Thymallus the Grayling Society Blog

River Basin Management Plans exposed as unlawful

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 17:34:12 GMT

Costa Beck Decision

The long awaited Court of Appeal judgement was handed down on 2 ^nd April 2025 with relatively little publicity even though the judges were unanimous in finding against Defra, the Environment Agency and the Government in supporting the High Court decision of Lieven J on the 19 ^th February 2024 . That ground breaking Judgement found that the River Basin Management Plans published in 2022 are unlawful and wrongly drafted. The current case related to the Humber Basin River Management Plan which was subject to close scrutiny by the Courts and found to have been prepared with a total disregard or complete misunderstanding of the law set out in the Water Framework Directive and the Water Framework Directive Rules. The effect of this judgement ought to lead to the current Plans nationwide being scrapped and redrafted after appropriate consultation.

The principles established affect all the River Basin Management Plans nationally and have exposed the Environment Agency for failing to plan correctly to clean up our rivers. The seriousness of that finding cannot be under estimated. The body we rely on to look after our rivers has disregarded the rules and planned to fail in one of their fundamental duties.

The Grayling Society supported Fish Legal and the Pickering Angling Association in opposing the Government appeal by making the largest single donation to the fund-raising appeal “Every River Counts”. The Committee and Members all recognised the importance of the issues for our rivers and used members funds to help achieve victory. The next steps are firmly in the Governments hands, they could delay matters by appealing to the Supreme Court, a completely pointless exercise or they could take the correct course and ensure the law and the purpose thereof is put into effect. The River Basin Management Plans are the basis of River clean ups and differ for each River basin. The Court of Appeal has now made it clear that the programme of measures in a River Basin Management Plan should include proposals for each individual water body in the river basin district. The plans must not be generic as the Secretary of State maintained and the Environment Agency had acted upon. In layman’s terms the Court has found that “one cap does not fit all” and River Basin Management Plans must be specific or they are unlawful.

The Independent Water Commission set up with much fanfare is directed to conduct all its deliberations based on the River Basin Management Plans which are now found to be unlawful. That fact must now render the IWC terms of reference as unlawful which is an embarrassing effect of the Costa Beck judgement. The ripples of this splash will spread far and wide in bringing the actions of the Government and the Regulators in too sharp perspective. The Water Companies financial plans are based on River Basin Management Plans, the OFWAT directives relating to those plans are therefore based on illegally prepared plans. There will be many such incidents of illegality based on these plans which will need to be corrected.

All the Environment Agency Plans to clean up our rivers and regulate polluters based on River Basin Management Plans are unlawful. The greatest scandal here is the exposure of Defra, the EA and the Government to unlawful practices in planning to clean up our rivers. The state of our rivers is hardly surprising when the institutions we all rely on to protect them are found to have been acting unlawfully and in the words of Lieven J. ”Planning to fail and surrounding their policies with smoke and mirrors” Society members will no doubt be awaiting future developments as I certainly will.

Becoming a new Area Secretary

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 10:06:01 GMT

Becoming a new Area Secretary

By Paul Shorrock, Area 10 Secretary.

I decided to take on the role of Area 10 Secretary in May 2024. The post had been empty for over a year at least, which meant that Society activities had ceased, no Grayling Days, no slide lectures, nothing. This degraded the value of membership so it felt like a simple charitable donation. I still received the Journal but that was more or less the only benefit.

I saw the occasional emails appealing for someone to take on the role but initially I didn’t think I was the right man for the job. I’m not a natural-born administrator and I’m not a particularly “clubby” sort of person. I tend to fish solo most of the time and have only attended one or two fishing club AGMs in all the years I’ve been fly-fishing.

I really missed the Grayling Fishing Days. I had enjoyed some memorable times on the exclusive bits of the Hodder belonging to clubs where I couldn’t afford the joining fees that left me bucket-list dreaming of what I might afford after retirement. I waited and waited hoping someone would take on the role and normal service would be resumed but nobody did. I finally overcame my reluctance after another email nudging all the area members dropped into my inbox in January last year. I ruminated until April, hoping some other volunteer would come out of the woodwork but none did, so I fired off an email to John Walker, the General Secretary, and he got back to me the same day with the role description and some encouraging words about how the job “isn’t really onerous”. A phone call a few days later confirmed my participation, and almost instantly my name and contact details were on the Society website. A flurry of emails from other committee members followed, including one from the late Kris Kent, handing me the admin rights to the long-dormant Area 10 Facebook page (which has been a useful tool for attracting new members).

My first task was to attend a committee meeting near Birmingham but that was converted into an online Teams meeting at fairly short notice, which wasn’t too taxing. I could put some faces to familiar names and raised my hand at the appropriate times.

The next month I was asked by Chairman Rob Hartley to man the Grayling Society desk at the big Prince Albert open day in Ribchester. I called out to the wider members to come and do a voluntary stint behind the desk to share the load, not realising that Rob intended to stick around the whole day. As anyone who attended will recall the weather was atrocious, cold, wet and windy, flaming June! Special mentions go out to Ged Fish, Chris Hosker and John Vautier who hung around and helped keep the marquee flap pinned down. I met quite a few existing members, saw some old familiar faces and between us we signed up a few new members. Apparently, the measure of success of an Area Secretary is membership headcount so we were up and running.

My first GS meeting in-person was at a moderately priced hotel outside Wrexham in September. Much good stuff was achieved including approval of the £10k donation in support of Pickering Fishery’s appeal costs in their David and Goliath battle with Defra, the memorial activities for Kris Kent and the upcoming conference in Peebles. A moderately priced curry was enjoyed in Wrexham. The planned fishing on the Dee on Sunday was skipped by me as the weather was horizontal and wet, a few committee members braved the weather, not all blanked.

October saw the first of The Grayling Days I have been responsible for. A couple of late drop outs left ten of us to enjoy the long drive north and the excellent hospitality at Warwick Hall on The Eden, near Carlisle. We were very lucky with the weather, the previous weekend had seen a spate and heavy rain arrived just as we left. Most members caught, only one topped his waders!

November had two more Grayling Days in quick succession, the first hosted by a combined Clitheroe and Ribblesdale Angling Associations on the Ribble, with the obligatory bacon butties supplied by The Lower Buck in Waddington. A fortnight later, again a week after a spate, we were hosted by Bowland Game Fishing Association on The Hodder and Ribble with the Aspinall Arms supplying the bacon butties this time. Chris Hosker deserves the plaudits for that one as he did most of the work.

As a result of this burst of activity after the vacant period membership has continued to expand in Area 10. It would be nice to get it to over a hundred. I continue to button-hole any Grayling fisherman I meet on the riverbank and have converted a few to the cause already.

Currently there is no Area 5 secretary and Areas 2 & 3 are both covered by Alex Adams. If you are in two minds about joining, I would say, give it a go. It’s not a huge amount of work and is your chance to do more for the Society than pay your subs. It will certainly increase your opportunities to fish new waters and meet fellow Grayling enthusiasts.

To paraphrase a former US President “ask not what The Grayling Society can do for you but what you can do for The Grayling Society!”.

Paul Shorrock, Area 10 Secretary

Conservation, Conversation

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 09:50:54 GMT

Conservation, Conversation

Grayling Society President Feargal Sharkey OBE chats to Conservation Officer Ron Taylor on 8th February 2023 about his life, work and motivation.

RT- Thank you Feargal for generously giving your time, let's kick off with who introduced you to fly fishing and when did you catch your first grayling?

FS - I was educated in Derry, Ireland by the Christian Brothers who had a very distinct ethos that the school day did not end at 3.30pm, that was the opportunity to join Clubs and mine were Gaelic Football, Hurling, Fly Fishing and Fly Tying. I was not born with this nose it was finely sculptured at the end of a Hurling stick. At age 10 I could hop on a bus in Derry and in 20 minutes I would be on the bank of the River Fughan with a good chance of catching a Trout or a salmon or 40 minutes in the other direction I would be at the confluence of the Rivers Finn and Mourne where there is still a chance today of taking a salmon. I was spoiled as sitting on the bank of a canal throwing bread into roach was not for me when I could so easily be on the bank of a river. My first grayling was many years after as they are not sought after in Ireland, which was in the early 80's when I fished the English chalk streams. I became a Society member for the first time then though I let my membership lapse before rejoining some years later. My biggest grayling so far, is a 3-pound fish I captured on the Test about 10 years ago. Fishing for me has become more about being outside in the countryside and catching a few fish is a bonus.

RT- Do you still tie your own flies, and do you have a favourite Grayling fly?

FS - I do, having learned at school, I recall the first fly I tied was a bloody butcher using mallard feathers and as for grayling a Pink Shrimp and a couple of gold heads will do nicely thank you very much.

RT - How often do you get to fish and where is your favourite venue?

FS - I fish a lot as I have been Chairman of Amwell Magna Fishery for over 6 years, my only fishing Club and we have a private river valley forty minutes from my home in North London which is not over fished by our sixty members. On a Sunday morning I can have a couple of hours on the river and be back home for lunch before I am missed. I fish the chalk streams half a dozen times a year, but I have not become a member anywhere else as it is too far to be driving and I would be just taking a rod that someone else could make more use of. I have fished all over the world, but my favourite spot is the Tuolumne Valley, eight thousand feet up in the Californian Rockies, they had a bit of a gold rush up there in the 1850's but now they have silver in the form of land locked salmon. Difficult to get up there but really worth the effort, the salmon feed in the reservoir and then migrate back up the river to breed.

RT - Does your wife or any of your children fish?

FS - They are not really interested in fishing though they do like the social side of it, I have tried to interest them and each of them has had a go but a good lunch after is more attractive. My daughter came to a social event on the river to help out and she took the opportunity to have a lesson from well known fly fisherman Neil Patterson, she did very well and caught some trout but has not taken it up.

RT - During your life in the music industry did you take your fly rod on tour and can you recall the best fishing adventure you experienced?

FS - While I was a member of the Undertones I had a ten-year gap from fishing until during a long weekend off I rediscovered my passion for it. I recall as a music industry executive I was invited to go to Washington DC to address an international copyright lawyers conference at the Ronald Reagan Conference Centre and to be honest I had no real motivation to go until I realised if I flew over on the Friday I could go fishing and deliver the speech on the Monday. I hired a car and went to North Pennsylvania trout fishing over the weekend, it all worked out very well and even the lawyers were happy. I had a business commitment on one occasion in Austin, Texas which is difficult to get to without a layover, so I arranged to stay in San Antonio and fish the Guadalupe River which is the southernmost trout river in America.

RT - What were the standout moments of your time in the Music Industry?

FS- I worked hard as an artist and every day was different throughout my time in the industry. I have the greatest admiration for people who work in a factory environment, I could not do it. I was blessed to work in an industry that gave me so much and to which I owe so much. I was honoured by her late Majesty and presented with an OBE by the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace. I cannot discuss what we talked about when she presented it to me, but I can say that we did not talk about fishing. The day was memorable for the trip to the Palace and a very nice lunch for my wife and two youngest children. I am a member of the Fly Fishers Club in London and King Charles remains our President, the conversations when I go there for lunch will always revolve around fishing and lead to some good swap days on members waters.

RT - Do you recall the incident that was the catalyst motivating your conservation campaigning?

FS - That would be about 6 years ago when I became Chairman of Amwell Magna, and the River Lea was having serious flow issues. The Club had been talking to the Environment Agency (EA) for 15 years with the situation getting worse, we had two and a half miles of eutrophication so with the backing of Fish Legal we took the EA to the steps of the High Court, and I was banging on the doors to be let in. The EA realised we were bloody serious, and steps were taken to improve the flow which is now solved. With that experience I thought if sixty ladies and gents with the backing of Fish Legal had to go to the High Court to sort out that problem what else is there going on. That gave me an itch and every time I scratched it just got bigger, the more I scratched the bigger it got. Every single river in England is polluted, 70% of that caused by the water industry and agriculture, the regulators ought to be ashamed of their performance and track record. For three decades they had all been doing nothing but say what they are going to do. The water companies produce water resources management plans every 5 years and give them to the regulators, this is what they say they are going to do but it does not happen even though they have a duty to protect and enhance the environment. The EA and OFWAT are incapable of regulating the Water companies and agriculture and that made me so angry. I wanted to do something about it, I wanted to get people to listen.

RT - From a conservation viewpoint what are the standout achievements thus far and how have you achieved them?

FS - There are three main components of what I do, firstly exposure using Press, Media and TV which is going well, secondly Politics engaging Ministers, MPs and members of the House of Lords to talk with them and stimulate interest and debate, thirdly challenge the Government whenever necessary just as Wild Fish are currently doing with judicial review. If we are not capable of keeping all three going, then we are wasting our time. I have become a national leader finding myself on the front of newspapers, I have stimulated debate in Parliament, only recently a select committee debated the devastation being caused to the Wye and Usk which are both on the verge of environmental collapse. It is a no brainer to stop what is happening. My best achievement overall is to bring to national prominence the appalling state of our watercourses, I was recently nominated by the Times newspaper as Activist of the Year an accolade of which I am proud.

RT - You addressed the Labour Party Conference; did you sense a genuine intention to clean up the Environment?

FS - I received a standing ovation for talking to them about sewage being discharged into rivers, if you had told me five years ago that would happen, I think I would have said that you have lost your mind. They were genuinely committed, if elected, to introducing jail sentences for water company directors who breach the law, I am keeping in contact with Sir Keir Starmer on conservation issues.

RT - You appeared on two episodes of Mortimer & Whitehouse Go Fishing, which was productive publicity for conservation issues and good fun I expect, is Bob improving as an angler?

FS - Good fun with two comedy legends and great publicity, they are just the same with each other off screen as on it, like an old married couple. The first occasion was on the River Lea only half an hour from home, the second on Lake Corrib in Connemara. Bob is actually quite a good angler, he caught a Brownie dapping on Corrib and that is not easy.

RT - Are you seeing improvements in the cleanup of our rivers?

FS - Not even close, those responsible have not felt enough pain but it is on the agenda. A clear plan will come, properly costed but not yet. We know the problems and are talking a lot but that is not good enough. We need a plan to fix it, a time to do it, how to pay for it and get on with it. It is about water quality and quantity, everyone knows what the problems are, just get on and do it.

RT - Do you have any direct contact with the water companies?

FS - Some, but I have no intention of going round in circles getting nowhere with them tied up in meetings, I don't want bull shit or bickies and tea, I want action. They have had decades to come up with a solution and spent it in meetings. Ron, your local water company is United Utilities would it surprise you to know that since 2007 they have paid out four billion pounds to shareholders while they have spent 1,267,203 hours pumping raw sewage into rivers on 195,528 separate occasions. They have spent small sums during that period financing wetlands or placing woody debris into rivers which I have scientific evidence from two research teams that show it does not work in removing phosphorus from rivers or at best is of minimal effect. The water companies embark on projects that are a total waste of time while they continue to pollute our rivers, take out profits of two billion pounds a year and service fifty-four billion pounds of self created debt. The EA is incompetent in controlling them and OFWAT is just useless. The standard of the senior management is scandalous, the quality at the top is not up to the job. The Government have just published their Environmental Improvement Plan which is not worth the paper it is printed on, there is no funded or time scaled improvement, they say 160 treatment plants will be upgraded, there are 7,000 in the Country. Most of it repeats what they said in 2018, the current five-year plans include that number of upgrades, there is nothing new. The proposed investment spread over five years divided up among nine water companies works out at about £26 million per year, totally underfunded, particularly when one considers statistics like Thames Waters half year profits were £500 million. This amounts to Government sleight of hand or in the vernacular a smoke screen and bollocks, we must have the courage to call them out, it is a Whitehall gag. They create a process that makes it look like we are moving forward and ultimately deliver nothing, there is no real commitment. The Water Framework Directive states that our water bodies will be in 100% good ecological state by 2027, that objective is systematically reduced and is now 75% as soon as is practical.

RT - Would you have any advice to me as Conservation Officer of the Society?

FS - The Grayling Society has a respected voice which should be loud and successful, pick your targets carefully as we have limited resources. Write to the Secretary of State and to MPs. Be robust and tell them how disappointed we are with Government plans. Call out a charade when you see one, demand transparency and keep letters concise a couple of sentences is often all it needs.

RT - Do you have any advice for individual members of the Society how they can contribute to conservation?

FS - They should be writing to their MP requesting support for a cleanup of their local rivers. Grayling Society members are an expert voice on the effects of pollution on a particularly vulnerable fish. I will be asking for a show of hands at the next conference to see how many have in fact written to their own MP.

RT Are you working on any new projects that our members may find interesting?

FS - I am helping to launch a new initiative launched by the Times Newspaper to clean up our rivers which will be announced shortly. That will give considerable impetus to our objectives, and I am backing it fully.

RT - Feargal, thank you again for your time and for a discussion that I know our members will have found extremely interesting.

Grayling Conservation

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 13:53:52 GMT

Grayling conservation and the need for collaboration

"The Grayling Society has limited resources to allocate to conservation and therefore the practical way to make a significant difference is by collaboration with all other stakeholders. We work with many organisations across the charitable, government and private sectors to achieve our aims and will continue to do so.

The Grayling Society have collaborated with the Angling Trust in developing the Water Quality Monitoring Network since before launch of the pilot scheme on the River Severn and the national roll out. That initiative continues to expand and is an excellent example of what can be achieved when organisations with a similar aim pull together in the spirit of collaboration. There are numerous organisations with the same goal, clean rivers, whether for Grayling, other fish, swimmers, anglers, pets or even surfers and paddlers, in fact society in generally. The Grayling Society collaborates with The Wild Trout Trust, Wild Fish, The Rivers Trust, local catchment trusts, Surfers Against Sewage and others. This unstoppable momentum to clean up our rivers is about the removal of excess Phosphates, Nitrates, Ammonia and other noxious substances in our waterways.

The most publicised culprits of this pollution being the Water Companies who have been vilified by campaigners, you will all be familiar with that. However if the water companies cleaned up their act totally that would only solve 25% of the problem. The Government, Environment Agency, DEFRA. and OFWAT have been failing to protect rivers effectively for decades. Now we have Theresa Coffey, Mark Spencer and Richard Benyon let's hope collaboration with them is the right course and they remain in office long enough to have an impact.

There is no sign of a solution by fining water companies or punishing senior directors as criminals, unless of course there is criminality and they must answer for it as we all do. Ask yourselves where the fines have gone, certainly out of the water industry. Though the government have now announced that fines will be used to clean up rivers but no indication is clear how the funds will be allocated and on what initiatives. We have to collaborate with water companies as they are the solution to part of the pollution problem. We are where we are and cannot turn the clock back. The current infrastructure of the sewage system was designed by the Victorians. The fact that it has not been modernised for decades and particularly since privatisation of water companies is scandalous. No point wringing our hands over that, they are huge private companies that must earn profit to survive, dividends will be paid and bonuses earned, investment in modernisation depends on their solvency. Difficult as it may seem we have to work with them in the spirit of collaboration .In my own area 6, 8 and 10 United Utilities are responsible and I have instigated meetings at main board level to stimulate progress so far as a small organisation is able to, with surprisingly encouraging results. I am optimistic that United Utilities are convinced by the need for collaboration and recognise that they must do better in environment improvement.

Turning now to agriculture and rural management, 45% of the problem of river pollution, Collaboration with farmers and their representatives is essential. Adequate rules and environmental protection legislation are already in place. Farming is vital for our future and a solution has to be found working with them. Pollution varies depending on catchment and the type of farming therein. Dairy farming uses fertilizer extensively to encourage the growth of grass to feed voracious cattle and produce good milk. Over fertilization however, when the land no longer needs it, causes run off into water courses and into rivers through culverts, ditches, brooks and tributaries. Lack of accurate application of muck and fertilizer by spraying too close to water courses has the same effect. Initial testing of the land and more care in application can help significantly. Beef and sheep farming are not immune from criticism and need to be vigilant. Land compaction causes excessive run off as the fertilizer does not seep as effectively as it should into the soil. Arable farming for example potatoes andmaize use fertilizer and muck which runs off the land when the crops are harvested as the weather at the time of year is invariably heavy rainfall. The use of slurry, while needed as an economic source of nutrients can cause pollution problems due to over use and of course spillage.

Intensive farming practices are causing massive problems with the discharges into rivers. None more obvious than in the River Wye catchment where numerous chicken farms are discharging waste into the river and are providing fertilizer for farmers which is being spread indiscriminately over the land and finding its way into the river. Control of these unacceptable practices rests with the chicken farmers and the local farmers who must be collaborated with to ensure they are doing all they can to prevent the harm caused while continuing their valuable role in supplying the food chain. Other intensive food production practices for example cheese manufacture are causing huge damage to the ecology of adjacent rivers into which waste products are being allowed to escape or being deliberately discharged. Farmers must practice better soil management to prevent over fertilization as well as compaction which contributes to excessive run off rather than absorption. Now turning back to the water companies on a different tack of abstraction of water from rivers and the damage done to the environment in times of drought. Whenever you see a leak report it, as every gallon that is lost as a result of it not being stored for the dry times will be extracted from rivers to replace it.

The problems caused by urban development and transport is responsible for between 10% and 15% of the pollution of our rivers as houses continue to be built with combined sewage systems if not on the premises further down the line as a result of the right to connect. Collaboration with the local authority who are the relevant planners is essential to ensure every precaution is taken to protect the environment when consent for new builds is granted. Local authorities are also the relevant highway authority. Their role in administering the highway network leads to road run off from salt applied in bad weather to prevent accidents which enters the river systems. The highway networks are also a source of pollution from the deposits of all kinds left by motor vehicles for example plastics from tyre wear, as over 55% of the content of motor vehicle tyres is plastic not as many of you may think, predominantly rubber. The dust left on the roads from brake pad wear is a serious pollutant. The highways authority are responsible for channelling the highways gullies to control and direct the passage of these pollutants away from the water courses and of course keeping them clear and free running, sadly in an inefficient manor at present. The presence of plastics in our rivers is a matter that we all bare a responsibility for to a large or smaller degree, no matter how much we try we will all use plastic and will continue to do so for years to come. We can only hope for the development of an economic system of destruction of all plastics that will provide a way to rid us of this substantial pollutant. We can avoid, where ever possible, the purchase of plastic products, choose a degradable alternative. We can stop using plastic based products like wet wipes and we can certainly stop putting them down the toilet and risking them entering the sewage system and water ways. Legislation by the government may be the practical way to prevent this by banning their use so collaboration with our local M.P. and government departments is essential. The recent government announcement banning the use of single use plastic knives, forks, plates and utensils is to be welcomed and progress toward more extensive and effective control.

Collaboration with fishermen to reduce plastic use is obvious, we should not be buying plastic based or plastic wrapped products where ever there is an alternative. We should be using natural materials for fly tying not plastic, there is clearly an unacceptable aspect to fisherman casting plastic into rivers. The deposit of micro and nano plastics in our water systems is leading to those substances turning up in fish and even in human blood streams. The plastic we all have is better used and kept out of the river systems as it is likely to outlive us all and our children's ,children's, children.

Turning now to the need for collaboration with the general public whose behavior contributes significantly to the problem. Education, marketing and legislation are essential tools to influence their conduct for example the extraneous materials that are habitually flushed down the toilet from wet wipes, sanitary products, discarded legal and illegal drugs, other substances superfluous to requirements given an easy, convenient exit from the home. The government and the water companies have a role to play here providing the finance for advertising and education. The public also have a huge responsibility in areas where there are no mains drainage, maintenance and regular servicing of septic tanks and sewage treatment plants is essential to prevent contaminated runoff entering water courses. Both types of sewage disposal systems need to be regularly de-sludged and this is not a fact that is readily appreciated by many who rely on the systems. There are, of course other organisations contributing significantly to the problem, for example Industry, of diverse description, allowing discharges into the water course, mining operations and food manufacture included. We are facing a massive task in eliminating pollution but we can all contribute no matter how small a step we are able to take. The essence of effective progress is collaboration by all stakeholders to achieve clean rivers and a better environment for us all to enjoy.

I couldn't allow the opportunity to pass without a word regarding fish handling which in itself is an important aspect of conservation and one all fisherman can collaborate on. Never touch fish with dry hands, always use barbless hooks or flatten the barb as a minimum. Use fish friendly nets but I have a slight conscience about advocating that as they are mainly plastic based. If a fish is deep hooked cut the line don't go digging about in their throat causing more damage, the loss of the fly is insignificant compared to the death of the fish. Leave fish in the water as much as possible, avoid the necessity for photographs, particularly those holding up Grayling dorsal fins. Get yourself a weigh net and your loved ones and friends will believe how beautiful the fish was, you will never forget it anyway if it is really worth a photograph. Lets respect our quarry and make sure we do all we can to ensure they live to swim another day. I have not touched on specific habitat improvements and protection matters but I will have to leave that for another day."

From a speech delivered by Ron Taylor, the Grayling Society Conservation Officer, at the Grayling Society Weekend on the 5th November 2022.

You can contact Ron at conservation@graylingsociety.net

Three Unusual Dry Flies

Thu, 12 May 2022 12:45:30 GMT

Three Unusual Dry Flies for Grayling

Last summer I discovered, in a second-hand book shop, a copy of A Flyfisher’s Life by Charles Ritz. It was a book that I had on almost permanent loan from the local library as a boy in the 1960s. Among other things, it reminded me of some flies that Ritz had recommended for grayling.

Separately, I found a book by the American guide and writer, Ed Engle, Fishing and Tying Small Flies. I decided to experiment with a few of the suggested patterns.

From the Ritz book, I took the Gloire de Neublans and the Pont d’Audemers, and, from the Engle book, the Taka’s Dun. I have now tried all three and proved that they catch fish, at least on southern chalk streams. All have the advantages of being fairly easy to tie and highly visible on the water. The patterns are as follows:

Gloire de Neublans

This fly resembles the Beacon Beige, which is becoming popular on some southern chalk streams.

Hook: 14 – 18 (or 20)

Tail: White cock hackle fibres

Body: Brown tying thread (or brown dubbing applied very lightly)

Hackle: Plain white or silver badger cock.

Pont d’Audemers

This pattern originated in England as the Mole Fly (from the River Mole). It is intended to sit on the hackle collar, resting on the surface film, with the body submerged, hanging vertically below the hackle and the forward-facing wing sticking up like a small indicator.

Hook: 12 - 16

Body: The original called for natural raffia. I use yellow floss.

Rib: Peacock herl

Hackle: Furnace cock

Wing: The original called for fibres of summer duck or mallard flank. I use a 50/50 mix of grey and yellow poly yarn. The wing is tied facing forward over the eye of the hook at a 45-degree angle.

Taka’s Dun

This was originally tied by a client of Ed Engle’s guiding service, Takanaka Suzuki. It has now become one of my go-to “prospecting” flies.

Hook: 16 - 22

Tail: White or light blue dun hackle fibres

Body: Grey tying silk

Thorax: (only on size 18 or larger) a small pinch of grey dubbing (I use Adams Grey kapok from Semperfli)

Wing post: The original dressing calls for orange poly yarn to maximise visibility on the water. I also use grey, pink or yellow poly yarn – or a 50/50 mix of pink and grey – to cater for various light conditions. Plain grey works better for spooky fish.

Hackle: Blue dun cock, started behind the wing post and wound forward to the head. Trimmed flat at the bottom in line with the hook point.

Editor’s Note: These look like excellent patterns, and we would be pleased to hear back from any Members that try them out on their local waters. Tight lines!

Grayling Tagging in Northern Sweden

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 14:40:39 GMT

The Gulf of Bothnia is the only known habitat for the threatened sea living Grayling

The county of Västerbotten and Norrbotten in Sweden have recently launched serious efforts,

using both traditional and hi-tech methods, to find a way to aid this unique fish – the “Bothnian” Grayling.

As a child I was not aware of the uniqueness of the fish I caught on the fly along the Gulf of Bothnia´s stony shores. Many years later though, I realized that it was a unique breed of Grayling that spawned in the Sea. From what I know, not heard of elsewhere.

Yes, some grayling close to the river outlets do choose the rivers and brooks for spawning, but the unique species of the Thymallus Thymallus that lives all its life in the Sea, does instead spawn on the shallow rocky gravel beds of the Gulf instead of on the gravel bottoms of the running waters.

Now, the County of Västerbotten is radio tagging the sea living grayling to find more about their chosen habitats, spawning runs and how widespread the nowadays sparse populations are.

To catch the fish suitable for radio tagging, they normally use conventional fly fishing with three flies and boat fishing with outrigging arrangements using a long line attached with multiple flies stripping the surface or below in slow speed. In Swedish this is called “Fiske med utter”. A method that previously has been very popular for catching a lot of fish for the households. Nowadays though, it is forbidden in most waters.

A new method in this study is tracking the movements of the grayling by an underwater drone. A method giving additional hope of finding new and vital understanding to aid the strained sea living population to survive and grow.

Watch this space!

Harry Salmgrén, Sweden Secretary

Grayling Society Area 2 Day on the Nadder

kriskent@hotmail.co.uk (Kristian Kent) — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 21:00:00 GMT

River Nadder, Teffont Fishing Club

The Grayling Society

I joined The Grayling Society back in February while at the British Fly Fair International and happened across their stall where after a short intro I decided to sign up and walked away with a free Grayling print as a sweetener. The Grayling Society was formed in 1977 with the aim to conserve and establish the Grayling as a true, wild, game fish. Over the years Grayling have been marginalised by the trout fishing elite, annual culls of Grayling populations in English rivers was commonplace. Even the late, great Frank Sawyer initially viewed Grayling as vermin that needed to be controlled to allow the Trout to thrive, but over time he came to love them and was one of the early proponents of the wet nymphing method which we predominantly use to catch them in recent years. From very modest beginnings, the Society has grown to over 900 members in a total of 18 countries around the World, with Overseas Secretaries in Europe, Scandinavia and America. The Society aims to increase awareness, assist conservation and promote angling. This is achieved through regional networks that are run by Society representatives and offer opportunities to fish unique, exclusive and diverse waters across the UK.

Teffont Fishing Club

My regional representative Alex Adams sent out a call for anglers to fish a stretch of the River Nadder run by the Teffont Fishing Club , and given that i live nearby I relished the opportunity to cast a line as one of the first to seriously fish for Grayling for many years. The Club has 6 miles of river split into 4 beats, it offers a wide range of variety with Beat 4 more akin to the Upper Avon, fairly straight with long riffly glides and deeper holes on the infrequent bends. On the other side Beats 1&2 offer some challenging 'combat fishing', over hanging trees, narrow streams and bends, twists and turns - a real stalking anglers paradise. We met up in the morning and were greeted by the Keeper and Club Secretary who were both vary helpful and accommodating. After drawing lots I was awarded a morning session on Beat 4 and afternoon on 1&2. After an initial chat we got kitted up and guided over to the parking areas where we dispersed to attack the river. The river was running low but a little coloured, I opted for a klink & dink / New Zealand / dry dropper approach, with a Hares Ear Klinkhammer on the top and connected a size 16 PTN with pink bead to 15 inches of 3lb fluourocarbon. Under the advice on the Keeper I went with a short 7'6" Orvis Clearwater 3wt to tackle the tighter areas - I was glad of this decision in the afternoon.

Grayling Bling

Beat 4 didn’t disappoint after I realised that the drab flies I had initially selected were not being picked out easily in the coloured water so I tied on some Grayling bling. After missing the first 4 takes I zoned in on the Grayling and started putting a couple in the net after targeting the knee high riffles which remained the most productive areas through the day. The bites were generally fast, likely to be very small fish rather than shy biters given the paucity of club anglers enjoying late season sport. I finished the session on a slow, deep canal type bit of water, hoping for it to maybe hold some bigger fish and after covering a rising fish hooked into something that took a couple of yards off the reel, could this be a 2lb+ Grayling I thought, but alas, it was an overwintered stockie of just under 3lb - he obviously didn’t get the memo. We met back with the rest of the team for lunch, it seemed everyone had enjoyed their morning, a good number Grayling up to 1lb had been caught and a fair few unintentional wild Brownies which is a testament to the quality of the ecosystem. Despite the constraints of social distancing it was nice to have a bite to eat and converse with the other members who had travelled from all over and all had different experiences, another benefit of joining the Society.

Jungle Warfare

The next stop was Beat 1&2, this was indeed a different challenge. The river was narrow with undercut banks created by the twisting turns. It was wild and claustrophobic at points - a perfect wild fish habitat. I jumped straight into the river and after 20mins hadn't touched a thing and realised it required a different approach. I'd love this to eb the point where I describe the new method that went on to catch a bucket of fish, but alas it wasn't to be, I was left scratching my head instead. The water looked perfect, a bit of everything and I switched between dry dropper, French leader and long light nymph setups but apart from bumping a couple off and some lightning fast bites I couldn't get anything in the net. Accordingly I called it a day by 4 o'clock. I never wish a bad days fishing on anyone but I was pleased to hear my beat partner had only caught one Grayling on this occasion. But like me he had enjoyed the fishing and agreed that there was a good head of fish but we just couldn't crack them on this stretch.

I must say that Teffont Fishing Club is an absolute gem, well run, maintained and welcoming people. The club has limited membership to only 50 people which helps preserve the quality of the angling. They plan to only stock a small proportion of the stretch, allowing people to catch and kill as required while maintaining the naturalised wild fish to thrive elsewhere. Likewise, The Grayling Society is an excellent organisation, the money raised from this day with the Teffont club will help fund work by the Wild Trout Trust helping to conserve and increase stocks of wild Trout across the UK.

Tight lines,

Ben Worley - Upavon Fly Fishing

Check out Ben's other Blog posts at https://upavonflyfishing.co.uk/blog

Small Pleasures

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 11:30:34 GMT

Well this is a bit of a situation isn’t it ...

... the last time I wrote anything for this blog I was more concerned about rain and rivers in flood to stop my fishing activities. How quickly our worries change.

I hope that doesn’t sound flippant, these are unquestionably serious times we are living through. My thoughts go out to all those who are suffering health wise and those whose livelihoods are at risk. A massive shout out to all those people who are doing what must be a difficult job in looking after us all; carers, shop workers, delivery drivers, etc. and of course our wonderful NHS.

It brings my worries of getting out fishing into sharp context and seem somewhat misguided. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel, there always is. Whilst I can’t now one day I will be able to get into the river again where I feel at home and at peace and I’m positive many of you are feeling exactly the same. Hold onto that thought.

In the meantime I have been using my allotted exercise time to walk the footpaths along the river near my home. These walks were the playground of my youth and the places I started this long education of my fishing life. The River Camel doesn’t hold any Grayling just Trout but in its heyday it supported great numbers of Salmon and Sea Trout, oh and what Salmon they could be. They are still there just not in the numbers they used to be and maybe not in the same sizes. I have just got back from today’s walk and this time of year all that can be seen are the small Brownies whizzing about the pools, running for cover as they feel my heavy footsteps approach the bank. Large Dark Olives and Grannom are trickling off the water’s surface. It may still be chilly but the sun is out and spring is certainly making its appearance. Some small pleasures.

You all take care of yourselves and I will see you on the riverbank when we reach the end of this tunnel.

Ian Elford, Area 1 Secretary

Photos are of the upper River Camel, pretty much at the bottom of my childhood garden.

Area 1 at the South West Fly Fair

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 16:13:24 GMT

Area 1 at the South West Fly Fair

The last weekend of February I was able to represent the Grayling Society at the South West Fly Fair. This annual get together at Roadford Lake in Devon and organised by the South West Lakes Trust is always a well-attended day with many organisations and trade stands in attendance. This year in my new role of Area 1 Secretary I wanted to promote the Society and our Lady of the Stream so in conjunction with Launceston Angling Association, of which I am also Vice Chairman this year, we booked our stand.

The morning of the show was greeted with, what seems to have become the norm, heavy rain. Crossing the Tamar at Launceston the river had completely burst its banks and flooded the surrounding fields. Not boding well for the start of the trout season in a couple of weeks!

I think we had every season in one day for the show when snow showers became storm force winds and then lovely sunshine. Thank you Storm Jorge.

Luckily we were inside but I did feel for those poor souls trying to take casting demonstrations. The day went very well with plenty of interest in what we do as a society and I hope that those who expressed an interest in joining will have by now. I spoke with some of our existing members and it was good to put faces to names.

I was ably assisted on the day by fellow Society member and Launceston President, Rod Dibble, who was busy handing out application forms for the Association but really wanted to just show off his newly purchased Trotting Centre Pin.

To while away the hours and to give some interest I tied some Czech nymphs and a few bugs using different varieties of Chadwicks or Spindrift substitutes. Much discussion about their differing qualities ensued.

The photo was taken at the end of the day after the crowds had subsided and a weary Rod Dibble offered to pose for the picture.

Ian Elford - Area 1 Secretary

Welcome to our blog

secretary@graylingsociety.net (John Walker) — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 11:54:04 GMT

Welcome to THYMALLUS, the Grayling Society Blog

If you have any contributions to the blog please contact John Walker on secretary@graylingsociety.net

A Day With Myddleton Angling Club

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 11:31:51 GMT

A Day With Myddleton Angling Club

One aspect of the Grayling Society which is rarely mentioned but is always there, is the friendship (and fun) amongst many of the members.

I have noticed over recent years particularly whilst organizing the Symposium, that there are a good number of members who wish to sit near or next to and fish with their Grayling Society pals, even though they may not have seen them since the last do.

It is one aspect of clubs in general where like minds congregate that friendships are borne and flourish and is certainly true in the Society. The 'Derby Boys', for example, with Roger Walker occupy one Symposium Dinner table each year and, last year, it was good to see a new party of six including our new Area Secretary
Ian elford, from the West Country, who made up another table.

Recently I was invited by Steve Rhodes to a get together of some Yorkshire faces, most of whom I had not seen for some time on the lovely stretch of the Wharfe, just above Ilkley, where Myddleton Angling Club has a 3 mile stretch. It borders a short section of an 82 mile Dales Way to Bowness in the Lake district.

It was good to bump into John Davison, the Myddleton Club President, from whom I took over as Editor of the Journal some 20 odd years ago, and be introduced to Steve Garner, the Club Secretary.

Bacon butties, provided by Brian Clarke eaten, we set off for the river. The deadly twosome, Ade Bristow and john Roberts eagerly set off to their favourite spot whilst I then spent a pleasant few hours with the two Steves and Chris Lythe, the centrepin craftsman, watching him catch the first grayling, and then perfecting some long distance releases. Being the new boy and only armed with fly tackle I went with Steve Garner to a new stretch at the top of their beat, where the river was more suitable for fly gear.

The high wind got the better of me so I went off to do some exploring of the beats. The Club has invested in a beautiful watercolour map which can be downloaded from the Club website and is excellent in pointing out all the named parts of the Club’s waters. However, I wish that I had read the Wild Trout Trust report on the fishery as it also pointed out some areas of the stretches which I did not get the chance to visit.

The forecast of rain and high winds did not lend itself to flyfishing, but it turned not to be as bad as the forecast, and a good number of Grayling were caught, all on trotting gear.

All in all I spent a very pleasant few hours spent in the company of fellow fishermen. I didn’t catch (but I didn’t lose any flies) but I was amongst fellow anglers who I had known for several years through the Society and as they say “ There’s more to fishing than catching fish.”

Rod Calbrade - Symposium Coordinator