Chuffinell! … Cheffings Chipper
A return journey by Tony Cheffing to the Test with a mind to equal if not better his first outing back in December. Cutting him ‘no slack’ so to speak I could see he’d been practising and working hard on his game. Challenging only but the rod stop and correcting a slight side swipe from the wrist, it was all but a brief intermission before he’d soon got to grips and landed a few welcome fish early on.
Who knew, a typical start of many an out of season day this year… thy troot!… sheesh
Two pearlers in fact, we were hoping not to spend the entire afternoon trying to avoid the blighters
As forecast the temperature skirted zero d/c throughout, we were thankful for the low Sun on our faces that hovered just above the treeline… oh yes! and the 5 pairs of socks, 3 layers of thermals and a multitude of fleeces, gloves and hats that went with it. (wimps)
Just tropical… in readiness for my trip to Canada Dog Sledding in 2 weeks where it’s minus 20
It’s so cold my net gets a stiffy!
…feeding and shooting line was sometimes impossible
…and adding hot water to a cold splitting cup renders despair when you’re gasping for a brew
Not to be out done by conditions we opted for the duo in the glassy glides, the usual hi-viz klinkhammer trailed with a free swimming caddis and painted hot spot applied at the bank side.
For some reason this sorted the grayling from the trout as with my last trip with Dan… trout just didn’t seem to want to know. Why? = Absolutely no idea, coincidental so let’s not pretend we know.
Conditions were spot on all be it diminishing as we lose the light, today was another day where I got the opportunity to step back and watch somebody cast and fish well… help only when it was needed, Tony was great fun to to watch.
Slinging some horizontal loops below overhangs
Floaty and lighty presentations to some likely lies being pointed out by ‘Jimmy on the spot’
May he be blessed with stealth of a ‘Heron’
and whoop whoop reactions to his fair share of these…
…on his way to netting some of these
Is there such a word as AWESOMENESS?
Yet another barn storming day… my grayling season ends on the 17th as I then leave for Canada, the diary is full until then so I’m hoping for plenty more days to match this one Tony.
I guess the “means” sort of “justifies the ends”…but if the ends is so freakin’ cold you are not exactly sure what or where the end is……
I particularly like the red hands….!!!
Hopa-a-long Jardine. desperate to fish again….
Thanks CJ,
Crikey it was cold, blessed in that there was little or no wind… that would have just cut us in half.
A few guys on the Water today, apparently qualifiers tomorrow.
See you at Manningford.
I reckon you keep them in buckets on the bank and then put them in just before the chaps turn up. Bleddy good though. Red hands or otherwise hopalong!
It was a hugely enjoyable and instructive day. At times, it actually felt quite pleasant, due to lots of sun and little or no wind, not to mention being on the water with Jim. I guess the red hands tell a different story, not apparent at the time; I’m pleased to report the circulation was soon restored, and I always knew (roughly) where my end was!
Hi Tony,
Feet and hands well and truly thawed… super company as always