Baslowfisher

Grayling Society Meeting and Regular Rod

2012-02-09T11:25:00.000Z

It was another very entertaining evening at The Rutland Hotel in Bakewell last evening all brought together to listen and watch Regular Rod (Richard Ward) take us through his flybox and tie up some of his successful flies. These were then raffled off and won by Mr Marriot. Numerous of the patterns appear in Richards blog which is a must http://dryflyexpert.blogspot.com/. I will leave it to you to read his blog.
Thank you Richard for a good evening. BTW have just tied up a couple of the Cotton black fly, roll on the start of the season!

Snow!

2012-02-05T18:11:00.000Z

I was planning to get out today as we had a fairly quiet weekend however the snow came yesterday and put a block on that so we walked into Chatsworth Park and took some photos instead!

The Hunt visits Bakewell

2011-12-26T16:14:00.000Z

Went into Bakewell this morning to see the hunt pass through. This happens every Boxing Day and is a wonderful sight. Lots of people also come to support and enjoy the spectacle.

Pike Flies

2011-12-22T13:51:00.002Z

I bought some materials from the Flyfair earlier this year to tie up some pike flies and have just got around to having a go. These are my first attempts which I am hoping to use over the Christmas period, whether they will catch anything is another matter! These are tied on fairly large hooks 2/0, 4/0 and 2's all Partridge Ad Swier's. I must buy some epoxy or equivalent to try making the heads as not used it before. I have seen something called EZ Sparkle body so if anyone knows if it is any good please let me know.

Names for the various attempts have not been thought of yet but will post after I have used them.

No.1.

No2.

No.3

No.4

No.5

No.6

First Outing of the Grayling Season

2011-11-06T20:35:00.001Z

It was a glorious morning here in the Peak District today so I decided to leave the garden tidy-up and go fishing. I went over the road at 1.30 and started off with a size 16 grey klink but with the white post it was difficult to spot amongst the foam so I changed to one with a pink post. This was easier to spot and after a couple of drifts down some likely looking runs I landed my first grayling of about 10". Following another couple of drifts along the same run I took another slightly larger grayling, things were looking good. I was thinking maybe there could be a few more in this run but following another few drifts nothing came so I decided to put on size 20 ptn attached to 18" of tippet off the bend of the klink. I fished up another couple of runs before my 3rd grayling took the ptn this was a better one and I measured it at 13". Again after another cast or two I landed another grayling probably 10-11". 4 grayling in 30 minutes was a result. I decided to move downstream to just above the new bridge and fished there for 30 minutes where I hooked a further 4 grayling but did not manage to touch them so didn't count. I called it a day just after 3 as the cold water was getting through to me. All in all a very pleasant afternoon!

Fisherman's Evening

2011-11-04T10:56:00.001Z

Last evening it was the annual get together of the Chatsworth syndicate where we usually meet friends old and new. After a brief resume of news about the fishery from Charlotte we were treated to a delicious chicken casserole before an interesting presentation from the guest speaker who this year was no other than John Tyzack. One comment by John during his presentation was that he thought that the Derbyshire Derwent was predominantly a grayling river and the trout were maybe the secondary species. Discussion also took place as to why the majority of grayling caught on this stretch seemed to be up to a maximum of 1.5 -1.75 lbs. and that other rivers in the area, notably the Wye and Dove tended to produce larger specimens, I have been fortunate to land a grayling pushing 4lb (all 21" of it) from the Dove when I fished it on Leek and District back in the mid nineties. However I digress! Following a healthy question and answer session it was left to us to chat amongst ourselves about how our season had been and looking forward to the grayling and subsequently next year. I met quite a few fisherman who tend to hang up their rods during the winter and give the fish a well deserved respite! Needless to say I am not one of them and enjoy those crisp winter days when the sun shines and the odd fly hatches to be gobbled down by one of the numerous grayling which inhabit our stretch. The grayling are well spread throughout the whole length of the river so it is rare to not get amongst them, you just have to move if you start hooking out of season trout. Matthew tells me he is still going to be feeding the trout during the close season and I am convinced that this helps them to survive through the winter and be in tip top condition come the beginning of April. This may broach some comment/discussion on the merits of feeding but I just say that the evidence at the start of the season justifies the means. As I write this it is raining here in Baslow but hopefully the river will be ok for an hour or two on Sunday.

Sunday 3rd October

2011-10-05T20:17:00.000+01:00

We spent a lovely week with family and friends on the Llyn peninsular last week, glorious weather too but no fishing! I did check-out the local tackle shop in Abersoch to find out if there were any marks for saltwater flyfishing for future reference. I was told that the weekend was probably the last tide when the bass would be in due to a high tide and lower water temperatures so the sandeels would be disappearing. I have acquired some tying materials for tying pike and saltwater patterns so I will be tying some up during the winter. Anyway we got home on Sunday afternoon so Mrs Baslowfisher suggested that as I had been a good boy why don't I go fishing. A quick call to Derek to find out how last week had been and he had had some good sessions with a black beetle. So off I toddled off down to the works and decided on the willow pool but unfortunately someone had got there first so I went upstream. I got in just above the sycamore and cast my black beetle to a few rises and soon had a solid take from a decent brown. There were quite a few fish showing but I could not make out to what, there was nothing definite about. So I persisted with the beetle and soon took another brown followed by a blue. Things were looking promising! I worked my way slowly upstream the sunshine alternating showers. I ended up taking another couple of browns and blues taking my tally to 7 fish in a couple of hours. The rain came and the rises more or less finished, as I wandered back to the car I contemplated whether it would be the last outing of the trout season or could I manage another 1..............

Thursday 15th September

2011-09-22T10:32:00.000+01:00

I went down to Beeley late afternoon at 1700. I fished the pool above the hut but nothing much was showing so I switched to a pale olive fsn and took probably the smallest fish ever, a minnow all of 2.5 inches! A few olives started to show but still only the occasional fish showed, I covered a small rise with a dry pale olive parachute and I watched the fish come up straight for it and took. After what seemed like an age, I struck into a decent grayling which came to hand. I moved to the pool below the hut and again rises were few and far between. Those that did rise were ever so gentle sips. I still had on my pale olive parachute and covered what I thought was a small fish but connected with a good brown pushing 1.5 lbs. Yet again I was deceived by the rise as I was sure it was only a small fish! This was followed by a couple of long range releases before bringing another 2 browns in. Certainly a difficult couple of hours but I am sure we are getting towards the time when evening fishing is almost done for another year. What happened to our summer and warm balmy evenings!

Derwent Coloured

2011-09-10T22:05:00.001+01:00

Thursday 8th September
Following the recent rain I had hoped it had freshened up the Derwent so I decide to go down to the willow pool for an hour or two. The river was slightly coloured but not too much to prevent the odd cast. I waited a few minutes to see if there were any fish moving but there was only the odd one here and there. I noticed a constant riser under the first tree so made a note of where the rise was and eased my into the tail, again the fish showed so I cast my size 20 yellow klink about a yard above the rise and I watched him come up slowly to engulf the fly.......wait....wait...strike and its on! It was a decent grayling knocking a pound a great start! Rises as I said were few and far between and they were those slow head and tail slurps. There was nothing definite on the surface only the odd sedge and I did notice a few very pale olive type flies probably pale wateries of some sort. I covered a few other fish but nothing. There was a riser on the far side beneath the cover of a branch but by some deft side casting I managed to drop my fly above but it was ignored several times so my thinking being that its after something else. I changed flies several times but fortunately the constant casting failed to put it down, in the end I put a small rusty over it and it decided to have it! A lovely brown but I am sure I've caught it before in this pool as it has a missing pectoral fin! Obviously a stock fish but each of the other fins and tail were perfect together with the lovely red spots so some stock fish do look good. That was it for the evening as I had to be home by 7.30 as it was our 'dance' night!

Friday 9th September

As I hadn't been down to Beeley for ages I decided to pay a visit to the area around the hut. Unfortunately due to the overnight rain the river had maybe come up another inch or two but had coloured up considerably, to be honest I should have turned around and gone home but as I was here then I may as well have cast. The pool above the hut has some fast water were I thought the clarity maybe better. Rises were conspicuous by their absence to say the least. Leaves and other autumnal detritus were being brought down however on the hut side there is a nice run which usually has a fish or two as I remember a few years back fishing with Bill when he trundled a nymph down the run early season a ended up with a cracking rainbow. Anyway I digress but unfortunately I put a dry down the run and a nymph but nothing. however I was taken aback by the dipper which was no more than 10 feet away busily trying to find his dinner in the margins! I then noticed a small rise in the fast water at the head so changed my nymph for my small yellow klink and after a couple of casts had a take and landed a grayling as below. The sweetest thing you could see and one of the smallest I have ever taken. Its encouraging to know that the river is still as clean as can be following the previously pollution from the mine in Stoney Middleton.

I finished of with a cast or two in the pool below the hut with a caddis and took another daft brown. Not a brilliant hour or two but at least I got out.

I'm Slipping from doing any blogs!

2011-09-04T20:01:00.001+01:00

Tuesday 23rd August
Decided to go down to Bar Brooke again where there was a steady rise of a few fish. I covered them with a sedge as there was loads about but they ignored my offerrings. Hmmm another one of those frustrating evenings? I thought I would try my rusty spinner and immediately got a lovely brown swiftly followed by a blue. Even covering more fish did not really strike lucky so I think those 2 were flookey. I noticed a few tiny yelow/white flies on the surface so dug out my size 22 yellow klink and after a couple of misses took another 2 browns. The nights are definitely drawing in as by 2115 it was too dark to see.
Thursday 25th August
Went down to the 1 Arch bridge again. Fished by the white post and took a blue on a fox squirrel nymph. I then made my way up to the pool below the weir and there were lots of fish showing so on went a sedge as again there were loads about but the same as the other night the fish showed disdain to it. I switched to my rusty again and started to get offers and some even stayed attached. Mainly browns came to hand with a grayling and a perch all to the rusty spinner, finished with 10 fish for a couple of hours.
Monday 29th August
Arranged to meet Derek down by the works, he had gone upstream so I decided to go down to the willow pool. It was not a good night, dark clouds with the odd very heavy shower. I managed a brown then the heavens opened so I retreated to the hut for a brew. The sun came out briefly before the rain set in for good but I managed another 3 browns to the size 22 yellow klink. Derek had called it a day when the heavy rain started so didn't manage to catch up with him.
Friday 2nd September
As the Chatworth Country Fair was on this weekend it put the cricket pitch and most of the park out so I decide to pay Bar Brooke another visit as there always seems to be fish showing there. I started with my rusty spinner and took a blue followed by a brown. I finished off with another brown before calling it a evening at 2030 as it was a trek back over the deer boom back to the car before it became too dark to see.

I have noticed a few small olives about during my last 2 outings think these may be Pale Wateries as these do show around this time of the year.
Nights are closing in now and as I write this its 2000 and probably another 20-30 mins is all thats left of daylight. I hate the dark evenings!

3 Fours and a 3

2011-08-25T11:15:00.000+01:00

I have not been blogging lately due to fishing and other things. In the last 10 days I have fished 4 times at various locations on the Derwent.
Sunday 14th August - I went down to the willow pool quite early this evening around 6 but somebody was already there so I meandered down to the gully for a quick chuck but although there were plenty of sedge about no fish were moving. After a couple of half hearted takes to a sedge I decided to go down to Bar brook. Here there was a line of fish rising consistently but it was difficult to make out what to. I managed to take a brown on a sedge but nothing else would play. I tried my trusty rusty and fish started to show an interest successfully landing one of those interlopers a blue rainbow. The light was going fast so I went up to the deer boom and took another 2 good wild as they come browns. Really the action only occurred in the last hour so going early was not productive.
Tuesday 16th August - I went down below the bottom weir in the park about 1930. The pool here was alive with fish chasing sedges. I immediately hooked a decent brown, thinking this was going to be easy, how soon your thoughts are dashed as offer after offer was refused. I was totally engrossed in what the fish were doing that I did not realise Malcolm the keeper was on the bank watching me until he spoke, needless to say I have now recovered from the shock! I again went for my rusty spinner and took another blue rainbow and 3 more browns before the temperature dropped and the fish went down. As I walked back along the bank there was a group of 60+ fallow deer (I counted 50 and there were more) on the far bank taking a drink and chilling. I sat on a bench and watched them for a short while, absolutely lovely and not the thing the hordes of visitors will see. As I drove back home through Chatsworth Park a group of 4 large stags followed by about 5 or 6 hinds crossed the road in front of me. That just finished of a very enjoyable evening.
Friday 19th August - Again I went down to Bar brook at 1930 where again a line of fish rising to something very small. A few sedge were about but fish were not interested in my offer. I went small to a black parachute, olive parachute etc etc. but only managed to land 1 small rainbow. I went back up to the deer boom and put on my rusty spinner again and landed 3 browns all beautiful marked with large red spots, brilliant!
Sunday 21st August - I decided to try the willow pool again and luckily there was nobody there. On entering the pool at the tail a large rainbow decided to see how high he could jump, it was like a young sea trout and the wave it left covered the whole pool. Must remember where he came up! It started off slow but within a few minutes I started to notice the smallest of rises to something tiny. After covering with a sedge and a rusty klink I decided to get out the big guns and went for my size 22 yellow parachute with a black thorax. Immediately I started to get interest and after a couple coming unstuck I covered another tiny rise but was surprised to land a rainbow pushing 2lbs. It's amazing how you can never tell by the rise form just how big or small a fish is. This was followed by some more long distance releases before landing a brown. The activity lasted about 30 minutes before the temperature dropped again and the fish more or less disappeared, on my way back down the pool to get out I covered another rise and landed a blue rainbow so not bad for only a short spell of activity tonight. What is interesting is how the nights are drawing in, this time last week I could fish until 9.15pm but tonight it was struggle to see the fly by 8.30pm and there is a distinct chill of autumn in the air.

Sunday evening

2011-08-08T19:07:00.000+01:00

The tail of Sycamore Pool

I arranged to meet Derek at the works around 1830. He told me earlier that he has had a good response to fishing small black buzzers so I tackled up with a 22 pheasant tail with a small glass bead. Derek had also put on a small black buzzer. Tim turned up to who went down to the willow pool, more later. I followed Derek up to the sycamore pool where he had started but I got in at the tail, the first time I have started here in all the years I have been fishing at Chatsworth as the wading is a bit dicey. I immediately landed 2 grayling in as many casts however that was it for a while. There was again not that many fish moving and only a few sedge knocking about. This season has been very odd fly hatch wise as evenings when you would expect a really good hatch of olives they just have not materialised. Anyway I continued up to the sycamore taking another grayling at which point it got decidedly tricky so I retraced my steps and wandered up to see how Derek was doing. He had done worse than me only landing a grayling and a brown so I felt quite pleased with myself that again I was up on the maestro himself. Not that we have any kind of competition you understand only that if I ever catch more than Derek then I feel as if I have accomplished something as he is an excellent fisherman. I watched Derek at the head of the pool where there were a few fish moving, I was the spotter as it was getting dark by now. Derek connected with something which came in so far quite easily then it decided that enough was enough and "ping" the lot was gone! He continued for a while and I had a few casts below him but no a thing! So I ended the evening with 3 grayling.
On Monday I caught up with Tim as he works in the same building as me and he fished until 2100 taking a good catch of 'blue' rainbows which have been recently stocked. What was strange was that where he had been fishing there were clouds of BWO about yet where we were there were no clouds of olives but sedge. These appeared towards the end of the evening in their masses but again ignored by the fish.

Last Evening

2011-08-02T21:54:00.000+01:00

Went down into the park last evening. Wasn't going to go but as the temperature was still high at 1930 decided to go as we don't get enough of evenings like this. Started about 2000 below the cricket pitch but there wasn't much rising as there was a distinct lack of fly about, very odd. I had on a dry pheasant tail tied on a 2499spbl hook, the first time I've tried this pattern of hook. I covered a small rise as I got into the river and a lovely little wild brownie was mine. There were only a couple of fish rising constantly which I could make out so I covered them and managed to land another brownie but this was definitely a stock fish. I made my way up behind the island and landed a 10" grayling after several came adrift this again on the pheasant tail. Still there were no flies about apart from the odd sedge, I couldn't understand it as it was a lovely balmy evening. I finished up wading up the cricket pitch this time having changed to a sedge but only managed to bring in 1 more lovely wild brownie before I called it a day at 2115 even though there was still plenty of light left but its pointless carrying on if there isn't anything to cast to. Must remember next time to take my camera!

The Gulley!!!!

2011-07-28T18:57:00.000+01:00

Went down to the willow pool again on Tuesday night but there was somebody there so decided to fish the gulley (da da daaaah). Now this is not for the faint hearted as its quite difficult to get in and looking at the pool from above it looks dark and deep. It is possible to get through the pool but care must be exercised as there are lots of football sized stones and deep parts to trap the unwary. I had on a sedge and raised a couple of fish which didn't connect properly then someting a bit larger took. It bore down and next thing snapped my 2.6 bayer tippet. Start again! Rises were few and far between but I noticed some rises further up the pool so made my way up vary carefully. No sedge were about but the fish were sipping something so on went my trusty rusty spinner. After a couple of fish covered I took a small wild brownie. This pool always produces good wild browns. I worked up a little further and took a good wildie which must have been 12-14 inches and beautifully marked. I finished off at 2130 at the head of the pool taking a grayling to complete the evening. 4 fish not bad I suppose.

Rusty Spinners show up

2011-07-25T19:47:00.000+01:00

Went last evening to the willow pool. A lovely warm and sunny evening, there were clouds and clouds of sedge about but strangely not many fish rising only the odd 1 here and there. I started with a sedge and after a couple of half hearted rises and not connecting I switched to a smaller pattern but still nothing. After about 45 minutes I went up to the head of the pool where I had noticed a few fish rising but still nothing would take the sedge. I switched to a sedge pupa which managed to deceive a brown but must have been a flook as nothing else was forthcoming. The slight breeze dropped about 2045 and then fish started to move and rise consistently so I moved back down to the tail of the pool. Many of the rises were splashy so I changed back to the sedge and took another couple of browns. Considering the number of fish rising by this time and the fact I was covering fish on every cast I didn't think the sedge was the exact fly being taken. There was nothing showing on the surface in the immediate area where I was standing so I edged as close as I could to the foam lane where the fish were and b***er me there they were, RUSTY SPINNERS even though none were about in this area. I understand that BWO's lay their eggs in fast streamy water so I suspect that they were coming down from the head of the pool. I put on my strusty rusty and imediately started getting takes. It was now 2100 and I managed to land 4 more browns by 2115 before the rise petered out as the temperature dropped. The rise was over in 30 minutes but it is satisfying to know that you suss out what they are taking (eventually!!) and get the result.

Derwent Up!

2011-07-19T21:16:00.000+01:00

The Derwent is still up and running coloured. Hopefully be back to "fishable" in a day or 2. At least it should clear out lots of the algae and rubbish.

Sedge Time!

2011-07-13T22:34:00.000+01:00

This is the first session for a while as been on holiday so was expecting to be a bit rusty. I decided to go above the 1 arch bridge in the park. As I had not been recently I was not sure what to put on so started with a grey olive parachute. The main pool about 100yds below the bottom weir was my aim and there were plenty of fly about. After a couple of casts Matthew the keeper came down so spent some time having a chat. He is not happy with the way its been fishing due to the low water and high water temperature. As far as I am aware its been doing ok or at least Derek has been doing ok. As we were talking there were swarms of sedge about so I knew what I would be restarting with. On went an elk hair caddis and immediately I was into fish. They were rising everywhere I ended up taking about 7 fish on the elk hair sedge. I then noticed a good fish rising on the far side so had to wade across to cover it but as my fly was a bit tatty I decided to tie on one of those LTD sedge thingy's (Mr Pointon furnished me with it at the Fly Fair) anyway need I say more but that also cleaned up with probably another 5 fish before it got too soggy. It was getting darker now so I waded back to where I started and changed to another Derbyshire sedge called Larry's Pride (Mick Martins pattern and another cracking fly too!) needless to say this also took a few more before I had to call it an evening at 2145 as I couldn't comfortably spot the fly. So I ended the evening with about 15-16 fish in a couple of hours and they were still rising to the sedge when I left. What was interesting was that they were all browns between 9-16 inches, some wild, some stock fish but all in 1st class order. It's good to be back and thanks Glen and Mick for letting me in on your sedge patterns.

A Tough Afternoon

2011-06-25T21:16:00.001+01:00

I was due to go to the Wye today with Derek but he has got shoulder problems so had to cry off. So following the overnight rain I decided to go down to below the cricket pitch around 2.30.The Derwent has come up 2 or 3 inches but not sufficient to colour it up. The wind was still gusting upstream and fly were definitely absent. I had tackled up with a daddy long legs which Derek gave me. I was looking for rises but they were few and far between. I covered a few half hearted rises and landed a small wild brown soon followed by a second. I went down to the bend by Lady's Bower but apart from some tourist deciding to feed the ducks where I intended to fish nothing stirred. So I beat a hasty retreat to the cricket pitch and on the way took a breather on one of the benches and noticed a fish rise a few times so had to cover it and up it came to the daddy and was landed another wild brownie magnificently marked with red and black spots. I continued up to the cricket pitch pool but even here rises were non existent. I did a bit of prospecting with the daddy and took another brown. I rapidly got to the head of the pool just as it started to rain again so called it a day at 4.30. A tough afternoon.

Shall I Stay or Shall I Go

2011-06-14T17:55:00.000+01:00

Well I decided to go down to the Sycamore Pool last evening as the rain over the weekend had not affected the river at all. I got there about 1945 and the downstream breeze was certainly strong and gusting with a definite chill in the air. So much so that I sat there watching the river deciding whether to cast a line or not bother as there was not a thing moving apart from the trees and the grass. Anyway at about 2000 a fish rose and as I had on a small black klink decided to have a go and after a cast or two he came up and had it, a nice brown of about a pound and a half, what a start. That seemed to be the cue for the wind to drop, the fish to start showing and the flies to start hatching. I covered a few more rises but the fish did not come up for my morsel. There were plenty of small caenis type flies, caddis galore and a few olives about. I changed to one of my caddis and had a half hearted rise which I managed to connect to and another brown came to hand. It was now caddis city with fish moving everywhere! Unfortunately I had left my net in the car so couldn't trap any to find out what exactly they were but they did look rather pale. After a few refusals I wondered which fly to put on and noticed a sedge which I had been given by Tom Richardson, the old riverkeeper from the Wye, the other season so on it went. I know its a cliche but first cast and up came another brown which was landed. I then flicked the fly in just to make sure it was still floating and blow me another brown got it. This was also landed, what an evening this was turning out to be. It wasn't long before the spinners started so I quickly changed to my trusty old rusty spinner and started picking up fish after fish, all browns except for a blue rainbow. By 2130 I had had about 8 fish and as the light was fading worked my way back downstream to where I got in after changing to a size 22 small yellow parachute. I picked up an out of season grayling and 3 more browns, making 12 fish for the 2 hours, a really cracking evening considering the initial outlook. What was interesting was that I didnt see 1 mayfly spinner and as the evening progressed the flies came and went. Small stuff, olives followed by sedge, spinners and caenis. Just before I left there were loads of yellow may duns mating and what appearred to be laying eggs however not a fish rose to any of them. I learnt alot last evening too!

A First Caught More than Derek!

2011-06-12T19:03:00.000+01:00

Now, when I go fishing with Derek I know that he is going to catch fish no question. Me its not always the case. Last evening we arranged to meet above the works around 7. I was late so Derek had already started. I got in by the sycamore as Derek was further upstream working his way up so I was picking up any strays he hadn't got, or so I thought. Anyway there were loads of fly about which surprised me as the evening was not even remotely balmy. I had a long sleeve shirt, a fleece and my waterproof jacket on just in case but yes there were flies aplenty. Small olives about, some sedges and tiny caenis types. Fish were moving and so you could pick which to cast to, brilliant. I cast a small size 16 olive to a few and had a couple of takes which did not materialise before landing a lovely 9" wild as they come brownie. This was quickly followed by another brown of about 1.5lbs. The olives were perhaps a tad smaller than the 16 I had on. Some of the fish could be seen chasing the sedge and I managed to trap a few in my net (sedge that is) and they were dark grey to black bodies with black wings so on went a black sedge I had with the pre-formed wings which I have blogged about last year and was soon into another good brown. At this point Derek had taken 1 but was having one of those sessions when nearly every take comes adrift. I was now showing him how to catch! The sun had now dropped over the hills and the temperature was also dropping all the time but still the fish rose. It was difficult to see what to now as olives were sailing past them but were being ignored. The only thing could be the caenis so I put on small 22 all white parachute a few fish had a swirl and then I covered a fish which had been showing quite a few times and bang he had it, another lovely wild brown with big black and red spots, lovely. It was just after 9 now and I was starting to shiver so I quickly worked my up to Derek taking another good brown on the way to the caenis. Derek was continuing to drop the fish off, just one of those evenings. I called it a day by 9.15 and left Derek to them as once you get chilled then thats it as far as I'm concerned. 5 loveley browns and a lesson for D, hee hee!

P.S. Rang Derek this morning and he stayed till nearly 10 but only managed 2 or 3 fish in total. He said it was only 7 degrees when he left, some winter day's being warmer! It is now nearly 7 in the evening and it has been pouring with rain all day here in the Peak District so with a bit of luck it may send a bit of a flush into the river. Don't think I'll bother going out this evening will tie some 18 pale olives.

A Full Day with 3 Friends

2011-06-10T22:46:00.000+01:00

Today I had taken the whole day off as I was meeting 3 guests. A couple are only novices to this game so I was eager for them to feel the pull of a fly caught trout. We met up around 11 and went down to the hut at Beeley. I showed them the couple of pools by the hut as these are good for beginners to cover fish. The odd fish was showing and as I had done so well on the mayfly nymph the previous day I advised the same. Before we had all tackled up Mark took his first river brownie, result number 1! Tony, the experience fly man was off upstream and Leon came down to the pool where Mark had taken his trout. There wasn't much rising, I was very disappointed as I really wanted to show them how good the Derwent is. We met up for lunch and Tony had taken a few trout and a stonking chub.

After lunch we walked downstream to Max's bench but there was somebody already in the pool so I took Mark and Leon to the pool below. I was showing Mark the various lies and then some fish started moving in a back eddy taking duns off the top so I switched his fly to a dry mayfly. It wasn't long before he had a take and landed a lovely wild brownie.

I could see Mark was really in the zone and so left him to see how Leon was doing. Unfortunately Leon hadn't managed a fish yet. There was just so little moving. We noticed Mark take another couple of fish, there was no stopping him now! We tried several different flies but blank. I went up into the next pool up and saw Mark take another to the mayfly, a nice rainbow. We met up for a bite to eat and then decided to go down to the cricket pitch afterwards. Tony went down to the stump pool where he took another fish. Mark worked his way up towards Bar Brook and I took Leon up to where I was yesterday. I was determined he was going to catch. We started off with a mayfly dry and a few fish had a slash at it but nothing developed. I switched to a small olive fsn and within a couple of casts he was into his first fish, result 2! You can see by the grin that he was buzzing! Another convert to the 'gentle art'. We continued at the confluence and within a short time he was into his 2nd fish, this time one of the blue strain of rainbows which have been put in.

We finished about 2030 as the temperature had certainly dropped by now and what few fish were moving had more or less ceased. I am glad the guys caught and I am sure now that we have a couple more converts to river fly fishing. A great day.

Thursday 9th June

2011-06-10T22:10:00.000+01:00

I decided to take a half days hol so Icould fish the afternoon when hopefully the maylfy would be about. I arranged for Derek to pick me up around 1330 and we went down to the cricket pitch car park. We decided to fish up towards Bar Brook. Derek got in at the bottom and I made my way up to where the brook runs in. I had on a myfly nymph as there was the odd 1 about but not the clouds we are so accustomed to seeing this time of the year. Straignt away I had a take but the fish didn't stay on and then again on my following couple of casts all not developing into positive hook-ups. I checked my fly but the hook was ok so I changed the nymph for one tied on a standard hook. The previous had been on 1 of these patridge flat nymph hooks. Again I started getting knocks and was soon into a decent brownie. I quickly took another brown closely followed by a rainbow all in the 1.5 - 2lb class. My next take was not quite a 'aggressive' as usual and when there was very little fight I thought I may have hooked up on a piece of dead wood but no it was a small chub about 10". My first chub for a while and a tiddler as there are some really good chub in the Derwent. At about 1500 the breeze dropped and you would think there were not fish in the river as rises had certainly been conspicuous by their abscence. It was like a mill pond so the nymph stayed on but I switched to a small dark olive fox squirrel as a few small olive were about but not enticing the fish to rise. Derek came up from the bottom end to fish up towards the deer boom as there is a deep hole there, but surprise surprise I had taken more fish at this point as Derek had persisted with the dry. Derek soon was into fish using a mayfly nymph and took a really good rainbow pushing 4-5 lbs. This is it putting a bend in his rod.

I got into the river to take a photo but Derek had netted it head first and the hook had dropped and then the fish squirmed out of the net and was gone. I went down to fish the cricket pitch and took a couple more browns and a rainbow making 5 browns 1 rainbows and a baby chub. We called it a day just after 5.

A Difficult Day and nearly a duck!

2011-06-06T18:56:00.002+01:00

I invited my friend Roger (aka Derwentflyfisher) for a day on my stretch of the Derwent yesterday. We got down to Beeley about 1130 and the temperature was decidedly on the chilly side with a downstream breeze. There were a couple of guys having lunch and they said there wasn't much moving about. The riverkeeper was also there and he commented that he mayfly had been disappointing so far this season. We tackled up with mayfly nymphs and went in the pool above the hut. I pointed out the runs and holding spots for Roger as he hasn't fished this pool before.

On the left had side of the pool there is a small run in where there are usually some fish holding and after a few casts Roger connected with his first brown of the day. There was a distinct lack of surface activity in this pool with only the odd fish showing here and there. Probably due to the lack of hatching flies, none!

We went further downstream to another good pool where I showed the likely holding places and I continued downstream to fish the next pool down. I took 2 browns and a rainbow in the fast water at the head of the pool but again still nothing hatching to speak of. By now it was getting cold and I bid a hasty retreat to the car to pickup my fleece. On returning Roger had moved up to the next pool, He had taken another brown. I then got in where Roger had been and picked up another rainbow and a brown. The mayfly were still absent in any numbers only the odd one. I continued up the pool switching between nymph and dry whenever a fish showed but nothing more until I reached the next pool where I picked up another brown. By now its was time for a warm, Roger had gone to put the kettle on so I followed back to the hut. We had a final 30 minutes in the pool where we started but nothing. A real struggle of a day and all fish taken on either mayfly nymph or dark olive fox squirrel nymph. Roger seemed to enjoy it but I was disappointed that it had not been the day I expected. Maybe next time.

Went out Monday Evening for the last hour or so. Down to the Stump pool where there were a few fish moving. Plenty of LDOs and sedge about. Missed a few. Went up to the cricket pitch and fished up. Plenty of fish moving then a good hatch of BWOs came down like sailing ships and the fish attacked! I missed several and couldn't get to take properly, well thats my excuse. Tried varioius patterns then thought JT olive and 1st cast bang and stayed connected, a nice brown. Needless to say that was my only fish of the evening. It was still a chilly evening although there was plenty of fly about however about 2130 the usual thermometer was turned right down and the flies disappeared together with the fish. I called it a day retreating with my tail between my legs. You can't win em all!

Wednesday and the First Evening session of the Season

2011-06-02T21:05:00.000+01:00

As I was working from home today I finished at 1630 so by 1635 I was on my way to the river as it had been a rather warm day with some sun. I walked down to the sycamore pool where there was an incumbent already there, an elderly guy who was not akin to wading so I ok'd it with him if he minded me getting in just above him to work my way upstream. A few mayflies were about together with numerous yellow sallies, CAENIS, and just a general fishes buffet to delight! I trapped a yellow sally and confirmed it on my return home (obvious really). However there were the odd yellow olive type flies about much smaller than yellow may duns and on investigation they could have been yellow evening duns. I started off with my usual 1up 1down mayfly as they were about and took a couple of decent browns. Fish were head and tailing taking stuff but nothing obvious on the surface, maybe taking nymphs on hatching but the only thing they could have been were CAENIS! Worked my way up stream switching dries to try and get the risers to take but only really fluked a couple more on a rusty klink and a grey olive parachute. Very frustrating when I could see constant risers but couldn't get them to take. Took a small grayling from the fast water at the run-in to the top of the pool but that was it until I moved above Baslow new bridge. I got to the pool just below the old bridge and again there were numerous fish rising but to what? I got down practically in the water and could make out that maybe these fish were taking the caenis spinners. Several were poking their "nebs" up to take the flies. I put on my trusty size 22 yellow parachute and covered the fish in the fast run and immediately hooked and landed a decent grayling around 1lb. Still there were fish pushing their heads out and I covered the nearest and connected with a decent rainbow around 2lb in pristine condition, RESULT! Don't you just love it when a plan comes together...........eventually. Considering I hadn't planned on going I finished around 2100 after the last fish, hopefully more warm evenings on the way.

Willow Pool Yesterday

2011-05-29T22:16:00.000+01:00

After lunch at the Bull in Ashford-in-the-Water (recommended) and completing a few chores got down to the willow pool at about 1530. It was rather dull and quite breezy so wasn't expecting too much. Tackled up with a small olive nymph (D-Rib) which had a bit of lead underneath to get it down a bit. I started at the bottom of the pool and on about the second cast connected with a good brown which was soon landed, it was perfect with large red and black spots, about 1.5 lb. There were some mayflies about so I changed tack and put on a mayfly nymph and immediately took another brown followed closely by a rainbow, both in the 1.5 to 2lb class. I worked my way up the pool and took 3 more browns, that was 6 fish in 60 minutes. There was only the odd fish rising and I noticed that some appeared to be rising in the same position,hmmmm. So on went a grey-olive paradun as there were some small olives about, couldn't identify them at the time but on investigation later I think they may have been medium olives or small dark olives. I covered a few of the rising fish but nothing. Then a few mayflies got hammered by the risers so I had to switch to a 1 up 1 down mayfly (Phil Whites - my most successful mayfly) I covered a couple of the risers and took a couple more good browns before heading to the hut for a warming coffee. The water is still quite cold and I had my neoprenes on too. Anyway after a coffee I decided to have a last couple of casts with a mayfly nymph. There were some sedge about and loads of LDOs and the small olive mentioned previously. As I was moving up the pool I spotted a very large fish right on the bottom only 8-9 feet away, I dropped my nymph to try and elicit a response but nothing, I tried a couple of times then I had a follow from a monster so much so that my first thought and I may have said it out loud was, "Oh god please DON'T take!". I couldn't believe what I had seen and said but it gave me such a shock to see it that it was my first reaction, I had a little chuckle to myself! It was obviously one of Matthews pets from the children's farm up at Chatsworth that had outgrown the ponds up there. Anyway called it a day at 1800 after that as had a really good session.

Didn't take any photos as camera is in dock at Nikon, I seem to be having a few problems with gear at the moment! Nikon though won't be as forthcoming with the customer service as Orvis or Sage, quoted £161 to fix it!

Sage Come Good

2011-05-29T21:46:00.000+01:00

Receive a replacement tip for my Sage SLT on Friday. Yet another example of excellent customer service. Many thanks to Gary Coxon for sorting it out in super quick time. Sage rods may be towards the top end of the spectrum but when customer service is this good the extra expeanse is worth it.

Orvis Come Good

2011-05-25T18:53:00.002+01:00

Took my leaking waders back to Orvis in Bakewell last Saturday and the ladies immediately checked their stock to replace them without question. A pair was located in Banchory and a phone call resulted in them being sent to me which I will receive on Thursday. It would have been Tuesday but I was at work when the the carrier tried to deliver. Exceptional customer service and experience, thank you Orvis.

I am now in the market for a replacement pair of wading boots with rubber soles as have to try and stop the spread of disease and any invasive species, No question where I will be going!

Sage rod repair next.....watch this space.......

The Perils of Not Taking a Spare Rod With You

2011-05-16T22:11:00.000+01:00

I went fishing on Saturday with my son Adam. The prospects were not looking good as it was very windy and lots of showers so I was not confident. We went down to the works as I expected it would be out of the wind a bit but unfortunatley as it was gusting there was nowhere to get out of it. On the way down I caught my rod in a tree branch and before I knew it I now had a 5 piece rod, brilliant! I had not taken a spare with me so persevered with an 8' 6" instead. Anyway Adam started at the sycamore pool and I started a bit below we were both using fox squirrel nymphs in olive and natural. It wasn't long before I could see Adam into a fish, result! I was soon into a nice brown too. Adam worked his way up the pool but I was stuck as were I got in it was very limiting due to the depth. I could see he was soon into other fish so I was at least glad he was making progress as he doesn't come with me regularly so its good to see him connect. He was working his way up so I moved and followed him up before I had taken a few more. There was only the odd fish rising and nothing regularly so switching to a dry was not worth it until I got to reach the trees were I decided to try a foam beetle. I covered the odd fish and hey-presto up they came a took the beetle. I ended up with 7 fish by lunchtime and Adam ended with 6 so a good few hours to start.

After lunch we went doen to the Willow pool and Adam immediately started hitting the fish, he had changed to a myfly nymph as I had spotted a couple of mayflies and John the bailiff had said earlier that there was a good amount of mayfly nymphs been seen moving about recently. I had also switched to a maylfy nymph and started to pick up the odd brown and rainbow, some up to 3lbs. I could see Adam had hit a few good fish but they came unstuck until he eventually landed a real cracker knocking on 4lb. We continued up the pool and back down into the pool below. Adam was picking up fish here and there, a good mix of browns, rainbows and grayling. By 4pm the weather was decidedly inclement and so we slunck off to the hut for a quick cuppa before the heavens opened. We stayed there until it stopped raining and I could see he was eager to have a last 30 mins. He picked up a few more including this cracker which went to 4-14.

We ended the day at 5 both getting well into double figures, I was glad that he had had a really good day. Me well I now had a 5 piece rod and to cap it all my new waders had started leaking!

A Dour Afternoon

2011-05-05T18:33:00.000+01:00

This is my first outing for a week or two due to hurting my back doing some gardening. After getting a report from Derek about his and Don's session on the Derwent yesterday above the works I made plans to meet Derek around 2 at the same venue. It had started sunny in the morning and after a hasty lunch I got down to the car park about 1.30. It was still sunny and I tackled up with a hawthorn fly as Derek had reported quite a few about yesterday. I decided to go down to the sycamore pool and got in just below. On my 2nd or 3rd cast I watched a brown swim up to my fly and engulf it. I resisted a quick strike and gave it a second or two then struck and he was on! Unfortunately not for long. I persisted with the hawthorn and 2 more fish rose to it and again they came unstuck! I thought it was going to be one of those days. Derek appeared and got in above me and immediately took a few to a large black klink. I spent quite sometime covering fish chopping and changing flies but could not get them to take anything so moved above Derek into the faster water where I broke my duck and took a grayling to a black klink. I then moved back below Derek and by now the temperature was dropping and had clouded over, only the occasional fish rose so I changed to an olive d-rib nymph and took a rainbow. Fish suddenly started rising again so a quick change to a grey olive parachute, then a yellow parachute but nothing, zero, nowt, zilch! Not to be thwarted I decide to break out the micro's and went for size 32 black parachute and on the second cast a rather large rainbow took and was all over the place before straightening the tiny hook and was gone. That was my cue to call it a day as I was beginning to feel the cold. Just after I got home there was a much needed shower but hardly enough to wet the ground, hopefully more will be on the way as the river is showing its bones now.

As there wasn't much to photograph I thought I would add a couple of shots of the bluebell walk from a week or two back.

Easter Monday Derwent FF

2011-04-26T21:20:00.000+01:00

My good friend Roger invited me onto his stretch of the Derwent above Grindleford. We started after a quick lunch and a beer on beat 8. There were a few fish rising in this pool just by the hut so I started there and quckly took a small wild brownie on a LDO. Covering a few more fish raised nothing. I had previously noticed a few greenfly about and so switched to a Stuart Croft greenfly, a pattern he tied at one of the Grayling Society meets during the winter. It looks like a double badger with Chartruese body and pale dun hackle. Needless to say I covered another rise and then took a small rainbow. Roger then joined in the action on the pool and started dropping them off. You get days like this were nothing stays attached and Roger was begging to have one of them!

The pool was slower moving than normal due to the exceptionally low water conditions, I recon that the Derwent must be 8-9 inches below normal summer level. The bottom is all scummy in places, it is desperate for a good flood to flush out the rubbish and freshen everything up.

I moved up to the next pool where again there were a few fish head and tailing to the greenfly I think. So I proceeded to fluff a couple of casts including getting them in suitably positioned trees which then put the fish down. I could still make out the odd flash of a fish taking nymphs, I knew reading Oliver Kites book Nymph Fishing in Practice would gel. Anyway I changed to a dark olive fsn with an olive bead to get it down and on the second trot the leader stopped dead and I struck into a magnificent wild brownie that took off! When I eventually netted it it must have gone close to 2lb. This picture was taken one handed whilst balancing my rod and the fish in the net so apologies for it having a bit of camera shake.

We continued up to the top of beat 10 and I managed a decent out of season grayling and another brown. We finished at 4.30 after a really good afternoon. These beats are excellent and with a bit more water you can see they would be even better, thank you Roger for a lovely afternoon.

Saturday Afternoon

2011-04-16T20:30:00.000+01:00

After a nice walk this morning along Bradford Dale and down into Lathkill Dale with a "sarnie" on the bridge below Raper Lodge, I then paid a visit to Bakewell for Mrs P to have her weekly fix. We couldn't resist a quick clotted cream scone and jam in the Lavender tea rooms below Peters fly shop. I of course had to pop in to speak to Peter and look at the wading boots he had as I need to replace my Simms boots as I replaced my Simms waders (B. rubbish!) last season. Going to try the Vision Mako, just waiting for them to come in.
Anyway got down to the hut at Beeley by 0230 pm the sun was in and out as a few clouds drifted about but a definite nip in the air as the northerly downstream wind gusted. I decided that I WASN'T going to put on a FSN so went for my D Rib dark olive nymph. I started in the pool above the hut and there was the odd rise here and there but nothing you could rely on. I quickly took a decent rainbow of about 2lbs followed by an out of season grayling. As I worked my way up the pool I was upstream nymphing and the leader again stopped dead in its tracks and another rainbow was landed again to the same nymph. Upstream nymphing is nearly as good as fishing the dry, but not quite! After finishing this pool went down to the pool above Max's bench, I think I will call this Derek's pool from now on as he is the only other person I have seen fish it. I took another grayling and lost a couple of trout. John the reserve keeper came down and we had a good chat as I haven't seen him since well before Christmas. I came out and fished the head of the pool as its too deep to wade up all the way, again I lost a couple more and landed another rainbow before calling it a day at 5pm as there was not really anything rising constantly, still early in the season. I didn't spot many flies about today only the odd sedge here and there. All-in-all an enjoyable afternoon though.

1st Trip to the Derwent

2011-04-10T21:37:00.000+01:00

On Friday after work I decided to have half an hour over the road to test my new 8 weight, not the right tool for fine nymphing and dry fly but just wanted to see how it cast. There was nothing rising so put on my good old fox squirrel nymph and on about the third or fourth cast had a take but the trout gave one massive jump and was gone. A fish rose in the run in to the pool below Baslow old bridge so I hastily put on a dry, again my trusty grey-olive parachute and covered the rise and blow me up came the fish and strike it was on but only for a few seconds as I am sure my rod was too stiff to cushion the take. Hey ho! It was a glorious afternoon/evening and I sat on the bench by the churh just to take in the fact that the long cold winter was finally behind us and spring had sprung! Mathew the keeper came down and we had a good natter for an hour. He told me that he had put some bigger fish in from the tanks in the childrens farmyard at the house as they had got too big. Fish up to 7lbs now they will bend your stick.

Sunday dawned very sunny and warm again so rang Derek to see if he was up for it but he declined due to sore hand from landing all the monsters which Matthew had told me about. He has already had nearly 100 fish so far this season on the Derwent, I am sure if you held out a cup of water he could catch a fish from it. He is really a good angler, one I hope to emulate.

I went down to the willow pool and tackled up a bit lighter with my 9' 5 weight and good old dark olive fox squirrel nymph, I eased into the pool at the tail which has really changed following the floods of the winter, each new season means you have to evaluate the pools again to check the levels as some have shallowed up whilst others have been scoured out. No fish were rising but I had a couple of follows and then bang! I hooked into something. This stayed on and led me a merry dance before I could get it's head up. Then I saw the biggest rainbow I have seen in this river, it must have been between 6 and 8 pounds of pure fisghtinmg machine. After it leading me around the pool I eventually managed to get its head up and readied my net but "flippin' heck!" it wouldn't go in. I had to man handle it and released a cracking 1st fish of the season full finned and in excellent condition, obviously 1 of those monster Matthew had told me about. I continued up the pool and by now there were a few sedge knocking about, probably grannom. A few fish were showing and I had changed to a grannom emerger (ala Louis Noble) and covered a fish close in an up he came and again it was on. A nice wild brown of about a pound and a half well mended from the winter. I came out and fished the head of the pool as its not possible to fish up the whole pool as there is a deep bit right across the middle which stops you so you have to exit at the cattle drink. I fished the top of the pool and took a grayling to the dry sedge, now the temperature was dropping and it was only around 3.30pm so decide to call it a day. Not a bad start to my Derwent season.

1st Outing of the 2011 Trout Season

2011-03-19T20:45:00.000Z

Derek invited me to share a rod on the Cressbrook and Litton stretch of the Wye. We went down to the lunch hut on the A6 where Don was also out. After a good natter we made our way downstream. It was a beautiful afternoon with the river crystal clear and a slight chill in the air. Derek gave me the first chuck and more or less said "put your fly there" and on about the third cast a wild rainbow came to hand.

It came to a good old fox squirrel nymph. There were no hatching flies about to speak of. Derek then had a cast and also took a fish from the same pool. Don losing a good fish also.

We worked our way down stream and Don spotted a good fish which showed itself. It was my turn again to try for it and I had put 1 of Don's comparaduns on. I worked my way up and my heart was thumping as this was the first fish I was covering this season which had shown itself. I got the fly into the vicinity and up the trout came and I struck as if I was trying to hook a shark and ping the whole cast went. Too keen and certainly out of practice! I slunck out of the river to make up a new cast and left Derek and Don to carry on in the pool, both of them taking fish. I put on another comparadun and again worked my way up the next pool taking a 12" brown.

We went down to 2 pools and Derek took a really good rainbow, I then went in and also took a small wild rainbow too on the comparadun. We worked our way back to the hut but by now the temperature had dropped and so we called it a day. A really good afternoon was had by all and especially by me for the 1st outing of the 2011 season.

A.K.Best's Fly Box

2011-03-18T11:02:00.001Z

Just received this book through the post. I have known about AK for a while after reading most of John Gierach's books, which are also cracking reads, good for holidays when there is no fishing or during the winter months. On 1st inspection it looks brilliant! There are lots of photographs of his flies, perfectly tied together with photographs of the individual insects so you can compare the two. I was going to put some pix in but rapidly had second thoughts as I would probably contravene every copyright law known to man! He seems to tie a lot of flies with quills which look amazing, definitely going to try them as I am sure we all have them on capes which have long feathers which are not used. I have used quills before for the rusty spinners but those unused feathers have been staring me in the face for years wondering what to use them for! A lot of the insect photographs look like those insects on our rivers here in the UK too. Maybe some publisher could come up with a UK equivalent? A series maybe, "Oliver Edwards Flybox", "Stuart Crofts Flybox" etc. etc.

On another subject, went over to feed the none existent ducks yesterday, the Derwent is looking in fine form ready for the season. Lots of fish about as you can see them in the crystal clear water. I did notice that there is a heck of a lot of new silt in the runs by Baslow Old Bridge. This was brought down in the last lot of floods we had a few weeks back. I wonder how the rest of the river has been affected? In previous years after big floods its amazing how the bed of the river changes, where once there was your favourite run or pool sometimes these can disappear.

Anyway only a few weeks to go now before opening and I received my new ticket for Chatsworth the other day also so its all coming together!

Hopefully my next post will have some actual fishing report so watch this space.

Nearly There!

2011-03-09T19:40:00.001Z

This trout close season has definitely been a long one not helped by the dire lack of any real grayling fishing sessions! I don't know about you but I am itching to get going again. Some guys will already be wetting a line but on Chatsworth the season doesn't start until 1st April. This past week I have been keeping an eye on the Derwent and it looks in superb condition at present. Over the road where people feed the ducks there are plenty of fish showing and they all look in superb condition. Matthew has been trickle feeding the fish during the close season at various points on the river and I am absolutely convinced that this cuts down the winter casualties and gets them over their spawning.

I thought I would tie up some mayfly duns and emergers ala Phil White who gave a great presentation last week at the Grayling Society meeting showing how he ties his catalogue of different patterns. I still recon his 1 up 1 down dun is the best pattern for the mayfly. I also tied up some mayfly nymphs using some tan grizzly marabou dubbed for a body and thorax it looks the part.

I am on the lookout for some new wading boots with rubber soles as my Simms have given up the ghost after 7 seasons, won't be buying any other Simms gear now even after this time as I have never been totally satisfied with the waders/boots.

This season I am definitely going to cut down on the amount of flies I carry, I have bought a smaller box and only transferred those flies I know I will use, we shall see if I can stick to this new rule of mine! I am also going to use more tiny flies as some of the guys on my followed blogs tie a mean 'micro' fly so I'm thinking that they must be tried here in Derbyshire, will let you know how it goes.

Tight lines to all my blog followers for the coming season, thanks for stopping by.

Saturday and a Bit of Grayling Fishing (at last!)

2011-01-24T19:44:00.000Z

Arranged to fish on Saturday afternoon with Derek on Cressbrook and Litton strecth of the Wye as his guest. We decided to share a rod and so I took my 10' Orvis. We motored down to the Bobbin Mill on the A6 and started about 1400. In my haste to get to the river I left my camera in the car. We went down to the bottom of the streatch and worked our way back up, sharing the rod. I had a pink shrimp and a fox squirrel nymph, both with tungsten beads. I also tried one of those "thingybobbers" as a sighter, still think they are glorified bubble floats but they do exactly what it says on the tin. There was a bit more water than normal coming down and the earlier cold breeze had more or less dropped. I lost 2 grayling first then managed to land a grayling of about 4" and 1 of about 12", good to know the comorants haven't had them all. We worked our way up and Derek dropped a rainbow. I continued up and took another couple of grayling, one being about 14-15" a really nice fish. We were alternating the rod but in the last pool I had to get in the river and as Derek only had wellies on I got the lions share of the run. I took another couple of grayling to finish a good few hours. What was interesting was that the grayling are beginning to show their mating colours now. My casting suffered due to the lack of trips over the last few months so will have to get a bit of practice in, hopefully a couple more outings before the season ends on the 28th Feb.

Tying at Last!

2011-01-17T19:19:00.000Z

Decided to make a start tying some more flies. Started off with an olive nymph which is using all the semperfli materials available from Flyfishing and Flytying. Basically olive partridge tail and legs, semperfli olive dubbing abdomen and thorax ribbed in green flash with olive dyed pheasant tail as a wing case. Hopefully will do ok. This is on a TMC 5262 size 14 so quite a long shank. Should imitate LDO nymphs or any olive 'agile darter'

Next came a ryacophila larva on a size 12 swimming nymph hook which gives it a good profile I think. This is a 'nearly' Oliver Edwards pattern which has caught me a few fish over the years including my PB Grayling measuring 21" from the Dove many years ago. This is the first time I have tied it on one of these hooks so hoping the profile will fool them. I think I will also use this hook to tie up some hydropsyche larva too. There is something about this hook which appeals to me!

Next I took out all my dead and tatty grey olive paraduns and replaced them with some TMC 100SPBL size 16's. This is my favourite pattern to cover most general duns. coq d'leon tails, grey olive superfine abdomen and thorax ribbed with olive moder powersilk and medium dun hackle tied parachute around a loop wing of dun TMC aerowing, lovely! I have started experimenting ribbing with threads on my dries as it is not as heavy as wire but then the difference is probably minimal but I just like the look.

I will tie some more of these in sizes down to 22. Also some with pale yellow bodies which become a very pale olive when treated with floatant, ideal for pale wateries. I tie yellow ones down to 24 with a dark thorax which I find take fish when the dreaded caenis are about.

I must try and sort out Adobe photoshop so I can zoom in closer tothe photos too. If anybody knows how to do it please let me know. Also if anybody does try some of these then again please let me know how you got on.

Till later, cheers.

Grayling Society Meeting - 1st of 2011

2011-01-04T20:35:00.000Z

The Grayling Society have their 1st meeting of 2011 this Thursday at the Devonshire in Baslow starting at 1930, all welcome members and non-members alike. This time its a talk from Don Staziker and Bernie Maher which promises to be the usual excellent presentation I'm sure, not to be missed, see you there.

Have started to tie a few flies to fill up the spaces in my flybox, just the usual suspects! Will post some photos once I get a few good shots so you can all pull them apart (not literally!).

Some Photos

2010-12-16T15:37:00.000Z

I have added my favourite photos for 2010 to my picasa album.

Its snowing here again today and I have some family jobs to do over the weekend so probably won't get fishing again in 2010.

Wishing all my readers a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and hope you all have a good 2011 season.

Thanks for looking in.

Colin

Not a Chance!

2010-12-05T21:54:00.000Z

I managed to dig the car out from the drive yesterday afternoon after being stuck since Tuesday, Note to self:- next car must be 4x4!

The main roads around here are clear but the side roads mostly impassable unless in a 4x4. Consequenty not a chance to fish and I beliee the temp must have well below zero all day yesterday.

Anyway a few more snowy pics.

I am still trying to kick start my tying, can't seem to motivate myself yet. I have made a list of what I am going to tie :- LDO, pale watery, Adams, Grey duster, black gnat, tiny yellow parachute to name a few. I have decided to have a clearout of my flybox and get shut of all those patterns of flies I have never used and just stick to those I have used recently. I thin most people carry far too many flies, I know I did so I am going to be strong and those flies I tied or took with me "just in case" are going!
Watch this space.

Snow Snow Snow

2010-12-01T11:22:00.000Z

Well I think it will be a few days before anybody gets on the river. Snow is knee deep and still coming down although thats probably diddley squat to wat comes down over the pond!

Anyway a few pretty pics!

Baslow St Annes Church

Calver Road Baslow

Bakewell Saturday 27th November

Fishing again soon (I hope!)

2010-11-24T21:42:00.000Z

Well it is ages since I have been fishing due to having work done on the house but now most of it is done I am hoping to get out this weekend however heavy snow is forecast for tonight and over the weekend so watch this space!
I have kept up to date on the various blogs I follow and its good to see midgeman back! Some good tying has been placed online too, DW especially ties some excellent patterns. I am having to clear all the dust off my tying desk but hope to get back into the swing later.
Its good to see some of you guys (and gals) still out after the grayling, Hope you are LTD Glen. Have you used the nymph Roger as we all know its not your favourite method?
Keep fishing and tying!
Colin

BFFI Sunday 31st October

2010-11-02T20:38:00.001Z

Went to the Flyfair at Trentham with Roger. Decided to buy a bit of pike gear for tying up some pike flies, size 1 hooks, various hanks of synthetic for wings, wire trace, and bigfly thread mmmm lovely. Just need to practice tying some stuff, Celtic Fly had some good looking pike flies immitating roach, perch brown and rainbow trout all very realistic looking so hopefully mine may look something like them. Any way back to the BFFI, there was a lack of punters this year, maybe the recesion is hitting more people this year however it did make walking around the various stalls easier but it must be worrying for them at the lack of buyers. There were loads of excellent tyers too from all over the globe tying flies from tarpon down to size 32's! All in all it was another good day out, long may it continue, however next year it is in June at Stafford. Personally I think it is a mistake having it during summer surely people will be fishing? Anyway thats just me.

BTW does anybody know what has happened to Midgeman from USA as his blog has disappeared?

What a Weekend!

2010-10-03T20:22:00.000+01:00

Well I was hoping to get out this weekend but to no avail. It poured down for most of the weekend and the derwent is running high and coloured. At least I can see some of you guys have been fishing in various parts of the globe, good on you!
Got my counter back, its amystery as to how it disappeared.

Wednesday 22nd September - A Grand Day Out

2010-09-25T10:24:00.001+01:00

As I am on holiday this week and I have not fished for a while due to work being done on the house, Derek invited me onto the Wye for a fish and a get together with Bill, David, Don, Keoth and John. We started about 1100 below Litton Mill as I have not fished there before and it always looks interesting and fishy whenever I walk along the river there. I tackled up my 8 1/2 footer with a small olive nymph and immediately took a decent rainbow at the head of the pool where numerous fish could be seen on the fin. Needless to say that was the only fish to take it as the others took fright! I notice a few olives about with the occasional rise so switched to a BWO and started to take fish (and losing some!) I worked my way up the pool and finished with 5 rainbows and a good brown.
Lunch was at the hut where Don was the chef performing well on the BBQ. The wine flowed and banter too! It was good to see David after his accident earlier this year, hope your back on the bank with us fully recovered next season. Keith was also there who I hadn't seen in ages and Bill one of my all time fishing friends, we joined L&DAA together then Chatsworth before he was seduced by the charms of the Wye and C&LFC.
After lunch Derek and I wandered upstream but as the valley was in deep shade the temperature must have been 10 degrees cooler than by the hut. No rising fish ao I went back to "Duffers" pool for a last cast before heading home after a thoroughly enjoyable day. Only downside was that I forgot my camera, DOH!

I Need to update my blog!!!!

2010-08-30T21:32:00.000+01:00

I have lost my counter! What the f is going on. Anybody know how to retrieve it?

Will update blog this week.

Rusty Spinner Does It Again

2010-08-09T22:40:00.002+01:00

Friday 6th August

Decided to go over the road even though it was very cloudy and looked like it was going to hammer it down. Went down to the pool above Baslow new bridge. I had my usual grey olive parachute on and covered some rises on the far run and took a decent grayling followed by a small wild brownie. Fly life was a bit absent only the odd olive fluttering about. A fish sipped down a fly and I covered it and after a couple of passes the fish took and I landed a brown about 14 or 15 ins. and the most perfect brown you could wish to see, massive spots and a shovel of a tail and a buttery belly, superb. The rain started and the rises stopped until the rain ceased and by now it was almost too dark to see but I picked up another small brownie then stumbled and staggered back along the river to home.

Sunday 8th August

Met Derek and John above the works, Derek was working his way up the sycamore pool annoying the fish with a sedge.

I snook in just above the sycamore where there were fish rising. The temperature, for once, was possibly tropical, this had brought out a wide variety of fly from sedge to olives and small caenis. I also had a sedge on and took a rainbow, this was slighty flooky I think as other fish covered did not so much as look at the sedge. The rise forms were mainly just sips and head and tailing with the odd splashy rise which were obviously to sedge. I thought blow this so got out my seine net and waded out to the foam line where the fish were lined up and found a rusty spinner, bingo! On went one of my trusty rusty spinners and first cast took a brown.

I worked my up the pool taking 5 browns and a nice grayling all to the good old rusty. There were fish rising everywhere not splashy rises nut just sips and sucks, it was great to see at lasy this season. We all finished about 2115 as the temperature dropped more or less at 2100 and the usual switch was thrown and the rises more or less ceased.

Monday 9th August

This evening it was quite blustery but the sun was out and the temperature was so-so but after last night thought I would go to the same pool again. I started with a sedge and cast under the trees and gave it a twitch, a fish had a go so I twitched it again and it took, my first cast. Then the fun started, it was all over the place and I couldn't do anything with it. I only had 2.6 bayer so had to play it carefully, after about 10 minutes its head came up and then I knew it was nearly ready. I just about managed to net it as it was the biggest rainbow I had caught in all my years on the river, it turned the scales at 5.5lb perfectly finned, superb.

I had to take a breather now as my arm was really aching. I then carried on as there were loads of sedge on the water but no olives yet. I covered a lot of fish but they didn't look interested so after trapping one of the sedges they turned out to be small grey body with dark spotted wings, possibly silverhorns? I switched to a size smaller and then took a few browns all in pristine condition. I got to the head of the pool by which time it was dark but I could vaguely pick out the white of the rusty spinner wing and managed to pick up a few more browns and a grayling. Some of the rises were barely detectable only by the white wing dissappearing did I know to strike, others were more definite sips or sucks. I finished at about 2130 and left the fish still avidly taking spinners my score being 8 fish for the evening with my PB rainbow.

If anybody thinks this is just a blog stating the numbers of fish taken then I apologise as I am using this as my diary and need to retain fish numbers for the end of season report to Chatsworth.

Happy days!

Rain but no rise in the river level

2010-08-05T09:57:00.000+01:00

Wednesday started pouring down and I thought it would raise the level of the Derwent so when I got home from work checked the river and it was still well below summer level and clear. So I thought I would have the last hour or so. I went into the park and started at Mary's Bower, there was a mean downstream wind which kept the temperature down consequently only the odd sedge knocking about. I had a sedge on but only got a few half hearted knocks so reverted to a sedge pupa and got an average grayling. By about 2000 the breeze had more or less dropped and olives were starting to flutter about so I switched to my grey olive parachute and immeditaley took a nice brown. I started to work my up to the pool below the cricket pitch where there were numerous fish rising. I covered several and they all took landing some more lovely browns and a rainbow. Now fish were rising consistently so ones which were covered came up for my fly, great! I fished on to the far side of the island where again I took a couple of browns all to the same parachute. I finished up at the tail of the pool by the cricket pitch as I usually disturb a few fish when starting there but this time I held back and picked up some more browns in the tail where the water is only ankle deep! I finished at 2130 with a tally of 1 grayling, 1 rainbow and 9 browns, not bad considering I didnt hold out much hope when I started.

Decided to go last evening!

2010-07-28T21:26:00.000+01:00

The sun put in an appearance about 1930 and this gave a rise to the temperature so decided to have the last hour just over the road. I took my Hardy 7' 2 weight to give it a run out. I started off with an elk hair sedge but there was nothing of note rising, only the odd fish here and there. I started below the bench on the far side, one of my favourite runs as even though it is barley shin deep there are always small wild browns and rainbows there and this time they were there also but as I said nothing rising consistently. There were loads of sedge buzzing about and with a few rusty spinners. I covered several rises before a small brown decided to have a bash at my sedge and I landed a lively 9" wild brownie. As soon as the sun dipped below the trees the temperature dropped by 2030 and most of the rises stopped. I worked my way up to the bridge pool only connecting with 1 other fish on a rusty spinner (Crofty style) before covering a fish in the run in and landing another 9" wildy. By 2100 I decided that that was it for the day before passing the time of day with derwentflyfisher on the bridge taking his dog for its usual constitutional, Happy days!

An Evening on the Peacock Wye

2010-07-22T14:48:00.000+01:00

I was fortunate to get an invite from Ainsley to fish the evening with him on the Peacock Wye. We started around 1915 below Haddon looking for rises but nothing much happening. The river was nearly crystal clear and there were quite a few sedges about so on went a sedge. Walked down to the bottom weir and noticed a few rises which we covered and I took a small wild brown, lovely. This is Indian country where the banks are overgrown and you need to keep away from the water edge in order to prevent the fish from seeing you. We made our way back upstream taking both browns and rainbows all wild as they come. By 2200 it was nearly dark and we found a pool where there were numerous fish rising, I had a rusty spinner on by now as there had been a few knocking about. I managed another 4 beautiful small browns and missed loads by strinking too soon (DOH!) from this pool. Finished by 2215 and walked back to the car after a most enjoyable evening, thank you Ainsley.

Sunday 18th July

2010-07-19T19:10:00.000+01:00

Decided to have the last coule of hours below the works. The river was still coloured but definitely fishable, there was an upstream warm breeze. I started at the bottom of the willow pool where there were a few fish rising to the hordes of sedges about. I started with an amber cdc sedge and took a small wild brownie. I then covered a few constant risers but nothing so changed flies and I managed to trap a sedge and it had a grey body and darker thorax with dark grey wings. Fortunately I had 1 so put that on and immediatley hooked one of the constant risers but effected a long distance release! I took another small wild brown and started work on another constant riser but the current was awkward and after about 30 minutes I must have got it right as up it came with its head and gill cover out of the water but don't you just know it that in my enthisiasm I struck too soon and just felt it prick it. I call that a moral vicory. The wind changed direction now to downstream and the temperature dropped, the sedges dissapeared along with the fish so called it a day before taking 1 last small brown. 4 for the evening,not bad.

Just Back

2010-07-10T15:35:00.000+01:00

Just got back from Corfu last night, I think its nearly been as hot here as in Greece judging by the state of my lawn! 2 weeks of reading several John Geirach books and the Blood Knots by Luke Jennings all good. Even managed to fish for half an hour whilst on a boat trip and caught a sargus all of 4 inches, hee hee. Will pay the Derwent a visit tomorrow evening for the last hour or two. It looks desperately low and in need of a bit of rain.

Tuesday - A Warm Balmy Evening Down by Mary's Bower

2010-06-23T20:16:00.001+01:00

Met up with Tim, Derek and John last evening at 1930. It was lovely and warm with the sun still shining, plenty of fly about, rusty spinners, B caenis and the odd sedge. Started off at the bend by Mary's Bower with Tim, we both started connecting with fish straight away but as usual it was 50-50 to fish risen and properly hooked to fish lost. Landed a couple of good browns which had risen consistently, then noticed a sipping rise on the far side and I cast to it with Tim watching we were both anticipating a take and it happened, a fish sipped my caenis spinner and was on. A lovely rainbow which looked like a wild one was duly landed. at 2100 we started to make our way back upstream both of us taking fish on the way. On the pool below the cricket pitch I started at the bottom and Tim went to the head. Again I was catching to caenis spinner then the temperature dropped and all the spinners disappeared however the sedge were still about. I changed fly to one of my new sedge patterns with the special film type wings and again was into the fish by just twitching it slightly which resulted in a splashy take. By 2215 I was by the island and started fishing the fast water where there were numerous rises, I landed a nice grayling and then noticed a small sipping rise on the far side which I cast to. An almighty splash took the sedge and after striking the fish headed back to the sea! I couldn't do anything with it and I immediately suspected it was foul hooked. After giving it some stick I noticed it wasn't and that it was a massive rainbow. I eventually landed it, just, as it just fitted into my net and there was a rainbow pushing 4lbs and fin perfect! An absolute specimen of a fish to finish with and I hadn't taken my camera as the battery was flat! I ended up with 2 rainbows, 2 grayling and over 10 browns, evenings don't come any better than that.

What a Difference a Day Makes!

2010-06-17T21:49:00.000+01:00

Went again last evening and this time down to the cricket pitch as there were lots of fish rising there last night. Started about 2015 but today the temperature was decidedly chillier and there was a downstream breeze which was probably putting the fish down as only the odd fish was rising here and there, nothing positive. I reached the top of the pool by 2115 and had had nothing, I was becoming more frustrated and my casting was suffering, tailing loops galore! I gave myself 15 minutes and if I still had zero on the card then I was going to call it a day. I had started with a sedge, nothing, switched to a mayfly spinner, only a few splashy rises, nothing definite. Even my size 22 yellow parachute could not raise anything until into the pool above where I took a small grayling (4") and a small wild brown (fluke). I decided to go down to the pool below the pitch where I did well last night and there were quite a few fish rising.

On the way 3 deer crossed the river and started munching the cricket pitch, a lovely sight.

Again there was very little in the air so I persevered with the parachute and took a few more fish which were head and tailing and sipping . Its great when you cover a fish which has been rising constantly and it takes your fly.

Ended the evening at 2215 with 2 grayling and 5 browns, its amazing how 2 days can be so different. I know 7 fish for a few hours is a result but perhaps we need these "knock backs" after a good day to bring us back to reality and focus more, my casting definitley deteriorated the more fish I covered without so much as a sniff!

Still better than working.

Tuesday Evening

2010-06-16T18:36:00.002+01:00

Went last evening, decided to start off at Mary's Bower in the park at about 1930. Lots of caenis about again, had my grey/olive parachute on as a general pattern but covered a lot of rising fish but nothing interested. Changed to my new sedge pattern with the special wings as a few had started to make an appearance and immediately started to connect to covered fish, a couple of wild browns followed by a small grayling. There were only a few mayfly spinners about and soon followed by loads of rusty spinners. Ended up taking 5 fish from there then moved up towards the stump but nothing rising there. By now there was a real heavy spinner fall and the fish were going mad further up towards the cricket pitch. I immediately switched to my trusty rusty and started connecting with nearly every fish covered, it was B fantastic! I ended up the evening with landing 1 rainbow, 2 grayling and over 12 browns. Finished at 2215 but could have carried on as there was still loads of light in the sky.

2 Visits in a Day!

2010-06-11T23:12:00.000+01:00

Finished work at 1230 so I could go fishing however the wind was up and so I decided to leave it a bit and went down to above the 1 arch bridge at 1400. Mayfly were hatching and the fish were on to those that lingered. I had a mayfly nymph on but that soon came off and the 1-up 1-down went on and straight away contacted with a decent brown. I started wading up the pool and there were sedge about as well as olives too. There was a brisk up stream wind but the temperature was not too chilly which kept the mayfly hatching but not as prolific as previously. By 1600 the fish had stopped rising probably due to the wind so I decided to go down to the lunch hit and try and find some shelter there but again the wind had put down the fish as there were very few rises. I called it off at about 1700 after taking 7 browns and went home for tea.
I went out again at 2030 to fish the last hour so went down the pool above the sycamore pool. There were loads of spinners about with some sedge and thousands of caenis. The fish were head and tailing and were obviously on the caenis. Even with my size 22 yellow parachute couldn';t tempt them to take. I managed 4 browns on various flies including rusty spinner, pale olive klink and F-Fly! The wind was gusting all evening and at 2145 ish the wind got stronger and it was like a switch and the fly disappearred along with the fish. I managed to trap 1 of the sedge which had a dark olive body and brown/khaki wings. The olive spinners had a grey/olive colour to the under body with pale wings. Some may have been BWOs but not sure as they were definitely not reddish brown/rusty so ???

Weekend Fishing

2010-06-06T21:57:00.000+01:00

Saturday 5th June

Roger (Derwentflyfisher) invited me and Louis onto Derwent Flyfishers stretch, we fished just above Hathersage. Met Louis at 1030 and went down to the river, after a chat we started fishing about 11, I went downstream of the stepping stones, some fish were rising but nothing constantly. On my second cast I caught this lovely wild brown on a general olive imitation as I could not make out what the fish were rising too.

This was followed by a decent grayling of about 1.5lbs. I worked my way back up to the hut and on the way took another brown. I noticed a small rise on the far bank, a fish rising about 6" from a log. I changed flies a few times before it took a size 22 yellow parachute. It resulted in another grayling this time pushing 1.5-2lbs.

After a superb lunch provided by Mrs S, Roger and I moved upstream to leave Louis chasing the rises by the hut. The odd mayfly put in an appearance but only the odd fish took them. I covered 1 with a mayfly emerger from the Staziker stable and immediatley hooked up with another wild brownie. I notice Roger, a devout dry fly man, being seduced by the nymphette known as olive. Here is living proof!

After a long walk upstream Roger landed a good rainbow about 2lbs, it would be interesting to know where it had come from, down from Ladybower or up from the hatchery in Hathersage. We ended up about 1700 back at the hut and following a refreshement fished the last 30 mins by the hut. A truly enjoyable day!

Sunday 6th June

Follwoing torrential rain overnight and on through the morning I had decided not to bother today however Mrs P decided she wanted some holiday gear so after lunch with the rain stopped and some sunny spells I didn't need to think twice so headed for the sycamore pool and the run above. The river had risen a couple of inches and was slightly coloured at 1330. Mayfly were hatching with some olives and fish were taking both. I started with a 1-up 1-down mayfly and immediately took a good rainbow. This was followed by a couple of misses. I moved upstream and again took another good rainbow to a mayfly emerger. I tried some of my own pattern mayflies, a couple on a size 12 klinkhammer hook tied emerger style which 1 took a brown and some missed the 2nd one a failure! By now 1500 ish the river was colouring up and the bottom was on;ly visibly from just below knee depth. I was working my way upstream and took another brown on a size 12 prarchute mayfly emerger, another of my own patterns with flavours of several other persons patterns thrown in.

Matthew the keeper came down and we were chatting in general, I told him I had had a few wild browns on Friday between the bridges and he remarked that another member had taken what they thought was a salmon parr. I also said that one of the "browns" I caught on Friday looked suspiciously like a salmon parr too. It had the tell-tale barring down its flanks, spots were few and far between. At first I couldn't decide what it was. Could salmon get this far up the Derwent, who knows?

Friday Evening

2010-06-05T09:07:00.001+01:00

Decided to have the last hour over the road as it had become overcast following a scorching day which put a halt to any daytime fishing. Initially only the odd fish rising to something very small but soon for a 15 minute duration the mayfly spinners descended. Fish started to make splashy rises to them and covering them with a 1-up 1-down mayfly pattern soon accounted for 4 browns and a grayling. Needless to say after this period, the mayfly disappeared and there were still a lot of large olive spinners but very few rises. It started to rain lightly about 2130 so I called it off and by the time I got home it was raining quite heavy.
Going out onto Derwent Fly stretch above Hathersage on Saturday with Roger (Derwentflyfisher) and another guest, looking forward to it as its always a test to fish another beat. Will post Saturday/Sunday.
Saturday morning has dawned a bit overcast and the rain from last night has hardly dampened the ground even though at times it was quite heavy.

Yesterday - A Funny Old Day!

2010-06-04T13:20:00.000+01:00

Had a few hours off work in the afternoon so decided to re-visit the pool I fished on Monday. Needless to say you would not think that the 2 days were in same month never mind the same week! There were only a few mayfly hatching with the odd fish splashing at them, not the same by any means as Monday. Worked my way up the pool only casting to rising fish and ended up taking 4 browns. Called it off at around 5 then went home for tea.
Went out again about 8 to the willow pool but then again not much rising, there was the odd chilly downstream breeze which may have put off the fish as there were loads of fly about. I think they were some kind of large olive spinner with the odd sedge thrown in. Only managed to land a brown and a grayling before getting paged at 2100 which put an abrupt end to the evenings proceedings.

Mayfly Are Up!

2010-06-01T20:35:00.001+01:00

Saw Derek earlier up in the village and inevitably the fishing was the topic of conversation, he had been on Sunday and the mayflies were hatching. That did it for me I was definitely going today, Monday.

Arranged to meet later down by the lunch hut at Beeley but I was early so walked downriver to one of my favourite pools. The mayfly were hatching intermittently at first but soon in earnest! I started with a mayfly emerger but only had 1 brown and obviously had covered fish who were not interested. I changed to a Phil White 1-up 1-down dun and first cast produced another brown. I was covering lots of rises and most fish took a swipe at this fly. A good rainbow pushing 2lbs was next. By the time I had got to the top of the pool I had taken and released 14 browns and a single rainbow. What a fine pool, its not possible to wade the whole length of this pool but the head can be fished comfortably from the bank. I took a few more browns finishing off with the biggest rainbow I have ever "connected" with on the Derwent, it was pushing 5lbs, so big I could not get it in my net. The only down side was I had foul hooked it in the tail no wonder it took me down to the backing, hey ho! There were lots of other flies hatching as well small yellow sallies, yellow may duns, large olives, some pale sedges. I am sure amongst them were iron blue duns as I had spotted something like them on Sunday by the river. A true smorgasboard.

LDO Spinners??????

2010-05-28T22:33:00.001+01:00

As I am on call this weekend just went over the road at 1900 and there were loads of black gnats, a few smallish olives and some sedge about. Started with my trusty grey olive parachute as I find this a good general pattern when there is nothing much rising as there was tonight! The temperature had dropped a bit so maybe that had caused it. Covered a small rise and immediately hooked up with a decent rainbow which acted more like a sea trout, it must have jumped clean out of the water 10 times! Spotted some spinners in the lower pool and managed to trap 1, photos here. I think it is a LDO spinner according to some hatch charts I have. The top of the body is a reddish brown and the underneath a pale olive with clear wings. What do you think?

Any way got paged after an hour so had to curtail my session.

Taken to the Cleaners and a bit of Father/Son Bonding

2010-05-23T22:12:00.000+01:00

Friday Evening
Went over the road Friday evening at about 1930 as it had been a good day weather wise. There were several fish rising but again to the pain that is called greenfly! There were a few black gnats around with the odd sedge and olive. No matter what I did I could not get the little blighters to take, it's then that you start to think things like micro drag or fish stubbornly moving to your fly due the mass of naturals available. Needless to say I banked 1 brown and 1 rainbow. Sometimes when you are getting a bit cocky a difficult evening brings you down to earth. Trapped this olive, think it may be an olive upright?

Any clues?

Saturday

My son Adam decided he would like a day fishing with me, he did not come last season due to other interests! Anyway we decided to get out about 1230 and it was very hot so we headed down to below the works around the deer boom area as its usually a bit sheltered under the trees and fish can be found feeding here. Again there were masses of greenfly about and swarms of black gnats about. I tried a small black para and took a nice brown but it must have been a flook as nothing else would take. I noticed Adam into what looked like a good fisnh too! We moved down the pool and at one point I was literally a rods length from a smutting trout, taking the greenfly. No matter what I gave it it was totally switched on to them as I could spot them coming down the run and the fish just tilting to sip in the fly. I attempted a couple of photos but couldn't just quite get it right.By 1500 the fish had stopped rising and the heat had increased so we headed home till the evening. Adam did ok with 4 fish to my 3.
We went out again at 1930 down to the lunch hut at the bottom end. Again fish were rising to black gnat and greenfly but this time there were some yellow flies which looked sedgey but on further inspection I identified them as yellow sallies. Again I had to go down to a 26 and managed a couple of browns, this time they stayed on better as I had offset the hook point. Adam also took a couple of fish and the keeper remarked that he had seen him take a good size rainbow. I moved down to the pool below the hut and in the fast water noticed that a hatch of olives were on the go, I did not manage to trap 1 but they were very pale and probably BWO size so I assume they could be pale wateries as it is a bit early for BWOs I think. We fished on until 2145 and Adam finished with 4 fish and 4 fish to myself. A really enjoyable day with my son we should do it more often provided he isn't on the golf course!

Yesterday Late Afternoon

2010-05-21T16:57:00.000+01:00

Went over the road for a couple of hours after work. There were quite a few fish rising, sipping something tiny from the surface. Loads of greenfly about again so went down to a 26 again and got a few takes but only managed to land a couple of rainbows. Lots of black gnats about too but about a size 20. The odd olive but nothing to write home about. Temperature warm and sunny, its finally arrived! Going to go Friday too.

FYI

2010-05-18T20:37:00.000+01:00

For your information, its been a warm sunny day here in Derbyshire, Mrs P has had her pot and boot taken off so hopefully all things are improving. Nipped over the road to checkout the river and fish to see if anything rising but only the odd 1 here and there. The Derwent is very low however I think I will give it a go tomorrow evening just to see what's what. Watch this space!

A Chilly Few Hours and a Rogue?

2010-05-16T22:14:00.000+01:00

Mrs BF said "are you going to go fishing today", well I don't need to be told twice so found myself above the works again at 1400. There were mainly sunny spells but a lazy downstream wind (lazy means it doensn't go around you but through you) , when the wind dropped it was very pleasant though. With 4 cars in the car park I thought my favourite piece of water would have a resident but thankfully no. Got in just above the sycamore and immediately landed a nice brown on a size 20 yellow parachute. There were loads of tiny midge like flies about but only the odd olive and no sedge. Within a couple more casts hit one of the large rainbows but it came off at the net. There were lots of rising fish just sipping in the tiny flies from the surface, the next fish covered came up vertical and slooped down my fly, another lovely marked brown. That was 3 fish struck in a space of water 10 feet wide. I worked my up step by step taking another brown, I thought I had cracked it! How wrong can you be, not another fish took my creation so I changed to a size 19 (103BL) griffiths gnat which immediately took another brown which again came off at the net. Chris Prior came up for a chat and as we were talking a very early mayfly flew past! Chris had also seen one earlier. I was on the phone to Derek yesterday and he had tried the mayfly nymph on Friday but the fish aren't on them yet. Its odd that mayflies start hatching so early considering the bad spring we have had. In previous years I have even seen them hatching in September too here on the Derwent, anyway I digress. Carried on moving up towards the pool head and picked up the odd brown here and there. Finished off with a size 26 yellow klink and nailed an out of season grayling so finished the day with 7 browns and a grayling at 1630 as it was getting decidedly chillier and even though I was still in my neoprenes the water is still cold.
BTW picked up a new pair of waders yesterday from the Orvis shop in Bakewell, I have high hopes for these hoping they will be better than the Sieves I have been using. Hey ho happy days!

A Couple of Hours Above the Sycamore Pool

2010-05-09T19:49:00.001+01:00

Finished my chores and so was able to get out for a couple of hours this afternoon. Weather overcast and chilly at first but the sun came out and the temperature rose.Went above the sycamore pool and there were quite a few fish rising so started with a LDO and got a decent rainbow within a couple of casts quickly followed by a good brown. There were lots of tiny flies about and the fish were just sipping the flies down. Must have been 2 flooks getting those as covered a load more fish but nothing taken. Switched to a size 20 caenis and picked up another brown, then again nothing. Decided to give a JT olive a run out and covered 2 fish and they both had it! Now I know this has probably surprised 1 or 2 of you as I rarely use cdc but this fly ceratinly had 'em! Used the frogs fanny on the fly after giving it a good wash between fish and that seemed to make the fly good as new. Note to self must try more cdc flies this season. Picked up another cracking rainbow 21" so decided to keep it. Fish were rising everywhere now but the few caddis which were knocking about were being totally ignored by the fish. I suspect they were taking some tiny emerger going by the slow sipping rise forms and nothing noticeable on the surface (I may be wrong here). Switched to a tiny size 26 greenfly as noticed quited a few on the surface and hit a few but only landed 1 brown. Again a change of fly to a size 26 caenis type klink and hit quite a few fish but only landed another 2. Finished at 1700 with fish still rising and a tally of 8 fish for a couple of hours work! Hopefully the evening rise is just around the corner now as if I could have stayed I am sure the rise would have gone on for some time.

UPDATE - Just had Roger on the phone, he was taking his dog for a walk and crossed Baslow old bridge and noticed fish rising still at 2030 so maybe the evening rise has started, fingers crossed.

Pocket Guide to Matching the Hatch - Peter Lapsley and Cyril Bennett

2010-05-06T10:57:00.001+01:00

Just received this little book and its very good. It details all the common flies on our rivers with examples of patterns, size, hatch charts and even rise forms. There is a good idea were the actual sizes of the various flies is shown together with an outline of the fly. The only criticism is that the patterns do not have any recipes so you have to hunt for tying details, otherwise definitely recommendable.

Orvis Customer Service

2010-04-30T11:30:00.000+01:00

I have just received a new top piece for my rod which I broke last week, I only took it into the shop in Bakewell on Saturday. Now thats what I call service. Thanks Orvis.

Not a Good Start and a Wet Foot

2010-04-24T11:13:00.000+01:00

Managed to complete my nursing duties and slip away for a couple of hours so decided to fish the fast water by the works. On getting my rod out of the bag I broke the tip off, brilliant! Someone is telling me I shouldn't be here. Fortunately home is only 2 minutes away so decided to tackle up at home and walk down to below Baslow new bridge and work my way back up. There was a massive hatch of LDOs and grannom. Trapped a couple to make sure. Started with a LDO (OE's pattern) and got a couple of good browns and a decent out of season grayling. Worked my way to the upstream side of the new road bridge but what was interesting is that the grannom were not hatching or fluttering about as much as below the bridge. Maybe they haven't worked there way that far yet as last year I spoke to Stuart Crofts about the grannom and he was surprised that they had reached the Chatsworth stretch. Winkled out a couple of rainbows and grayling from above the bridge before the temperature dropped slightly and the hatch petered out. The odd fish was rising still and I managed another rainbow and grayling so ended up with 9 fish for the 2 hours which I call a decent afternoons fishing. Oh and the wet foot? It's the first time I have used my breathables this season and the damn things are leaking. Does anybody have any opinion on the length of time breathables should last, I have had these Simms for 6 seasons, is that to be expected?

A Pleasant Afternoon on C&L F C at Monsal Dale

2010-04-22T11:36:00.000+01:00

Its only my second outing of the trout season due to Lynn falling and breaking an ankle and me having to nurse her. Derek offered a shared rod on the Wye yesterday where we met Don and Bill at the luncheon hut. It was a beautiful afternoon with a sharp downstream breeze. We all walked up the dale taking alternate casts to rising fish as there was a hatch of olives taking place. My first cast was a "bow and arrow" cast with one of Derek's fabled nymphs and the trout targetted took first time, a lovely brown about 12-14 inches. Bill took a couple on the dry so Derek changed over to a dry olive and he also took a couple. We made our way up the Dale but the rising fish where only in certain pools where the sun shone on the water, out of the sun it was still decidedly chilly. I took a small wild rainbow further up the river to nymph again. Derek also took his fair share of fish. I left Derek working his way upriver at about 1600 to get back to the invalid. All-in-all a very pleasant afternoon with lots of banter with good freinds.

Monday 5th April 1st Outing of the Trout Season

2010-04-06T20:45:00.000+01:00

Well it did not rain on Sunday and the river was running about 6-8 inches above normal and reasonably clear by Monday so decided to go down to the willow pool. Got to the car park to find 5 cars already there,doh! A guy was just coming away and informed me the willow pool had someone already there. The wind was quite strong so decided to go down to the gulley area, this is always quite sheltered be it during strong wind or bright sunshine. Started off with a dark olive squirrel nymph and immediatley picked up a small wild brown, a great start to the season. Noticed a couple of large dark olives sailing down but nothing interested in them but it still convinced me to change to a large dark olive (O.E's). On the second cast the twin of the 1st trout took and that was 2 fish in a matter of minutes. Moving slowly up the pool I took another 2 browns which were between 12-14 inches, woo hoo. Finished going up the pool with a rainbow about 18 inches. Worked my way back to the 'get out' point where I took another brown and was busy minding my own business taking in everythimng when a voice scared the s*** out me, it was Matthew the river keeper, you will have to get a warning bell! Passed the time of day then went up to the willow pool where the previous occupant had departed. Although the river was not up that much it was hammering through and this pool is quite deceiving in its speed of current, I think the bed of the pool here has changed a bit during the winter, its possible to wade further up now to opposite the cattle drink. There were no further olives seen in this pool so changed to an olive FSN again and landed a rainbow about 2lb. To finish off I then hooked something much larger, Matthew had made his way back and was watching me from the bench and commented 'that's a decent one!' I managed to land one of the largest rainbows I have caught on the Derwent, I had a couple of attempts to get it in my net but eventually managed, it must have been knocking 4lbs. Matthew informed me that he had put in quite a few 'big boys' which are from the feeding pond in the farmyard at the house. It was fin perfect and in superb condition. Switched on my camera but unfortunatley it was one of those were balancing a fish with 1 hand and trying to compose it with the other it gave a quick flick and was gone. So I ended the day with 5 browns and 3 rainbows, a good start to the season.

Derwent Prospects

2010-03-31T19:52:00.000+01:00

Its the eve of the start of the new trout season for the Chatsworth Fishery and it's not looking too good. The Derwent is well up and very coloured with rain forecast for tomorrow and most of the weekend. I was hoping to get out on Sunday or Monday but it looks doubtful, will keep my fingers crossed!
Some guys on my bloglist have already been out, especially on the Dove, which I hold dear as it was the river I started my river brown trout fishing in earnest when I moved over from Southport. The blogs are well worth looking at if you have not already done so.
So it looks like another few hours at my tying desk knocking up some more duns and filling up my mayfly box too, mustn't forget them! Will post once been out.

2010-02-14T17:55:00.003Z

For my Valentines Day treat I went down to the Derwent to Mary's Bower and worked my way up. On the way down noticed a lot of bank damage due to the recent floods. This poplar tree will soon be in the river!

Tried one of those 'Thingymobobs' as an indicator, not bad but just feels like using a bubble float. Especially when its gets attacked by trout.

Worked my up past what is left of the stump pool but nothing until reached the top of the next pool where I managed to land 2 decent grayling.

Got out at the top and walked up to have a natter to Derek who was fishing up from the cricket pitch. He had had a few as well. This gave me time to thaw out my feet. Its always my feet that get cold first, my body and legs were fine, whats the answer? By now it was past 3 so decided to fish the cricket pitch up for the last 20 minutes before calling it a day. Landed another grayling making 3 for the day, not bad considering it was hard going, all to a dark olive fox squirrel nymph.

Only 2 more weekends left before the season closes for a month.

Just a Few Hours at Last!

2010-01-31T19:18:00.002Z

Considering the height of the river on Friday it has certainly dropped quick. Looks like there may have been water being let out of Ladybower. It is back to a reasonable level now so went out above the 1 arch bridge for a couple of hours. Went through various bugs and spiders. Dropped my first 2 grayling and it wasn't until my last 20 minutes that 1 managed to actually land 2. Nothing rising and only a few very small flies about. It was good to get out even if it was B. freezing!
The nights are drawing out a bit now, spring is just around the corner, can't wait for the trout season to start.
Going by Mr Pointons blog, it looks like I need a lesson from Mr T. maybe.

Time at the Vice

2010-01-26T21:17:00.004Z

Didn't bother going fishing over the weekend as both the Derwent and the Wye were well up and coloured.

Spent some time tying up some favourites and a few new ones.

Snipe and purple bead - a new one to try

Partridge and orange bead -a new one to try

Large Dark Olive
size 12 TMC 900BL
Thread olive moser powersilk
Body - brown olive dubbing
Rib - thread
Tail - coq de leon
Wing - Niche Silicon poly yarn dun
Hackle - olive or dun cock

Olive Upright
Size 14
Thread - yellow moser powersilk
Body - grey olive superfine
Rib - thread
Tail - dun cock
Wing - Niche silicon poly yarn dun
Hackle - olive cock

General Olive
Hook TMC 16 206 BL
Thread - Yellow moser powersilk
Body - grey olive superfine
Rib - thread
Wing - Niche silicon poly yarn dun
Hackle - dun cock

These 3 olives all catch for me on the Derwent, hope you try them.

A Few Sedges and Things

2010-01-20T20:35:00.008Z

Went to the Grayling Society meeting last night at the Devonshire in Baslow where Don Stazicker gave us a chat and slideshow entitled "its not what you fish, its the way that you fish it". As usual with Don, who is exceptionally knowledgeable about all things fly fishing, it was a really enjoyable show. If you get chance to see any of Don's shows or even speak to him take the opportunity, you won't be disappointed.

I have persevered with those B sedge wings and managed to get it to the point of just applying enough heat to burn the wings so they are passable. Anyway I have tied up about a dozen different types including a grannom, brown and black sedges. Here are my efforts, feel free to criticise. Whether they will catch is another matter.

They don't look too bad I suppose. Ok onto the next lot. Think I'll tie some LDOs from the WTT journal from 2008 which had some Oliver Edewards patterns. 1st attempt.

Will post some more "efforts" when I have something presentable!

The Derwent is still up and coloured with all the snow melt which I think will be around for a few more days judging by the depth of the drifts on the tops. Hopefully by the weekend it will be ok. Will put out a report on Friday.

J Son Website

2010-01-03T21:24:00.002Z

In case anyone wants the website for the Swedish chap who ties these flies here it is:-

www.jsonsweden.com

Getting Better (I think!)

2010-01-03T16:21:00.005Z

Tied up a few more sedges using the plastic membrane and burner. A grannon and another brown sedge. I don't think they are too bad, are they? Still having problems applying the right amount of heat to get the wing spot on. Will persevere, maybe the grannon needs the hackle triming underneath?

Apologies for the poor quality of the images but haven't got a macro lens and having to use photoshop to blow them up.

I am going to get this right this evening if its the last fly I tie.

Snowy Derwent

2010-01-02T22:16:00.002Z

This is a similar shot to that in my header but about 6 months apart!

A Few Caddis

2010-01-01T21:42:00.004Z

I have finally started to use the special winging material I purchased from the Fly Fair. The wings need to be burned so its proving a bit difficult getting the right amount of heat to weld the edges of the wing.

The above photo is a detached body sedge which the guy on the J.Son & Co stand tied on a size 12.

This second shot is my first attempt using the first decent wing I managed to burn. Its very basic but the general impression looks ok. Will have to carry on experimenting with the burner. Hopefully they will get better over the coming days. Will post a shot of the first one which makes it into my fly box!

Happy New Year to all.

No Fishing!

2009-12-30T12:56:00.003Z

Weather - sleet showers, 4-6" of snow between Baslow and Sheffield over the top bad driving conditions.

Decided to watch my JT Early Season dvd instead and tie a few JT olives, will post photos if they are any good!

Alas no ladies!

2009-12-29T18:23:00.002Z

Went to the Derwent after lunch above the works with Derek. Fished for couple of hours but I didn't get any grayling just a few out of season trout. Derek managed some grayling on a pink bug. The Derwent was in good condition only a few inches up but clear...ish, didn't see any fish rise so it was a couple of bugs fished up and across. It was hard fishing today only just above freezing and the odd shower but hey still better than being in work! Derek suggested we go to the Wye tomorrow weather permitting so not being one to give up an offer we agreed to view the weather tomorrow.

Bakewell 26th December

2009-12-27T21:40:00.001Z

Went into Bakewell to blow the Christmas cobwebs away. The hunt came through, a lovely typical English sight, all the horses and dogs. Lots of people watching.

Tried to walk along the river but path still far too icy. There were 2 intrepid anglers but didn't catch anything whilst I was watching briefly. The river was in fine form then but now the snow has all melted and there has been a fair amount of rain so it may be up a bit now.

Hoping to get out this week as have a few days off. Will post details if I do get out.

Best wishes to all and thanks for looking in on my blog.

Grayling Society Meeting

2009-12-18T15:51:00.003Z

Went to the Grayling Society meeting at the Devonshire Arms in Baslow on Tuesday evening. Mike Harding was the guest speaker who gave a good talk with some excellent tying of north country spiders, good jokes and anecdotes. Won a copy of the Jeremy Paxman book in the raffle! Spoke to David the river keeper from Cressbrook and Litton and he still can't say entomological (those who have seen the JT mayfly dvd will know what I mean!). Steve and Hilary also had an excellent time fishing in Mexico for the bonefish, see Paul Procter's blog for a brief resume. It definitley sounds like the trip of a lifetime. All in all a good meeting and worth the effort to go out on a miserable night to speak with like minded people. The next meeting is on the 19th January when Don Stazicker will be giving a talk.

Went to feed the ducks earlier today and the Derwent is still up by about 12", slightly coloured and raging through. More snow is forecast but there is only a very light sprinkling here in Baslow. Hope to get out for a few hours over the weekend weather permitting.

Checkout the video, some belters but where they setup?

A Few Hours At Last!

2009-12-13T20:57:00.004Z

After numerous weeks not being able to get out of a weekend due to one thing and another finally managed a couple of hours in Chatsworth Park. The Derwent was up quite a bit and running really fast but reasonably clear with only the peaty tinge of a good malt. No fly hatching as it was nippy so decided on a couple of heavy nymphs. A beige czech nymph on the point and a watery olive shrimp on the dropper. As I walked down past the cricket pitch I could see the bank damage done by the recent floods. I started in my usual spot where I normally pick up a grayling by the stump but as the river was running so fast it was a wasted effort there. The river bed has also undergone some changes and where it was reasonably shallow, some deep holes have been scoured out.

Went down to Mary's Bower fishing close in to the bank where the current was not as fierce and got a grayling on a latex grub which had replaced the czech nymph. Also dropped one too. Changed to a pink shrimp and hoicked out a 2lb+ rainbow obviously out of season but in superb condition and quickly returned, so started to work my way back upstream. Only managed to land another grayling before brass monkey's set in and I called it a day. It was good to get out and feel the river pusing against you. Hopefully get out next weekend weather permitting!

BFFI Sunday 8th November

2009-11-09T21:01:00.002Z

Went to the Fly Fair on Sunday, a good day out with some retail therapy thrown in (but don't tell Mrs P)! Numerous good tyers of all different types of fly from tiny spiders to massive pike and saltwater flies. All the usual suspects were there, Oliver Edwards, Paul Procter, Stuart Crofts, Malcolm Greenhalgh etc.
There was an excellent tyer from Sweden demostrating some wing burners and some thin film to create very realistic wings on olives to caddis, needless to say I succumbed to a caddis wing burner in a small (8-10mm) size with some corresponding film, will post some pics when I get started. Got some tiny beads in assorted colours (brown, purple, orange) which will work well on small spiders to get them down to the grayling. Also picked up some dyed muskrat in olive which always dubs well and creates good looking bodies, at least on an adams etc. so should tie up well on small olives too! Picked up a dvd from the WTT produced by Paul Gaskell of the Trout in the Town (I think) fame, providing you made a contribution of £15. A really good watch and well worth it. Also spotted some of the new John Tyzack dvd on mayflies, which looked definitely promising.
All in all a good day but I don't think there were as many people as in previous years, maybe the credit crunch is having an effect.
Not had a chance to get out on the river for any grayling yet as I tend to use the trout close season for appeasing Mrs P. although last week the Derwent was up and coloured for a few days.

The Last Outing Before the Trout Finish

2009-10-04T20:15:00.001+01:00

Had an enjoyable afternoon fishing with Roger (a.k.a. Derwentflyfisher). Started about 1300 below the 1 arch bridge at the far end of the park. The water is very low and lots of scum on the bottom still there was a good hatch of medium and small type olives, needle flies and the odd sedge. Fished a rather deep pool Roger going up 1st and he managed a few grayling and browns to his usual all brown dry fly. I only took a small grayling to a dark olive squirrel nymph.

After an hour we moved into the park fishing below the bottom weir passing a herd of deer on the far bank being looked after by a large stag.

There were quite a few fish rising to the good hatch of olives. I swicthed to the dry but couldn't touch anything so went back to the nymph. Got a good rainbow touching the 2lb mark.

Walked up to the top weir passing afew rising fish on the way castin gfrom the bank to them and actually rising them but not conencting, I call these moral victories!

By now the sun was dipping behind the hill so moved back down to the bottom weir, the pool directly below the weir where there are usually some decent fish about but this time only a few grayling. Roger picking up another from here.

Decided to work our way back downstream but by now most of the rises had ceased so called it a day at 1700. Walking back to the car we were both reflecting on the past season and agreed that it had been a good season for us both.

Derwent Fly Fishers Above Hathersage

2009-09-19T21:22:00.003+01:00

My good friend Roger S invited me onto his stretch of Derwent Fly Fishers above Hathersage. It is a stretch I haven't been on before, we started at about 1300 above the stepping stones as there were loads of rises to the many olives coming off so Roger made the first cast and almost immediately had a good grayling to an F-fly (I am considering changing the name of this fly to a Rogers Favourite!). Then my turn and a few casts later another grayling to a grey olive parachute. (Colins Favourite!).

We walked down to the bottom of beat 14 and started to work our way back up. I took afew more decent grayling including this one and its twin.

Continued to cover rising fish and taking grayling mainly with a couple of browns all to the grey-olive parachute. At the top of the pool there was more depth and nothing rising so put on a dark olive squirrel nymph and immediately hit another good grayling which was pushing 2lb! Then on the next cast hit an even larger 1 but unfortunatley it didn't stay on. Picked up a second 1 again well over 1lb. Roger and I worked our way up past beat 15 where Roger hadn't fished before, we discovered some very good water all easily wadeable. I spotted fish for Roger and vice-versa we were both taking mainly grayling. We reached the limit of beat 16 and I took another 2 good browns again to the squirrel nymph.

We finished a very enjoyable afternoon at 1700 with a beer back at the car, my tally being 8 grayling and 5 browns.

River Wye

2009-09-18T20:01:00.005+01:00

Derek invited me onto the River Wye today, Went down to the bobbin mill but too many people there so decided to go up to Gregory's Farm below Monsal Head. Got there about 1230 and the sun was trying its best to come out and it was fairly mild, there was a good hatch of olives coming off too. Started off in this pool with a grey-olive parachute but couldn't get anything to take. Derek started above the bridge on a nymph and immediately was into fish. Worked my way up towards the bridge where there were several good fish head and tailing then some kind person who had let their dog off the lead decided to let it take an early bath! Which put a end to that pool.

Went above the bridge to see Derek taking a good rainbow, again on the nymph. He certainly knows how to work the nymph upstream does Derek!

Fished above Derek and eventually got a nice brown on the dry grey-olive parachute. Not that many fish rising considering the amount of olives about and few sedge. Managed to trap a sedge which ahd a yellow/amber body and gre wings about a size 14. So on went an amber cdc sedge to cover a rising fish and immediatley hooked another nice brown, I love it when a plan comes together! Worked my upstrean taking a good rainbow on a nymph before getting to the bridge by Tom's Cottage and took 2 more browns from the pool below the bridge on the gre-olive parachute. By now the sun was dipping below the hill and the temperature was dropping. The river keeper, Chris, appeared and passed the time of day with him before retreating back to see how Derek was getting on, needless to say he had about a dozen all on the nymph. Went back to the first pool to see if the fish were back but only the odd one rising but didn't get anything so we called it a day at 1730. A good afternoon on this stretch which I haven't fished for a couple of years, thank you Derek for taking me.

Sunday 13th September

2009-09-15T17:35:00.003+01:00

Following the glorious day yesterday I decided to go down to the hut where on arrival I disturbed a massive dark brown bird of prey on the electricity pole by the hut, Matthew told me later that it was a buzzard which usually rests in the old oak tree further up river where the pheasants are reared. Took my camera with me hoping to catch a glimpse again but he was well gone! So I started in the pool just above the hut, one of my favourites where there are plenty of different runs and riffles. The river was clearish with a tinge of colour and plenty of olives hatching, dull grey bodies, wings and legs and about a size 18-20. Wondered what they were, pale wateries or some other small olive, hmmmm. Put on a size 18 grey olive parachute and immediately rose a few fish which failed to stay on until a small grayling was landed, a good start. Covered quite a few fish but again failed to stay attached, I call these moral victories! After a half hour walked down to Max's bench pool where I expected to see plenty of fish rising, nothing, zilch, nought, nowt, zero! So put on a size 18 biot nymph and had a few snatches but nothing definite. Noticed further up the pool a fish rising fairly constantly so quickly worked my way up and changed to a small olive paradun and covered the fish which took first cast but I struck too soon, luckily it didn't feel the hook and continued to rise so covered again and made sure this time landing a decent grayling.

Got out and was contemplating things sitting on Max's bench when Matthew the keeper came down to check on me, said that there had been someone fishing below the bottom weir in the park who had had a cracking afternoon, as I had only managed to land 2 fish so far. Then I suppose mine wasn't that bad too sitting on the bench in the autumn sunshine whiling away the time watching the river flowing by, the odd fish rising, dippers, bees, the sheep bahing, the cows mooing and generally thanking God that I am really lucky to be able to fish this stretch of river.

Went back up to the pool below the hut for the last half hour and got a decent brown before calling it a day as the temperature was dropping together with my standard of casting.

2 Singletons!

2009-09-09T21:05:00.003+01:00

Went over the road on Monday evening after the high water over the weekend. The Derwent was still about 3-4 ins. high and not quite clear. Started off with a size 20 olive and got a brown first cast which had been rising, so it looked like it was going to be a good hour or so.......wrong! Covered numerous other fish and connected briefly with a few but could not get them to take properly no matter what I tried from tiny olives to sedges. Called it a frustrating evening by 2030.

Managed to finish work a bit early on Wednesday and as Mrs P was out decided to have a bash so was on the bank by 1730. Went down to the hut and there were 2 other fishermen there. As I was tackling up 1 of them was coming off and informed me that the river had been stocked today. This usually puts the resident fish off for a day or two. Decided to fish the pool just below the hut and again covered a brown which had been rising and managed to land it on a size 18 olive. Don't count your chickens before they hatch! There was a good amount of fly knocking about including olives and sedges. Fish were rising here and there and covered several and hooked them but all were long distance releases. As I was fishing the pool up the another fisherman decided to fish the pool from the head, gee thanks! Even this syndicate has its inconsiderate idiots. So moved down a pool as there now appeared to be quite a few fish rising and a lot of sedge about so put on a small brown sedge and covered a fish which turned out to be a cracking rainbow which decided to make off to the other bank and freedom. Worked out the contour of this pool, by going down to the tail and sticking close to the near bank it was possible to cover a lot of good lies. Fish were rising constantly which I covered and again had some brief hook-ups but nothing landed. These again were all to the sedge, including some to Glen's LTD sedge, but all to brief before being given their freedom! Stayed till 2000 but had a real birds nest of a mess with my leader so called it a day only landing the single brown but hey it was still an enjoyable evening even though I broke my wading staff but did finish off with a chicken tikka masala!

Went for a Sit in the fishermans car park

2009-09-02T20:10:00.003+01:00

The river was looking fine this evening considering the amount of rain we had last night, so decided to go for a few hours this evening as it was only slightly raining however by the time I got to the fishermans car park it was persistently raining! Waited for half an hour in the car but there was no let up and the cloud cover was dense and low so called it a day and went home for tea. Sitting here at 2000 with the rain coming down in buckets so will be very surprised if the river does not come up after this.
On a bright note, this morning there was a tiny olive stuck on my car in the dew, probably a size 20, maybe a pale watery? At least it got me thinking about something different on the way to work.
Hopefully get out Friday, river permitting.
Don't forget the Chatsworth Country Fair this weekend, always a good day.

The Evenings are getting shorter and the mist rolls in!

2009-08-25T22:04:00.005+01:00

Went down to the cricket pitch at 1830 and fished along the caravan park up towards Bar Brook. Plenty of olives and sedge about and fish rising. The river was clear and the recent rain had not affected it. Started off with a JT olive and got a rise straight away but it didn't stay on. Then the next fish stayed on, a nice brown, a stockie. Changed to a Nanas fly and got another brown and lost 1. Managed to get nearly up to Bar Brook before the wading got too deep so fished back towards the car park. Changed to a 22 caenis as a lot of tiny flies about as well and raised a fish but it didn't stay on then a big rainbow hit it but was soon off. Offset the hook point as read somewhere this is effective and the next take did stay on, another good rainbow.

Noticed the temperature dropping by 2030 and turned around and looked upstream to see this.

Finished by 2045 as the fish stopped rising again and the fly had all but disappeared.

Monday 17th August - The Last Hour (and twisted fins)

2009-08-21T13:59:00.004+01:00

Went over the road below Baslow Old Bridge for the last hour. The river was in superb condition, clear as a bell. Only the odd fish rising though as it had been a hot day, covered the first one and a brown came shooting up like a missile for my griffiths gnat! Needless to say it didn't connect properly. Covered the second fish in mid stream and got a nice grayling around a pound, noticed another rise in the same place so covered it again and got a second grayling of a similar size, they say they hang around in shoals but this is the first time I have caught 2 grayling from the same "swim", both on the griffiths gnat. As the light was fading fast a few sedges put in an appearance and a few more fish started to rise so switched to a brown sedge and got a decent brown of about a pound and a half however it was a stockie probably from last year as the fins were all perfect apart from the 2 pectoral fins which were quite twisted. Does anybody know if fish ever recover from having abnormal or twisted fins?
Carried on for another 15 minutes or so and got a cloncking rainbow however it did not give a good account of itself as it came in like taking a dog for a walk. I don't even think it knew if it had been hooked, very odd, as it was totally fin perfect with a spade of a tail. Probably a bit p!ssed off at being hooked.
Anyway chalk me up another enjoyable hour, better than watching the goggle box.

Sedges everywhere!

2009-08-16T21:54:00.006+01:00

My wife had gone down to see family but I was on call so couldn't go, did some gardening and had lunch outside as it was a lovely warm day. So at 1600 I thought 50d the garden I'm going fishing! Decided to go above the works as there is a lot of fast water so "me thinking maybe them fishes be thur". The only problem about going above the works is you have to walk past it and on hot days it is slightly ripe to say the least anyway met another member who was finishing and passed the time of day, he informed me he couldn't get anything on the dry but managed some on the nymph. I had already tackled up with a size 18 nanas fly so started in the fast run at the top of the sycamore pool. The river was in excellent condition clear as a bell the only problem was the upstream wind but this hadn't put the fish down completely. Managed to rise a few but none stayed on until this grayling took.

Surprisingly there was not much fly about. About 1800 the sedges put in an appearance, they were everywhere, clouds and clouds of them and then the fish found them and started rising too.

Changed to a size 16 black sedge as the sedge about were silverhorns or longhorns, black body and grey wings. I had tied some following my previous visit so here goes, Managed to land a rainbow and a couple of browns. I was covering a lot of rising fish but they were not entirely switched on to my fly so changed it for a size 16 cdc black sedge.

Picked up another couple of browns but still something not quite right, think maybe a size 18 or even a 20 may have been better but I hadn't tied any. Met Tim half way doen the pool who informs me he keeps up with my blog as he can catch up with the river when he hasn't been for a while, thanks Tim. Tim started at the top of the pool and followed me down. The black sedge took some fish but as I have said not quite right so changed to a size 18 dark brown elk hair caddis and raised a few fish immediately, cracked it! Ended up with 8 fish from the pool before retreating to my car to pickup a fleece as the temperature had dropped but the sedge were still about.

Decided to fish the willow pool for the last hour and the sedge were still about picked up another rainbow and covered loads of rising fish resulting in another 3 good browns all to the brown sedge. Finished at 2000 as it had got decidedly nippy and being up to your waist in the derwent for over 3 hours eventually gets to you.

Tuesday - Mary's Bower

2009-08-12T20:28:00.003+01:00

As the wind was dropping now I decided to go down to Mary's Bower in the park having a cast at the willow stump on my way but nothing doing there. The odd fish showing by the bower, then Matthew the river keeper came down, told me Derek, Don and David had been there and fished up to the deer boom all day, brilliant no wonder there wasn't much doing. If there were ever 3 fisherman you would not want to follow up a river it is these guys, all great fisherman and friends. Thought might as well pack in now! After a chat decided to move up swiftly only casting to rising fish, nothing. Put on a sedge pupa by the willow stump and got a lively rainbow.

Made it to the cricket pitch by 2030 then the fish started to put in an appearance, sedge everywhere with the occaisional rusty spinner, changed the nymph to a rusty spinner and picked up a decent brown. Started covering loads of fish but they were not interested in the spinner anymore so on went a size 18 brown sedge and immediatley started to rise fish although they were only on then off! A massive "swarm" of sedge came downstream dragged by the brreeze and I quickly wafted my net through it and caught a few. These were pickled, when I got home, like the one from last week and are now on their way to Stuart Crofts, I think they are silverhorns. Managed 4 more decent browns all to the brown sedge before it was too dark to see.

Overall not a bad evening considering the initial report.

catch a fly, identify it, tie it, fish it, catch fish!!!!

2009-08-09T17:16:00.003+01:00

The caddis I trapped on Wednesday, I tied a rough copy of it with an elk wing and a couple with a cdc wing, both with orange/ginger/rusty body.

Went down to the hut at Beeley on Saturday evening and was surprised that the Derwent was up by about 6" and peaty coloured. Started in the pool above the hut with the sedge and picked up a brown and a rather emaciated rainbow. Both fish taken where no fish rising. Suprisingly had to wait till about 2030 for any appreciable rise to start. Noticed a few rusty spinners on the surface so on went the old faithful rusty spinner and immediatley started to rise and hook a few nice browns, a nice grayling and yet another emaciated rainbow, I don't know what's wrong with them but I have not seen this before. The rise lasted for about 45 minutes and then the switch was thrown and the temperature dropped and the fish went to bed. I continued for another 15 minutes but as nothing was rising called it a day at 2130. Its really amazing how the fish know when the temperature drops and they stop rising even though there are frequently spinners and sedge still on the water. How do they know?

Found this massive moth on my car boot when I left any ideas?

Chalk me up another enjoyable evening please.

Above the 1 arch bridge and below the bottom weir

2009-08-05T22:06:00.003+01:00

Went below the bottom weir this evening as it had been a warm day so was expecting a bumper hatch, unfortunatley it failed to materialise. No spinners about but plenty of sedge, trapped a large-ish one at the close (5-7mm body) and on closer inspection, at home, it had an orange body. Have pickled it in some unknown brew my son brought back from abroad which smells pretty powerful. Must get it in the post to Stuart Crofts. Used my seine net which attaches to my landing net (a handy little gadget!) to try and find out if there was anything else but absolutley ziltch! Started off working my up into the fast water with one of my "nana's" fly and got a grayling and a brown, then nothing. Changed to a Larry's pride and picked up another couple of browns and a rainbow. Spoke to Malcolm the keeper who said that there had been a heavy hatch of black ants further upstream by the cricket pitch and the fish were going mad. Sounds familiar, wrong place wrong time! Fish were still rising here and there, looked like they were taking something about to hatch going by the rises, head and tailing, so switched to a sedge pupa fished in the top couple of inches and picked up another rainbow and a couple more browns. Fininshed around 2130 as the temperature had dropped a bit and the fish stopped rising, so wended my way home after another enjoyable evening. The difference in the park a couple of hours can make, I probably saw a max of 10 people walking through the park all evening, very peaceful!

Willow Pool

2009-08-02T22:15:00.004+01:00

Run in at the top of Willow Pool

View up to the top of Willow Pool

As Sunday was a sunny day and there was no more rain in the night, checked the river at 1800 and it looked fishable although it was up by about 6" and still carrying a bit of colour. Went down to the willow pool again as its just round the corner. Got there about 2000 and already there were plenty of fish rising. Tried my half-half fly, tied on a size 12 klinkhammer hook, the bottom half a nymph and the top half a hatching dun. Raised a fish on the first cast, woo hoo! Raised and hooked a brown soon after then shortly again another brown, maybe I have got something here!

Carried on with the same fly and raised only the odd one although I was covering fish. Decided to change to a trusty rusty spinner as there were a few on the water together with a few sedge and what looked like pale wateries. Managed another couple of browns. I was in quite deep now and noticed I had gone just a tad too far and my nymph box was now full of water! Even my C&F so-called waterproof box was decidedly un-waterproof, brilliant, everything soaked.

Fish were going mad now but I did not think there were that many rusties on the water to bring up this amount of fish. They must have been taking the 'pale wateries' if thats what they were?

Fish rising everywhere!

Good brown.

Went up to the head of the pool and fished down as far as I could get to without shipping water. Fish were still coming up, managed a rainbow and a grayling to a cdc sedge and finally finished with another brown fishing back up to the fast water at the run in. All-in-all not a bad evening considering I only decided to go at the last minute.

Rain rain rain rain rain

2009-08-01T16:03:00.001+01:00

Rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain rain !

Derwent definitely out.
Wye looks ok at Water-cum-jolly.

Fly desk the best bet!