I was thinking about fishing Bolton Abbey this Friday, will it be worth the trip across? I'm a little worried it'll be busy with the Schools being on holiday?

Also, having never fished there before would one of the beats be preferable at this time of the year?

Regards,
Terry

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I fished at Bolton Abbey for going on 15 years and would advise you give it a miss during the school holidays as it gets packed with day trippers, you could try the ABBAC water just above Bolton Abbey or Kilnsey higer up the dale.Have a look at
www.abbac.co.uk

Hi Terry,
I have fished Bolton Abbey since I was 13 (a long time ago!!!) and what DrRob says is true. There ARE a lot of day trippers, handy with a stone or a stick and a dog. Better still a lilo or a rubber dinghy. This is all true, however, the fish are well used to the disturbances these 'added extras' can bring to a days fly fishing...
If you want to avoid the crowds, I would suggest downstream of Bolton Bridge (near the Devonshire Arms) or upstream of the Strid. There is better water (in terms of fish holding potential) than these areas, but you may need to share it!
Tight Lines...
JT

I agree with what John says regarding the quieter reaches around the Devonshire Arms, unfortunately Mark the river-keeper tends to send all the day-tickets down there so you often have to share most of the water with other anglers. With regards to the fish being used to the disturbances caused by the usual stones, dogs and dingy, surely its is the quality of the experience in fishing these areas that counts rather than just numbers of fish? I would rather pay a little bit extra and get no disturbance that have to sit and suffer constant disturbance which happens at Bolton Abbey. I’ve fished there on late evenings and still suffered at the hands day trippers at 10 o clock in the evening. I see now even the members’ only beat at Barden is being turned in to a car park, so what little rest bite they had there is slowly being eroded away.

I was recommended via the forum to fish the abbac stretch when in Yorkshire recently, in early july. To a southerner who had never been to Yorkshire before the scenery was fantastic and I was not bothered with trippers/walkers at all. The river was a little skinny, like most needs rain, but nothing compared to my home river in Kent.!!
I got my day tickets from the Red Lion in Burnsall and for 3 evenings fished the stretch upstream, you can go for miles using either bank. I would recommend waders and a wading stick for balance. You won't drown but I stumbled a few times crossing over. Two Italian fly fishers were staying at the Red Lion and fished the same stretch as me. They caught a couple of grayling but seemed to flog the same run all evening instead of trying to locate the fish. There were very few rises each evening and I fished with spiders and beaded hares ears.
The first evening I succeeded embedding a fly in my finger, too eager to cast to a big trout I spotted and stumbled on the line. At least I found out what the small injuries dept at Airdale Hospital was like. The second and third evenings I each caught 2 trout about 10/12" long, all returned. The days had been very hot and because of the slow flow I guess the water temp was pretty high. I would love to fish the stretch in the Spring. To sum up, great scenery, peace and contentment and some fish.

All of the stretches have visitors - it's a fact of life there now.

The river is currently very low - and in some places seems to be hardly moving! - ALso there doesn't seem to be much nymph life if you happen to do some stone-turning.

I've struggled the last few trips (actually I've struggled all year this year on the river!)

Certainly it needs a deluge of rain!

Anybody got any recent reports?

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I was out yesterday evening, i parked by Drebley stepping stones and wandered down towards Barden Bridge before fishing the likely spots on my way back to the car. It was hard work with the hot temperatues and bright conditions but once the sun started to wane the fish started to show. I ended up with 18 in the net and about 12 missed. The spinners and sedges started at about 9 o' clock and brought good sport. I like the pocket water below Drebley Stones as there are always good fish there and also where the River Dibb enters the Wharfe. You should give Lythe House a try also as it can be great fishing a dry fly up there on an evening.

As recent a report as I can manage:

Was on the Wharfe below Bolton Priory this morning with a client and finished about 1:30pm. It was really hot, sunny and muggy.

No disturbance from day trippers at all. The river is ultra low and lacking in flow, but we caught fish in the fast pockets (where they exist). Best trout was around a pound and a quarter and we lost a really big grayling. Several other trout in the 8-10 inch class.

The river really needs a good rise in water, but you can still catch the odd fish... even during the day.

Some very useful replies there, thanks everyone.
I think I'll give Bolton Abbey a miss and wait for a day when I may be left alone to enjoy the scenery. I'm going to give the ABBAC water a go, looking forward to it.

I trust I can just turn up and get a day ticket from the red lion, no need to book in?

Also anyone have an idea of opening times at the red lion?

Regards,
Terry Phillips

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Yes you can get a day-ticket at anyime from the Red Lion or the Fell Hotel i think they both open fairly early so you should have no problems obtaining a guest ticket.