Written by John Bailey
So, waders and jacket bought, fly casting lessons completed on the lawn, it seemed a shame to wait till late autumn and the real start of the grayling fishing! But what to do? Living in the Wye catchment area there are plenty of possibilities ..though salmon we decided were a leap too far in the early days at least.
Lovely October weather, a summer-type low, clear river, and a bristling Wye barbel sprung to mind.
This session was all about Czech nymphing, a cracker of a method for any angler and any species but especially great for a beginner when long casting can be a challenge. But Enoka has enthusiasm and that natural rhythm that is so important in fly casting. Soon, the fly, if a squirmy worm qualifies for that tag, was flicking out nicely upstream and she was tracking it down the run nicely, mending the line when needed, keeping in touch with the strike indicator.
Wallop! She’s in. The 5wt is bent to the butt, the barbel is running, boring deep, immensely strong, never tiring. Enoka plays it well but desperation creeps in as the sun drops and still the fish shows no sign of surrender. Then it is in the net, a punch of triumph, a surge of elation. I’ve never taken more exuberant images in my angling life.
Enoka loves this adventure. She’s hooked. I know now for sure I have a fly angler for a wife and this is will be a winter on the water that we can share and make memories forever.
