River Derwent

 My first trip to the river for some trouting was well overdue having been distracted so far this year by weather conditions, apathy, decorating and other piscatorial matters. Monday I was hoping that the fish may have switched onto mayfly and headed off to the Derwent at Darley Dale, arguably the jewel in the crown of the DRAC trout waters.

 The fishing I found was quite tough though and certainly not yet 'Duffers Fortnight'. My fish were taken on quite small patterns not the large budgies that I'd hoped to be throwing at the trout. JT style olives 16 and Griffiths Gnat 18 proved to be good patterns in the heat of the day.

 The river looked in great condition and running at a good level. Fish were rising through the afternoon and it was best to target these and 'fish where the fish are'.

 Hopefully next week I will be out again and catch some of the more frantic mayfly sport.

Cove's PTN

On Monday evening I again adjourned to Foremark for the last few hours. I really needed some time to wind down and so got out of the way round at Bramble and Sunblest area's. My successful fly was again the Cove PTN, what a cracking pattern it is. Retrieved very slowly, almost static, and the takes when they come almost rip the rod from your hands. Not quite as prolific as my last trip but still enough to keep interested. I never take a fish from the river but have no qualms about administering the last rights to a stillwater rainbow and the fish from Foremark do taste superb.
As I walked back to the car there was a rise starting in the sailing club bay but I had run out of time for a last cast. The latest report from the reservoir suggests the fish may be starting to move out so I'll have to think hard before having another session particularly as I've seen my first mayfly of the year tonight.

Stillwater Trout

As I didn't want to gamble on the DRAC stretch of the Dove being in nick I decided to have a couple of hours at Foremark this evening. I've always lived pretty local to this reservoir and it is now only ten minutes from Egginton. How things have changed there since I first fished it with Dad in the 70's, the latest improvement is closing before dusk can you believe! Yes, I had to vacate the premises by 2045 this evening. At one time Flamingo Bay would have been a knitting match until the anglers could just make their way back to the car park in the gloaming with talk of fish captured and chances missed.

 I made my way round to Bramble Bay and it wasn't long before I was reminded how hard Ifor's rainbows pull as the line fizzed through my fingers making my old Intrepid Dragonfly complain loudly. Traditional stillwater tactics did the damage, a Cove PTN drifted round on the breeze.

Fish also came to the nymph in Sunblest Bay where there was a great ripple with the odd fish moving. I had expected to see masses of the hawthorn fly but perhaps this would have been earlier in the day. The last take I had took me by surprise as I just checked my watch, the rod was almost pulled out of my hand! Great fishing, but it would have been good to fish until dusk as the hooter was sounded twice. All for my benefit as I walked back to the car I was the last man out. At least I got to walk the dog in the light.

My Quest for Barbel

The weather outside is awful so I've spent Sunday morning so far catching up on some surfing. This a site from a guy in Nottingham, Richard Easom, that has loads of info for the barbel angler. There is one mention of Forest but I suggest you skip over that. Up the Rams!!

Sutton Brook

I was going to take a rod down this evening but it was so cold I just grabbed the camera. The water was quite mucky so glad I didn't bother. The tree above has come down over the winter, it is just near our lower access.


The run above has produced my biggest trout from the brook, I even needed to use my net!! Tough casting under those trees though.
The upper limit is shown below:


The photo above is again near our lower access and these trees have been removed also since my last trip.


That tree root looks like it should hold a lunker.

This section above has been kind to me but has lost a lot of tree cover over the last couple of winters. I seem to remember that we cleared one out on a working party.

River Ecclesbourne

Thursday afternoon had been pencilled in to cast a line but the EA site suggested that the rain of the last few days had resulted in a cocoa coloured high River Dove. After exchanging a few texts with Phil we decided to give the Ecclesbourne a go concluding that this small river would have had the best chance of running off. If it was unfishable then a river walk in April coupled with some Kelly brews would not be the end of the world, also I could pick Phil's brains on this stretch which I have not fished too often.
When I arrived at the pull in the kettle was smoking away merrily so we started off with a brew and a discussion on tactics. The river was carrying a tad of colour but looked worth putting a nymph through the pools and riffles. The river looked in grand form and was just getting to a normal level after the winter where evidence from the debris suggested it had been very high at times. I was quite interested in exploring the top of the beat which I had not fished at all so after tackling up we headed upstream. There was no sign of rising fish and we leapfrogged the pools trying to search out an early season brownie. A pair of goosanders were soon startled and the fishery may benefit from them being a little more than startled.
I swapped my nymph several times but could not get an offer before we arrived at the upper boundary. Phil had fared similar but did bump one off as we set off back down again. The water still felt pretty cold and it is easy to forget that we have had some snow melt in Derbyshire over the last few weeks. We then had quite a heavy hail storm which I think put paid to any chance we had of a trout. So it was a slow wander back downstream and we decided to call it a day. Nevertheless a great afternoon out and I also expanded my knowledge of this trout stream. All I can say is that it is a good job that there is more to fishing than catching fish!

So an afternoon well spent and upon my return home I found the IT lesson still in full swing. I did well to miss that one!

River Dove Tutbury

Today I signed off for the coarse season on the river but my hopes of a late barbel were dashed. I fished through probably the thinnest part of the day but with other pulls on my time it was either that or wish the season goodbye!

What a beautiful spring day it was though at times feeling more like opening day than last knockings. Plenty of anglers were out for their last cast but all I spoke to had suffered the same fate as me, perhaps the fish had gone on their hols early.

I met Rob walking upstream in the last swim I fished and he buoyed my spirits by commenting that the run has produced plenty of doubles. Not for me today though. My thoughts will now turn to some trout fishing through the spring and perhaps the odd tench session.