1233 or online at www.oreillysfishing.co.uk. The furled leaders are sold in two weights, 4# or under and over 5#. They are priced at £6.99 each or £12.50 for both.