Last night I thought I had blown it upon looking over the bridge at Ellastone to find the Dove still the colour of drinking chocolate. Fortunately as plan B I had put my 7' #3 rod in the car and so drove over to Hazlewood.The fishing on the Ecclesbourne is pure jungle warfare and by this stage of the summer it is very overgrown and the balsam is rampant. I did my share of pulling up but it would take an army to eradicate it.
It is very hard work to trick the Ecclesbourne into giving up her treasures and last night I had a brace in just under an hour and a half which is good going. Both fish fell to a PTN and of the three fish I saw move I caught two so was quite pleased. The third ended up with me standing on tip toes to retrieve my fly from the canopy, not an unusual experience on this river. I hope you agree that although small the trout are great looking fish. They came from the two pools immediately upstream of the bottom pool by the bridge. I fished up til just past the cattle drink that has now been neatly fenced off. By this time I had got a right lard on as it really is graft battling through the undergrowth. The water had a slight tinge to it but was a damn sight more fishable than the Dove.Things sound like they are getting moving on our impending house move so this may be my last trip for a while unless I can sneak out early next week. Tight lines all!
Wonderful Dave, I have a real love of small and wild streams, and the fish they give up to those who work at it.
ReplyDeleteRichard, you would like the Ecclesbourne then as it is small and very wild!
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Dave.
I keep saying I must get up to Derbyshire every year as it's only a few hours drive. What are the rivers like for water in your area? We need a week of rain?
ReplyDeleteThe rivers will have benefited from a good flush through last weekend. The Derwent and Wye were unfishable on Monday and I gave the Dove a miss on Wednesday, should be all spot on now!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like one of my trips on the Upper Wytham, I seem to spend more time retrieving my flies from the trees and bankside vegetation than fishing, but when you do winkle out a wildie it makes it all worthwhile. Is the balsam as rampant around your waters as it is for us? - seems worse than ever this year.
ReplyDelete