Orvis Customer Service

I have just received a new top piece for my rod which I broke last week, I only took it into the shop in Bakewell on Saturday. Now thats what I call service. Thanks Orvis.

Not a Good Start and a Wet Foot

Managed to complete my nursing duties and slip away for a couple of hours so decided to fish the fast water by the works. On getting my rod out of the bag I broke the tip off, brilliant! Someone is telling me I shouldn't be here. Fortunately home is only 2 minutes away so decided to tackle up at home and walk down to below Baslow new bridge and work my way back up. There was a massive hatch of LDOs and grannom. Trapped a couple to make sure. Started with a LDO (OE's pattern) and got a couple of good browns and a decent out of season grayling. Worked my way to the upstream side of the new road bridge but what was interesting is that the grannom were not hatching or fluttering about as much as below the bridge. Maybe they haven't worked there way that far yet as last year I spoke to Stuart Crofts about the grannom and he was surprised that they had reached the Chatsworth stretch. Winkled out a couple of rainbows and grayling from above the bridge before the temperature dropped slightly and the hatch petered out. The odd fish was rising still and I managed another rainbow and grayling so ended up with 9 fish for the 2 hours which I call a decent afternoons fishing. Oh and the wet foot? It's the first time I have used my breathables this season and the damn things are leaking. Does anybody have any opinion on the length of time breathables should last, I have had these Simms for 6 seasons, is that to be expected?

A Pleasant Afternoon on C&L F C at Monsal Dale

Its only my second outing of the trout season due to Lynn falling and breaking an ankle and me having to nurse her. Derek offered a shared rod on the Wye yesterday where we met Don and Bill at the luncheon hut. It was a beautiful afternoon with a sharp downstream breeze. We all walked up the dale taking alternate casts to rising fish as there was a hatch of olives taking place. My first cast was a "bow and arrow" cast with one of Derek's fabled nymphs and the trout targetted took first time, a lovely brown about 12-14 inches. Bill took a couple on the dry so Derek changed over to a dry olive and he also took a couple. We made our way up the Dale but the rising fish where only in certain pools where the sun shone on the water, out of the sun it was still decidedly chilly. I took a small wild rainbow further up the river to nymph again. Derek also took his fair share of fish. I left Derek working his way upriver at about 1600 to get back to the invalid. All-in-all a very pleasant afternoon with lots of banter with good freinds.

Monday 5th April 1st Outing of the Trout Season

Well it did not rain on Sunday and the river was running about 6-8 inches above normal and reasonably clear by Monday so decided to go down to the willow pool. Got to the car park to find 5 cars already there,doh! A guy was just coming away and informed me the willow pool had someone already there. The wind was quite strong so decided to go down to the gulley area, this is always quite sheltered be it during strong wind or bright sunshine. Started off with a dark olive squirrel nymph and immediatley picked up a small wild brown, a great start to the season. Noticed a couple of large dark olives sailing down but nothing interested in them but it still convinced me to change to a large dark olive (O.E's). On the second cast the twin of the 1st trout took and that was 2 fish in a matter of minutes. Moving slowly up the pool I took another 2 browns which were between 12-14 inches, woo hoo. Finished going up the pool with a rainbow about 18 inches. Worked my way back to the 'get out' point where I took another brown and was busy minding my own business taking in everythimng when a voice scared the s*** out me, it was Matthew the river keeper, you will have to get a warning bell! Passed the time of day then went up to the willow pool where the previous occupant had departed. Although the river was not up that much it was hammering through and this pool is quite deceiving in its speed of current, I think the bed of the pool here has changed a bit during the winter, its possible to wade further up now to opposite the cattle drink. There were no further olives seen in this pool so changed to an olive FSN again and landed a rainbow about 2lb. To finish off I then hooked something much larger, Matthew had made his way back and was watching me from the bench and commented 'that's a decent one!' I managed to land one of the largest rainbows I have caught on the Derwent, I had a couple of attempts to get it in my net but eventually managed, it must have been knocking 4lbs. Matthew informed me that he had put in quite a few 'big boys' which are from the feeding pond in the farmyard at the house. It was fin perfect and in superb condition. Switched on my camera but unfortunatley it was one of those were balancing a fish with 1 hand and trying to compose it with the other it gave a quick flick and was gone. So I ended the day with 5 browns and 3 rainbows, a good start to the season.

Derwent Prospects

Its the eve of the start of the new trout season for the Chatsworth Fishery and it's not looking too good. The Derwent is well up and very coloured with rain forecast for tomorrow and most of the weekend. I was hoping to get out on Sunday or Monday but it looks doubtful, will keep my fingers crossed!
Some guys on my bloglist have already been out, especially on the Dove, which I hold dear as it was the river I started my river brown trout fishing in earnest when I moved over from Southport. The blogs are well worth looking at if you have not already done so.
So it looks like another few hours at my tying desk knocking up some more duns and filling up my mayfly box too, mustn't forget them!  Will post once been out.

For my Valentines Day treat I went down to the Derwent to Mary's Bower and worked my way up. On the way down noticed a lot of bank damage due to the recent floods. This poplar tree will soon be in the river!

Tried one of those 'Thingymobobs' as an indicator, not bad but just feels like using a bubble float. Especially when its gets attacked by trout.

Worked my up past what is left of the stump pool but nothing until reached the top of the next pool where I managed to land 2 decent grayling.

Got out at the top and walked up to have a natter to Derek who was fishing up from the cricket pitch. He had had a few as well. This gave me time to thaw out my feet. Its always my feet that get cold first, my body and legs were fine, whats the answer? By now it was past 3 so decided to fish the cricket pitch up for the last 20 minutes before calling it a day. Landed another grayling making 3 for the day, not bad considering it was hard going, all to a dark olive fox squirrel nymph.

Only 2 more weekends left before the season closes for a month.

Just a Few Hours at Last!

Considering the height of the river on Friday it has certainly dropped quick. Looks like there may have been water being let out of Ladybower. It is back to a reasonable level now so went out above the 1 arch bridge for a couple of hours. Went through various bugs and spiders. Dropped my first 2 grayling and it wasn't until my last 20 minutes that 1 managed to actually land 2. Nothing rising and only a few very small flies about. It was good to get out even if it was B. freezing!
The nights are drawing out a bit now, spring is just around the corner, can't wait for the trout season to start.
Going by Mr Pointons blog, it looks like I need a lesson from Mr T. maybe.

Time at the Vice

Didn't bother going fishing over the weekend as both the Derwent and the Wye were well up and coloured.

Spent some time tying up some favourites and a few new ones.

Snipe and purple bead - a new one to try

Partridge and orange bead -a new one to try

Large Dark Olive
size 12 TMC 900BL
Thread olive moser powersilk
Body - brown olive dubbing
Rib - thread
Tail - coq de leon
Wing - Niche Silicon poly yarn dun
Hackle - olive or dun cock




Olive Upright
Size 14
Thread - yellow moser powersilk
Body - grey olive superfine
Rib - thread
Tail - dun cock
Wing - Niche silicon poly yarn dun
Hackle - olive cock

General Olive
Hook TMC 16 206 BL
Thread - Yellow moser powersilk
Body - grey olive superfine
Rib - thread
Wing - Niche silicon poly yarn dun
Hackle - dun cock

These 3 olives all catch for me on the Derwent, hope you try them.

A Few Sedges and Things

Went to the Grayling Society meeting last night at the Devonshire in Baslow where Don Stazicker gave us a chat and slideshow entitled "its not what you fish, its the way that you fish it". As usual with Don, who is exceptionally knowledgeable about all things fly fishing, it was a really enjoyable show. If you get chance to see any of Don's shows or even speak to him take the opportunity, you won't be disappointed.

I have persevered with those B sedge wings and managed to get it to the point of just applying enough heat to burn the wings so they are passable. Anyway I have tied up about a dozen different types including a grannom, brown and black sedges. Here are my efforts, feel free to criticise. Whether they will catch is another matter.

They don't look too bad I suppose. Ok onto the next lot. Think I'll tie some LDOs from the WTT journal from 2008 which had some Oliver Edewards patterns. 1st attempt.

Will post some more "efforts" when I have something presentable!

The Derwent is still up and coloured with all the snow melt which I think will be around for a few more days judging by the depth of the drifts on the tops. Hopefully by the weekend it will be ok. Will put out a report on Friday.

J Son Website

In case anyone wants the website for the Swedish chap who ties these flies here it is:-

www.jsonsweden.com