Sunday, April 27, 2008

Out at last

I'd thought or at least hoped that going self employed would give me the freedom to get out on river more but so far it's had the opposite effect - I'm usually on the river more in the first week of the season than I've been in the six weeks since the start of this one !

I managed an afternoon session on the Eamont at Yanwath Hall today - there was the odd Olive on the wing but none on the water and no fish rising so I started with my favourite method - the upstream nymph

The River Eamont at Yanwath

I like nothing better than working my way upstream searching as I go with a pair of weighted nymphs and watching for the line to stop or dart forward as a fish takes - my first of the day was a small ten and a half incher, then my best of the session, a seventeen inch beauty followed soon after - it was in great condition for this time of year and fought really hard jumping three or four times before it was subdued and brought to the net for a quick photo before being released.


I was using my new Sage ZXL today and have been really impressed with the way it performs when playing good fish in fast water, I've found I can stand my ground and really play them hard (without fear of a break off) to get them under control without having to chase them downstream, as I have with previous outfits.
My next fish was fifteen and a half inches and like the last, it fought like a tiger jumping repeatedly before coming under control for another photo and quick release.


The Eamont produced some really good fish last season - the best on Penrith Anglers waters was a 4lbs 5ozs. specimen taken on a dry fly and a number of fish around the 3lbs mark were reported - judging by the quality of today's fish, this season may be the same, my fourth and last fish of the day also came to the nymph - another hard fighting beauty measuring sixteen inches.
A very heavy and prolonged shower of rain at about six o'clock convinced me it was time to call it a day.