You may recall the article Paul sent us a few issue back telling us about how the magnifier he uses for fly tying almost caused a house fire. This month he is back with a grayling trip he had at the start of the year.
Last year was bad. Both of us reaching bus-pass status was accompanied by the ageing process of bits falling off or failing to function, the necessary surgery and extended recuperation times.
Still, this year was looking better, particularly as Christmas brought fishing-related goodies that acknowledged increasing frailty with age.
Partly to test this kit for the first time and partly to try and forget surgery for a new hip on the morrow, I sallied forth with a friend to try and discover if the rumours of grayling on a river I’d heard about were true.
After an hour I had had two fish. Were my eyesight better, I could have been certain that these fry were immature grayling.
Then, climbing back in down a six foot bank, I trod on an uneven little rock, lost my balance and dived forward in some three foot of water.. ….
My Christmas present had been one of the fly fishing vests that is also an automatic inflating lifejacket.
It went off with a loud hiss!
I was turned on my back, and my head and shoulders were pillowed comfortably above the water. The air in the waders kept my feet on the surface so I started gently sailing down the river.
My fishing partner leapt gracefully down the bank into the water, grabbed me and towed me to the shallows so that I could get up.
End of fishing, home in double quick time as I was totally drenched and the water was.......chilly!
I had to iron my banknotes, take a hairdryer to my credit cards put my flies and leaders on a radiator etc., etc., and await herself's return and her ribald laughter. I also found a phone message cancelling my surgery the next day extending trepidation.
At least I know my present works!