I think "Destination Fishing" is the correct forum, even if it's only a twenty minute drive from home for me. Some of you may remember I posted a thread about my first Wild Brown Trout success a couple of years ago to this fine country pub, when as a complete river beginner, armed with a 5wt and some spider patterns and some Klinks I managed to fool a few Brownies and a Grayling.

Well that was two years ago and on Wednesday we repeated the trip as an early Birthday treat as again my Wife will be working away on the actual day. In the meantime I've done a little more river fishing and have learnt a few new tricks. I now own a few more light rods. I also tie my own flies and own that wading staff that Noeyedeer lent me.

The Inn at Whitewell is a great place and we often take visitors for lunch there to puncture any misconceptions that they may have that Lancashire is all like Coronation Street. You can only fish the Hodder there if you are resident or WFA member, and it isn't cheap to stay but I think it's worth it.

We repeated the formula from last time, long country walk, very nice supper, early to bed, full English Breakfast, bye to the Wife (work) waders on and off we go! I'll let the pictures do the talking from here.



















A fabulous day's fishing with plenty of surprises and the obligatory big one that got away.

I know the Grayling are still just out of season, but I though they justified a quick phone snap. I'd guess the largest to have been 1 & 1/2lb and around 14-15 inches long. It never left the water and swam away very calmly.

The Rainbows (I had three all around 8oz) must have been escapees from Dunsop Bridge Trout Farm a mile upstream originally. They were far too small to be Stock's escapees (a few more miles upstream). At first I wondered if they were 'wild bred' but I think the clues point towards naturalised escapees.

SharkeyP

__________________
Often thinks not travel widens,
Stay at home the Trout obliges.

i did take a perfect little 5 inch long rainbow out of stocks last week though maybe some breeding going on cheers john

Or maybe Ben has had to save money on trout pellets and is making up the numbers with some undersized stockies?

Seriously though, that's very interesting if there is breeding going on at Stocks. I doubt if the three I caught could have originated there. They certainly looked like they'd settled into river life but three the same size and none larger or smaller, a mile downstream of a trout farm, the simplest solution is most likely.

I did hook a Stock's escapee at Slaidburn once when bugging. Thought it was a huge Grayling until I saw that familiar magenta stripe! It snapped the line as I grabbed the leader.

SharkeyP

__________________
Often thinks not travel widens,
Stay at home the Trout obliges.