A few days later and I returned to the Haddon Estate for another go at these lovely fish. The three of us spent about half an hour trying to find breakfast in Bakewell before giving up and giving the Grouse and Claret our business. It was a good breakfast too although I should know better than to tuck into a big lump of black pudding and spent the rest of the day regretting/tasting it!
There is something guiltless about a cooked breakfast before a day’s fishing, as if the fresh air and day pursuing wild creatures makes all the cholesterol OK. I just wish my doctor could see it that way!
It was a friend’s Birthday gift and seeing as he has not done a lot of river fishing I suggested he start on the Put and Take section where it’s nice and open. Here he could get his casting eye in and there's a good chance of a fish or two to build confidence.
There is something guiltless about a cooked breakfast before a day’s fishing, as if the fresh air and day pursuing wild creatures makes all the cholesterol OK. I just wish my doctor could see it that way!
It was a friend’s Birthday gift and seeing as he has not done a lot of river fishing I suggested he start on the Put and Take section where it’s nice and open. Here he could get his casting eye in and there's a good chance of a fish or two to build confidence. We arrived opposite the cottages and I pointed to a spot at the end of some reeds on the far bank, "A lump of a fish lives there Ian" and proceeded to peel of a length of line and cast to the spot I was referring to, the fly hit the water, "Just there" and it disappeared in a swirl that can only be made by a good fish! I'm a generous fishing buddy like that...
We watched a Stoat get chased off by a couple of Coots, they gave him a real scalding and us a good laugh. After mucking about for an hour there IP was now well into fishing a dry on moving water, had caught his first Wye Brownie and so we headed up stream.
We fished hard and all caught well. It was pleasing to see IP catching a few and having a jolly time of it.
We watched a Stoat get chased off by a couple of Coots, they gave him a real scalding and us a good laugh. After mucking about for an hour there IP was now well into fishing a dry on moving water, had caught his first Wye Brownie and so we headed up stream.
We fished hard and all caught well. It was pleasing to see IP catching a few and having a jolly time of it.
The day was a tough one with the gusty wind, I knew I should have given the black pudding a miss but the fish were obliging, all three of us caught well through the mid-day feeding spell. They were coming to the Double Badger mostly but as the day wore on the flies got smaller and by the time we finished it was small olive immitations that were catching. The hatches were of Grannom, although few and far between the fish still wanted them, and Spurwings, well that's what the book said
As the light started to fade I called it a day and took a steady stroll back to the car. IP joined me and we opened a bottle of warm beer whilst we waited for TJ to join us, and we waited...and we waited...
As the light started to fade I called it a day and took a steady stroll back to the car. IP joined me and we opened a bottle of warm beer whilst we waited for TJ to join us, and we waited...and we waited...
The Owls were just settling down for a nice kip when TJ decided to join us...we clicked our heels together and said "There's no place like........
May so far; 5 Brown Trout; 9 Rainbow Trout
