CLA Gamefair

Went to the CLA gamefair at Belvoir (beever) Castle with Roger and Derek, this is the 1st time I have been. Made for the fishermans row 1st to checkout the various stalls. All the usual people were there WTT, S&TA, Lakeland Flytying etc. It was overcast which was ideal for browsing as the tents were not hot. Bought some rusty spinner cdc for those evenings spinners and some golden plover hackles to tie some spiders. Caught up with some old faces too. It was surprising how few people were there. Several times we were the only punters in the various stalls, must be very worrying for the stall-holders. A couple of times gusts of wind sent the displays of expensive Hardy, Sage and Orvis rods clattering across the ground but unfortunatley the proprietors were not up to accepting offers for shop soiled goods!

The WTT had a couple of good displays, one was a piece of round gutter inclined at a gentle angle to represent a stream with riffles and runs, with gravel in the bottom and various pieces of twig fastened to represent woody debris. As a piece of the twig was removed it was really surprising how quickly the gravel was washed away thus depleting the spawning gravel. Likewise when woody debris was placed in the run and gravel introduced at the top, how quickly it built up behind the obstruction. Stuart Crofts was also displaying various nymphs (BWO and stonefly) and shrimps, again very informative as usual, Stuart is always very enthusiastic and eager to share his knowledge.

We left around 1630 but could not get over how quiet the fair had been. There were not traffic hold-ups and the carparks were only half full at the most. The economic downturn has obviously affected everyone. Overall a good visit and recommended if you have not been before and interested in all things country.

Last Light

Went down to the willow pool for last orders at 2030. Not one of the warmest evenings! Was not expecting much but this pool is sheltered and there were a lot of spinners about and small pale sedge, or thats what they looked like. Started off with an olive dun as my rod was still made up from Monday night and immediatley started catching, the first 2 a decent brown and a nice rainbow both as wild as they come. Then connected with something larger which made off with my fly and cast. Hopefully it will be able to get rid of it fairly quickly. Made up a new cast and put on the old faithful rusty spinner as there were a lot on the surface now. Again started to connect with fish and landed several more browns, most of them stock fish. The rise to the spinner was totally different to that of the dun, the fish were either head and tailing to take it or just sipping it down, superb! Fished until could not make out my fly on the surface but struck when I knew it was in the vicinity of the rise, 50/50 hookups. Temperature dropped by 2130 so decided to tickle them with a sedge, only 1 taker but the best fish of the evening running to nearly 2lbs fin perfect and again a wild one, my opinion anyway. Finished up with 8 browns and 1 rainbow, not bad for an hour and 15 mins.

My interpretation of a rusty spinner, this is the one which took the majority of fish.

Another Good Evening (then all evenings fishing are good)

Decided to go over the road for the last hour, below Baslow old bridge. Temperature not as high as expected, river in good order considering all the recent rain. Rusty spinners on the surface again and also duns hatching. Caenis and the occasional sedge,the swifts were also about taking fly. Things were looking good. Started with a CDC sedge and took a few rainbows including a superb 9" wildy. Changed to rusty spinner and continued to take another couple including a nice brown and a grayling. Finished at 2145 picking up another couple (totalling 8 all to rising fish) including another wild rainbow, encouraging! Temperature dropped even further by the time I finished. Roll on tomorrow evening!

Wednesday 15th July

Actually managed to get out last night! Met Derek by the 1 arch bridge at Calton Lees, went upstream to below the bottom weir. The small deer (fallow?) had put in an appearance as we walked up.

Unfortunately only managed 2 shots (not with a gun) as I was using Mrs P's camera and the battery died so no fishy pictures.

Derek fished 1 side with a dry pheasant tail and I fished the other with a klinkhammer, we both connected to fish straight off but neither of us could keep them on initially. Fish were taking the bwo duns/spinners and some small sedge. It wasn't long before we were both connecting to fish, I took predominantly browns with just 1 small wild rainbow and a grayling. I moved up to directly below the weir where there are a few deep pools so just dropped a "larry's pride" (nice one Mick!) which was taken by several good browns. Decided to move further down below Derek where the trout were going berserk for the rusty spinners. I took 2 good browns 3" from the bank again on good old larry's pride, by now it was about 2130 so switched to a rusty spinner and picked up more browns. The rise forms varied from full blown splashes to barely noticeable sips which tended to be the bigger fish. There were so many fish taking the spinners as the surface was covered by lots of spinners that I was spoilt for choice as to which fish to cast to. It has been a long time since I have seen a spinner fall like this, certainly do not remember anything like it last year. Finished around 2230 after a really enjoyable evening as it did not look too promosing at 1900, the temperature dropping from 2200 but still fish rising! Lost count after 15 of the number of fish taken, Derek also finishing with a similar number. On the way back to the car heard the stags calling thier harem together by now some of the larger deer had also appeared. A truly wonderfull picture in the setting of Chatsworth Park topping the evening.

Back From Hols

Got back last night from 2 weeks in Corfu (cor phew far too hot), itching to get back on the river! Got up to date reading all my copies of the usual fishing mags, several times also read John Baileys latest Trout at 10000 Feet which is a decent read. Hoping to get out tomorrow evening providing the current rain does not bring the river up as checked the river before and it looks in good order. Derek informs me that there have been some good evenings with the rusty spinner these last couple of weeks. Still the odd mayfly hatching, this seems to happen each year when odd mayflies hatch all through the season, I have even seen them in late september! Is this a record? Rain coming down heavy now (2200) however fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Sunday and An Enjoyable Afternoon & Evening with Mick on the Derwent

Met Mick (aka Trugg) from the forum for a day on the Derwent at 1300, went down to the fishing hut and decided to fish down there away from the crowds. Expected it to be busy but there was nobody there, could not believe it. Showed Mick the pools and the possible lies and runs before fishing the next pool down. Noticed Mick in to fish several times.

For his view on the day see his blog here

http://derbyshireonthefly.blogspot.com/

Spent a few hours before going back to the hut for a "kelly" tea, very tasty!

The mayfly failed to materialise even though it was ideal conditions. Went down to the bottom end of the fishery and showed Mick some more riffles, runs and pools where again he picked up numerous good fish.

Went back for a bite to eat of Hancocks pork pie and cooked ham and salad washed down with a bottle of Theakstons Old Peculiar lovely, however. Just as I sat down at the picnic bench it all went flying! Everything landing on me and the grass. Once we both stopped laughing we managed to salvage most of it. Needless to say if they introduce bench rolling as an Olympic sport then count us in!

Went into the park below the cricket pitch for the last hour where there was a hatch going on and again Mick picked up some good fish finishing the day with well over 20 fish.

Mick with a lovely wild rainbow

Mick into another fish below the cricket pitch

Finished about 10pm after a really great day, I am glad Mick caught fish as I am always apprehensive when I take a guest as all I want is for them to catch fish an enjoy the surroundings.

An Afternoon Towards Litton

Presidents Pool

Derek said lets go to the Wye so not being one to refuse an invite onto Cressbrook and Litton said oh well ok then! Started on the Presidents pool and worked my way up through a couple of pools. Mayfly and fish rising all the way, tried my new hatching mayfly pattern and couldn't go wrong, maybe thats why they call it duffer's fortnight! Caught plenty of browns plus a few wild rainbows. Met up with Derek back at Presidents where Derek proceeded to bully a 3lb+ rainbow which was minding its own business.

Not that Rainbow!

Decided to walk down to the rock face and fished there taking several browns again. Noticed a small rise on the far bank so worked my way round to cover it and wallop! The smallest rise produced the best fish of the day, a cracking brown which had me all over the pool.

That Brown!

The Wye is a good river to test out new patterns due to it being so much clearer that the Derwent which has that peaty tinge to it, you can see the fish's reaction to your flies and whether they inspect them or dismiss them completely out of hand. Although its only a stones through from the Derwent they could not be two more different rivers to fish both having their own attractions.

Decided to call it a day at 1830 so went back to mine for a BBQ and polished off most of a bottle of merlot, days don't get much better that this!

Thursday Evening

Went over the road for the last 45 minutes, literally. The temperature had dropped again and only the very occaisional rise. Covered 2 and managed to land a very nice brown and a good grayling. Took some photos earlier in the evening of rising fish (hence the decision to go for last orders) but couldn't quite get it right but got a few decent shots. All being well going friday afternoon again.

An Afternoon down towards Beeley

Decided to take a half day and go fishing. Arranged to meet Derek at 1330 at the fishing hut. Got there on time and checked the river out, in perfect condition, lots of ranunculus but not in flower yet, level a bit on the low side but gin clear. Mayfly starting to hatch. Met another member, Bob who had a few guests with him and there were a couple of other cars so probably all the best pools taken.

Tackled up whilst waiting for Derek then Bill came back to the hut with a guest, Caroline, Bill's niece (or thats what he told us!..........only joking Bill) certainly much better looking than his usual guests he brings!

Derek arrived 1400 ish and we spent the best part of an hour chatting to Bill and Caroline with the usual p!ss take.

Decided to fish the bottom end with Derek and work our way back up to the pool below Max's bench. Started to catch on a mayfly nymph as not that many fish rising at the moment. Caught 1 brown, 1 rainbow and 1 grayling.

Derek leapfroged above me and went up first, not the best thing to do as Derek is a fine fisherman and not too many fish get missed by him. He was using the 1-up-1-down mayfly and was constantly knocking fish out. The mayfly were now hatching together with the odd yellow may dun, never seen a fish take one of those although I know some people swear by them. Some olive uprights about as well with small black 'things' near the surface. Decided to change to the same and got one. Temperature dropped and Derek said it was down to 60 however within half an hour it had dropped to 55 and storm clouds were massing. Before long it started to rain but only a light however it affected the fish as little or nothing was now rising. The odd fish started to show after the shower but it wasn't long before the rain started to come down quite heavy so called it a day at 1730 as I was now frozen! Not a bad afternoon certainly better than working, ended with 4 fish and more pricked and lost, Derek ended with 10.

The take, just missed it (photographically)

The Rainbow, a wild one?

Followed by a brown

Weather forecast not too good for the weekend, hope the river is ok for Sunday as Mick, aka Trugg, is coming down as my guest, as long as the river doesn't come up but the temperature does then it should be a good day.

The charolais bull is in the field adjacent to the lower stretch, he looks very scary and built like the proverbial brick outhouse but he has his harem to keep him from chasing us, hopefully?

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.