Saturday was the Annan Fishery Board, Grayling fishing day. The day is set up as a survey of the river primarily for Sea Trout but also other species, and anglers are offered fishing on one of a number of beats in return for a donation to the Celtic Sea Trout survey.
For me it provided me the opportunity to fish a section of the river previously not known to me, and in the event I ended up on the Hoddom Beat. This was recommended by Nick of the fishery board as being a good section for the Cz Nymph method I tend to use.
The beat is pretty long and is primarily a salmon fshing beat with a couple of notable pools: the “Bridge Pool” at Hoddom Bridge and below at the “Churchyard Pool” and “Dukes Pool” where I parked. I shared the beat with another angler, a chap called Jonathon, who had fished it before. I decided I would fish from around the bridge back down to where I parked the car at the Dukes Pool, then fish down from here in the afternoon.
Churchyard Pool, Hoddom
It was a dull and dank day as I set out upstream, but the damp clinging fog relented a little as I entered the water beneath the bridge and in fact it became quite comfortable out in the cold. The wading however was challenging, and this section of river seems to be based on limestone bedrock and banks of silt.
To my way of thinking neither makes for a good substrate for finding Grayling in residence and I was feeling after an hour both just above and below the bridge that I was fishing anything but effectively. If I was fortunate to encounter a shoal maybe I would be lucky but they would need to be lying within lobbing range of my bugs, and safe places to wade were few here.
There were a few salmon in residence in this pool though I think they were Kelts from what I could see when they jumped near me. I never touched any fish and decided to try my luck a little down stream. Wading was a little easier here in the Churchyard Pool and I was at least getting out and covering a bit more water, though the bottom was apt to deepening off quite dramatically at times and I was finding it hard going. By the time I got near the foot of the pool though I was able to make may way right across the far bank and cover all the river. Obviously this also meant the river was shallowing off and I rated my chances at catching, slim at best here.
I was suffering a bit from a nasty headache for some reason at this point and between this and the damp cold which had returned I decided I would retire to the car and have an asprin and a cuppa to try restore my concentration. My beat-mate for the day, Jon had come upstream and reported he had caught one good Grayling of over 2lbs down near the Dukes Pool and was going to try up at the Bridge. If I was going to return to the Bridge section I think I would trake a dry fly set up and try dead drift a couple of bugs under a big dry to cover the deeper water where I am sure there must be fish…. next time.
Fortified with some hot cuppa soup and a pain killer and with the headache moving a little I decided to try now at the Dukes Pool. There were some “steps” down to the water at the head of the pool but I had been warned that the water deepened off here very quickly apparently to 21 feet! The base was again limestone and the wading was again tough. I run my bugs through the crease at the head of the pool a few times and gave a few changes of flies but nothing was making its presence known to me.
I managed to lose some flies on a snag so retired to retie my tippet when an elderly Gent came along for a blether. He regaled me with a few fishy tales and it became apparent he was an angler though was currently under doctors orders not to get in the water, I sensed his frustration. I hope those days are a long way away for me.
Anyway he said to me- “try doon there son there are always Grayling about there” pointing below the anglers hut. I did not realise that the water was more accesible here- it looked fromt he bank every bit as deep as where I was fishing but I followed his guidance and right enough it was easy to get in and cover a good bit of the water, on a more stony bedded section of water. Almost right away I had a knock, even the old Gent noticed it- ! “Aye you had a touch there son…”
“Yes I definitely did, first of the day.”
I lobbed again and this time I felt the head shake of a Grayling – though not a big one- in fact tiny! It took the red tag and I figured a fish this size had to have bigger company, I cast again, and right away another fish, a little bigger but still very small. A few more casts and the activity ceased. I toyed with a fly change given that Grayling can be “Suckers for Change”, to quote John Tyzack. But I decided there was plenty more water where fish might see my fly afresh and to try there. I fished on and after about 10-15 yards covering a fair bit of the width of the river too, I had a sharp knock as the flies rose in the water and I was into a substantial Grayling. I never seen more than its white belly but it was easily a fish in the 2 pound class. It took very gently indeed and was o nthe surface right away thrashing in the horrible way grayling do. I got the rod under tension and low to the water and the fish headed for the bottom (which was good for now, while I tried to get some control) there was a shake and the line went slack. I was soooooo disappointed to have it come off. You win some you lose some.
I hoped there would be more here, I had moved about five yards when another knock of a Grayling, not as big but a decent fish nonetheless I reckon, it shook its head a few times and then it too came off, I had barely had a chance to do anything but had still kept the rod tight and low. It was turning into one of these days.
A further five yards and another fish, though this time I think it was probably a decent sized trout, there was no head shaking and this one simply kited round me very quickly. I tried to keep the rod tight but it was so fast and I think I knew instantly I was going to lose this before it did indeed suddenly go slack on me. Not having a good day now. But I was getting sport that was for sure.
Having fished this whole section, while I was hooking and losing the first big Grayling another angler had appeared in the pool, and he was seeding the water with Maggots and trotting through them. I felt this would probably be the end of my fishing here with so many free offerings going in and so it was to be. I retired for a cuppa and the “trotter” moved down stream, he had 6 fish in the head of the Dukes Pool, they were definitely there but not in any easy place for the bugs. In hindsight maybe a run through with something like a big Wooly Bugger on a intermediate line might have been good…. next time maybe.
I gave the run a second run through once the bait angler had moved on, I wasn’t hopeful and in the event it was to remain so. Jon had managed to get the best fish of the day as far as I could tell, when Nick arrived for a blether, but had no other offers.
I had my two tiny Grayling so not a blank, but a section Iwould really like to try on a better day as I have to admit I really felt the cold this day, for the first time in a while.
I have fished the Hoddom beat many times for Trout but never Grayling, up stream of the bridge and further up past the foot bridge has better wading, and good Trout , the part you were fishing would float your bunnit if you stepped too far out . how did the other beats fish ?,
Good report Kenny.
John
Hi John
As I last heard – which was about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, there had been a few fish caught on the other beats, though I beleive Jon’s fish ( my beat partner) was the biggest of the day as far as I know. I heard a Grilse had been hooked but the angler allowed it to come off ( not sure why entirely as the Rivers foundation is wanting scale samples before release, mainly from Sea Trout but I think they want measurements and stuff from Salmon). The guy who was trotting beside us had all decent fish I think but I don’t think he was part of the “event” so maybe he does not count! He had 7 the last I heard all of decent size.
Was a good day if cold and a section I would return to. I reckon it would be great on dries in the summer.
Kenny
Kenny
Yes seems like you fished the more difficult end of Hoddom beat. Next time stay above the stone Hoddom Bridge and you can either approach the river from the north via Mainholm Farm or from the south via Hoddom Castle Golf, so over the stone bridge and up the drive to the castle and look to your right across the gold course, you will find a foot bridge so access to both banks, Left bank fishes mostly above the bridge, right bank both above and below and its MUCH better wading mostly on gravel and slopes more gently towards the deeper water
Hi Andy
I went where Nick and another chap “sent me” they had said to park at the fishermans hut and fish down from the bridge. The Dukes Pool bit from just past the hut down was OK, the rest was tough going! But there were fish there! Its interesting how different the river is here from further up at Applegarth. But enjoyed the day. Have to say the Annan has very much become my favourite river!
Good and you have lots more to explore. The Milk, one of the major tributaries, comes in right at the top of Hoddom and transforms the river and then the Mein water joins in at the bottom boundary. Mein doesn’t look much but it’s a common cause of dirty flash floods which can upset anglers below that point
Great stuff lads! the Annan is a class river with lots of different beats and miles and miles to go at, also met some decent fellow anglers on my many visits up there, like someone said, it is fast becoming my favourite river even though i live close to the Eden, irthing, caldew, and petteril, also great value for money, especially in the winter for the lady of the stream, i was up there on Sunday at Applegarth, no fish, but what a lovely relaxing day, tight lines, and Andy, we will have to meet up for a blether sometime, regards to all, peter anderson, Port Carlisle, Cumbria.