Anglers get winter grayling bug

Anglers love fishing for grayling over the winter period. Here are some of the best examples of the species caught recently…

Michael Pardoe 3lb 8z Grayling and Harry Pardoe 2lb 7oz Grayling

A 60th birthday trip to a southern chalk stream proved to be the perfect gift for Michael Pardoe, after banking this immense 3lb 8oz grayling.

Arriving at the river with his son Harry, they found it running well above normal level, but the water remained clear.

“We were full of anticipation,” Harry said, “but initially we were pestered with trout.”

“After moving swim my dad was into another fish that we both presumed to be a trout due to its size, but when I was about to net it, we realised what it was.

“I shouted: ‘it’s a massive grayling!’, or words to that effect.

“A quick weigh revealed the fish to be 3lb 8oz – truly a dream fish.”

Not to be outdone by his dad, Harry also got amongst the grayling, landing multiple fish over the 2lb mark topped by a 2lb 7oz fish.

Trevor Stroud 3lb 1oz Grayling

Trevor Stroud also got in on the grayling action, stalking this 3lb 1oz specimen using a nymph and 7ft fly rod.

Arriving at a local ‘Wessex’ river for the first time in six weeks, Trevor made the most of a three-hour session.

“Starting at the bottom of the beat I covered several hundred yards without any luck,” Trevor explained, “but just as I was considering a break, I spotted a ghostly shape on the end of a gravel run.

“On my second cast, the large grayling grabbing my nymph after an induced take.

“A long and dogged fight ensued, and I had to jump in the river to net the fish. What a start to 2020!”