Evening on Cressbrook & Litton Tuesday

David M invited me for an evening sharing a rod on Cressbrook & Litton Club's water on the Wye. Started around 1900 on duffer's pool at Millersdale. As I was hoping NOT to disgrace myself with my casting etc. I started off with a parachute adams and you know when you think OMG! First cast before the fly even got wet went into a tree which ate the fly! S*** things can only get better!

There were lots of mayfly spinners and duns around with fish taking both with gay abandon. Also olive uprights and some slightly smaller, maybe BWOs? Raised a few but the first to stay on was a beautiful brown of about 1.5 lbs. Gradually worked our way upstream catching fish turn and turn about. This really is a very civilised and social way of fishing were the member takes a guest and the rod is shared. Maybe some other clubs could consider this? The mayfly were constantly moving all the way up to the first footbridge where there were also plenty of sedge.

David catching a few different types, agapetus and micro caddis which are destined for Stuart Croft who is keeping a log of caddis species throughout the country, so if you do catch any send them off to Stuart. See his website here for details.

http://www.pennineflyfishingguides.co.uk/torrentis.htm

First time I had seen micro caddis close up and they must be a size 20 or 18 at a push. Agapetus were larger 14 or 16. Caught a few wild rainbows about 8" fit as they come with the tell-tale white edge to the pectoral and anal fins. They really are a breed apart from the stock fish you come across, thats not to say there is a place for both.

Around 2100 the mayfly started to vanish although the temperature was still up and warm, not like previous evenings when it dropped noticeably. David noticed that there appeared to be some small spinners on the water so switched to a Croft/Calvert cranked shaft spinner, don't know the patented name, sorry Stuart, and immediately started to contact fish but several came adrift before landing fish for both of us. Mayfly finally disappeared but the sedge got heavier and heavier as clouds drifted upstream.

Called it an evening at 2215 and just managed to trek back to the hut before it got too dark. Areally enjoyable evening, thank you David.