A Satisfied Duffer

I has managed to put to the back of my mind how much rain we had had locally over the weekend so when I got the text from Phil yesterday morning saying the Derwent was coloured at Ambergate it was on with the blinkers. Was it going to be one of those days I asked my self upon arrival when the rain started and I realised I had left the tea bags on the bench in the garage.

The afternoon started pretty slow with the first few fish on small olive patterns rather than big mayfly duns. Sport started to pick up though as the evening came and as I left the fish were starting to really wallop big patterns like the OE Mohican Mayfly.

There are some fantastic streamy stretches at Darley and also some quite slow deep sections than have less features than a canal without the locks. I normally walk past these as presentation has to be spot on so was pleased to take the good fish below on an olive Klinkhammer.

This is a fine stretch of water and there were a few other anglers out as afternoon turned to evening. If was a question of finding the fish though as some stretches were far more productive than others. Wading is difficult in parts and you need to be aware of the depth and proceed with caution. Yesterday I tried a couple of spots that are difficult to get into (and out of!), both yielded good fish. In my book once the angler has reached double figures he has had his fair share of sport for the day so I took a leisurely walk back to the car with a fellow angler as we discussed this years sport. By the 8pm news I was pulling out of Red House and heading off back down the A6. Mayfly were still abundant but the fish were taking the emerger until the last hour or so that I fished. I am now wondering if I have seen the back of the mayfly sport for this year or will perhaps get one more chance.