All

I'd thought I should update you - there's been rumours of trout in the Trent for some time.

I'd been on one exploratory visit a few months ago without luck - as well as once last year.

The banks are hard going - very overgrown and the river has been completely straightened and all sorts through Stoke.

I started up behind the university - plenty of course fish about, with the river running clear it was easy to spot bream, chub (some decent sizes), pike, and plenty of roach making out in the faster riffles.

I came across two other fishermen - both about 11 - with nets who'd spent the day catching lobsters.

It took me 20 mins and a demonstration of how to catch a roach in order for them to stop following me.

Anyway further up I spotted a decent size fish sitting mid flow in about two foot of water - about 50yrds up.

I couldn't get in to get to it and the banks were made up of over 6ft of nettles, Himalayan balsam, and that sticky one.

Anyway battled through it to where the fish was - leaving the last few strands on the bank for cover - I peered over.

And bloody hell it was a trout of over a pound.

Now the cast - 6ft high balsam everywhere - decided to go for the sight nymphing use your rod like a pole, held above your head like a sound man technique.

Dropped in the nymph - it sailed straight past him.

Tied on a wet - it sailed straight past.

Tried to take photo's - if it wasn't taking I had to prove it existed.

Camera has no polarizing lens.

Tied on a heavy nymph with three beads - one of which is orange - tyzack loves this pattern.

The fish took. I struck.

Bloody hell.

There's a five foot drop to the river - straight down the vertical concrete edge.

Following the instruction from passion for angling — just jump.

I did.

Landed and then slipped onto my **** in the river (quite cooling actually - it was hot yesterday).

The fish was still on.

Quickly landed it.

Quick photo (it did have some bird damage).

Hey presto - wild brown trout in Stoke - that hasn't been nicked out of the wye.

Alex

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Yes I was Alex.Swann - I can't work out the password stuff.

- My blog is at:

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Brilliant!! I do much the same around my area, rivers Idle, Ryton, Meadon and love fishing the Don in Sheffield amongst the rubbish. Its great to winkle the odd trout in areas you would think they were scarce.

Well done Alex, and thanks for the report.

Jon

Great post.

I'd have believed you even without the picture - a genuine bullsh*tter (there are 1 or 2 on here y'know) wouldn't have admitted to the falling on the erse bit....

Well done Alex, a great capture.....I wonder if there's any grayling in there???

Nice work fella, pioneerin'!

Top man Alex, stokes not that much of a sh*t hole after all, great fishing mate, will join you soon for a bash at the oatcake eating trout.....

Glen

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The true riches are to be found in an angler's soul, not his wallet.

Nice one Alex! A chap on a club web site I'm in told me he'd had a fair few from the Trent around Rugely area whilst coarse fishing. I've also been told the EA have previously stocked a few.

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