the old fishing bridge
A fine brace for the table
River Avon
Salisbury & District Angling Club
Autumn colours in the local park told me it was time to leave the city and go fishing. The place to be at this time of the year is the banks of the Wylye and Avon. The Wylye valley in particular has large numbers of field maples, cherries and spindle along the road; and once they start to turn, they are a visual delight. So the drive to the river is a treat in itself. By the time you have arrived , you have a large smile on your face.
Today I tested my latest rod. (I try to tell myself I'm not a tackle tart, and I don't buy all the latest gear, but …) Anyway I have long hankered after a 9 ft 3 weight: something delicate to fish the smaller streams. Well I bought one and it is a dream to cast and to play a fish. I think it casts almost as far as my 4 and 5 weights. So as the new toy I suspect it will have many outings this autumn, while my trusty older rods are left behind to sulk.
There were fish rising. Nothing spectacular; but enough to encourage the use of a small dry fly. The trick then is to try and get a bearing on the occasional fish that show themselves. If you can do this then you can cast confidently to the fish, even when it is not rising. It's probably still feeding subsurface and you may be able to see it. But even if you can't give the area a couple of prospecting casts. You are often pleasantly surprised. The trout season finishes in less than a week (already over on the Wye) but there are the grayling to concentrate on.
the old fishing bridge
A fine brace for the table