That's it folks - the end of the Grayling season (and all fishing on the river for a few weeks).
Do put in any Catch Returns as soon as you can, but if it's fishing you want, then it's the Reservoir or the Reservoir - at least until April 3rd.
Please try not to catch any Grayling from now until June 16th - give them a chance to reproduce and multiply, and also watch out for their Redds when you're wading. I'll be retiring my Double Badger dries and my Sawyers Killer Bugs for the next 3 months, on Beats 3a and below anyway.
I am told that Southern Water will stop extracting water at Smallbridge in the next month or so, which might give us some more sensible river levels once again. That should be a bit more amenable for the new season's trout, as well as those who have overwintered in some of the deeper pools.
Finally, if the catch returns are any indication, it seems that hardly anybody has caught any trout at the Reservoir, over the Winter, nor even visited it. I have heard that trout have been seen rising there however, so if you do go, please send in a catch return so that we have an idea of the level of activity, even if you blank; it really is important to help us decide how to manage that facility.
Many thanks
PeterB