A Day On The River Test May 15th

Spent a day on the hallowed waters of the River Test courtesy of a Corporate Day, John S could not make it so I was fortunate enough to be offered the day.

Travelled down to Stockbridge on Thursday getting there about 1700 so the "essential shops" were still open. Went into the Orvis shop, it's very simialr to the one in Bakewell, to try and find out the SP. Told that the mayfly were hatching along with a few olives and sedge in the evening. Then went over the road to Robjents, here the proprietor was extremely helpful recommending the killing patterns however as I tie my own tried to resist the temptation but succumbed to 2 "Robjents Daddy Longlegs" as its not a fly I usually use, informed the chap that he was extremely privelidged as it is about 25 years since I have actually bought any flies! A really good shop and if you are ever in the area well worth a visit to buy or browse, as we do. If you have never been to Stockbridge it is a lovely market town with pieces of the River Test at strategic points of the high street with the residential brown and rainbow monsters ala Bakewell town centre. However as the local tandoori was just across the way from one particular stretch I am sure the residents here probably would come out ready curried!

Stayed overnight at The White Hart, a welcoming inn at the top of the high streeat again recommended, were I met my hosts Kevin and Dave. Had dinner at the 3 Cups, certainly an entertaining evening!

On Friday morning went down to the Bossington Estate beats where we met Rob the organiser and owner of Halcyon Ways the Corporate Entertaining Business which organises this kind of day. Breakfast was laid on in the fishing hut (I say fishing hut more like a small bungalow you could easily live in) whilst we received the details of how the day was going to pan out with the do's and don'ts namely UPSTREAM DRY FLY ONLY. The River Test looked stunning although a bit coloured but magnificent with fish rising to mayfly which had started to hatch by this time, 1000. Tested my fly was ok at the edge and immediately Jaws grabbed it, a brown of about 8lbs! Needless to say it threw the hook, so carried on upstream wondering what was going to happen next. Do you ever get those days when you rise fish and hook them but they get off within 10 seconds, well this was starting like that. There were fish rising constantly here and there and amongst the mayfly were a couple of different types of olives. Decided to change to a mayfly after so many fish were seen rising and bang, the first to stay on was a brown of about 3lbs in fin perfect condition but obviously stocked. The rain started and though a few mayfly continued to come off the majority of the fish ignored them. Walked upstream to a thatched fishing hut to shelter but passed a few fish taking something small from the surface so covered them with my mayfly using a bow-and-arrow cast as there was bamboo behind me. Again after a couple of drifts a brown took and hared off upstream with me in pursuit as I only had a 4lb point on. Landed it and another superb brown in excellent condition about 4lbs. This went on catching all browns nothing smaller than 2 1/2lbs during the showers.

At about 1230 the heavens opened and so decided to head back to the hut for lunch at 1330 not seeing any fish rise on the way. Following a hearty lunch washed down with some very fine wine we adjourned to the river again, by which the rain had ceased. I took John G, a newcomer to flyfishing who only fished the previous 2 years at this same event, to a beat which Rob informed us had not been fished much. Did not see any fish rising until we got to a weirpool so encouraged John to cast to the edge of the fast water. After a couple of casts he hooked a fine brown and I managed to net it for him. The photo below is the fish, as you can see in first class condition.

Worked our way back to the hut for high tea catching browns all the way back to mayfly which were still coming off. Following tea the temperature dropped and the fly disappeared along with most of the fish so decided to walk downstream to take some photos. Passed a few likely looking places but no fish rising now. Put my mayfly across a weirpool and took another good brown which was duly returned like all my other fish. Got back to the hut at 1930 by which time only our group was left.

Most of the company were virgin fly fishers and had all taken fish which is encouraging to get people interested in fly fishing, they all appeared to enjoy themselves. John who had only fished a couple of times before took home 4 superb browns.

Made for home at 2030 by which time the sun had come out and lit up the whole valley now that fishing for the day was done for.

Once again many thanks to Dave and Kevin who hosted us, and John S for suggesting me to take his place.

None Fishin' this weekend!!!!

Didn't manage to get out fishing this weekend so just popped over the road to check the river this evening! The Derwent has now run-off since the recent flood but the bottom still appears to have a cover of brown slime in places. It is running higher than before the recent rains, its in superb condition clear as a bell. It was about 1900 when I checked but no fish rising or any fly about as the temperature had dropped.

Got an email from Stuart Croft confirming the sedges I sent him from April 17th were grannom. This is the furthest upstream they have been reported according to Stuart.

In an earlier blog I mentioned the 'Nana' fly and that the body was muskwash, according to Mr Google muskwash is another name for muskrat! Thank heavens my Nan did not realise that, then I suppose years ago they would not have sold many fur coats made from rat fur! Interesting to note that the fur I have is not the normal grey of muskrat but a fawn/light tan colour.

A photo from a recent outing, the brown having taken a small black parachute when there were black midges on the water.

30th April

Cold day and raining but as I was on holiday this week was allowed a day fishing. It would have to be today why not yesterday when we went for a walk up Dovedale! Absolutely nothing rising so resorted to dark olive squirel nymph and an PP biot nymph which got 2 very small (4") browns, obviously wild as they come, beautiful! There was a hatch of small black midge so put on a dry black para and got a decent brown. Decided to call it a day at 1600. All the rain we have had over he last few days has not made any difference to the level of the Derwent, we desperately need a good flood to flush out all the rubbish and freshen it up.
Took a few photos which will follow.

26th April

Fished for a few hours above the works. Not much fly about, the odd LDO and a few midge. Only the occaisional fish rising. Water very low and clear with the bottom still covered in brown slime. Sunny but a chill in the air. Managed 3 browns and 1 out of season grayling to nymph and dry LDO.

A Warm Sunny Afternoon

Started about 1330 just above the works, a hatch was underway, olives and grannom. fish rising here and there. started with a LDO and got a couple of rising browns, then a decent grayling. Sunny day and the grannom increased, managed to trap 1 and confirmed that they were sedge as it had the tell-tale green butt. Got back in just above the sycamore pool and worked way back up, managed a decent rainbow on an green sedge pupa, didn't have any dry sedge patterns on me, that will teach me! So put on a grey parachute, the nearest thing I had, raised and landed a rainbow.



A strange thing happened, I was up to my thighs and noticed 4 large perch at my feet absolutely still. So wondered if they would take a fly so put on a heavy hydropsyche adn dropped it at my feet and bang one of the perch had it, about 1 1/2lb! Now there were 3 so tried again and a second perch took this was bigger than the previous 1. So now 2 left and yes took a 3rd which must have been around 2lb! Needless to say number 4 was having none it now however a 5th perch joined him but whether it was one 1 had already caught well who knows?



Got 2 more rainbows before finishing at 1615, both to a sedge pupa. Overall a good afternoon and the first real warm day I have fished.

BTW can't get to grips with the formatting of this blog, it looks ok on preview but rubbish when published!

Friday 17th April

Decided to go over the road and below the new bridge and work my way back up. Started about 1730 till 1930, chilly breeze which dropped away. Numerous flies about, caught what I thought was a sedge but on closer inspection when I got home it was a stonefly as it had 4 wings, about the same size as a grannom. Few olives about. River now low and gin clear with lots of "snotty" stuff on the bottom, it needs a good flood to clear it out. Got 2 decent browns on a LDO dry and an out of season grayling and a rainbow on a black parachute. The rainbow had white edges to its fins and a tail like a spade, gorgeous! By the time I finished there was quite a lot of fly about, virtually an evening hatch but no fish rising by then.

Sunday 5th April

Went into the park at 1300 and fished till 1530. Fish rising here and there even saw a few LDOs. Raised a few and landed a couple of browns on a LDO dry. Also got 1 on a "Nanas" fly. Whats that then? It basically a parachute fly with a muskwash body ( pale tan) with a dun hackle and coq de leon tail. But why Nanas fly, well the muskwash was from my Nans fur coat which was made into something else but there were several off-cuts going spare so not being 1 to let things go to waste! Needless to say it makes a superb body and dubs really well. Used a dark olive squirrel nymph but with an olive bead so had to take a picture to prove to David (I think his name is ) in the Orvis shop in Bakewell that they do work. Still a bit chilly but a glorious day in the park. Noticed a large water vole/rat by the stump pool, did not know what it was but it did have a tail so maybe a rat, who knows?

Friday 3rd April

Again only managed an hour after work by which time it was a bit chilly but the river is in superb condition. Went above the works in the fast water. Got a couple of brownies 1 even on a dry adams although I think that may have been lucky as the rising fish were on to something very small. A few fish rising in the sycamore pool, then there always is there. Missed a couple on a biot nymph even getting broken by 1 of them this is really a good fly! On the way back to the car noticed loads of black midge in several spiders webs, maybe thats what they were taking?

Wedneday 1st April - We're Off!!!

First outing of the new season and I managed an hour after work below Baslow Old Bridge. Definitley good to get out again after the spotties. Nothing rising as it was 1730 and a bit chilly by then so tried a biot nymph a la Procter, which managed to get 3 rainbows and an out of sorts grayling. Not a bad start as 2 of the rainbows were like bars of silver and fully finned, a credit to Matthew for looking after the fish during the close season.

Only a few outings

Had laptop problems hence no updates, please bear with me!

Only been out 3 times since last update but each time managed 3 or 4 grayling. Even christened my new rod (Orvis western 10' #4 which I got in the sale at 50% off an absolute bargain) with a few grayling!

There are still a couple of weeks left before the season closes for March to rest the river. Have had a few out of season browns and rainbows which have been like bars of silver. I am sure this is testament to the excellent work Matthew and the other keepers do during the trout close season. Looking forward to the new season as I suppose everyone else is.

The last S&T meeting in January was good with Barry Grantham demonstrating how to make split cane rods. He had brought a few models with him and they were superb and not too expensive for split cane. Comparable on price to the top the range sage or orvis models. The meeting in March is Charles Jardine who will be cooking up some dishes.

The next grayling meeting in the Devonshire in Baslow has Stuart Croft giving a talk, always a good evening with Stuart, recommended.

hoping to get out this coming weekend, if I manage it will update blog, laptop permitting!

Thanks for taking the time to look at my blog.