Had a day up at Kilnsey Park last week as I was in the area for a few days and had a day to kill. Last time I went the place was full of small rainbows which didnt put up much of a fight. However this time round was a total different kettle of fish as it were. The place is still and aquarium, so to try something new different i put on a small bass popper that i had never used in anger. Instant fun with lots of viscous swirls and bow waves across the water after the fly. It didnt take long to get into a lovely hard fighting rainbow, a few more followed at the same size and quality with lots more follows and swirls. As the day progressed i decided to have a change and fish a smaller buzzer under a foam post dry indicator of my own creation and was happy to take a fantastic 5lb rainbow on the buzzer which equalled my PB. I also took 2 on the indicator and with some bigger fish cruising and taking from the surface i moved over to fishing a dry. From then on it was non stop for the rest of the day on a small daddy pattern. The highlight of the day had to be the browns, I took 2 at 3lb and a clonking 5lber which smashed my 1lb PB and a first ever blue at 3lb. All in all i took over 20 fish with the majority being casts to spotted feeding fish :-) I know its not the hardest fishing there but I had cracking fun and every fish swam off strongly :-)[/IMG]

Quality fish matey! We'll have to pay this place a visit when were up there next.

CtF

Second picture is a corker.

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The sun pushed dark spokes of melt and sparkle
Across the fields of hoar. And the river steamed -
Flint-olive.


http://northcountryangler.blogspot.com

I have a soft spot for Kilnsey too. It's very scenic and the drive up takes me past many places I've played Cricket and several pubs I've eaten well in. Also the staff are very friendly. I haven't fished it since the opening day at Stocks was frozen off. It's packed with fish but they aren't suicidal and you have to keep changing methods to keep in touch. A great place to try out new flies and methods and good through the Winter when other places are frozen.

Most times I go I drop a fish that would have been a PB if I'd netted it. I feel like going again now. Sounds like it's fishing well.

SharkeyP

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

Managed to loose quite a few fish too, however i was playing them as hard as i dared to get them in and back in the water quick as it had been very warm the previous weeks. The airators were on and with two inlets of fresh water the fish were in very good nick. I too played a lot of cricket round that area when younger, mainly heading back towards Pately Bridge and Ripon.

Agreed !!

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I played most of my adult Cricket within a drive of London but had a few seasons in the Craven & District League where the green wickets squeezed a few more wickets out of my middle-aged outswingers. I can't help but get a good feeling as I pass the signs for Carleton (we bowled them out for 15, I had 4 for 6, other opener had 6 for 4) then Gargrave (a career best 9 for 10 from 10.5 overs and 6-26 next game). Not sure if I've hung my boots up for good but back injury has put paid to the seam bowling. I was going to net on Tuesday but it thrashed it down so I went fishing instead.

SharkeyP

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

Sadly I just dont have enough time for cricket anymore. The combination of wife, 3 kids, rugby, fishing, cycling and climbing (and beer ) leave little time for anything else.

Good lord man.....were you playing a team of blind dwarfs????!!!!!

Ha, ha! Every dog has his day. Second best team Gargrave could muster! Conditions were favourable and the bowler at the other end wasn't getting any wickets. He got an ironic 'boo!' when he got his only one, and I was on 7 for 1.

Gargrave used to be one of the out-grounds for Yorkshire County Cricket Club. The pavilion has bleachers in front and is full of pictures of Yorkshire greats like Boycott, Gough and Bevan playing there. Suffice to say it's not such a good batting surface anymore.

Anyway, enough sporting reminiscing from me. I can heartily recommend the chocolate brownies at Kilnsey too.

SharkeyP

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