I'll go t't 'foot of our stairs! Eeeh by 'eck!
Not often you get chance to combine business with pleasure is it? But recently I had the chance to do just that. A while ago MickeypCoolstreams flagged up the chance for a spot of fishing on Englands most northerly chalkstream, the Driffield West Beck at Mulberry Whin. As I was in the area on business, it seemed to good an opportunity to miss.
The real reason for this post though is to satisfy Mickeys Tyke vanity about "Yorkshire Hospitality" Yorkshire what?!?
Arrived at the fishery to be greeted by Brian Dixon, the riparian landowner whose family have farmed the land for generations. His vowels were as flat as his cap, and his grin just as broad as he explained how he had set about turning his beat of the river into a superb trout and grayling fishery. This is a man who cares about the land and has a true sense of the natural place. And what a river! The Driffield Beck coils across the meadows like a huge glass serpent. No low flows or cloudiness here, this is a river in the rudest of health, shallow runs where the water creases across the weed beds and great deep glides where you'd disappear straight over your head if you were stupid enough to step in. And across the surface, those dimpling rings. Welcome to E. Yorks!
Mickey turns up with Alan Bithell, hands are pumped, travel trips summarised and tackle assembled. Mick offers to take me downstream and show me the ropes. The wind is well up so casting is going to be tricky but we make our way past some encouragingly calm spots where fish are clearly visible. I say "fish" as if they're just fish, but there ought to be another word for them here... On one bend Mick pulls my arm and points to the bed of the river, there is apod of grayling there of which the smallest (by some way) must be only 3lb's
- just sat there, finning and f*nnying around, surely waiting for a nymph! As we make our way along the river we spot more like these and several huge trout just lolling under the crowsfoot. Will we really catch some of these fish today? Or are they just for looking at?
It takes a while to get into our stride, the wind and a pack of swans that insist on following us around mean that it is sometime before we find a suitable spot to try our luck. Mick and I take it turns to try and tempt a big grayling to a selection of nymphs but nothing is too interested. We spot an even larger fish mid current and eventually it follos my pink dot gold head and buries it. Christ this is a good fish, I think as my rod thumps over, a massive brown trout surges out of the river vertically and then disappears upstream with a foot or so of my tippet in its mouth. Mick is sat next to me p*ssing himself laughing - and that is all you can do - but what a fish.
On the next bend we find some rising fish. Mick has spotted a whole line of them under the far bank, like the fleet on review day, queuing up to break our hearts and lines. But Mick (or his tackle) is made of sterner stuff and is quickly into a big brownie, and then another, and another! Meanwhile I am occupied in the pointless pursuit of a trout lying behind some weeds which just will not take my fly, whichever I put on! Mick demonstrates more Yorkshire hospitality when he kindly offers to swap places. Of course I am delighted when he has no luck in luring the choosy trout either , but the trout under the far bank dont fill their part in the bargain, and every one of my offerings goes ignored!
Later in the session, I eventually I get lucky and land a couple of decent brownies and manage a nice grayling on my elk and cdc concoction. But the best for me is yet to come... more Yorkshire generosity: I ask Mick how he finds the Cortland Peach floater and he hands me his rod to try out. After a couple of fluffed attempts I manage to land my fly in a little run which filters below some overhanging sedges. A head like a dogs pokes out of the water and gobbles a natural next to Micks little klink (as tied by Alan). Without thinking of offering Mick his rod back I cast again and this time the klink is engulfed in a galumphing rise, I tighten in shock rather than by plan and the fish is on - another good one. Mick offers to land it for me and I can still here his words: "Capn, you're gonna need a bigger boat!" After a dogged and sometimes brutal fight the trout glides into Micks net. To be honest I dont know how big it was - to me it was so big it didn't matter, and it was beautiful! ALan B took some snaps so hopefully I'll get to show it off on here.
Moments later Mick - rod safely retrieved from your truly is into another large fish, which promptly heads straight for the weeds on a one way only trip! And that folks was that, back to the hut for a cup of char and a slice of tea loaf! Will I be back? ... can Yorkshire play crickittt!!
This is a great place to fish, lovely water and an abundance of fish, some of them very big indeed. Quote of the day from Alan: "You know, on some waters the ducks swim their 4rses in the air so the trout cant get at the cdc but this place, it's the bloody swans with their 4rses in the air!"
Thanks to Mick and Alan for great company, great fishing oh and great hospitality
TL
Dave
Yorkshire Hospitality
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