26/06/2013 - Leicestershire brook

"You know on wednesday, you're not doing anything are you?" her indoors innocently asked the other night. "I want to to a meeting in the evening". "No, dear" I lied as I watched a planned barbel trip to the Trent go flying out of the window. However, got my own back this morning as I woke her up at 4 am (with a cup of tea mind!) as I left for a go at some more LBT's (Leicestershire Brown Trout) before work instead. Arrived to find the brook even lower and clearer than last time. However, it was nice and overcast and I figured I'd be in with a chance if I kept quiet. Carried on where I left off last time, dropping a weighted nymph into likely looking spots, but had only the odd rattle on the rod tip to show for the first half hour, so swapped the black goldhead I was using for a GHRE with a more subdued copper head. Seemed to do the trick as I was in straight away in the next spot with solid take from a small LBT that buried itself in the marginal vegetation and had to be extricated by hand.

One nil to the GHRE

Next spot I was into something a bit better - a bigger, darker fish that again did it's best to shed the barbless hook in the overhanging grass and needed an undignified bum-slide down the bank to land it. This one took the nymph literally as it hit the surface, so guess they must be used to the odd terrestrial dropping in.

Bruiser

Two more followed, including one from a section of the brook right next to a road as oblivious, early morning commuters whizzed behind me. Carried on upstream a bit further than last time and came across a nice pool on the outside of a bend, complete with rising trout! Catapulted the nymph up to the head of the pool and had it taken on the drop. Popped that one back in downstream so as not to disturb the others and went back for another shot. Next drift back down the pool the tipped jagged over as the nymph was again taken on the drop. This one buried itself in some tree roots to my left, but I managed to pop it out into the net with a bit of persuasion.

Pretty

Had a few more casts, but the disturbance from the last fish had probably spooked the others as I just had one half-hearted pull. Carried on a bit further upstream, but the sun and dog walkers had come out by now. The grass pollen, which had been coming up in yellow clouds all morning and coating my waders and my jacket, was also starting to get to my throat and eyes.

Hayfever time!

Reluctantly headed back to the car and joined the rat race again.