The last few weeks the northern rivers have received little to no rain which has had an adverse effect on levels and water clarity. The venue I was fishing was half a metre lower than its usual autumn height and gin clear, hence the scaled down approach needed to tempt one of the giants that lived there.
From previous sessions I knew the fish would be held up in the deeper pools and gullies and so it proved . By midday a handful of 2 pounders and lots of fish over a pound were landed from a couple of nice areas but I still hadn’t fished one of the main pools that produces big grayling consistently during low water conditions . With a depth of 8ft under the rod tip I changed from a light stick float to one of the new Titanium Trotters that are due to hit the shops in the coming weeks. Instead of the usual olivette sinker I used double no4 split shot in a shirt button formation down the mainline and 3 x no8’s on the hookink evenly spaced out so the rig would fall steadily through the water . I like to fish over depth for grayling holding the float back just before it reaches the feeding fish or feature, they’re held up against . Sometimes I’ll let it sit there for well over a minute before you feel a thump at the rod tip, or the float tip dips slightly , but the bites are usually unmissable due to the line being taught as your holding it back in such a manner . This is exactly what happened on my third cast in the hotspot ! After an amazing scrap that must have lasted best part of 8 minutes, I was eventually admiring a fantastic looking specimen of 2lb 12oz . This however was just the beginning of the action as more big fish were landed in quick succession.
It wasn’t until just after 6pm as the sun slowly fell below the far bank tree line and the light levels began to dim that I caught the fish I was after. An absolute leviathan to be exact and a true Scottish monster with a sailfin like dorsal as big as my hand ! Myself and top angling companion Richie Martin couldn’t believe the set of shoulders on the thing and at 3lb 2 we had every right to be in shock . What a creature and what a great days fishing with fantastic company.
All fish were caught using triple red maggots flavoured with Hinders Liquid Gold Betalin or small pieces of worm on a size 18 Drennan specialist XT prototype hook . Mainline was Drennan floatfish 4.4lb and a 14″ 3lb Supplex hooklink attached via a small quick-change swivel . My rod of choice ( the Specimen Acolyte at 13ft) is fast becoming my favourite trotting tool . Not only is it extremely lightweight at that length , but the playing action and its ability to subdue a big grayling has vastly increased my catch rate and eliminated lost fish . The extra 30-40% power in the tip section is an absolute game changer!
Sadly the penultimate morning was cut short due to a nasty head cold / stomach bug which has us both feeling proper rough, and while poor Richie was trying to squeeze his big calves into a tight pair of chest waders he had a mega sneeze followed by a small bottom burp and the rest was history
Simon.