Operation Brazzers Breach - Grubs Up !!!! (Warwickshire Grayling Content)

After the initial Operation Brazzers Breach - The Reccy  the subsequent session Operation Brazzers Breach - Deep Dive to be honest was a little disappointing. 

To try to track down a Warwickshire Avon Grayling is a challenge in itself however maggot peddler Martyn from my local tackle shop (see sidebar) who initially shared the information where there could be some, has only encouraged this rare as rocking horse poop quest as he knows that I like a challenge. 

There is literally nothing on the internet to point to specific location of the 'lady of the stream' in Warwickshire apart from the odd forum snippet which basically leads to a dead-end. Photographic evidence ? you'd be lucky !!! this isn't a rave in Westminster, this is a grayling in Warwickshire.

To be fair the limited information narrowed it down to a certain area, but that area is largely out of bounds for a maggot dangler like me and I'd be trespassing in pursuit of hearsay.

But it was Martyn the maggot peddler that put more meat on the bones as it turned out some fish surveys in the area over the years always throws up some grayling in a very small area indeed. Whether they have spread themselves wider I don't know but looking at the map where X marked the spot there is no reason why they couldn't.

The stretch was perfect without being worried about getting my collar felt so I was back for another session. I didn't have long before I had to get back but certainly enough time to give the stretch a go again.

You see I've been watching the levels and also the weather prior to this trip and it looked good conditions to try and confirm if there was smoke in the slow burning fire. I hadn't really thought much about them because the last session here I was biteless was but then out of nowhere I got the urge to try for them again.

Grayling are sight feeders in the main so this time it was out with the trotting tactics in and almost perfect looking swim. There was a tinge of colour in the 2 foot deep water and after enjoying a dawn cup of tea I fed maggots little and often and if there was any fish there I would get their confidence up first, before casting the float out.

After a few trots through without a bite what I didn't expect was a confident bite and the wire stem stick float disappeared from view. I thought the fish I hooked was a dace at first so I was amazed that it wasn't a dace but yes, a Grayling !!!

I really was shocked, ok a small fish in statue but significant in so many ways there are Grayling in Warwickshire after all and I've only gone and caught one.

After hooking something big that came off after a plodding fight (trout or chub most likely) I bumped a couple of fish off but to be honest the fishing was hard going. An hour in with no other fish I moved upstream to another trotting swim and after losing a fish and then losing my float in one of the trees eventually I had a small chub.

To be fair a decent fight on light gear but again after bumping off a couple of fish the bites really were hard to come by.

As soon as the sun came out around 9.30am it was illuminating the water and basically put a kibosh on proceedings. Still I'm amazed at what I caught and I'm glad I made the effort but next time I will be better prepared and this time hopefully a better hook for the intended quarry.

Answers on a postcard please as I'm sure there are better fish to be caught ? !!!