The forecast for the past weekend was supposed to be atrocious, and frankly, it was. But, Sunday morning saw a small window of opportunity, the wind had died down and the rain had eased just enough for a comfortable few hours on the river.

Alex and I made our way over the river for what was our last opportunity to get on the grayling before the seasons out on the 14th March. After a swift Latte at Mcdonalds, we tackled up and headed for the river.

At first, it was ideal, rising slightly over night but dropping back and clearing in the early hours of the morning, giving what was a tiny window of exceptional fishing.

We walked about a mile and a half downstream from the cars searching for likely looking spots. I jumped into our chosen run as Al’ was rigging up, hoping to get a fish under my belt before he even set foot in the river. A few casts in some usually productive water proved fruitless, in the meantime, Alex dropped in just 10 meters below me, dropping his nymphs close into the edge. Before I knew it he’d landed two decent sized grayling… Both taking his favourite new fly pattern. In fairness, he’s been telling me for months that Purple is the new Pink…

Bead: 3.5mm Silver Tungsten Beads
Hook: Fulling Mill Jig Force 14
Thread: Red UTC 70D
Tail: Coq-de-Leon
Rib: Silver Wire
Body: Black Pheasant tail
Thorax: Purple UV Dubbing

So on went a Purple and Black jig, and almost instantly I was rewarded… An OOS brown, but a fish none the less.

Alex says it was the purple thorax, but I believe the extra weight of the 3.5mm tungsten bead on the dropper – as opposed to the 2.5mm that was previously on the cast – gave me more depth and control, instantly rewarding the change.

For the next hour or so both the purple and pink jigs produced a dozen or so fish, before an hour of torrential rain put a premature end to the fishing. The rising and coloured water returned and we left the river, on what would be both our last days grayling fishing of the season, feeling a lot more satisfied.