So my 2nd half of the season went ok, I fished several times per week and each time caught fish. The flyleaf was superb, most evenings there were sedge fluttering, spinners dipping, midge middling and duns hatching.
On the 15th July I fished above the 1 arch bridge in the park, I had waded out about 15 feet from the bank and there were even fish rising between me and the bank! I covered a decent rise and was surprised to land this.
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| A lovely dace. |
Another coarse fish on fly to add to my list.
August followed much the same as previous years, when it was warm fish rose right past darkness however on those evenings when the temperature dropped, usually around 9, the fish dropped too and rises ceased.
September came and went in a flash as I was away in Greece for 2 weeks, and lovely it was too! I fished the sycamore and willow pools a couple of times but as the nights were beginning to draw in fishing ceased around 9 at the latest if temperatures allowed.
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| A lovely brown from the Willow Pool |
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| Autumn colours starting to show at the Sycamore Pool |
I was determined to fish right up to "last orders" and met Derek on the 3rd when we went down to Max's bench pool. It was a difficult start as nothing was showing but around 2 a few duns started to come off and then the odd fish rose, I connected with a few before managing to net a lovely brown.
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| A brown which had been rising between me and the near bank! Notice the lice near it's pectoral fin? |
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| View down Max's bench pool. |
On the 4th we met again at the works and I went down to the Willow pool (again!!) this time a grayling was the 1st to be landed, fish were rising in the run on the far side but I think the grayling must have been a fluke as nothing else showed any interest in the multitude of flies I put over them. I even got into the run with my seine net but could not see anything which the fish could be taking. Even getting my face down to water level there was nothing however this did not put the fish off rising being only a rod length away. They must have known winter was around the corner and lean times ahead. I went down to a size 26 grey olive dun and picked up a couple of browns but missed many more as the small hook would not take hold.
This was my last visit before the trout season finished so now onto the grayling........
So just a couple of shots of Chatsworth in all her glory on 1st November in full autumn colour.
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| View from the bridge towards the house. |
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| The cricket pitch were the river is over by the poplars. |
