Big northern grayling on light tackle

MARTIN Lofthouse’s nerve held firm while he landed this 3lb 4oz grayling on fine line and light tackle from a northern river.

The 50-year-old all-rounder, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, trotted a worm hookbait under an Avon float carrying 7BB, and admitted there were times during the fight that he worried about losing the huge fish.

Martin, who added a few smaller grayling during his session, said: “I hooked the fish at range in very fast water and it took a timed 18 minutes to land.

“It became tangled in a nearside willow briefly, but luckily it freed itself. I used a size 16 Drennan Red Maggot hook – I find these to be the best pattern to avoid losing grayling which twist and turn in the current.”