Hazlewood

Our new puppy is getting Mrs Squire and I up quite early at the weekends so this morning I was parking the car at Hazlewood by 0800 for a couple of hours on the River Ecclesbourne. This is small stream fishing though and the Ecclesbourne barely qualifies for river status. It is one of the DRAC waters and a considerable amount of work has been done by both Phil Harrison & co., plus the EA. This has improved access to the water in parts but it is still very much Rambo style undergrowth that only the most hardy will tackle. Rods up to 7' are very much the order of the day.
The water was a little coloured this morning and I only saw one rising fish. I would imagine that at the moment an evening session may catch the best of the fishing. I caught the fish below on a PTN after seeing it take something off the top. My nymph landed just downstream and I thought that the cast was too short but the the end of my flyline darted distinctly upstream and I was rewarded with one of the Ecclesbourne's brownies. As you can see they are small but perfectly formed, just like Kylie really.
This is not the sort of water where you will catch a hatful of fish and any angler landing a brace can consider himself well rewarded. It was nearly an expensive morning for me as I realised I had dropped my nymph box whilst commando'ing along the bank. I retraced my steps and was amazed to find it lying in the undergrowth. Mental note in future to always zip up my waistcoat pockets.