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Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jun 24, 2003, 7:54pm

Yesterday the Wye, today one of her tributaries.

Glorious straw hat weather, occasional fish taking duns until a few minutes
after sunset, then the whole river was covered in rings as the Sherry spinners
returned. Still using 5lbs point, they just don't seem to care. If the fly lands
gently and is making that cruciform profile they will take it.

Tonight I stopped after catching a trout so perfect and so beautiful (she was
all of 18 ozs) anything else would have been an anti-climax. A night for
restraint, so away at only 21:00 but very, very happy.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by lugg on Jun 25, 2003, 7:29pm

Hi richard SPeaking of straw hats I thought I'd found an American source to
buy,one The hat - a gambler no less - cost $16 but freight was $53
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where did you get yours???
Ali G aka lugg

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jun 26, 2003, 4:05am


Quote:Hi richard SPeaking of straw hats I thought I'd found an
American source to buy,one The hat - a gambler no less - cost $16
but freight was $53 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where did you get yours???
Ali G aka lugg



Lockes on St James Street in London. It's brown but not really as drab as I
would like. They are making me another in dark green at the moment.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jun 27, 2003, 11:02am

This drop of gentle rain will very likely lead to very big hatches of fly this
weekend. Stay late!

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by keenfisher on Jun 29, 2003, 4:07pm

Fished the river on Friday & despite being lower than my last visit (13th June)
it fished excellent!

Back on the banks this saturday - cannot wait

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jun 30, 2003, 7:00am

Did you stay late?

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by keenfisher on Jul 2, 2003, 2:56pm

Sadly no. Had a otherwise arranged engagement . But this Saturday i intend to
do the dusk till dawn shift!
The journey home doesnt help - still if my numbers come up this evening i may
just be able to afford one night at the Peacock

Re: Derbyshire
Post by Adams on Jul 2, 2003, 6:11pm

I fished the spinner fall around the longest day. It was possible to fish well
into what dark there was. The fish kept coming up for the spent BWO. By 2pm a
river mist arrived and put everything down. They wouldn't even look at a moth or
big sedge (bustard?). We had a ticket for the next day so we carried on until
the sun made the sky grey in the North East. My fishing partner says the fish
began mopping up spinner from the back eddies and margins and were dead easy to
catch as they obviously weren't expecting anyone at 3am...I would have to take
his word for it, being asleep by a combine in an old barn.

Don't forget to let the balliffs know if you plan to carry on through, they get
some nightime poaching and you dont want to get the police out.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jul 6, 2003, 7:20pm

Saturday pm was spent on a tributary of the Wye. At one point the fish were
steadily taking a pale sandy coloured dun. I had some Tup's Indispensable
Variants that matched this fly very well. Ooh! Soft hooks are an abomination. I
had half a dozen I'd made up on Kamasan B170 size 14, boy did they let me down.

The keeper recommended a time machine, so that I could go back to a mid-winter
evening and do them all again on something stronger!

Fortunately for me the fish changed menu and I was able to resume successful
operations using my new Poly Prop Sherry, tied on little carp hooks. (See in Fly
Tying Forum under PPS)

It was still a lovely afternoon and evening even if, once again, a hard lesson
had to be learnt.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jul 6, 2003, 7:22pm


Quote:Sadly no. Had a otherwise arranged engagement . But this
Saturday i intend to do the dusk till dawn shift!
The journey home doesnt help - still if my numbers come up this
evening i may just be able to afford one night at the Peacock



How was it for you?

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jul 9, 2003, 10:17am

The weather is glorious. I'm in the office. Had an 18 hour working day
yesterday, if I can stay awake I can feel a scive coming on. I'll tell everyone
I'm going to the bank! (Not a lie, I AM going to the bank - the river bank!)
Here's hoping for a spinner fall tonight...

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by WarrenSlaney on Jul 9, 2003, 10:46am

Lower Beat has had a bit of a hair cut (in preparation for His Majesty's visit)
and the wild flower meadow is down for hay. Would you like the heavy roller Sir?


Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jul 10, 2003, 5:22am


Quote:Lower Beat has had a bit of a hair cut (in preparation for His
Majesty's visit) and the wild flower meadow is down for hay. Would
you like the heavy roller Sir?



By gum it looks grand! My guest this weekend will be impressed!!!

Last night was fantastic. Caenis and Sherry Spinner during one hour (20:30 to
21:30 ish). Decided to ignore Caenis feeders and watch for those taking Sherry.
Not laziness, just a way of limiting how many I caught per pool. A night for
iron will and restraint.

Had to lay almost flat at a couple of pools as the sheep have had access to the
flag iris and cover is at a premium.

The extra water that Derbyshire has had this year is making everything very,
very bountiful...

If anyone reading this hasn't yet tried my little Sherry Spinner (Poly Prop
Sherry), do have a go with it and let me know how it performs for you. The
dressing is in the fly tying forum under "PPS".

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jul 14, 2003, 4:57am

Saturday. Guest and self arrived after mid-day. Blazing sunshine and great heat
made for very difficult conditions. Cup of tea about 16:00 joined by Warren and
Dill for a while. We enjoyed some pleasant moments and were both fascinated by
Warren's plans already formed for winter work!

It was not possible to escape his quizzical look and raised eyebrows at my being
"dry net" whilst guest had already caught two, a large grayling and a wild
rainbow trout! No excuses I had blown a couple of chances by minor acts of
incompetence. Hey what's wrong with the occasional blank anyway? It makes you
appreciate the successes more. (You do believe me don't you?)

By 18:00 I was still blank but it didn't matter. Second mashing, fresh cup of
tea, sun dipping lower and there we have it! The river is covered in rings. A
quiet sit by a slow glide immediately next to a little board weir and we could
see, among the occasional duns and silverhorns, that reed smuts seemed to be the
dominant fare. Sturdy's Fancy seemed a good start for the evening's efforts. We
split up again and both found sport increased as the light levels fell. I
changed to PPS after a few fish had ignored my Sturdy's but not before managing
to catch a fish I'd been after since the beginning of April. This was due to
trying from the right bank instead of the left bank, as force of habit had seen
me do throughout the season. Warren's trimming work had opened up new
possibilities for me. The bankside vegetation provided me with new hides from
which to quietly flick the little fly into pools that before I had not been able
to fish efficiently whilst on the left bank.

Another great deal of satisfaction came from finding fish that one was simply
unaware of before and then putting the icing on the cake by catching one or two
of them.

Returning downstream to find my guest I came across him battling what turned out
to be a near two pound brown trout, in immaculate condition, that really did
want to be elsewhere. He was very glad that I'd lent him a long handled net. I
arrived in time to remove the fly for him - he was still using the size 18
Sturdy's Fancy and on my 5lbs line that I insisted he tried!

It was 22:15. We both were tired. My 76 year old pal faced a drive back to Leeds
so we packed up leaving the water after a final cuppa at 23:10.

There's something very pleasing about taking a guest to a fishery, finding that
he can acclimatise himself to the water and then having a truly memorable day's
sport.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by keenfisher on Jul 17, 2003, 2:36pm


Quote:

How was it for you?

richard



Sorry for the late response - work very busy!

Fished till about 9.30. Very muggy. Not many fish rising till post 4pm. Fished
middle beat first & caught 2. Short break at the excellent tackle shop was
followed by a marathon 4 hours on the Rowsley beat which bagged a further 4,
some rising fish but not many. After yet another break we set off for the middle
beat once again which by this time, 6.30, was awake! A lonely 1 succombed to my
fly but many more were lost due to my inability to react quickly enough!
The generally sunny day made for difficult stalking with mono sheen being
unavoidable.
Fly selection & presentation was paramount however overall the Light Cahill
proved a valuable assett.
Overall an excellent days fishing despite demanding conditions.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jul 17, 2003, 6:07pm

Good work KF! Light Cahill eh? Hmm... What size? Tough bright conditions are the
toughest test of everything - stalking skills, casting skills, angler's powers
of endurance, clothing, tackle and of course suitable fly for the purpose. What
is your dressing of the Light Cahill?

richard



Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jul 23, 2003, 6:04am

Visited a delightful tributary-of-a-tributary to the Derbyshire Wye last night,
as a very privileged guest. Lovely evening, quick to start for my host and slow
to start for me but brisk sport to the Poly Prop Sherry ensued once the spinner
fall got going about 20:30.

The keeper came down around 21:45 and paid a very welcome visit. After looking
at a pool below a little bridge he declared, “I must put an arched weir in just
here! I’ll do it now!”<br>
“Ooh! Can I help?” I heard myself ask.

“You certainly can!”<br>
The next half hour was so satisfying. The little weir was soon completed made
with stones from the river bed, all selected from above where the weir was being
constructed. The concave side was on the downstream side and a decided force was
already at work in the centre of the stream, scarifying the gravel and surely
bound to excavate a fish holding groove and feed lane. Above the weir an hour
later the water was 4 inches higher and fish were on station, making the most of
their freshly extended bailiwick.

The weir will wash away eventually but not before it has done a lot of good.

Evenings like last night give glimpses of paradise to the lucky ones like
us…<br>
richard



Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jul 27, 2003, 4:09pm

Saturday late afternoon and through the evening, to the lower beat of a
favourite Wye tributary. Approaching a weir pool with two broad feed lanes I had
an appointment with a red spotted brownie that I had spooked a fortnight
earlier. This time the lesson had been learnt. He had sentries posted, four of
them, in a line. Of course they didn't know they were only sentries. They
thought they were waiting for the fish in front to no longer be there and so
move forward to the better spots until they too (or one of them anyway) occupied
the top position.

After literally crawling through the hemp agrimony fringe and sitting quietly it
was possible to catch the rear guard and turn it quickly back in below me so it
shot off DOWNSTREAM. Ah just the job. This was repeated three more times until I
was sure it was safe to cast up to the boss. To make sure I had control of the
cast I retreated out of my vantage point and crawled upstream to make another
foray in through the fringe to make a new vantage point. Everything worked well
enough and soon I was netting this fine cock fish. The keeper appeared just at
the right moment to see his charge regain his composure and move UPSTREAM back
where he had come from. All well and good? Well yes and no. You see whilst I was
casting to the "boss" I noticed a much larger brownie a little bit further up
and nearer to the lasher. Up to then I was oblivious of its presence. It would
seem that "my" boss fish was in fact just another sentry!

Sunday and to a small working party on the Barlow Brook. It's amazing how much
rubbish gets into even the smallest watercourses. I was frustrated believing we
hadn't done much but my friend assured me it was best to do a small bit really
well than to waste work on a large area that never gets finished. He is a
professional in these matters so I was happy to take comfort in his words.

A good flood will make all the difference. More revetments and croys need to be
constructed before the winter. Buying the river was just the start. The
responsibility goes on for ever, but despite the daunting prospect of having to
sort this river out, of the original 15 who chipped in only about 5 have dropped
out and most of them have been replaced with new members.

I'm quietly optimistic.

There's more about the Barlow Brook here:

http://www.wildtrout.org/WTT/projects/au42.asp

Anyone wanting to join for next season just drop me a PM and I'll get the
details to you.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by WarrenSlaney on Jul 27, 2003, 6:08pm

Do you know what the most important job we did today was Richard? It only took
two minutes... Pulling and spraying those two pieces of Himalayan Balsam. They
must have only been a week away from seeding! It would be worth the Yorkshire
Pud getting EA permission to spray any other peices on the brook upstream. Your
going to have to work hard to keep that stuff away but count me in to help.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jul 28, 2003, 4:04am

Ah yes I'd forgotten that stuff...

It doesn't burn very well either! It's terrible stuff at Chatsworth there are
banks where nothing else can grow. It ought to be like a notifiable disease
where it is compulsory to destroy it whenever it is found.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by charlieH on Jul 28, 2003, 4:45am


Quote:It ought to be like a notifiable disease where it is
compulsory to destroy it whenever it is found.



Yes indeed. The banks of the lower (Welsh) Wye are afflicted with balsam. Much
of it is also an SSSI. One of the bodies concerned (English Nature, I think)
wishes to see balsam eliminated by all possible means. Another organisation
(EA?) insists that, because it's an SSSI, only the very minimum of bank cutting
and no spraying can be carried out, and thus won't allow the balsam to be
controlled in any realistic way!

How's that for joined-up thinking?

Incidentally, Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed are equally bad. One of the
stated aims of the organisation that recently got a 7-figure sum from the
lottery for projects along the Tweed is the control of hogweed.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by WarrenSlaney on Jul 28, 2003, 6:45am

""Much of it is also an SSSI. One of the bodies concerned (English Nature, I
think) wishes to see balsam eliminated by all possible means. Another
organisation (EA?) insists that, because it's an SSSI, only the very minimum of
bank cutting and no spraying can be carried out, and thus won't allow the balsam
to be controlled in any realistic way!""

Tuther way around. EN are responsible for SSSI's. Our local EA and EN are
equally keen to see all three species elliminated. However I did come across a
rather large bed of Balsam outside our EN offices

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Jul 30, 2003, 7:46am

Tuesday and I had to work 150 miles away. Fortunately the route home brings me
over the moors and down to my favourite valley. Naturally the tackle and fishing
clothes are in the boot.

It's nearly 18:30 when I arrive and it's raining. Soon the suit is off and I am
in my clobber, tackled up ready and I've guessed a sedge to start with.

Third cast and bingo a fabulous mahogany finned brownie is blasting round the
weirpool by a disused watermill. The sedge was a good guess. What a lovely
evening. I got wet (so what I can get dry again), I got nettled (there are
plenty of dock leaves), I got eaten (well midges have to eat) but I got solitude
and a few really lovely fish. Nearly midnight when I got home, tumbled into bed
and was out of it being quite exhausted but very happy. I even dreamt of the
fishing...

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by Hambo on Jul 31, 2003, 4:34am

Lovely snippets Richard. Of course I am envious, but also puzzled. I seem to
recall that you are married. How do you get away with it? I did all of those
things when I was married, but not without dire repercussions from the
fire-breathing Hambo Hag.

If you don't believe me, ask Colin the fat plumber. He used to live four doors
away and could hear every roar.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Aug 2, 2003, 4:08pm

Just lucky I guess! Mrs W, quite rightly, has not a jealous bone in her body
when it comes to me. Some more handsome chaps naturally find that their wives
are concerned that their husbands may be collected by other ladies. I have none
of these disadvantages...

"After all," says Mrs W, "who the hell else would be daft enough to have you?"

She knows where her husband is. He's fishing. It'll be near water and creepy
crawlies.

That narrows it down enough.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Aug 5, 2003, 11:01am

Those of you getting on the Derbyshire rivers this next few weeks do make sure
you stay late, i.e. until you can't see the rises anymore.

Last night arrived at the water 18:15 ish. Started with a guess - a sedge (size
12 Non-Descript Sedge with a pale ginger body). It wasn't spot on but it worked
well enough and as the light faded sport speeded up. Some excellent quality fish
with most of them coming from the edges or tails of fast runs.

One purple patch had three casts and three hen brownies in stunning condition
for quite a decent aggregate. Simply amazing for the time of year, considering
that I was using a 5lbs point to suit the size of fly.

Then suddenly I was catching nowt, yet the fish were rising well enough. Some of
the rises were certainly the confident head, dorsal and tail rises that indicate
spinner was on the menu. The frustrating thing was, I couldn't make out any
spinners in the sky or on the water. By now it was genuinely dark so after a bit
of arms length fiddling against the sky I tied on my effort at the Sherry
Spinner (PPS as described in the fly tying forum).

Ooh! I had hung onto the Sedge for too long!

The spinner was accepted immediately and the last half hour was wonderful. The
moral of the story? Stay awake to what's happening and STAY...

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by smallmouth on Aug 5, 2003, 1:55pm


Quote:and STAY...

richard



That's what lets me down in the dog days. I get phone calls asking when I'll be
home. Can't think why I do and you don't.

If anything my "shaven headed seaside thug", (to quote Elvis Costello),
appearance should buy me more time on the river than you.

Once whilst fishing Thybergh, back in the days when I had at least some hair, I
had an "offer" from a youngish lady. I declined, but was intrigued and
flattered. Working my way round the reservoir over the rest of the day, I
discovered she was the village idiot, and obviously less than discerning, as
most of the other anglers had received a similar offer, irrespective of very
advanced years in some cases ................

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Aug 5, 2003, 7:51pm


Quote:

That's what lets me down in the dog days. I get phone calls asking
when I'll be home. Can't think why I do and you don't.




Poor reception in "my" valleys. Mind you it always seems to work when I 'phone
out to ensure my supper will be ready by the time I get home (about half an hour
if I stay legal).

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by smallmouth on Aug 6, 2003, 3:46am


Quoteabout half an hour if I stay legal)



From what I observed on the way home from our Chatsworth day, I'd guess you
generally make it home in 10 minutes then?

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Aug 10, 2003, 7:58am

Went to the Wye yesterday. Absolutely fabulous! It doesn't seem to matter how
hot it gets. There's a full report on the general board under "River fishing in
hot weather!!"

If you can get there and if you can get a ticket you really owe it to yourself
to give yourself a treat.

Watch what is going on and be stealthy.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Aug 17, 2003, 11:56am

Thought I was packing up last night about 8 after 2 or 3 hours with a double
badger for fish taking sedge as, believe it or not, I lost my sedge in a
sycamore and found I didn't have any with me in the box. Had a great fish with
the double badger but thought maybe I should go. Then on the walk (by the river)
back up to the car I saw fish eating spinners. I put on my PPS but although I
caught a couple it was clear that the rises were not those innocent easy rises
of completely convinced fish. I managed to catch a couple of real spinners on
the surface (at the price of a wet foot) and saw at once they were not Sherry
Spinners (3 settae) but were in fact female spinners of the Pale Watery
(smaller, orange-gold body and 2 settae). I had some PPS on smaller hooks
(Drennan Super Specialist 14) and after trimming the wings to a size more like
those I'd just seen on the real flies I had a go. Ooh! Was I glad I did so?

The first fish was convinced - I had to wake up and strike because it almost
passed me by as a rise to a real fly! So another happy hour was added to the day
when all stopped at almost exactly 9 p.m. Home time

richard

Re: Derbyshire - trip to the Peacock Water
Post by richardw on Aug 20, 2003, 6:21am

Peacock water yesterday, arrived noon deciding to start next to Haddon grounds.
Met an old chap who was taking a break and his luncheon. He had been having a
good time, fishing the water, as there had been no general rise that morning. He
might have been struggling with his eyesight nevertheless he had some very nice
brownies in his bag. He smiled confidently, looking forward to the afternoon. He
certainly boosted my confidence.

I’d intended to start at the Haddon grounds fence and slowly work up towards
Black Barn. Sport was slow at first but I knew it was my fault – I couldn’t
decide on what they were rising to. First fish was easy enough, a Wild Rainbow
Trout to a car-park-guessed Kite’s Imperial on a 14 Drennan Super Specialist
carp hook (about a 16 in most trout hook sizes but built like a ship’s anchor –
it is easy to be straightened out here). There was a number of August Duns
around but I couldn’t swear to seeing any of them taken (last year they really
did like them a lot). I had odd fish but none of them were taking the fly with
great confidence. Then Warren came by and said, “Your fly’s too big. Look!
They’re wanting small flies! See?” He was pointing out a fish I’d seen rise
opposite me that had simply ignored my offerings and carried on eating something
on the surface that I was missing. For about only the fourth or fifth time this
season I scaled down to a 3lbs point. On with a size 18 Grey Duster (with a tail
and sparsely hackled) and the trout (brownie) took it first cast – and took it
with great confidence!

It was easy from then on for the next two hours. My pal John joined me, as we
had planned, and I told him Warren’s advice so that he could start in the groove
as soon as possible. Wandering upstream together John caught the first fish he
cast to in a few moments. There were plenty of other rising fish near him so I
quietly moved up leaving 5 or 6 pools between us before starting to fish again.

There were big fish in the edges and they were good risers too. The places I
found most productive were in snags or under overhanging vegetation. The Grey
Duster carried on working until I found myself in the woods. Then I was back to
square one. They were rising. They didn’t want the Grey Duster. There were
sedges around. They weren’t rising to sedges. They were rising to spent
spinners. I’d seen no Blue Winged Olives that afternoon but that didn’t mean the
spinners were NOT Sherry Spinners as they could have been around from the day
before or the morning. The current in these woods carries the flies under the
left bank. I was on the right bank so couldn’t get a sample. Hang on though! It
was only 6 p.m. and Sherry Spinners are usually a later remove at these feasts.
Remembering the Pale Watery spinners from last Saturday I tried one of a few I’d
tied that morning. It’s a PPS only on a smaller hook with palest honey dun
whisks, a hot orange seal’s fur body tied thin and the blue dun polypropylene
wings but trimmed shorter than the Sherry. First fish (brownie) was nearly 3lbs
(scales went to 4lbs but the wet net weighs 1lb 2oz) and, in view of the tussle
it gave me, I took off the fly, remade my leader so that the point was now 5lbs
again and retied the fly. I would be glad I did this later on.

About 6.30 p.m. Warren came down and we met up in the woods for a cuppa. He had
to leave us shortly after so we came out of the woods and again split up, John
started at his favourite curly fast run immediately upstream of the woods. I
went up, climbed over the temporary gate next to an electric fence and crept
down to a 90 degree bend in the river where I always expect a big ‘un. The bend
didn’t let me down. It was covered in rings from earnestly rising fish. I sat
there and watched. One fish was making tiny rings but I could see the water
humped into quite a mound round the area of the rise. This had to be the one to
cast to. It was. A lovely hen brown trout in fantastic condition and just about
2½lbs. Perfect! The bend had so many rising fish in it I wondered how John was
doing so used the mobile phone to call him! He was struggling a bit so I got him
to join me. After a change of fly he was able to connect again, so I crept off a
few more pools further upstream into the fading light.

At another bend but this time with me on the outside of the corner the same
thing was happening. Everywhere one looked there were fish rising. It was
getting complicated as there was some small dun coming OFF the water, whilst at
the same time there were clouds of spinner coming back ON the water. I stuck
with the spinner and sport remained brisk. On this bend, as well as a lot of
other fish, I landed two 2lbs plus rainbows. They couldn’t have been more
different. One was obviously an ordinary stockfish of general parentage from a
fish farm. This fish had seen better days. I was certainly not the first human
to handle it! This Estate (Haddon) does not put in such fish, so I assume it had
found its way there from another water where they do. The other rainbow made me
gasp it was so beautiful. It was in prime condition, all rosy and peppered with
tiny spots and still on its way up in the world. I am sure I was the first human
being to ever touch it. These wild rainbows are a very great asset to the Wye.
They’ll rise in the hottest weather. When they are young they give great sport
in the streamier runs amongst the crowfoot. When they are older they grow big
and strong and will test your tackle when you hook them.

John came up and joined me. It was getting dark now so we both set off for Black
Barn. It was too dark. It was no matter; we’d had plenty of sport. So we set off
towards the car park. Warren came up and gave us a lift back in and on the
Landrover. We had another cuppa, a little banter, a few minutes gazing at the
stars in the clear night sky, then it was time for home.

Even now, in the cold light of a working day, my spirits are uplifted. I’d met
an old angler who was clearly still getting a great deal out of his fishing.
Okay the fishery is fishing its head off right now but he still has to do it
right doesn’t he? The fish are in superb condition. The kingfisher passed me at
least 5 times. The stinking heat has gone. What a lovely day, what a lovely
place, what lovely fish, how very glad I am to be an angler…<br>
richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by WarrenSlaney on Aug 20, 2003, 12:20pm

I knew we would get a spinner fall. Driving into the sun on the main road, the
spinner were...everywhere! In between popping into check on you two my gaffer
turned up for an hour and a chat. Crossing a bridge you had to duck to avoid the
BWO spinner heading upstream to lay on the big weir. The boss tipped his cap at
those easy fish, taking the spent in the head of the main pool and we went off
to chase the really tough ones rising and cruising, rising and cruising.
Lots of duck flighting up river and a knip to the air making us think of the
back end. Dispite the chill, the spinner kept falling and we left them to it.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Aug 21, 2003, 6:08am

The amazing thing was that so many other flies were about at the same time.
There were duns coming off in droves, sedges crash landing and of course
millions of spinner. I stuck with the Pale Watery version that I started with
and detected no fall off in sport despite the great presence of Sherry Spinners.

Mayfly might have been wierd this year but the fish are still very fat now.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by smallmouth on Aug 23, 2003, 7:10am

I almost gave up on the journey. An early finish from a site near Wetherby, pick
up my annoying car from yet more warranty work in Leeds, drive to a tributary of
the Derbyshire Wye. “I’ll be there just after 1pm” (I thought).
But..............

............................Anyone seen “Planes, Trains and
Automobiles”?...................

.........................After cursing the gridlock of the Leeds Music Festival,
and later questioning the sanity of anyone who’d close 1 lane of the 2 lane
Tinsley Viaduct, (M1 Sheffield), on a Bank Holiday Friday afternoon, I arrived
at my destination 3 hours later than I’d planned.

It didn’t matter. Within 20 minutes I was unwinding on a bench outside the
fishing hut, watching Richard make tea, sharing my bacon sandwiches, and gazing
at the river.

I had a mental picture of this place, an almost finished jigsaw constructed from
Richard’s posts. Testament to his scene setting, the reality altered my image
very little.

Not a chalkstream, but almost, well as near as you’ll get round here, the pace
of the water almost miraculous considering the gradient. It’s meandering course
marked by Alder and Willow, banks lined by sedge, rush, grasses, thistles,
nettles. Much richer fare than I’m used to.

I find it difficult to show a “Place”, to new eyes, their approval important,
the risk of their philistine indifference diminishing your view of the place,
(briefly), or themselves, (forever). But everything performed on cue, the
Kingfisher braked at the bend as predicted, thus allowing a second of more
focused viewing, the Voles plopped, cut reeds, busy and ignorant, in a
combination of our stealth and their myopia.

Back on the river at the hut, an odd Trout glimpsed briefly, turning in the fast
water below the low weir, then a more sedate rise just above the weir, another
at the bend, this was repeated several times, a Mexican wave of rises, but in
response to which fly? (Perm any one from several!).

Warren arrived, proud to demonstrate some of his vocation. (The river is a
credit to you.)

Warren left, energy still to burn!

At the downstream end, the first pool was occupied by several fish, the one I
coveted being a substantial Grayling. The only way to approach was on your
knees, or even belly, deftly avoiding the sheep sh!t, (or not!). The second cast
was on the money, but the loop winged parachute was ignored for several
subsequent casts, until a unseen interloper intercepted it. A chunky Rainbow,
almost exotic in it’s smallness for me, unused to catching wild spawned versions
of this fish. The next fish summarily parted my leader!, unseen windknot?,
maybe, good fish, certainly...............

Above the weir, and my first Brownie of the evening, similar to my own river’s
usual fare in length, but its physique reflected the superior quality of its
environment. Another fish threw the hook and that was the end of that pool.

There then followed a torrid time of fly changing and fish frightening, and wind
fighting, (maybe I should’ve used the #5 , but on such a stream a #3 is real fun
if the wind is kind).

Settling down again, back in tune with the river, I started to catch the odd
fish, Browns and Rainbows, not big but satisfyingly solid. Mostly on a
parachute, some on a Kite’s, one on a spinner. Mostly fishing to the rises, in
addition many of the fish could be seen subsurface, their reaction gauged, their
rejections sometimes crushing!

Try as I might, I couldn't rise a Grayling. Despite quite a few fly changes and
many presentations, they just wouldn't look up. Later I would learn from Richard
that few of these fish are caught, but hope springs eternal.........

The Browns and Rainbows were free rising and becoming less critical of
presentation, more tolerant of clumsiness. Still not easy, but getting easier,
had I cracked it? Nope, it was simply the fading light masking more of my
mistakes.

Suddenly I realised the light had gone, how quickly time passes when
you're.......

..........And eventually arrived back at the fishing hut to meet mine host
returning from up river.

More tea and easy conversation followed, watching the Bats and a peripheral
Tawny Owl.

It was well worth the drive.

Thank you, Richard.



Re: Derbyshire
Post by Cranefly on Aug 24, 2003, 11:04am

I sense a love affair has started?!

Rather like my triste started two years ago but it takes me nearly three hours,
on a good day, to get there - to the Wye that is.


Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Aug 24, 2003, 2:38pm

Struck a chord there Cranefly.

Once I could get to the lower beat in 18 minutes of illegal driving in a quick
car. Now they are looking for me with helicopters, so it takes 35. One more
reason why I must find a way to retire in Bakewell, or somewhere within 10
minutes cycling distance from these rivers...

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by smallmouth on Aug 24, 2003, 5:27pm


Quote:I sense a love affair has started?!



It's a really lovely river. If I fished this sort of water regularly, think I'd
have to sloooow down, watch more, cast less. I'm used to having to search for
fish rather than stalk them like big game.

But......fished my own river today. Must've been jealous, cos it really turned
up some cracking fish on Spiders fished in the torrents..

Biggest brownie was 18ins, had several more between 14 & 17ins in addition to
the usual 10 -11 inchers.

Biggest Grayling was 15ins. And I caught my smallest Grayling to date, I thought
it was a gudgeon as I swung it out!

Oh, and a 14ins Rainbow! (Not sure where these are coming from, I'd guess the
nearby small stillwater, but I know Ron doesn't stock with fish as small as
this).

Re: Derbyshire
Post by Cranefly on Aug 26, 2003, 6:04am

My first love remains my local river, the Monnow and her tribs, and I shall
remain faithful to her. Is it more than coincidence that your first love puts in
a good performance after your return from the other woman?

The Derbyshire Wye is a special but expensive mistress, worth it because she
never lets you down. I am glad in many ways that there is a great distance
between us, absence making the heart grow fonder.

Concerned but nut surprised that Richard wants to move in with her. I expect
that you are trying to pass it off to the Long Suffering Mrs W that being close
to the river will mean that you will be able to see more of each other (Mrs W
that is?!). Hoohoohoo!

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Aug 26, 2003, 6:50am


Quote:I expect that you are trying to pass it off to the Long
Suffering Mrs W that being close to the river will mean that you
will be able to see more of each other (Mrs W that is?!). Hoohoohoo!



This reminds me of a good friend who loved his angling so much that he had to
keep supplementing his holiday entitlement with sick days. Come the annual
review and his supervisor said "You had 13 weeks off sick this year. What have
you got to say?"

My pal replied: "I'll try to do better next year..."

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by Cranefly on Aug 26, 2003, 11:41am

I've got a "friend" like that .

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Sept 2, 2003, 4:27am

Looking at my appointments this week and considering the shorter days, it is a
real worry to me how I'm going to get out this week. About my only chance
mid-week is going to be Thursday afternoon following a session with the dentist!

It's still been worth the effort this last fortnight, despite the earlier onset
of darkness. The spinner falls have been vast and reliable and they do oblige us
by starting a little earlier now. That PPS fly has provided consistent sport
except when I misread things for a while during Caenis events. A quick change to
a size 18 Sturdy's Fancy has saved such situations. I don't know why. It looks
nothing like a Caenis. Earlier this summer I used a Double Badger size 14 with a
thin bald (modified by trout teeth) body to good effect. I think it was taken
for two flies together. That trick hasn't worked lately. Hence the Sturdy's.

Has anyone been using Daddy Long Legs with success lately? I don't recall having
seen them in numbers yet. Maybe I'm jumping the gun and need to wait another
week?

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by HarryOtter on Sept 2, 2003, 1:03pm

They should be about now, however I recall reading somewhere that when there has
been little rain and the ground is hard, they find it dificult to emerge from
their burrows.
A good downpour is whats needed.

Reminds me of an old friend who used to ground bait with 'daddies', he used to
create an artifical rise by running through the long grass, disturbing all the
insects so they were blown onto the water.

HO

Re: Derbyshire
Post by WarrenSlaney on Sept 2, 2003, 4:29pm

You should have seen the BWO coming back tonight! You could have safely
calculated their presence in kilo's. Everything was heading upstream, even the
paired insects. The fall was sudden and over in 20 minutes when it became dark.
Anybody on the river at dawn is going to find trout taking spent from the eddies
and slacks. Can you get to the 'bank' before you go to work, Richard?

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Sept 3, 2003, 4:16am

Blast! I've only just seen your post and I was up at 5 this morning too!

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by eds23 on Sept 5, 2003, 10:02pm

richard,

when does the season finish on the wye? don't think i'll be able to get up til
early october. does it fish ok then or is it usually too late in October for any
prominent hatches?

cheers

ed

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Sept 6, 2003, 3:41am


Quote:richard,

when does the season finish on the wye? don't think i'll be able to
get up til early october. does it fish ok then or is it usually too
late in October for any prominent hatches?

cheers

ed



I've walked this river in mid-winter, unless there is a brown flood, flies are
hatching and some fish are rising on some of the pools. The flat water above
Black Barn weir is a certain bet for rising fish. Catching them is not so
certain as by now they will be able to criticise your fly dressing as well as
any guild judge.

The season finishes October 7th on the Peacock water. It is certainly still a
viable proposition. I'll be out during that time and hoping for grayling.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Sept 10, 2003, 6:14am

To a favorite tributary of the Wye last night. Just a couple of hours but better
than nowt. My how the year is turning. There is a nip in the air and the scents
are now those of Autumn.

Plenty of late flowers still around: some hemp agrimony left, with a whisp or
two of meadow sweet, willow herb still going well, late meadow crane's bill,
forget-me-not, mint (both water and spear) even a few sweet rocket flowers (and
they have their scent still) but mainly things are in seed on land. There might
be straggling remnants of Summer still with us but Autumn has to be the official
season in Derbyshire right now.

IN the water I don't seem to be catching many hen fish (apart from wild rainbow
trout). What hen browns do decide to oblige me are now clearly gravid. Cocks are
plentiful and fat and still rising well between attempts to leap weirs. Hens
seen but not caught are low in the water, certainly there are now cases of
territory claiming amongst the ladies, in readiness for making redds. A sure
sign that Autumn is with us under water as well as on land.

Sport is still brisk and the spinner falls are still reliable - they are coming
earlier in the day now and the smaller sizes of PPS are working best.

I've done nowt with the daddy long legs this year! What about you?

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by smallmouth on Sept 10, 2003, 7:54am


Quote:I've done nowt with the daddy long legs this year! What about
you?



I haven't seen any on the river, but have seen some gingery coloured flies which
look like small Daddies at 1st glance. A 2nd look reveals short antenae and a
much more controlled flight just over the river surface. Haven't managed to
catch one yet. What are they?

Re: Derbyshire
Post by fluffflicker on Sept 11, 2003, 11:05am

Late September and early October, last year, gave some of the best amd most
memorable sport on the Wye.

As the days shorten and the 'nip' in the air becomes increasingly noticeable,
the fish realise they need to feast on Autumn's bounty before pickings become
much leaner.

10am to 4pm gave reasonably reliable sport for the last three weeks of the 2002
season. I expect and hope for the same this year. The oldest surviving year
class of grayling is larger this year, so I'm looking forward to a tussle with
some of these ladies...

Fluff

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Sept 14, 2003, 10:35am

The Spaniards say that an Englishman will not mind if you criticise his wife but
you must never criticise his driving! Are we the same about our fishing?

It worries me, so I never offer advice unless it is asked for on the riverbank.
Yesterday on the Peacock water it was sunny and hot and very bright. We are at
the end of the season. All the likely looking fish in the likely looking spots
have been cast to and fished for many times this last 5 and bit months, yet
folks can still be seen walking up to the fish and casting to them from a bolt
upright position!

Looking in the book, some anglers are certainly having a difficult time of it
but they need not. By sitting still and watching carefully all is revealed and
the fish rise confidently. All the other rods, that I saw, were standing to
fish. They were doing badly even in the late afternoon and evening when the
spinner fall was in full swing and the fish were engrossed in feeding on them!

One angler did ask what I was using as he had seen me catching fish. I showed
him my fly and gave him one. Then hinted, “I just can’t catch any unless I hide
from them. That’s why I have these overtrousers.”<br>
I wandered back to the water and crawled in behind a tussock. I cast gently,
from my sitting position, and the fish was immediately on. The other angler went
back down towards the pool he had been working at and this time he too crept
into position. In less than two minutes he had a fish on. I just hope he didn’t
think it was down to the fly…<br>
The Peacock water is fishing its head off right now, but if you come - do hide
or you risk a poor day’s sport. The only other tips I can offer are, watch
carefully and do stay late - until you can’t see your fly anymore.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by pbannis on Sept 15, 2003, 12:20pm

A question for richardw

I fished the peacock waters on the wye this sunday. Reasonable success with both
size 20 black gnats and size 12 daddy longlegs up to about 3;00pm then I really
struggled.

The question is...would spinners have been useful.

I knew I had to leave by 1800, so I did'nt try spinners as I thought they were a
'last hour of light fly'.




Re: Derbyshire
Post by Cranefly on Sept 15, 2003, 12:32pm

If I may, before Richard and Warren?

I fished the Wye last Monday and I would say that they were on spinners from
about 3 o'clock, but did not have much luck on the ones I used, probaly wrong
size. The difficulties continued for some time after 6 pm as well.

It was just hard going.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Sept 16, 2003, 5:25am


Quote:A question for richardw

I fished the peacock waters on the wye this sunday. Reasonable
success with both size 20 black gnats and size 12 daddy longlegs up
to about 3;00pm then I really struggled.

The question is...would spinners have been useful.

I knew I had to leave by 1800, so I did'nt try spinners as I thought
they were a 'last hour of light fly'.



Yes spinners would have been a great help. On Saturday I was using spinner from
just after midday as I could see that the rises were mainly to spinner. I
guessed Sherry and the carrot coloured spinner of the pale watery. I found that
I had to use a fine point and went down to 3lbs (from my usual 5lbs). The key
was to watch carefully, identify the fish that were rising avidly and then keep
low (sitting down is best) whilst casting. Some of my fish were caught with less
than a yard of flyline out of the tip ring. I cannot stress too much how
absolutely vital it is that you remain concealed from the fish. Also if you are
on a fine point and you get a large fish it is important to stay as concealed as
you can until the fish is netted!

"Last hour of light" is only true for Caenis and then only if they come at that
time. This is because a caenis hatch and spinner fall lasts about an hour and a
half. Ipso Facto if it comes in the last hour that's how long it lasts and so
underpins the myth.

Sherry Spinner (the spinner to the Blue Winged Olive) can be on the water for
hours. I've seen them start at 14:30 and still be on the water at 23:00. I'm
convinced that on some summer nights they are there until the next morning.

There are two spinner events with Sherry Spinner.

There is a return of spinner as the females come and deposit their eggs - some
of these flies get caught by the surface film and stay on the water and kick a
little. You often see a wing up and the other one on the water, or a fly on it's
side or even upside down and curling to try and get away from the water.

The bulk of the spinners having made the return and deposited their eggs seem to
get away from the surface and go back to a, now futile, up and down flight over
the water. After a while they use up the energy packet that they have left and
simply fall with outstretched wings onto the water. These end up in the familiar
cruciform position.

I believe spinners sight in on the river at riffles and broken water near rapids
and weirs. After they have completed their task and ended up back on the water
they are concentrated in numbers just below these river features. Here are the
places the fish take up station first for a long session of feeding on spinner.
During the day in periods of high light levels the fish seem to prefer being
actually in the broken water and drop into the quieter water as the light levels
fall.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by WarrenSlaney on Sept 16, 2003, 7:36am

"The bulk of the spinners having made the return and deposited their eggs seem
to get away from the surface and go back to a, now futile, up and down flight
over the water. After a while they use up the energy packet that they have left
and simply fall with outstretched wings onto the water. These end up in the
familiar cruciform position."

I would have to disagree you, your eminence. Those up and downers are males. Try
swiping your wide brimmed hat through the up and downers and if you find one
without claspers, there's a pound in it for you . Males dance, females have
better and more important things to do. I have never heard or seen a female
return to the males after egg laying.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Sept 16, 2003, 8:16am

Sorry if I misled you. I didn't mean the great big climb and float down dance
that the males make. I mean the females that get off the surface and try to get
ready to lay eggs that they simply do not have anymore. They go up and down over
the water and they fly SLOWLY compared to the males, sometimes actually coming
back into tail contact with the water but with no eggs left. Basically I think
these females just had that little bit more strength and luck than the others
which never made it from the water. The "luckiest" ones seem to touch their eggs
to the surface without getting wet themselves. They go up and down in the same
bombing run as before but with no eggs. Eventually they fall spent, their wings
are outstretched before they hit the water and they seem to lie inert with no
characteristic squirms and wriggles that the earlier entrapped females make on
the "return" (as opposed to the "fall").

I hardly ever find a male on the surface of the water, though Lunn and Skues
certainly tied flies to imitate the male spinners. Find plenty in spiders' webs
next day though...

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Sept 18, 2003, 6:55am

It's a lovely day! I'm in the office. A call from a customer has just confirmed
we have won a new (lucrative) contract. Have I earned a scive?

My gear is in the car, my clothes are suitable, the in box is dealt with (well
all I intended to deal with anyway).

Yes it's time I saw the kingfisher again - it's been all of two days for
heaven's sake! I'm off...

Expect some sort of report in the next 24 hours

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Sept 19, 2003, 8:15am


Quote:It's a lovely day! I'm in the office. A call from a customer
has just confirmed we have won a new (lucrative) contract. Have I
earned a scive?

My gear is in the car, my clothes are suitable, the in box is dealt
with (well all I intended to deal with anyway).

Yes it's time I saw the kingfisher again - it's been all of two days
for heaven's sake! I'm off...

Expect some sort of report in the next 24 hours




What a glorious eight hours!

12:56 Arrived at my chosen first “swim” under a canopy of cleverly trimmed trees
on an island that, right now, I can walk onto from one shore without getting wet
feet. Sitting low at the edge of a scummy eddy I could see a definitive
limestone stream brownie (lots of red on him) picking duns off the surface
without leaving his position by more than two inches.

13:00 Cast my Kite’s Imperial without extending any fly line. 13:00:07 He takes
the Imperial in exactly the same way he took the real flies. 13:05 and I am
drying the fly whilst I watch him return to his lie but now three feet lower in
the water. He is none the worse for his adventure and his brief swaddling in my
net. That’s enough I’ll move elsewhere.

Moving to a nest I’ve made in a reed bed that lets me get within a yard of the
water’s edge without being seen I see a rise right in the maelstrom of a
crescent weir that is ceaselessly excavating a deep groove in mid river. The
Imperial is flicked out again without extending the fly line. Another rise and
all hell breaks loose. The fish, a good sized Wild Rainbow Trout (WRT), is
airborne up at the weir lasher and then is downstream, sandbagging the rod over
and extending my fly line for me! All goes slack. Leaping fish are often only
lightly hooked aren’t they?

I wander about, having the place to myself, unlikely to spoil anyone else’s
sport. I don’t go far as I’m expecting a guest later. The Imperial had flattered
me only to deceive one more brownie and then it was ignored several times by a
fish that kept on feeding. The rises looked like those to spinner so, fair
enough, try the spinner (PPS). Bingo! Creeping and sitting, shortening the wind
catching leader, a few fish scaring excursions to release my fly from trees that
kept trying to steal it, lo and behold a couple of hours gone, three more fish
landed and a good, close quarter, sighting of the kingfisher. Slow sport maybe
but it was delightful.

Guest arrives and it is time for a brew. The wind is quite fresh so the kettle
boils very quickly. After snacking and supping we are lurking behind a grassed
over tree stump on a right-angled bend with the river running straight at us.
Fish are rising and I want my guest to catch now! His F Fly shows up well and
soon he has on a WRT. It too goes airborne and shortly afterwards it too has
escaped. Never mind, we do some joint wandering and then two more friends (one
of whom is the Head River Keeper) arrive, so we break off and take tea (more
tea) together.

After the best part of a very congenial hour, angling guest and self are back to
the fishing whilst our friends are off on more pressing duties. We are now
organised. We have gained method and order to our fishing as the sunset is
gently prodding us into realising that there is not much of Thursday left.
Downstream then, Guest is guided to a suitable starting point just below “Hook
Straighten Bend” and he has rising fish to work on, whilst I quick march down to
near the lower limit of the beat and begin working back up.

The wind drops and I take the opportunity to lengthen my leader and put on a
less chomped PPS. Sport is not furious but it is of the highest quality and very
satisfying. I leap frog my guest by about a quarter of a mile so he has plenty
of productive water to go at. Then by a clump of three pollard willows referred
to, in deference to their Afro haircuts, as the “Three Brothers” I settle in for
what is left of the evening. Spinners are being taken all along this 30-yard
long run. There is plenty of crinkled water to catch the light. There are alder
shoots, old tree stumps and flag iris for me to hide behind. It’s perfect! Very
good sport ensues, including a brown trout cock of at least 2lbs (unweighed).
The head of the pool is reached and my guest arrives on cue. He has had a big
trout that needed a very special and long cast from him. Naturally he is quite
buoyed up by all this. Upstream we go, to a bend below a long straight and above
a leaning pollard willow. The fish are lined up and can be just made out, in the
gloom, rocking gently to take spinners. My guest casts and I net the brownie for
him. The hook comes out easily. I return the fish. Guest’s leader is in a right
mess! Call it a day? More tea? Yes, yes. Very well, time for tea.

Whilst I am conducting the Kelly Kettle ceremonies he can’t resist remaking his
leader and “Just tryin’ a sedge…”

Shortly after his experiment begins I am summoned from the tea preparations to
assist as it all seems to have gone solid – it must be a whopper!

He passes me the rod.

I pass him a tea towel and spoon.

Wind the spare line in…

Yes it all feels very solid.

Remembering the big beds of crowfoot I lower the rod top to give just a little
slack. A few seconds waiting and there is a tremor through the rod. I strain up
slightly and whoosh, the fish runs up river but now is up in the water.

I pass the rod back.

He passes the tea towel and spoon back.

With towel over shoulder and spoon in pocket I net the fish.

The “whopper” proved to be a brownie of ten or so – ounces. Never mind it was
great. The sedge experiment had worked and a weeded fish had been dealt with
successfully.

We took another hour lounging around drinking in tea and atmosphere, watching
bats and smallmouth’s “peripheral” owl, before drifting homeward at 21:30,
totally refreshed in both body and soul.

All in all, a very good scive indeed.

richard


Re: Derbyshire
Post by Cranefly on Sept 19, 2003, 9:03am

A great report, Richard, I could have been at your shoulder feel pig sick and
not a little jealous that I wasn't. Just enough clues for me to have a good idea
where you were.

Planning a trip just before the end of the season.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by ScottRods on Sept 24, 2003, 2:20pm

I live in burton on trent.
Where is available to fish on the rivers for trout for reasonable cost, nearby?

thanks

Re: Derbyshire
Post by Cranefly on Sept 24, 2003, 3:26pm

I wish I did, beer and top class fishing on your doorstep.

The Peacock at Rowsley dishes out tickets to the best river trout water in the
country. (Do Not even think about questioning the price, £30/rod/day, it is
worth it) telephone 01629 733518. Season ends 7 October.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by IanH on Sept 26, 2003, 11:18am

Fished the Peacock water yesterday, my third visit in a month. It is absolutely
fabulous and can't be recommended enough. It's full of fish and the keeper's
done a fantastic job on the river.

Like one of the previous posters, I've done well up to 3:00 and then caught very
little. So yesterday, following richard's advice I went armed with some spent
spinners, and had a great time; caught all day including some much bigger than
average browns, especially as it was getting late.

Nice to be able to put the fish back, so, as on previous occassions, all of the
fish were returned for another day.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Sept 26, 2003, 12:24pm

Wednesday Afternoon

Scene: The Office

An angler is slaving over a hot screen and telephone. His cell phone signals a
text message has arrived.

“Incredible spinner fall”<br>
An immediate cell phone call from angler to keeper confirms that yes the river
is currently covered in spinner and all the fish from fingerlings to five
pounders are all at the surface and feeding well!

Charming! No chance of getting away from work means waiting until Thursday p.m.
and just hoping it may happen again.


Thursday Afternoon

Scene: The River

An angler is tackling up as fast as he can and looking round decides on a dun
representation (Kite’s Imperial size 14). He gets to the gin clear water to find
every fish seems to be hard on the bottom and in the bright sunshine refusing to
move except to dash off in panic if a cast lands clumsily near them. Not a
spinner can be seen anywhere.

What to do? Angler decides that, as fish are not giving themselves up, it might
be best to simply hunt some big fish. A weir is approached that holds several
fish over two pounds. To get near the whoppers means creeping round a wall and
getting sat down right at the water’s edge to avoid scaring the fish into
hiding.

Scene: A Weir Pool

An hour of getting positioned and waiting is rewarded when the target fish rises
and takes a dun. One cast and it takes another only this time it’s the Kite’s
Imperial! Very nice cock brown trout weighed in the net at nearly 4¼lbs minus
1lb 2ozs for the wet net and very happy angler gently returns the 3lb plus trout
to freedom. That’s enough for here so out comes angler and he moves upstream to
above the weir.

Scene: Above the Weir

Right in front of the angler’s face a 2lb plus brown trout cruises by the lip of
the weir. Freezing stock still until the trout has moved away a few yards the
angler crawls down behind some hemp agrimony and watches and waits. The trout is
clearly on the fin and although it hasn’t been seen taking a dun the angler
makes a cast and is rewarded immediately. After slipping him back a proper rise
is seen a few yards further away. The fish is hidden by reflections but a cast
is tried and again the fly is taken immediately. It’s a half pounder,
beautifully marked, a typical limestone stream trout. Back it goes (sex
unknown). Edging along a rise is seen in the dark water under the bank side
vegetation. It’s a bit longer cast and the back cast is awkward as there are
trees at just the wrong place. The bump in the water and the very gentle rise
hints at a large fish so a cast is attempted. Failure! The tree behind claims
the fly. (Serves this recommender of watching the back cast right!) Repairs are
made and a new Kite’s is attached. The cast is improved and lands about right.
Fly drifts a couple of feet and is subsumed into a bump of water. This fish is a
handful and is brought to net after quite struggle with plenty of side strain to
steer it from some rotting driftwood and other horrors. This fish is a barrel
and he too weighs over three pounds. Returning this fish was a real pleasure it
was so muscular and so very strong. It was as if a motor was pulsing away inside
it. Utterly glorious!

Scene: The River

No spinners! Never mind the quality of sport is not dependant on the quantity of
fish caught when you are in such beautiful surroundings and the fish are so fat
and strong.

Friends join the angler and whilst he is “Just tryin’ a sedge…” they brew up tea
with a Kelly Kettle. Sedge works. Light fails. Cups of tea are drunk. Happy
conversation is had. Time for home arrives. As the angler walks alone to his car
down the little track, a mist descends upon the river…<br>
richard


Re: Derbyshire
Post by JME on Sept 26, 2003, 12:44pm

Great stuff Richard, but did he make it to the car?

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Sept 26, 2003, 5:49pm

Well he made it okay, but having read IanH's enthusiastic report it looks as
though our angler should have tried the Peacock water...

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Oct 1, 2003, 6:59am

Last day of September so with a friend to a tributary of the Wye. In this
syndicate, it is the last day of our season.

A lovely day. We saw the peregrine. the kingfisher, two herons, the keepers
doing some very serious engineering with help from a JCB, the operator of which
could use the bucket to take an egg from under a hen without her noticing...

No female browns rising now. They are hard on the bottom and some of the larger
fish seem to be claiming gravel patches by refusing to move from them under most
circumstances (even putting up with anglers standing above them).

We caught plenty of cocks and some WRT of both sexes.

There is something so settling about fishing a syndicate water. Pressure on the
angler just doesn't exist. Failure with a "project" fish is no problem - it will
be there or nearby next week, next month or even next year. So much more can be
learned when the pressure to catch the maximum numbers of fish before the day
ticket runs out is just not there. The gentle arts of sitting, hiding, watching
and trying to understand what is going on have massive rewards if measured in
joy rather than Avoirdupois.

These habits stick, so that when a day ticket water is visited the habits
continue and hey presto - the pressure to catch all those fish has vanished and
the joy factor is multiplied to higher and higher levels. Personally I am
convinced that I get a lot more joy out of day ticket waters because my mind has
been tempered by experiences on syndicate waters.

If you are not in any syndicate waters yet I can heartily recommend that you
start looking into the possibilities of you joining some. You get a lot more out
of it than the fishing privileges on offer.

BTW I may pay quite handsomely for my syndicate water fishing and I'm glad to do
it but I still believe the Peacock stretch of the Wye to be the best river
fishing that I've ever had and it's open to all. I'll be there tomorrow, loading
up on even more joy!



richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Oct 3, 2003, 5:59am

Thursday and to the Peacock water for grayling and late season trout. Walking
down from Bakewell a shoal of oversized grayling is spied under the trailing
fronds of a willow. The current has that ideal even pace that grayling seem to
favour and is so kind to the dry fly angler because drag is rarely an issue on
such a run.

First cast the fly drifts about 8 feet and up slides a massive grayling (well
massive for me anyway) and takes it (Sturdy's Fancy size 16). Nearer 2lbs than
1lb it is a beauty and by no means the largest fish in the shoal. On returning
this splendid creature I have to leave them because I'd promised to meet another
angler about 3 miles downstream and was late already.

After a splendid few hours together we had worked our way back up to the shoal
and in the fading light I was looking forward to great sport with these
whoppers.

Unfortunately they were not interested!

Is there a moral to this story? Maybe I should have been selfish and left my
colleague to wait even longer for me?

No.

What I should have done was start earlier so that I could have had one or two
more before setting off quick march to meet him.

"Seize the day" at this time of year, methinks.

I'll start much earlier on Saturday...

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Oct 7, 2003, 12:29pm

A close friend has just texted me with "1lb 8oz grayling weighed and returned!"

He is on the Peacock water as I write and I am working...

It could be a decade or three before I ever speak to him again!

It really looks a lovely day outside. Good luck to all of you that managed to
get on't watter in Derbyshire on this last day of the season.

176 days to go until April Fool's Day and trout back in season. Now let me see.
10 flies per evening is not an arduous task. 176 evenings, hmm that's 1,760
flies. Should be okay for a week or two next Spring!

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by Christian on Oct 8, 2003, 5:37am

Thanks for all the info on your local waters. You are fortunate indeed.

My family continue to return to the peak district for walking holidays - the
walks are great but I think it is the pubs which pull them back.

Not for me, I will join them but whilst they sip a well earned post tramp pint,
I'll be out on the river hopefully tempting a lovely trout (or even a grayling)
to a well presented upstream dry.

Maybe see some of you next season.

Chris

Re: Derbyshire
Post by ACW on Oct 8, 2003, 2:19pm

I only had the two days in Derbyshire this year but what a couple of days
,thanks Warren and Richard ,a great weekend .
Back next year with a few more folks .

Re: Derbyshire
Post by eds23 on Oct 8, 2003, 3:13pm

me two days only too. back next year for sure...can hardly wait.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by Cranefly on Oct 9, 2003, 3:46am

I fished the Wye on Monday. With nobody to please except myself I gave Richard's
technique a go (deep cover and stealth) If only to get out of the wind!!

I need more practice at hooking trout that have taken the fly under the rod tip
with only half the leader out. My impression was a that there were a lot of
smaller fish, 10" to 12" (for the Wye), in 'big fish' lies. A result of the
large fish heading for the redds?

Very very wary fish, I was able to watch them inspect each filament on each turn
of the hackle and then cooly (unlike this angler) reject it!! Others rose hard
and fast and did everything but swallow it whole, rejecting it or spitting it
out before I could make contact.

6 browns and two rainbows, all hard earned but highly prized with more misses
than I care to think about.

One suggestion that has been made to me to reduce the misses is to off set the
point of the hook slightly, any thoughts?

As usual great sport but it certainly keeps you honest.

Lucky enough to be invited to fish the Darley Dale Club waters, on the Derwent,
on Tuesday. Same down stream gale as the day before so steeply tapered leader to
15" 2lb tippet just to get something like turnover. Olives of some variety or
other coming off in intermittent bursts all day. Giving patchy but sublime sport
throughout. Wary fish again, if they rejected the fly once I would degrease the
tippet and they would take it immediately. #16 F fly being taken readily and
sometimes in preference for the natural.

30 Browns to 19" one that broke me, est 3lbs+ probably (definitely) a wind knot,
and 2 Rainbows.

It does not come much better than that.



Re: Derbyshire
Post by IanH on Oct 9, 2003, 12:29pm

Does anyone know if the Peacock Hotel sell Graying fishing tickets now that
theTrout season is finished?

Re: Derbyshire
Post by WarrenSlaney on Oct 9, 2003, 1:20pm

The old format of day ticket winter fishing has been replaced by selected
anglers joining a small syndicate and fishing for Grayling. If you would like to
apply for a place you can do so by writting to the Peacock and marking your
letter for my attention. Please understand though that the syndicate is full and
people keep up their places from year to year.

If you stay at the Peacock and support the Estate, everything will be done to
provide you with good fishing at any time of the trout or grayling season, so
bring your rods.

Thank you for all the kind words expressed in this and other threads. We have
lots of work to be getting on with during the close season, on the banks, in the
rivers and in the office.


Warren

Re: Derbyshire
Post by IanH on Oct 9, 2003, 1:43pm

Thanks Warren, will do.

IanH

Wet Liberals Invade Peacock Hotel
Post by tonyj on Oct 18, 2003, 6:33pm

Watch out!

The Peacock hotel is featured in today's Guardian travel section. I can picture
it now: Richard and a group of lesbian social workers deep in conversation!

http://travel.guardian.co.uk/hotels/...065492,00.html

Re: Wet Liberals Invade Peacock Hotel
Post by Cicada on Oct 18, 2003, 6:44pm


Quote:Watch out!

The Peacock hotel is featured in today's Guardian travel section. I
can picture it now: Richard and a group of lesbian social workers
deep in conversation!

http://travel.guardian.co.uk/hotels/...065492,00.html



And maybe they could bring one of those Trout Unlimited Columbia Pontoon Boats
that Sam is selling in Classifieds....


Re: Derbyshire
Post by ACW on Oct 19, 2003, 3:32pm

Strange ,I got offered a much better room price than what that lefty rag quotes
.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Oct 27, 2003, 7:33am


Quote:Strange ,I got offered a much better room price than what that
lefty rag quotes .



I think it is time to start booking again if you want high season fishing next
year. I've got mine booked so don't worry about pinching "my" days

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Oct 31, 2003, 12:43pm

I've just been informed of trout being seen spawning in a Wye tributary...

Isn't it wonderful? Don't you just love news like that? I know I do. Guess who
is going to have a river walk tomorrow.



richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Nov 2, 2003, 11:29am

Lovely river walk. Warren patiently guided my eyes towards exactly the right
spot in time to see a very fine brown trout attempting to leap a weir. What a
sight! It didn't make it but if we get a little rain soon I'm sure it will.

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Nov 10, 2003, 10:33am


Quote:

Sorry for the late response - work very busy!

Fished till about 9.30. Very muggy. Not many fish rising till post
4pm. Fished middle beat first & caught 2. Short break at the
excellent tackle shop was followed by a marathon 4 hours on the
Rowsley beat which bagged a further 4, some rising fish but not
many. After yet another break we set off for the middle beat once
again which by this time, 6.30, was awake! A lonely 1 succombed to
my fly but many more were lost due to my inability to react quickly
enough!
The generally sunny day made for difficult stalking with mono sheen
being unavoidable.
Fly selection & presentation was paramount however overall the Light
Cahill proved a valuable assett.
Overall an excellent days fishing despite demanding conditions.



I was wondering if you could let us have your dressing for the Light Cahill?
It's certainly fly tying time in my calendar now and I would like to try a few
next year...

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by Wolverine on Nov 13, 2003, 6:55am

I am coming to England next July/August and Wye seems to be an intresting river.
I'd like to know how early I should book the permits ? Good beats (others than
Peacock hotels if it is full booked)? Wild rainbows? Are those stocked as
fingerlings or Wye bred?
Questions after questions... but I think that as a fellow flyfishermen you
understand

Re: Derbyshire
Post by richardw on Nov 13, 2003, 11:55am


Quote:I am coming to England next July/August and Wye seems to be an
intresting river. I'd like to know how early I should book the
permits ? Good beats (others than Peacock hotels if it is full
booked)? Wild rainbows? Are those stocked as fingerlings or Wye
bred?
Questions after questions... but I think that as a fellow
flyfishermen you understand



Book as early as you can but at that time of the year you should be able to get
in at only a few weeks notice. If you know when you are coming over I'd get it
booked nice and safe. There is another day ticket stretch of the Wye owned by
the Chatsworth estate but it is not as good as the Peacock water (Haddon
Estate). On the Peacock water you have 6 miles of river both banks plus some
single bank fishing. Most of it is away from public rights of way so you can get
solitude.

The Derbyshire Wye is the only river in England that sustains wild breeding
rainbows. Haddon doesn't stock with bought in farmed fish. When you visit you
will see how the keepers manage the waters so that the fish have plenty of good
habitat for spawning (which is used to very good effect!)

Ask the Peacock to send you the leaflet with "Six frequent observations from our
regular anglers" it will help you succeed on your first visit.

If I had to stand on one leg and give some advice I'd say "Don't let the fish
know you are there!".

Even when you hook a fish it is a good idea to keep hidden until you net it (use
a long handled net to reduce "playing time") some of these fish go ballistic
when they see you and if it's a 7 or 8 pounder you could be in trouble...

richard

Re: Derbyshire
Post by WarrenSlaney on Nov 13, 2003, 5:24pm


Quote:I am coming to England next July/August and Wye seems to be an
intresting river. I'd like to know how early I should book the
permits ? Good beats (others than Peacock hotels if it is full
booked)? Wild rainbows? Are those stocked as fingerlings or Wye
bred?
Questions after questions... but I think that as a fellow
flyfishermen you understand



If you are stopping at the Hotel you can book your fishing a year in advance. If
you are looking for mid summer fishing, booking a fortnight in front is allowed
if you aren't staying. You are likely to get a couple of rods on the days you
require. Be carefull though because the limit is very strict now. 12 rods max
per day. Enjoy the long days and spinner falls at 9pm, it seems a world away
now.

01629 733518

The Wye rainbows are a very special variety. They spawn in the spring/summer.
The Uk's more common variety have just finished being artificially spawned.

Re: Derbyshire
Post by Wolverine on Nov 15, 2003, 5:37pm

The exact date is not sure yet., but it is going to be there somewhere between
15.07-15.08.04. Hopefully there is going to be some space for my rod and caddis
imitations (Here in Finland most of the fishing is done mostly with caddis
imitations (larva&pupae) hopefully you have some real dry fly fishing (we have
it too but with 8-14# caddis patterns) . Should I tie something else? While
fishing river Suir/Bandon/Ireland there were lots of BWO spinners but the most
succesfull pattern was CDC - Sedge. Should I change (Sherry spinner?? I would
like to "match the hatch" but what would be your receipe (Wye around sunset,
august)?