Last Week

I'm a bit late filing this but last week was a disaster fishing wise. I had booked the week off as went to France with some friends for a long weekend and had planned to fish on Wed-Fri. Unfortunately the rain came on Tuesday night and the river came up about 18" and was the colour of bad coffee hence no fishing. I did attempt a few hours on Friday arranging to meet Derek at the cricket pitch, the river looked fishable in Baslow earlier in the morning but really down in the park the river was definitely so-so. So much so Derek didn't even tackle up which is saying something. I went up through the cricket pitch pool with a dry LDO and snaffled a brown of 10" but nothing else. There was a good hatch too of LDOs and also some paler olives of the same size. I also trapped a larger fly and went through my reference books on return home and reckon it's a large brook dun. The photo doesn't do it justice as the wings were more mottled than here.

 

 

 

I then went up to the deer boom which is above where Bar Brook enters the river and it was definitely clearer above as the brook was pouring out a real chocolaty mess, no wonder it was coloured further down. It also transpired that Derek had gone above the works and the river was clearer again as there is another brook below the works which was also feeding in some mucky water too.

 

I winkled out another brown from the deer boom area to a dark olive fsn as there was nothing rising and the hatch had more or less petered out. I went down to bar brook and fished the edge where the mucky water met the clearer water again with the fsn and got another 2 small browns. Not bad I suppose but not the afternoon I was expecting as the coloured water definitely put the fish down as the hatch around the cricket pitch was certainly tempting for the fish but not enough!

 



On the Thursday it was the anniversary of the Dambusters raids and I was pottering about in my garage when I heard a rumbling in the distance then realised it was a Lancaster. I dashed outside to see the plane above the house towards Baslow Edge a fantastic sight! It was followed closely by a Spitfire or Hurricane. I watched as it circled Chatsworth and came over my house again, I dashed to get the camera and it then circled for a 2nd time and these are a few shots I got. Unfortunately the best shot was before I got my camera as it banked right overhead however these aren't too bad!

The First Evening Rise?

NOT!!!!!
I decided to have an hour after work as it had been a glorious day on Tuesday with the temperature in the low 20's so I eagerly made my way down to the willow pool. Unfortunately the fish were not coming out to play. No rises and not much buzzing about, the odd midge, olive and sedge only. I had started with a LDO just to try and tempt something but nothing then a grey-olive parachute but still nothing came to investigate. I briefly went downstream to the next pool but only a few small grayling or trout showed a lacklustre interest in my fly but nothing connected. I went back up to the willow pool and tried a fox squirrel nymph and landed a decent rainbor around 2.5lbs. I called it a day at 7 after just over an hour, the temperature had dropped too much. Still it was good to get out and wet a line. Looking forward to a week off next week so should get some visits in! Lovely.

At Last a New Season Starts

I decided to go on my first outing even though the weather was a bit on the cool and wet side. I went down to the willow pool, nobody else was about maybe due to the weather conditions. The Derwent was looking good with a hint of colour and maybe up an inch or two. The upstream wind was blowing quite hard which made casting tricky as I was a bit rusty due to not being out since February. I started with a dark olive fsn with a big bead to get down to the bottom as there was definitley no surface activity. After a couple of upstream casts the fly line stopped and I struck into a good sized rainbow which decided that he didn't want to play much and after a few jumps gave up the ghost! The river keeper came down and we spent half an hour chatting. A fish rose during this time as the odd olive fluttered about but not what you could call a hatch. I persevered for another half an hour for nothing so went up to the run in to the pool and made a few half hearted downstream casts getting another rainbow, this time an over wintered one. The wind now had changed to downstream and the showers were a bit heavier so another couple of casts and a reasonable brown I called it a day. It was good to be out again and a decent start to the season but hopefully warmer times ahead.

Saturday 9th February

Well I finally managed to get onto the river for hour, we were due to have visitors but due to the impending snow which was forecast they cancelled. As the snow hadn't materialised this afternoon and it wasn't that chilly, the river was fishable albeit a bit high I decided to go over the road.Even with only a couple of inches above normal it was deceiving the added pressure the river put on you. I couldn't make it across to my favouritr grayling run via my normal route so started in the run on the near side where I picked up 5 grayling, 1 coming adrift as I touched it but I still call that counting towards the total. All came to a combination of fox squirrel nymph and black spider with a tiny pink bead to get it down. The run on the far side was still calling as I usually pick-up something. I crossed lower down but still the push of the current was deceptive. I worked my way up but unfortunately no further grayling came to hand, only a couple of out of season browns which looked very healthy. So looking good for the coming season.
A good hour which was just manageable before the cold got to my feet. My hands were fine thanks to an old sailors trick, rubbing vaseline into them before starting to fish. This really does work and recommended!
Only a couple of weeks left now before the season closes here on the Chatsworth syndicate for the month of March before opening again on the 1st April. The season is now only round the corner which has become more apparent now as I have just received the bill for renewal for next season. Happy times ahead!

Sunny Climes

I went to the Grayling Society meeting in Bakewell on Tuesday to listen to Jonathon Tomlinson give a talk on saltwater flyfishing. This was very varied in the destinations from around the UK to Mexico, Christmas Island and more. It was a really interesting and enjoyable presentation he gave which included lots of lovely photos of the various destinations he has fished around the world. You could almost feel the heat on cold evening, it certainly got the flyfishing juices going! Most of his trips are organised through Fishing Oddysey which has a website worth taking a look at even if it is just to dream about when winning the lottery.

The next meeting is on Tusday 8th January when Mike Green wil be giving a talk on pike flyfishing. another one not to be missed. Anybody out there who is not a member of the Grayling Society can attend, membership is not compulsory. It's at the Rutland Hotel in Bakewell @ 1930.

Finally thank you to everyone who has taken a look at my blog this year. It has not been as comprehensive as I would have liked due to crazy river conditions!

Wishing all my viewers a Happy Christmas and New Year and let's hope 2013 brings lots of good fishing to all.

Cheers!

Burton Flyfair and Grayling Society

Went to the Burton Flyfair on Sunday with Derek. Not a large event but well organised and all the usual suspects there! Spent some dosh, got some of those new Tiemco jig hooks which look interesting for my mayfly nymph, I'm sure they will have extra wiggle. Watched some good tiers including Paul Proctor, Malcolm Greenhalgh and Co. It seemed to be well attended and it is in aid of charity so well done Ray for organising it, I am sure the charities will be pleased with the result.

Its the Grayling Society meeting on Tuesday evening at the Rutland Hotel in Bakewell with Stuart Crofts giving a talk. These evenings are always entertaining. You don't have to be a member so come along for 1930 and have a chat with like minded fisherfolk.

Autumnal Signs

This morning I went up ta get a paper and quite honestly it was definitely Autumn! Heavy dew and chilly.
It's a few weeks since my last blog and since then I had a week down in Somerset/Devon where I managed to get a couple of trips in.
First I had a half day on the Barle on the old Carnarvon Arms stretch I think, this was through Lance Nicholson in Dulverton and was the strecth above the weir which is in the field below the old hotel. I was a bit disappointed by the stretch as it was difficult to get into the river, access was limited. The day was fine and warm however flylife was absent and after struggling with various dries and nymphs I noticed a small rise but could not make out to what. I reverted to a small black parachute and eventually winkled out a half pound brown. I made my way upstream and picked up 2 more very small browns before heading back to the car where Mrs Baslowfisher was.
The following day on Bank Holiday Monday we visited Lynton and Lynmouth and bought a ticket for the Watersmeet stretch of the Lyn river, a true bargain at £3 even for salmon it was only £10 or £15 for the day. It developed into an awful day absolutely chucking it down. We parked at the car park at Watersmeet and made our way down to the river. I was advised by a guide out of the Exmoor White Horse Inn to go downstream for about 300-400 yds and fish back. This is all pocket water and I had on a duo of grey-olive klink and a small ptn. After a few half hearted rises to the dry I decided to take off the ptn as casting in close quarters was difficult. I managed to land 4 small browns as I stumbled and struggled up the valley. I called it day after a couple of hours but I think the stretch has potential.

Last weekend I went fishing down to Beeley, home turf again. It was a warm and sunny day but hatching flies were absent! I went right down to the bottom limit of the Chatsworth beat and fished up. As nothing much was happening up top I had on a small black para to try and get something to come up. At the bottom you can usually guarantee some grayling and sure enough I landed a nice one after a few long range releases. I slowly worked my way upstream but only managed to land a brown before I had to retreat to the bank due to a rather deep hole beneath a willow. I continued in Max's bench pool where I landed another brown followed finally by a rainbow. Derek was in the pool above this and he had been struggling all afternoon too so I was pleased by my 4 fish. We went back to the hut for a cuppa but by the time we had had a chat and finished our tea the temperature had dropped so we called it a day and it was only 1730. Evening sessions are finished now I think?

Weekend Fishing

Saturday

As Mrs Baslowfisher is still in Southport looking after  her Mum I took the opportunity to go fishing last Saturdy to the Derwenty down towards Beeley. The river was fine and clear even though there had been quite a bit of rain previously. I was meeting Derek at 2 at the hut but as I wa a bit early decided to go down to Max's bench pool.The river had been stocked the previous week and this usually puts the all the fish "off" for a few days so wasn't expecting much. I started at the bottom of the pool with my grey-olive parachute, a good all rounder, and eventually weedled out a nice brown which hadn't been rising but obviously liked the look of my fly. Not much fly-life was about which was surprising as it was a warm day. Following a couple of half hearted rises and not contacting I changed to a Nana's fly and then started to raise a few and landed a couple more browns, seems this is another good general pattern. Once I got to the head of the pool derek had arrived and was in the pool above and each time I looked up he seemed to have a fish on. I couldn't have this so sidled up to him to find out the score but as he appeared to be landing a lot most had come adrift. He was using his favourite nymph and whilst I was standing by him he did land a couple of good rainbows. He said for me to continue up the pool and I covered several fish with a small black klink now and again laded some nice browns, rainbows and a grayling, all to the black klink and a sedge later on as a few had started to show and splashy rises were around so a quick change to a "Larry's Pride" did the damage. I ended up with 6 browns, 2 rainbows and a grayling by 6 pm. before the sky changed and it looked like rain so called it a day

Sunday

Derek suggested an afternoon on the Wye down at Litton Mill fishing some new water which I hadn't fished before. When we arrived there was mist coming off the water at 1pm which was odd. Derek headed off upstream through what I think is called someones " front bottom" which is the reverse of the rear leat from Litton Mill which is called someone elses "back passage" so I am reliably informed by DM!!! I proceeded downstream working my way towards the weir half way between the 2 mills. Initially I fished a decent run and landed a couple of small browns. So continuing downstream with my grey-olive klink I covered some rises and was rewarded with some lovely wild as they come rainbows. Unfortunately I left my camera in the car as it was a bit showery so didn't want to knacker it again. I worked my way down to the weir where I noticed a few rises in the fast water below, needless to say I again landed a rainbow, wild again about 12" absolutely stunning. Derek ambled down to meet me and when I told him I had had 6 fish it surprised him as he had not managed to land as many, YES! By now it was beginning to get a bit chilly being down in the dell and it was only around 5 so we worked our way back to the car, me taking another 3 fish to Derek's nil! Considering the day and the ever present mist on the water and very little flylife I was satisfied with my day.

Recommendations?????????

Can anybody recommend any rivers to fish around Exmoor/North Devon for trout?

Tuesday again

As it is a week since my last fishing visit due to family issues, Mrs Baslowfisher is looking after her Mum in Southport I decided to head over to The Rutland Arms to sample the food as it has recently changed hands again. The food is pub-grub and a decent home-made burger was soon devoured and delicious it was too! I returned home but instead of falling asleep I decided I would have the last hour over the road below Baslow old bridge. It was a lovely warm evening, just like the ones we used to get years ago! Spinners and sedges were present so on went my usual rusty spinner. Unfortunately there was nothing rising repeatedly so it was a case of fishing the runs where I knew fish would be holding. The first fish was a lovely grayling around 10-12". This was followed after snagging the grass behind me by a better grayling but disaster as it took the hook away. The snag had obviously damaged the leader even though I had checked it but note to self "in future snip off 6" of leader and remake the knot". I replaced the fly with a sedge but this proved fruitless so back on went a rusty. This was taken by a lovely wild brown about 12-14" which was quickly returned. I wondered down to the run below the bench by the church and although there were some rises they were not interested in my fly until I placed it into a run on the far side and another grayling was landed. I decided to call it a day then as it was obvious nothing was much going to happen and I was satisfied for my 3 fish in an hour even though I could have carried on.