tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81155745790106411152024-03-05T07:59:23.040+00:00Witham PiscatorTo record occasional musing loosely based on my angling (mainly fly fishing) exploits. This will mostly feature my home water, the River Witham, a springfed limestone stream near GranthamWitham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-58840615893770787892014-04-17T13:46:00.002+01:002014-04-17T13:46:38.829+01:00I've been away a while I know but I'll try and get back into updating this more regularly.<br />
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I have got to get this book <a href="http://www.tenkarausa.com/blog/?p=6048">http://www.tenkarausa.com/blog/?p=6048</a>, I have all his others and I'd think you'd agree he is one of the best fly fishing writers.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyE-0NmpwKjn6JMcpnzD9Exjln7EVvLFF4JTH95LBWGMZk4W62I7T4X_SqwfhD7y8jvup-dO3OlshAf-Rh-3A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Being doing our monthly fly monitoring and this video is from one of our team. Interesting guys to imitate!<br />
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<br />Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-47812309932627534062012-06-24T09:17:00.001+01:002012-06-24T09:17:22.092+01:00Absurd micro-hydro!!Please visit Regular Rod's blog at <a href="http://dryflyexpert.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/please-visit-waterfeature.html">http://dryflyexpert.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/please-visit-waterfeature.html</a> and act on his recommendation please, to try and stop this nonsense.Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-59374670162160181512012-04-25T18:01:00.001+01:002012-04-25T18:05:21.899+01:00No time for fishingSunday 22 April 2012<br />
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It had been 3 weeks since I last fished, oh shame. What with colds, hols, work, weather, I hadn't found any time and it felt like it. It was a lovely morning if a little nippy when I went to the river at about 8.30am. But as expected it was very high & coloured & no fish evident at that hour. Although I did spot one optimist heading downstream.<br />
Anyway after a walk upstream, a quick chuck with the Tenkara rod (to no avail), I headed up to our little lake. It was also a little coloured but looked pretty. As there was no evidence of fly or rising fish I anchored near the deep hole and fished deep with various combinations of 3 nymphs/wet flies. I did connect with a small lean stock rainbow on the dangle but that was pretty much it on the fish front.<br />
At one point I was mystified to see a a small moving disturbance in the waters surface some 50yds away in the middle of the lake. On investigation it turned out to a pair of courting frogs/toads (I'm not an expert). After a couple of snaps they were left to it in peace!<br />
After a morning of sunny spells and the odd shower, a large black cloud appeared and I felt it was time to head home for a late lunch and some chores. A lucky decision it seemed, as I beached the punt the heavens opened and sent down a vicious hail storm! I was soaked and hurtin by the time I'd rescued my gear and sheltered in the hut.<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAojHKjvk_0ZousWburcy2vy5ahaHCzjS2B5Bh7MD64ct_gH-ZUXxqEhTQhq1KKdDZdCpGcRi6eHgY38uAkHY4hOk8EvbsKG8NeBbCH3zEtywoCSlouBJHRe2aYsn6Mz-HLxM9wcE6YM/s640/blogger-image-1036621037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAojHKjvk_0ZousWburcy2vy5ahaHCzjS2B5Bh7MD64ct_gH-ZUXxqEhTQhq1KKdDZdCpGcRi6eHgY38uAkHY4hOk8EvbsKG8NeBbCH3zEtywoCSlouBJHRe2aYsn6Mz-HLxM9wcE6YM/s640/blogger-image-1036621037.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNtvqQzurXsJYZRu-9W0v5KcqnOnrM8T5oqtvI8xbz7FqN53kqBpC-kJDXUcPfwD_R1vKQYLEoTT5xrBQiu-lwlcV2O7IKNLjv4BHSwbUclnh9vwI6CS-yJv-fMGu6aZPCl1rhs7tsy0/s640/blogger-image-699353784.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNtvqQzurXsJYZRu-9W0v5KcqnOnrM8T5oqtvI8xbz7FqN53kqBpC-kJDXUcPfwD_R1vKQYLEoTT5xrBQiu-lwlcV2O7IKNLjv4BHSwbUclnh9vwI6CS-yJv-fMGu6aZPCl1rhs7tsy0/s640/blogger-image-699353784.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEaTwFSv5Yn89nJS2rMmg_4VVlt3aGFwNZkN9uPTh3Ib-GeN7q57pCkcIzeZ_wltgyJwr92pQgwaGHEXNNHRazPnQW0_YpN4oHR8yCAlErwDCxK0iwn_O0FyKYYsfxPzTjCYEiIBvSUY/s640/blogger-image-1311879986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEaTwFSv5Yn89nJS2rMmg_4VVlt3aGFwNZkN9uPTh3Ib-GeN7q57pCkcIzeZ_wltgyJwr92pQgwaGHEXNNHRazPnQW0_YpN4oHR8yCAlErwDCxK0iwn_O0FyKYYsfxPzTjCYEiIBvSUY/s640/blogger-image-1311879986.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5tXd_RArj8Lq1a7CFYnb0X_SbNRPvS_YFMqapg_64uJJWgWMol8hw6U0pfT8OWTHUYXZs1lzzethRyo6OjZ2fYFiWwPVGX9kZkAdo3wuOmhjxefjP3N1TV0CDOX_UjhTZlnPODNJVGA/s640/blogger-image--618293962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5tXd_RArj8Lq1a7CFYnb0X_SbNRPvS_YFMqapg_64uJJWgWMol8hw6U0pfT8OWTHUYXZs1lzzethRyo6OjZ2fYFiWwPVGX9kZkAdo3wuOmhjxefjP3N1TV0CDOX_UjhTZlnPODNJVGA/s640/blogger-image--618293962.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-_ZH_w9JaFiKkKMFPtYO8-IkUtIfbG8K9NAtIPCbRNiTT-rEwoAUJajjFlqoOb2xNDEHqyKM16zRAa1JTZi8VAGvCE6AivlA5ms1vMTAm5cluPAIFdUHxasLbKdpiqP76FlCl7TJJHk/s640/blogger-image--1286622731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-_ZH_w9JaFiKkKMFPtYO8-IkUtIfbG8K9NAtIPCbRNiTT-rEwoAUJajjFlqoOb2xNDEHqyKM16zRAa1JTZi8VAGvCE6AivlA5ms1vMTAm5cluPAIFdUHxasLbKdpiqP76FlCl7TJJHk/s640/blogger-image--1286622731.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXgiQbZZDdjsi-7eiJHaD8AVcbakZGwTvRiYE7g7pPHL9aEhg0Bu6rJVEA6gnKfdhfbPutzPAYrHQr4yhpr3DwefbNdM2qJzreFv9ztJpPmKjt3vqwzp7PnBqqXrU21ykF3c_FosIzI8/s640/blogger-image--469622751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXgiQbZZDdjsi-7eiJHaD8AVcbakZGwTvRiYE7g7pPHL9aEhg0Bu6rJVEA6gnKfdhfbPutzPAYrHQr4yhpr3DwefbNdM2qJzreFv9ztJpPmKjt3vqwzp7PnBqqXrU21ykF3c_FosIzI8/s640/blogger-image--469622751.jpg" /></a></div>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-64847392321662804202012-04-15T22:18:00.001+01:002012-04-15T22:19:51.703+01:00Pollution incident<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">GAAFFS committee have reported that there has been a pollution incident up at Colsterworth.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">Seemingly a lorry, or trailer, shed it's load of fertiliser into </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">a dyke above South Witham</span> <span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">which then got into</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">the river. Reports are that a dozen or so fish have been killed. The EA are on</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">the case and I believe that the pollution has been washed away by the rain, but</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">too late for the fish!</span> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">A member walked B beat today and found 30 dead </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">fish up to 22" all below the mill so very unlikely to have been washed down. Also d</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">ead fish including at least 20 trout and numerous bullhead found on A beat are likely to </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">have died there</span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">. The EA guy was there testing the water and said that the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">water is now capable of sustaining life; shame there is little or no life left</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">to sustain. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">A farmer can seemingly wipe out a complete eco system and be allowed to stay </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;">in business. Sad and sickening.</span></span>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-127686318180899532012-02-26T20:34:00.000+00:002012-02-26T20:34:53.753+00:00Grayling Society DayWell this Tenkara thing. Got my chance today at a Grayling Society Day on the Derwent & Ecclesbourne at Duffield. A beautiful day saw us comparing rods in the pub carpark at 8.30am, elegant cane versus a modern take on a 400 year old style, Tenkara.<br />
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The first thing that really strikes home is how stripped back this is, a rod with line, tippet and a couple of flies, all in a little bundle.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbeY9TIMr2oW8uklgqKkUDJL0VESIXD5_WChaTU8ELPescV6RsY8nqlT3RGADSEcaRJ69L-RDJ1-Wn-vELMfhEeqINk9IsTu_6nwROJnyw4lURuBwnp-smJNK2MtL0TiMj8pWDlVqza8/s1600/P2260004-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbeY9TIMr2oW8uklgqKkUDJL0VESIXD5_WChaTU8ELPescV6RsY8nqlT3RGADSEcaRJ69L-RDJ1-Wn-vELMfhEeqINk9IsTu_6nwROJnyw4lURuBwnp-smJNK2MtL0TiMj8pWDlVqza8/s320/P2260004-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Note the home-made line-holders (actually sawn-off wooden pegs, held by rubber bands). This means you can travel really light, and of course I can keep it in my car to be ready whenever I get the chance, however short.<br />
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I'd set up with a level line of 0.38mm copolymer, 6x tippet and two flies, a pink shrimp and a red-tag.<br />
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A local member showed me the along the Ecclesbourne and where to fish downstream on the Derwent. Wading the river above the bridge was a little challenging with a fair press of water. Casting up and across from the middle of the river resulted in a nice, albeit out-of-season brown trout to the pink shrimp.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQELgzJS7PoelstLJ8sWxRFTdqcyiDTvhZlYQIdH8IFV-I2R4-5uxJ401jjEbBL-_63Nn-zThWkyFciZzutrU7W9xVs6VAEn9C78pIbah3r1f-JBNFCxqvcNlBZQR93rnG2E85Y5NOXPQ/s1600/P2260001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQELgzJS7PoelstLJ8sWxRFTdqcyiDTvhZlYQIdH8IFV-I2R4-5uxJ401jjEbBL-_63Nn-zThWkyFciZzutrU7W9xVs6VAEn9C78pIbah3r1f-JBNFCxqvcNlBZQR93rnG2E85Y5NOXPQ/s400/P2260001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Pressing on up the river I gradually got used to the casting action required, but I did notice that holding the rod high did give a tendency for the line to be caught by the wind.<br />
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Moving into the narrow and tree lined R. Ecclesbourne was a little more challenging to cast with the 12' rod, however the length does make you take a deal of care and casting horizontal to the water surface is entirely feasible. Unfortunately apart from a couple of missed takes I saw no more fish. They were obviously off sun-bathing somewhere else! <br />
It seems mildly incredible to be fishing in February without a jacket on, in balmy sunshine, however what was more strange, was the lack of any sort of hatch. Apart from a few land-born insects, there were no flies to be seen on the water anywhere and ner a rising fish.Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com1Duffield, Derbyshire, UK52.98430709832661 -1.479978936401380552.964715098326607 -1.5056194364013804 53.003899098326613 -1.4543384364013805tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-73492061549625230542012-02-22T21:38:00.000+00:002012-02-22T21:38:50.443+00:00Cool<embed flashvars="file=http://1.s3.envato.com/files/18247480/PR_Media_FLV_SD_720x480.flv&skin=http://videohive.net/video_player/modieus.zip&image=http://3.s3.envato.com/files/18247479/162_b_Trout_1_590x300.jpg" height="570" src="http://videohive.net/video_player/player.swf" width="958" wmode="transparent"></embed>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-72494078449621273002012-02-22T21:17:00.001+00:002012-02-22T21:20:52.445+00:00Grim newsOh no, not again.<br />
<img height="240" src="http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Photo4_OilSpill_1000.jpg" width="320" /> <br />
<a href="http://bakewellflyfishing.co.uk/2012/02/river-dove-oil-spillage/">http://bakewellflyfishing.co.uk/2012/02/river-dove-oil-spillage/</a><br />
<br />
Here's hoping the EA guys can catch in time. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-17110601">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-17110601</a><br />
<img alt="Hartington pollution, river keeper Andy Heath at one of the defences erected by the Environment Agency" height="320" src="http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/webimage/1.4259862.1329759955!image/3846473880.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_595/3846473880.jpg" width="226" /> <br />
<a href="http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/local/battle_to_save_river_from_oil_pollution_1_4259873">http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/local/battle_to_save_river_from_oil_pollution_1_4259873</a>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-64634418951329887032012-02-21T20:11:00.002+00:002012-02-21T20:14:13.104+00:00“The more you know, the less you need”Everyone it seems is talking about it. Some with praise, others condemning. Love it or hate it, its simple, stripped back, ..just less.<br />
<br />
What am I talking about? That 'fad' to quote Lefty Kray, or perhaps 'one of the oldest established forms of fly fishing known'. <br />
<br />
Yes its Tenkara.<br />
<br />
And guess what, .......mine arrived today.<br />
<br />
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Woo hoo, can't wait for the weekend to try it out.Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-42031542262190388832012-02-11T20:53:00.000+00:002012-02-11T20:53:30.231+00:00No fishing today!Well it was a beautiful if very cold day today, but no chance of fishing as the overnight temperature had been 13 or 14 below, leaving much of the river frozen over. Was great to get out with the dogs and enjoy the scenery though.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjqFnYIe2bSU24EnS9CtDIxdgKPMK9wxejgOjfyB3dp64AfqkQvGNqBXWktiigJnYPXVeNENSpD0woQTok9wiq9nS7bJ1ZOx9s11g4WbfKRcbvOWsed6OEGXyk6sGw3pOMrsY6nVrvSU/s1600/P2110035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjqFnYIe2bSU24EnS9CtDIxdgKPMK9wxejgOjfyB3dp64AfqkQvGNqBXWktiigJnYPXVeNENSpD0woQTok9wiq9nS7bJ1ZOx9s11g4WbfKRcbvOWsed6OEGXyk6sGw3pOMrsY6nVrvSU/s320/P2110035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-72392093696548637862012-02-06T20:07:00.003+00:002012-02-06T20:37:49.119+00:00Long awaited Grayling Soc day on the DerwentYesterday, Sunday 5th, I managed to brave the elements, including 4" snow to drive over to <a href="http://www.cromfordvillage.co.uk/" target="_blank">Cromford </a>in Derbyshire for a day Grayling fishing on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Derwent,_Derbyshire" target="_blank">R Derwent</a>, with the local branch of the <a href="http://www.graylingsociety.net/index.html" target="_blank">Grayling Soc.</a> About 10 of us managed to get through the attrocious conditions, including numerous abandoned cars to meet up at the Greyhound Hotel in Cromford for a coffee and a biscuit before setting out for the fishing.<br />
Park in the carpark at the meadows, Brian said. Very good, but which was the car park and which was the meadow?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesXXe7Pu-YnbNxOpzPWqiI6pHeFHnejj4tK3ReLT10joZHq6IBclR-t38pj5HiCmWgGSFNT7PMcy7tXqPy-SsGrqUpYlckyhHsgYV02t9J3tCAmIZeuJIVfeJ6S2cBoSUghReulfZRFk/s1600/IMG_1090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjesXXe7Pu-YnbNxOpzPWqiI6pHeFHnejj4tK3ReLT10joZHq6IBclR-t38pj5HiCmWgGSFNT7PMcy7tXqPy-SsGrqUpYlckyhHsgYV02t9J3tCAmIZeuJIVfeJ6S2cBoSUghReulfZRFk/s320/IMG_1090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbiusYGeY0O1FP2R6eUbxIdyhDTuGt_-3gAtlADynZi-wb6tEM0vBFEuRtE9TYM50g1mTA85e2hmoAHzVffbVW4AZZkk3sqVhysRkzOPQKBncWsLxxDT-Wpce3yre04nzChDO1gNSXxU/s1600/IMG_1091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbiusYGeY0O1FP2R6eUbxIdyhDTuGt_-3gAtlADynZi-wb6tEM0vBFEuRtE9TYM50g1mTA85e2hmoAHzVffbVW4AZZkk3sqVhysRkzOPQKBncWsLxxDT-Wpce3yre04nzChDO1gNSXxU/s320/IMG_1091.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Well we guessed, tackled-up and headed for the river. In these conditions I opted to czech-nymph with a leader-to-hand rig on my 10' Streamflex. The sun came out and made it all so pretty, but with the air temperature not more than 2 degrees above, and the water temp likewise, it was good job I had 2 layers of thermals on.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TAg7FCNE6e_ZtUvMiTRWartWYt-kUUTE6hSeqggU4Ue0wDNydjWcfQpIJexdX9V8zB4UAsr-9GexAmmZgtx6nLml5eZvvg-Gc5nuqJpOWDYYu6NlBXV8o781O7oEKdkPO-oUhsS1dmk/s1600/IMG_1096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TAg7FCNE6e_ZtUvMiTRWartWYt-kUUTE6hSeqggU4Ue0wDNydjWcfQpIJexdX9V8zB4UAsr-9GexAmmZgtx6nLml5eZvvg-Gc5nuqJpOWDYYu6NlBXV8o781O7oEKdkPO-oUhsS1dmk/s320/IMG_1096.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpc6e2B3-CLPsl1W4nATepT-ltXhdXDr85XPlmo1Jwlkuw9XnLNlUF502dUYlsg-731gaURG2iVUT6aNKk-wAGCOtQnSqFRYI8ETRtTkGiL2wrlv19PyYzIxeZtbtd67kPcL7SihwPhU4/s1600/IMG_1097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpc6e2B3-CLPsl1W4nATepT-ltXhdXDr85XPlmo1Jwlkuw9XnLNlUF502dUYlsg-731gaURG2iVUT6aNKk-wAGCOtQnSqFRYI8ETRtTkGiL2wrlv19PyYzIxeZtbtd67kPcL7SihwPhU4/s320/IMG_1097.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This fishing was challenging especially on the fly, the chaps trotting bait had much more luck especially as they knew where the deep holes are. I eventually managed 3 'ladies' in the 10-12" range, 2 on a pink shrimp and 1 on a czech shrimp. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCNmIF2Xh_G7M28TJtQ1RgyFDgfuZ18Gmy-8zMMOiUysjA1kPGqBdGgyX-qDs7lhx92Q0-d2iVG4taD5zPgGaayzuds4Q_LAqM_HTUhcMWWF8fCyDEhWAK1zdb68FEn6EuZkkwcsTNr4/s1600/IMG_1094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCNmIF2Xh_G7M28TJtQ1RgyFDgfuZ18Gmy-8zMMOiUysjA1kPGqBdGgyX-qDs7lhx92Q0-d2iVG4taD5zPgGaayzuds4Q_LAqM_HTUhcMWWF8fCyDEhWAK1zdb68FEn6EuZkkwcsTNr4/s320/IMG_1094.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRne4ZOFtDyTK0HsZWUbLCvz6QffidDvCXttrujQHHOc3yyNEEVxQl_9OglXoZaW_wa9bW2OYBeeiGWl1AeTA9Vz7tEHfc32lGF0sUDBjZG0xAY73m81Dlz1kdgjgF-yVZMVqBHsEN84/s1600/IMG_1095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRne4ZOFtDyTK0HsZWUbLCvz6QffidDvCXttrujQHHOc3yyNEEVxQl_9OglXoZaW_wa9bW2OYBeeiGWl1AeTA9Vz7tEHfc32lGF0sUDBjZG0xAY73m81Dlz1kdgjgF-yVZMVqBHsEN84/s320/IMG_1095.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Later in the afternoon walking back upstream, trying to jump-start the circulation in my feet, I decided on a few last casts on a likely looking bend, with a deep area, below the railway bridge. Lo and behold something fairly meaty headed off with one of my flies and kept fairly deep. After a few minutes fighting I managed to bring it to the surface and netted a 17" brown trout! Well I was surprised, shouldn't he have been under a rock or bank somewhere comatose? After a quick snap I slipped him back to swim very strongly away. Interestingly he had quite a chunk of his dorsal fin missing, and one of the other anglers reckoned he caught the same fish earlier on!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ym8rF-ocu99FhDAhz2qHfiyDXQPhQ0pbwF8RJmqUy1SMUvgNhWQEtqFbMq0YDs6ePx88etspiLeLkiyRWfsQzHEf23KhyphenhyphenTXaHc3jMLkJH1MvNKBgOjQ6r44xD4b3mb8QPxDQbrnkC-U/s1600/IMG_1101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ym8rF-ocu99FhDAhz2qHfiyDXQPhQ0pbwF8RJmqUy1SMUvgNhWQEtqFbMq0YDs6ePx88etspiLeLkiyRWfsQzHEf23KhyphenhyphenTXaHc3jMLkJH1MvNKBgOjQ6r44xD4b3mb8QPxDQbrnkC-U/s320/IMG_1101.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>By now the sun was going down and it was time to repair to the Greyhound for a hot plate of stew and a pot of tea to warm up. Lovely.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSl4ZwSag-ybiiVTEa1XIgevFp_rlAWnynXGlG4wLakokVl_JCKirOdM_B7_WCMIqkQdiL1FLwGmPV4Kq5x9C2gXvN6-hvxJTpNR9xYktp2mk5xL1SXBoKJo9ZtNOiEiAoKhSMCDhv7I/s1600/IMG_1098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSl4ZwSag-ybiiVTEa1XIgevFp_rlAWnynXGlG4wLakokVl_JCKirOdM_B7_WCMIqkQdiL1FLwGmPV4Kq5x9C2gXvN6-hvxJTpNR9xYktp2mk5xL1SXBoKJo9ZtNOiEiAoKhSMCDhv7I/s320/IMG_1098.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0WzeHXQ-KCtrPASa2535XYHAy2AK8_Fc4UHooSIrh6wKoC1Q4qTu4lRf99LRTsg4SYeBBUOsoLDHrTfUYNfiuw3JCEIOxN52OBQR2XADa5huggpnj5bIymaEEvgtIfskrgIzMNRxftA/s1600/IMG_1099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0WzeHXQ-KCtrPASa2535XYHAy2AK8_Fc4UHooSIrh6wKoC1Q4qTu4lRf99LRTsg4SYeBBUOsoLDHrTfUYNfiuw3JCEIOxN52OBQR2XADa5huggpnj5bIymaEEvgtIfskrgIzMNRxftA/s320/IMG_1099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>A smashing day, well worth the travelling.Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com1Cromford, Derbyshire DE4, UK53.111647486221955 -1.549932026367173453.098597986221954 -1.5804655263671734 53.124696986221956 -1.5193985263671734tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-44033782257253722882012-01-17T16:28:00.000+00:002012-01-17T16:28:05.572+00:00January MusingsI have been out a couple of times to fly fish for pike again this year without success. So for a change of scene last Saturday I took myself off to <a href="http://www.toftnewton.com/" target="_blank">Toft Newton</a> reservoir near Market Rasen north of Lincoln. The Manager, Jason had organised a coarse fishing day, where all methods were allowed (with barbless hooks). Obviously all trout caught had to be handled very carefully and returned quickly. I arrived in temperatures of -4 degrees centigrade (25F), but with bright low sun and a cloudless blue sky. The reservoir was a kind of weird place to fish, in fact not very inviting at all, and I think the weather helped to alleviate the effect of the concrete surround -<i> the reservoir is in fact a 40 acre concrete bowl set in the Lincolnshire flatlands.</i><br />
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I tried fishing with some perch flies that I had tied up (weighted with bead eyes & with red marabou tails) on an intermediate line and long leader, using my #7/8 9' rod. This did initially attract trout 3 fish in half-a-dozen casts, all distance released, but more particularly it highlighted my appalling casting ability or lack of skill, something which I really need to address.<br />
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Most anglers were set up with maggots and a float, and were catching numerous trout, in fact one chap had caught and released over 120 fish by the time I left at 3.45pm, without moving from the spot! I'm sure he must have caught the same fish more than once. A few perch and a pike or 2 were caught by the boat anglers, but shore angling only seemed to produce unfortunate trout.<br />
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My tally for the day was a meager 6 trout but I wasn't fishing for them was I! A very pleasant day due to the beautiful though chilly weather.<br />
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I'm now looking forward to my next outing, a birthday treat, of spot grayling fishing on the <a href="http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~brett/photosleuth/derwentfishing1.jpg" target="_blank">R Derwent</a> in Derbyshire next Sunday, can't wait.Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com2Toft Newton, Lincolnshire LN8, UK53.3725 -0.4222221999999646950.093783 -7.892925199999965 56.651217 7.0484808000000356tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-20334932816300173892012-01-17T15:35:00.002+00:002012-01-17T15:37:09.005+00:00The Complete Angler by James ProsekPlease take some time to watch, enjoy, and absorb the atmosphere in, this wonderful film.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1r2nRfnpWxw" width="420"></iframe><br />
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It's almost as relaxing as a day on the river in June!Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-55938652125279102712011-12-31T22:47:00.003+00:002011-12-31T22:52:46.492+00:00Last cast & tightlines in 2012Took the opportunity to escape the festive household and try for a pike 'on the fly' on the nearest bit of the Witham to home. Using a BC Pearly pike on an intermediate line, I persevered in the rain eventually get a big swirl as I lifted into a cast. On dropping the fly back into the water a large pike went for it again, but I missed the strike. He obviously had taken fright and didn't reappear even to a change of fly.<br />
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I fished on downstream meeting a pair of young swans, one of whom was more than curious to know what I was up to. Not catching anything, that's what!<br />
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On my way back to the car as the light was going I thought I'd try for that pike again. Using the Pearly Pike again I threw a few casts and on the fourth he shot out from the weed almost below my feet and nailed the fly. A big fella I judged to be about 30", a good shake and a strong plunge and he was gone. Oh b....., s..., & other expletives. On reeling in I discovered he had pulled the fly off the swivel clip, actually straightening it out. Too heavy or too heavy-handed? Well one thing is for certain I'll be back in the New year to try for him or her again!<br />
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Here's hoping your luck will be better in 2012, tightlines.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiYBXf7KKIEKfCBIrEr6WUrNr50k1ZwRHGNOd81yfjaS5GXKWTzZYGTw23h7I-VEYygxKMlYq2tBVT5mW1sR43UiURNfyjCPbGMutEnQyzDlHcIuCDQetRRQnLcBfOVJpsP5Q33Jvzeo/s640/blogger-image-1995069253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiYBXf7KKIEKfCBIrEr6WUrNr50k1ZwRHGNOd81yfjaS5GXKWTzZYGTw23h7I-VEYygxKMlYq2tBVT5mW1sR43UiURNfyjCPbGMutEnQyzDlHcIuCDQetRRQnLcBfOVJpsP5Q33Jvzeo/s640/blogger-image-1995069253.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTwGlTylB5xWtapxYRV7B2AeoszCjgwNLn2lScpd2YvRWhP7R8D3dPqQuKl82Ym1rBIw9PUYPeMsMdSunhufEOwKs-5o_sDbqymTTLVagZR7VpeJIBOdPM9GQlzZgL5QZ_4A1tMcL-TM/s640/blogger-image--1549106344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTwGlTylB5xWtapxYRV7B2AeoszCjgwNLn2lScpd2YvRWhP7R8D3dPqQuKl82Ym1rBIw9PUYPeMsMdSunhufEOwKs-5o_sDbqymTTLVagZR7VpeJIBOdPM9GQlzZgL5QZ_4A1tMcL-TM/s640/blogger-image--1549106344.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5QMZ-BV9FXLmMHVWOvxQv_NjUJf_ieJ-1fCxyhiIWm6XB4ujffmBjJI0K-_A7iM1-klmrUeNHhsclAGyuPrSbHJxNIq2nY4sZEBT1IR4m_AqKF-DOaYbkNuo-m4gV11H6_BO4IZ8Lkw/s640/blogger-image-676444145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5QMZ-BV9FXLmMHVWOvxQv_NjUJf_ieJ-1fCxyhiIWm6XB4ujffmBjJI0K-_A7iM1-klmrUeNHhsclAGyuPrSbHJxNIq2nY4sZEBT1IR4m_AqKF-DOaYbkNuo-m4gV11H6_BO4IZ8Lkw/s640/blogger-image-676444145.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcljh0is8z7Umvh2KSK17-Z7pNfdV3cXxf-4SUVx4aR1GoD9uxA1DDELbg0t1alt5dapg8oV5Ip2Ki4VnDdNGjtxqvvvad31eoobPaXZq130xKziPf08bIg0FYffwNanyfgJ9Od8_9V8M/s640/blogger-image-493270655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcljh0is8z7Umvh2KSK17-Z7pNfdV3cXxf-4SUVx4aR1GoD9uxA1DDELbg0t1alt5dapg8oV5Ip2Ki4VnDdNGjtxqvvvad31eoobPaXZq130xKziPf08bIg0FYffwNanyfgJ9Od8_9V8M/s640/blogger-image-493270655.jpg" /></a></div>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-7926825215259513332011-12-23T21:53:00.000+00:002011-12-23T21:53:30.376+00:00Wishing you a very Merry Christmas<img src="http://rittenhouseneedlepoint.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/f/i/file_2_33031.jpg" />May Santa bring you what you desire.<br />
Thanks for reading.Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-82716911406094229212011-12-13T16:49:00.001+00:002011-12-13T17:01:04.281+00:00Bio-SecurityI quote from an excellent article by <a href="http://www.pennineflyfishingguides.co.uk/guides.htm" target="_blank">Stuart Crofts</a>, as published in <a href="http://www.graylingsociety.net/" target="_blank">the Grayling Society</a>, Area 8 Newsletter;<br />
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"<i>It is becoming increasingly obvious that all our waters are under threat from alien invaders; some of these are already here in the UK (the likes of Japanese \knotweed, Himalayan Balsam, Signal Crayfish etc, etc) and are steadily spreading across our land. Moreover, there are threats just over the channel in Europe too, just waiting for a free ride. As a general rule of thumb when an alien invader reaches our shores they do very well at the expense of our own native wildlife. So what can we do? Well we have two choices we can either;</i><br />
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<ol><li><i>Shrug our shoulders and just accept whatever happens, or</i></li>
<li><i>Take some steps to protect our waters from the aliens.</i></li>
</ol><div><i>If you decide to take option one then read no further. But if you want to try option two - then please read on.</i></div><div><i>I carry a small 1.5 litre garden sprayer in the back of my car. At the end of my fishing day I simply spray my wading boots, waders (the parts that have been wet), net and wading stick before I put them back in my car. If at all possible, I also take the sprayed gear out of my car to dry thoroughly before my next outing. But, as a mad keen angler and fishing guide this is a rare event! Just these two small actions can help control the spread of diseases and alien invaders between water courses. The chemical I use in the sprayer is <a href="http://www2.dupont.com/DAHS_EMEA/en_GB/products/disinfectants/virkon_s_tablets.html">VIRKON S</a>, this is a general purpose virucidal disinfectant and recommended by <a href="http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/" target="_blank">the E.A</a>, the <a href="http://www.riverflies.org/" target="_blank">Riverfly Partnership</a> and the <a href="http://www.fba.org.uk/">F.B.A</a>., to name but three.</i></div><div><i>VIRKON S is available in packets or an easy-to-use tablet form, just follow the instructions for the correct dilutions for use in your sprayer. It is available from agricultural suppliers or online.</i></div><div><i>So the choice is yours, what are you going to do?</i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div>Well I know what I am going to do. As well as using the product, why don't you spread the word.</div>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-34075053926370399822011-11-21T22:52:00.000+00:002011-11-21T22:52:17.217+00:00The drought goes on!<a href="http://www.fishingmagic.com/news_events/news/15531-kennet-fish-rescue.html" target="_blank">River Kennet rescue</a><br />
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<img alt="Fisheries Officer Dan Horsley transfers a brown trout to a flowing section of the Kennet" src="http://www.fishingmagic.com/thumbnail.php?file=Kennet_Rescue_1_759561761.jpg&size=article_medium" /><br />
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Will ever end!!Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-69035500808591967262011-11-21T22:25:00.001+00:002011-11-21T22:38:53.336+00:00Grayling Society Fishing Day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Sunday 20/11/11</u>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunday saw me up early again and heading off in thick fog over to the <a href="http://www.bridgeinncalver.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bridge Inn</a> at Calver in Derbyshire, where I met 20 members of the local group for a day's grayling fishing. On arriving a little early I joined a few of the guys on the bridge to look over the river, and heard about the prospects on offer. As we watched we were treated to a rising fish and the antics of no less than 3 <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/d/dipper/index.aspx" target="_blank">Dippers</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over coffee t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">he area secretary Brian ran through the rules (fly-only, barbless hooks, catch & return etc), handed out the beats, and introduced our guides, members of the clubs who had donated the fishing. I drew a beat of some 3 to 400 yds of the R Derwent at <a href="http://www.derbyshireuk.net/grindleford.html" target="_blank">Grindleford</a>, from the road bridge up. Our guide Roger advised wading up the middle of the river and casting to the sides.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The river and conditions looked nigh on perfect and gave me that all important confidence.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Again I went with the 10' Streamflex and the leader to hand set up, with 2 nymphs, a czech nymph on the point and an <a href="http://www.theessentialfly.com/trout-fly-fishing-flies-dept/john-tyzack-bead-head-pheasant-tail-nymph-tungsten-copper-colour.html" target="_blank">JT Endrick spider</a> on the dropper. The temperature was still very cool but the day brightened with some sunny spells as the day went on. First cast resulted in a hook-up but the fish disengaged itself moments later.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Endrick spider didn't feel right so I changed to a copper bead PTN, which was immediately effective, picking up a couple brown trout and a couple grayling.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPC40jszHjiGxYat77P0aRZ5dM_R4ByFctTv1F2luf2ExWGg3rvm_rKk22DEyi5wPrJtpYLJAbI86_TaEqzFVCZ0-G1bMGVzgKt8pHjrjJNDnVFnNXXTl9vAox5_hU6SX5hgek1GuBdwA/s1600/PB200008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPC40jszHjiGxYat77P0aRZ5dM_R4ByFctTv1F2luf2ExWGg3rvm_rKk22DEyi5wPrJtpYLJAbI86_TaEqzFVCZ0-G1bMGVzgKt8pHjrjJNDnVFnNXXTl9vAox5_hU6SX5hgek1GuBdwA/s400/PB200008.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNskvwzcRD6bXfr0aJeTjTt94Lae2Ev1edmiQeqlTGRNUdnDkLOg8t9sY7mg-zDrNz91RLo9qHyMYVad7m9LEq5rnYgvRrauwccH75cpT8tPldM5wLvJ-TQveIU2vfsbUt8OPy0QHFqio/s1600/PB200009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNskvwzcRD6bXfr0aJeTjTt94Lae2Ev1edmiQeqlTGRNUdnDkLOg8t9sY7mg-zDrNz91RLo9qHyMYVad7m9LEq5rnYgvRrauwccH75cpT8tPldM5wLvJ-TQveIU2vfsbUt8OPy0QHFqio/s400/PB200009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Working up the run I came to the head of a pool fed by a fast, turbulent riffle with a distinct seam, which screamed grayling. Casting the nymphs up the seam resulted in almost a grayling per cast! from about 6" up to 14+".</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wS22_sFamIJZ-MeNBKobYNpqq06lEwN_YRWRrRshxx3vTu4BmE_NHSG4MtJ5iwmgs1rM3J4r1kKwupLA31aZI43umGsR75QC_ZmPQNR2-dWCBhqLwp3UaC3FhGdmC59InojgHYlU0u4/s1600/PB200018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wS22_sFamIJZ-MeNBKobYNpqq06lEwN_YRWRrRshxx3vTu4BmE_NHSG4MtJ5iwmgs1rM3J4r1kKwupLA31aZI43umGsR75QC_ZmPQNR2-dWCBhqLwp3UaC3FhGdmC59InojgHYlU0u4/s400/PB200018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHCucHHfhnB-KPbal1F6FLepUdQas3NrQhE-f-1FHkjhBwO7LC31T1lhqeMFoZkA4Sn4qbTIE8vHkQfPtrM_2N2e8M9G-Yj5GUQiwOqxhNwzO8a9kGgAMWMc3NO4KSLbO93rVDBHHu1M/s1600/PB200019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHCucHHfhnB-KPbal1F6FLepUdQas3NrQhE-f-1FHkjhBwO7LC31T1lhqeMFoZkA4Sn4qbTIE8vHkQfPtrM_2N2e8M9G-Yj5GUQiwOqxhNwzO8a9kGgAMWMc3NO4KSLbO93rVDBHHu1M/s400/PB200019.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10 grayling and 4 brown trout later, I need a break, a coffee and a sandwich!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Without changing flies I carried on up to the beat eventually reaching a tally of 13 grayling, 9 brown trout and 1 rainbow, all safely returned.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdb8Z4vlasy_fOimCpB59SqoapukyxJqst4xaMUWJqLl3ESeU0c4JVM2mJgvr_PX5GuXo6Cc_i-zAJk1VuttwwHWKPYgFHk9jY1L_taP7jXigobDligjkpgYBrCHozCifBxuPgvOG102g/s1600/PB200028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdb8Z4vlasy_fOimCpB59SqoapukyxJqst4xaMUWJqLl3ESeU0c4JVM2mJgvr_PX5GuXo6Cc_i-zAJk1VuttwwHWKPYgFHk9jY1L_taP7jXigobDligjkpgYBrCHozCifBxuPgvOG102g/s320/PB200028.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All too soon the sun disappeared behind the hills and the temperature dropped, at times it was difficult to keep the rod steady as I was shivering so much. Note to self: next time out remember to wear 2 pairs of thermal sock as well as fleece pants over the thermal long-johns.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having filled my boots with fish, the warmth of the pub and a good hot buffet was most welcome as was the chance to compare nots with my fellow anglers.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A red letter day indeed. A thought though, whilst I caught a high number of out of season brown trout I caught as many grayling on the same fly so its difficult to see how I could have avoided them!</span>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com0Grindleford, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, UK53.2968758771623 -1.633015053955091453.2752618771623 -1.6668810539550913 53.3184898771623 -1.5991490539550914tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-16096459597619818172011-11-18T21:27:00.000+00:002011-11-18T21:27:12.826+00:00That trip to Newcastle!I'm sure you'll know what I mean when I say that I can't get enough of the grayling fishing, especially as the weather has remained remarkably mild. Last weekend whilst on a visit to see my daughter at university in Newcastle I took the opportunity for a first time visit to fish the River Derwent.<br />
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<u>Monday 14th November</u><br />
Using the <a href="http://www.tyneriverstrust.org/index.php/home/what-we-do/conservation/tyne-angling-passport" target="_blank">Tyne River Trust passport</a> scheme I decided to fish the <a href="http://www.tyneriverstrust.org/images/stories/TAP/beat_19.pdf" target="_blank">Rowlands Gill beat</a> of the lower Derwent between the Nine Arches bridge an Derwent Park. After a hearty full-English breakfast I headed off in the gloom and parked at Thornley Woodlands Centre. The weather was cool, as I kitted up and grabbed my 10' Streamflex, and set off through the woods and down to the Nine Arches viaduct. I hadn't realised what a hike it would be down to the riverside, something like a two hundred and fifty feet! More on that later.<br />
By now the weather had warmed up with the occasional glimpse of sunshine and the water looked good and fishy, though still relatively low.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRrsOO5KJk8fxXte3ZtoMCoMu4JY21iyjzUOtDIO5Pjox-1sTP6aL67iPRoqH9MHQO3tXRRnR8qJ_XY4Ep5VxBEmotQTzdSTr6JClhaLNrXjB0iyCs1eEP9k5rjCgokt88n8lNgqau2c/s1600/PB140004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRrsOO5KJk8fxXte3ZtoMCoMu4JY21iyjzUOtDIO5Pjox-1sTP6aL67iPRoqH9MHQO3tXRRnR8qJ_XY4Ep5VxBEmotQTzdSTr6JClhaLNrXjB0iyCs1eEP9k5rjCgokt88n8lNgqau2c/s400/PB140004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I had decided to have a go with Jeremy Lucas' <a href="http://www.fishandfly.com/our-world-of-fishing/3038-fishing-on-the-frontier-part-37-leader-to-hand.html" target="_blank">leader to hand technique</a>, so I had constructed a leader using 12m of 28lb copolymer, a short tapered leader, a 8" piece of braided backing, and then level tippet, incorporating 1 dropper using Stroft. I set up with a weighted Czech nymph on the point and a copper-bead PTN on the dropper. Casting was not as difficult as I first thought, provided I could partially load the rod with the line tensioned by the water. I'm sure you'll agree that casting technique is not all, you have to find the fish, and that took a while. Eventually I did locate an out of season brownie, but there was no sign of any grayling, either in the faster runs or deeper pools!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOujGsmsEy8YB8km_BEkP8xs7TNrnddC3WUo14_M8wUntlC9DiE7rFeeuvvn_qhZXNV1e5jEBNniiQkXAoHmVfYtvNQGNSMIYX8ddal3oJ1N9mP8Pht6siwhTJXp3CAhxQUKDfwUEGe2A/s1600/PB140011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOujGsmsEy8YB8km_BEkP8xs7TNrnddC3WUo14_M8wUntlC9DiE7rFeeuvvn_qhZXNV1e5jEBNniiQkXAoHmVfYtvNQGNSMIYX8ddal3oJ1N9mP8Pht6siwhTJXp3CAhxQUKDfwUEGe2A/s400/PB140011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>A couple more browns came to hand, but where were the grayling? <br />
The river had suffered a pollution incident in 2009 upstream, I wonder if this has effected the population?<br />
<br />
The Autumn colours along the bankside where quite lovely, and created a lovely backdrop to the a beautiful little white bib-fronted <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/d/dipper/index.aspx" target="_blank">Dipper</a> that kept me amused for a long while, whirring about, bobbing and swimming. I also saw squirrels busy stocking up for the winter and a red kite circling overhead, sigh ..., and folk wonder why we do it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3truFKh53YTYvwbLwwefq-zuKU_kN4syrGFlQKbIvEgaqwiLgp1DlBdeCgAeNnSv7VwbeoHA5aIZQVzXcd8SXbUzTAUyLGE7XrzQJYoeoN_K0mfoUuCr5XL3NHcesaGJGaOEXUvjd5g/s1600/PB140009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3truFKh53YTYvwbLwwefq-zuKU_kN4syrGFlQKbIvEgaqwiLgp1DlBdeCgAeNnSv7VwbeoHA5aIZQVzXcd8SXbUzTAUyLGE7XrzQJYoeoN_K0mfoUuCr5XL3NHcesaGJGaOEXUvjd5g/s400/PB140009.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dipper was too far away to photograph properly</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhkftIU1SFDE_p-rI16HhBlWuvFqizSsQPHlRR6YtP39g30k2UFkB3h5IwRkbLajA8GXOUohnCQjsw6tYNmK9azDQKZsCWxGWQlCQfvH_WbgYzNRJu8oNhM4laLBfy2AlLXlPjLHvrYw/s1600/PB140007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhkftIU1SFDE_p-rI16HhBlWuvFqizSsQPHlRR6YtP39g30k2UFkB3h5IwRkbLajA8GXOUohnCQjsw6tYNmK9azDQKZsCWxGWQlCQfvH_WbgYzNRJu8oNhM4laLBfy2AlLXlPjLHvrYw/s400/PB140007.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That viaduct!</td></tr>
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As I was so distracted and trying to cast into a deeper faster run, I was alerted to a splashing behind me, I turned abruptly, stumbled on seeing a dog coming at me, and fell sideways soaking my left arm up to my shoulder. The owner called the dog away and I was left trying to wring-out my sleeve!<br />
<br />
Just before I broke for lunch, I spotted a movement, not exactly a rise, under the trees on the far bank. Casting ahead of it I felt a strong pull, but my slow reactions produced nothing. Waiting a short while, and thinking that possibly another fish may have moved up to take the other's place, I cast again and, this time, with a faster reaction, I was playing a decent sized fish, which transpired to be a beautiful large brown trout.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1p6dvIWEU7WI8k7mteNMuV0LjgW_4sqiwwt7JTusYl0Jr656SQH_Q5OtWbynxtBm0yovowjrzbkL0-WbhQo1wcFUIewMApHysBlb1iT8fcN6D43wrFCd1XfdTtVNxUa5JauoGQsIxj3I/s1600/PB140014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1p6dvIWEU7WI8k7mteNMuV0LjgW_4sqiwwt7JTusYl0Jr656SQH_Q5OtWbynxtBm0yovowjrzbkL0-WbhQo1wcFUIewMApHysBlb1iT8fcN6D43wrFCd1XfdTtVNxUa5JauoGQsIxj3I/s400/PB140014.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vszzZ-STNOvZTzyqm_6RFYHMOcNYnNDipRRbCCUY3l5ZpI3iqS31gGjhpJxXqyH9-n-itCMkPLX28gSvKPelrXEV3oS19d6HYacax4UpqWOGZP45VeAX94Av-HdCWIpn9ofWE8tJuLs/s1600/PB140013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vszzZ-STNOvZTzyqm_6RFYHMOcNYnNDipRRbCCUY3l5ZpI3iqS31gGjhpJxXqyH9-n-itCMkPLX28gSvKPelrXEV3oS19d6HYacax4UpqWOGZP45VeAX94Av-HdCWIpn9ofWE8tJuLs/s400/PB140013.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I broke for lunch on a convenient bench oalongside a a long glide with a wood opposite, giving me an opportunity to strip down and wring out the 3 sleeves I was wearing!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrZESmEm7mTxGFYYrgwU02lP9FbdOOYp8LLvonecv8Yc4uhA38W9GQEyHqkbWGJcTfWvtHwnPXFeqpKCb1Y8BGIvJOYnq6GOZKjcLF5UhW8KMpHacnCTe42ekicWFwh_16QDo_S5bw5M/s1600/PB140017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrZESmEm7mTxGFYYrgwU02lP9FbdOOYp8LLvonecv8Yc4uhA38W9GQEyHqkbWGJcTfWvtHwnPXFeqpKCb1Y8BGIvJOYnq6GOZKjcLF5UhW8KMpHacnCTe42ekicWFwh_16QDo_S5bw5M/s400/PB140017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1ofnc2X64gycp4E-7MbwPjancx1u7V-Fc_irUCs1lhKbh7OSMiG4jInU5k7U6l2GBmLNamwfYVWlnxBKkl7JIhMr1E7CN7rMAoHBghxRCTzmXVzKYiSSHSKftOQniyLzWpNOhK5tF50/s1600/PB140018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1ofnc2X64gycp4E-7MbwPjancx1u7V-Fc_irUCs1lhKbh7OSMiG4jInU5k7U6l2GBmLNamwfYVWlnxBKkl7JIhMr1E7CN7rMAoHBghxRCTzmXVzKYiSSHSKftOQniyLzWpNOhK5tF50/s400/PB140018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Incidentally I couldn't figure what had created the hole in front of the bench!<br />
<br />
I managed a couple more brown trout and 2 tiny grayling all on nymphs, in the afternoon before the light went. Mind you I was near Derwent Park by this time, and boy it goes dark quick. <br />
<br />
Well I opted to try a more direct route back to the car which took me across a field by a sewage works and up the hill. Crossing a bridge over the defunct railway line (that cross the viaduct),I headed along a path up hill, in the woods, and in the dark!! Owls hooted and screeched, as I first went up hill, then back down to the railway line again, then back up the hill to the Woodland centre and my car. After an hours walk I was knackered, exacerbated by the effort of wading on boulders, and slippy rocks.<br />
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I shall go back in February and try further up stream. Until next time, tight lines.Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com2Wickham and Dunston, Gateshead, UK54.92970655558387 -1.724167245117200854.880145055583867 -1.8404257451172008 54.979268055583873 -1.6079087451172007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-36811308639591025402011-11-11T18:29:00.000+00:002011-11-11T18:29:36.860+00:00Grayling Society Symposium, Appleton-in-WestmorlandLast Saturday morning I was up at 5am bleary eyed and set off for Appleby, a mere 150 miles, to attend <a href="http://www.graylingsociety.net/" target="_blank">The Grayling Society's</a> annual symposium.<br />
<br />
A great weekend was had, starting on Saturday with talks from Simon Johnson Director of <a href="http://trust.edenriverstrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">the Eden Trust</a> and <a href="http://www.paulprocterflyfishing.co.uk/" target="_blank">Paul Proctor</a>, guide, angling consultant & writer, followed by a demonstration from Jeremy Lucas on his <a href="http://www.fishandfly.com/our-world-of-fishing/3038-fishing-on-the-frontier-part-37-leader-to-hand.html" target="_blank">leader-to-hand technique</a> (a relative of French nymphing), down on the river Eden. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxzKOS4PIlU5lssN5effigPOGXbDA1i60rCMcQnJXq5z6O1KqsR4aMzz1x5O6zwyhseUA0-E6hpHFXx25FK_WUVSjGEGh8prRIVWBU0PHDPA0W3uPBrdJ67tn67TJ7UmUB_gfSoLpvU0/s1600/IMG_0955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxzKOS4PIlU5lssN5effigPOGXbDA1i60rCMcQnJXq5z6O1KqsR4aMzz1x5O6zwyhseUA0-E6hpHFXx25FK_WUVSjGEGh8prRIVWBU0PHDPA0W3uPBrdJ67tn67TJ7UmUB_gfSoLpvU0/s320/IMG_0955.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glimpse into Jeremy fly box!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This was followed by a slap up dinner, and charity auction which raised a princely £1300! At dinner I sat with Jim Fairgrieve of the Scottish National Fly Fishing team and his wife which was illuminating.<br />
<br />
Next morning saw by bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and up at the Warcop beat on the Eden for a days nymphing for the 'ladies'. I was joined by Jim and 3 others and we spread ourselves about the beat. I'd tackled up with my 10' #3 weight Streamflex, with a furled silk leader, level Stroft tippet and 2 nymphs, a weighted shrimp on the point and copper-bead PNT on the dropper. I went upstream and was into a small out-of-season brownie on the PTN almost immediately.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kwM8AFo08HepsKfv1lOW1ggUnDj1m-pUieA9YKGaLngJ8sVCPShoRry44NnZ-OAldH1OjgdLVKUBbrfTWekyEA986Wtt1MUwtaL4JkzJnuf15Kp2Uwdq0LutMAles8p9WY2MjdRAd5k/s1600/PB060040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kwM8AFo08HepsKfv1lOW1ggUnDj1m-pUieA9YKGaLngJ8sVCPShoRry44NnZ-OAldH1OjgdLVKUBbrfTWekyEA986Wtt1MUwtaL4JkzJnuf15Kp2Uwdq0LutMAles8p9WY2MjdRAd5k/s320/PB060040.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> In turned into a very pleasant day, water was cold to wade in but the sun came out periodically to warm us up, and with very little breeze it wasn't difficult to fish.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> In the morning I picked up a further brown (to a #16 PTN) and a one grayling. In the afternoon I went downstream, and had another couple of grayling all to the weighted shrimp.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfNSwMOmQ8fTQfs4ZPiINk9zrxxNsWt0kPzLLPnu19n5Mvw6HAr1itgWtCn9Ohl2SibmNC3Wf6oJSWhziMx7ivnyPko7SYUtAVdHg9ZuLMxFq1WcdspUFzBeW7KKwEwe2xB0SLUOq8Jo/s1600/PB060047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfNSwMOmQ8fTQfs4ZPiINk9zrxxNsWt0kPzLLPnu19n5Mvw6HAr1itgWtCn9Ohl2SibmNC3Wf6oJSWhziMx7ivnyPko7SYUtAVdHg9ZuLMxFq1WcdspUFzBeW7KKwEwe2xB0SLUOq8Jo/s320/PB060047.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Wading quite deep (above my waist) on a delicious bend into a sandstone cliff I attempted to dead-drift my flies along the near edge (seam) of the main flow and felt a very gentle take that then felt like I'd hooked a submerged log! This log then rolled and pulled, as I had very little line out I was trying to play the fish on the reel, when it came to the surface. Wow it was a 'log' of a fish definitely over 40cm, and in my excitement/fear I bullied it and when it rolled again it threw the hook. Drat, and double-drat, that would have certainly been a PB. Well it happens, c'est la vie as the say.<br />
<br />
I fished on to dusk, and returning to the car met Jim tackling-down, telling me that he had too many grayling, including 1 of 43cm and 1 of 45cm, and 6 or 7 broons!! Well he is an expert, and he was using the <a href="http://www.czechnymph.com/en/articles/tactic/24" target="_blank">French leader nymph</a> technique. I must try this I thought.<br />
<br />
Back home I've done my research and made up my own 12m leader set up to try out next week on the River Derwent , in Tyne & Wear.<br />
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</div>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-28848599252594269752011-11-11T17:32:00.001+00:002011-11-11T17:35:18.401+00:00It's about the little things.<span style="background-color: black; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">"The goal of fishing is to be personally surprised and rewarded (even though we actually expect it) by that tug on the other end of the line when a fish bites our humble offering and we connect directly with nature unseen, shrouded from our view by the mysterious waters until we finally retrieve the fish to hand. The size of the fish really doesn't matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. It isn't what motivated us to take up a fishing rod in the first place.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dNciaLf6gl63MFj28lYQ2aEHHVKM8s7M7yeCB4RybMrgGJNbAzxcBV4Ap8QHnk6TDOo3Ak5X5fvICk46V3hpWCI_7yETROdRHXiwV2i35JytVeaHEoVtB77x_nJ1lRba5rjBBsC4uk8/s1600/IMG_0782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dNciaLf6gl63MFj28lYQ2aEHHVKM8s7M7yeCB4RybMrgGJNbAzxcBV4Ap8QHnk6TDOo3Ak5X5fvICk46V3hpWCI_7yETROdRHXiwV2i35JytVeaHEoVtB77x_nJ1lRba5rjBBsC4uk8/s320/IMG_0782.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<div><span style="background-color: black; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">The number of fish we catch on any given day is no more significant than their size is to our deepest motives for fishing - the answer to the question "why do we fish" that most of us really wouldn't say out loud for fear we would be thought silly. No, it was and shall be that simple tug at the other end of the line, the view of the sunrise and sunset, the breeze on our face, the sound of the waves caressing the shoreline or of a babbling brook or rushing rapid, the sights and sounds of birds and other wildlife, and the smells of nature all around us. The feel of the fish on our hook, taught line in between, as he surges and darts to and fro - instinctively trying to evade capture is what pulls us to the water with tackle in our hands. It is a grand game with Mother Nature that we play, and it really doesn't matter much who our opponent ends up being. Numbers do not matter because the real purpose of the whole exercise is to escape the normal routines of our lives and engage in something just a little bit primal. It is really about tickling that genetically coded reminder buried within our DNA that this is where we came from, where we really belong, and where we someday will return. It restores our souls. That's why they named it 're-creation'. "</span></div><div><span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Excepts from </span><a href="http://www.floridaflyfishingmagazine.com/product-reviews/835-its-about-the-little-things-.html" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">'It's about the little things', an article by Ken Morrow, published in Florida Fly Fishing Magazine</a></i></span></div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hear where he's coming from? I do, ...it's why I do it.</span></span><span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><i style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></i></span></span><br />
<div><span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><i style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse;"><i style="background-color: black; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</i></span></i></span></div><span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><i style="background-color: black; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Many men spend their whole lives fishing without ever realizing it wasn't the fish they were pursuing." John Gierach</i></span><div style="background-color: white;"></div></div>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-14609230694744155322011-11-08T15:14:00.000+00:002011-11-08T15:14:44.463+00:00A sign of things to come? Dry, so dry.See Dry Fly Expert's piece on the <a href="http://dryflyexpert.blogspot.com/2011/10/dry.html" target="_blank">Lathkill </a> and the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-15591972" target="_blank">BBC report</a> with the EA man. Is this really a sign of times to come. I hope not. If the trout lose spawning areas, we lose the trout to catch and biodiversity takes a further nose-dive!Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-31244650201040108132011-11-04T15:37:00.000+00:002011-11-04T15:37:37.616+00:00WTT Grayling WeekendLong time no post!<br />
<br />
Sunday 30 October<br />
<br />
Travelled to Rowsley, Derbyshire to the R. Wye to join a number of other members of the <a href="http://www.wildtrout.org/" target="_blank">WTT</a> for a days grayling fishing on the <a href="http://www.haddonestate.co.uk/rivers/rivers.php" target="_blank">Haddon Estates</a> stretch of the Derbyshire Wye. Arriving at 8.30 met Kris Kent from the WTT, Jay from Haddon Estates and Trevor Walker from the <a href="http://www.guashfishingclub.co.uk/" target="_blank">Guash club</a>. We we given maps of the fishing and dispersed to try our luck. <br />
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It had rained on and off through out my journey that morning, and though warm, it kept trying to rain as I rigged up a 10' #3 with two heavy nymphs and a furled leader <a href="http://www.spidersplus.co.uk/shop/details_page_01.asp?ProdID=239&category=" target="_blank">(Dibble)</a>. I had decided to stay where I was and fish up from the estate boundary (Private stretch) towards Bakewell, and after a short walk from the carpark I tried my luck. I had nothing at first, then came to a large pool on a bend with a big back eddy. I could see fish rising and decide to try a dry fly, but could get a decent cast in with out drag. Went back to the czech nymphs and managed 2 nice grayling from below a bridge and weir.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIJUpWKpRDuFWTr10EdaBUuTV9TXfnhqG7RaGJFTMedesQSynVaJ1Vat-NCSbJe3Remgyc0pwvFbqKXKgci2mRHhzNtNJyPhDeZmWjUSxhVnLKguIzDd0fq4X-O1a8D4ylZmHh0E3LPg/s1600/IMG_0891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIJUpWKpRDuFWTr10EdaBUuTV9TXfnhqG7RaGJFTMedesQSynVaJ1Vat-NCSbJe3Remgyc0pwvFbqKXKgci2mRHhzNtNJyPhDeZmWjUSxhVnLKguIzDd0fq4X-O1a8D4ylZmHh0E3LPg/s320/IMG_0891.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHebS-df-39ZSjLFq-i9TOJRb1tsC_Qn3t59FNL9-A_kCnv0r7pKuyoreusAl6WLp3D_r-w88XHiW54_8_o-m4iNwOwO3svVJEWQAU32K8UlrjaHKCCQjfy_YOXuFe91T6rX4HAuFsMrs/s1600/IMG_0898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHebS-df-39ZSjLFq-i9TOJRb1tsC_Qn3t59FNL9-A_kCnv0r7pKuyoreusAl6WLp3D_r-w88XHiW54_8_o-m4iNwOwO3svVJEWQAU32K8UlrjaHKCCQjfy_YOXuFe91T6rX4HAuFsMrs/s320/IMG_0898.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Particularly rubbish photos I'm afraid, just like my casting on the day. I put this down to being tired after a busy weekend and an early start. I managed to lose my cast of flies, 4 times!! So I have had to spend some evenings at the tying bench if preparation for the upcoming <a href="http://www.graylingsociety.net/" target="_blank">Grayling Society</a> weekend this Saturday at Appleby on the R. Eden.<br />
In the end I managed half a dozen fish including 1 wild rainbow (a peculiarity of thr River Wye here). As the clocks went back I decided to jack it in at about 4.30pm and head home.Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-7446843827756692212011-10-21T20:54:00.000+01:002011-10-21T20:54:28.023+01:00Outdoor Blogger Network 1 Year Anniversary Celebration!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">On Tuesday the 18th<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />The Outdoor Blogger Network was officially be 1 years old.<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />And what a great year they’ve had!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.571em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">So get ready Outdoor Bloggers, this week is full of giveaways. As in thousands of dollars worth of outdoor gear to be given away. So there is no regularly schedule features this week. Nope, they are off the books and every day they arebe posting new gear giveaways. Multiple entries a day.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.571em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Members of the OBN can enter every single giveaway.<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />You can win multiple times.</strong>(if your blog is listed in the <a href="http://www.outdoorbloggernetwork.com/outdoorbloggerdirectory/" style="color: #190982; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Blog directory</a>, you’re a member!)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.571em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;">All they ask in return is that if you win something, they’d love for you to post a review of the gear you won. It completes the circle and is good for everyone around. They want to know what you thought of it!</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Go take a look </span><a href="http://www.outdoorbloggernetwork.com/">http://www.outdoorbloggernetwork.com/</a> sign up and cash in!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 1.571em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div></span>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-71796006031726538692011-10-20T19:43:00.000+01:002011-10-20T19:43:10.098+01:00Show your support for a good cause.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">A company ironically calling itself "Sustainable Bakewell", relying on taxpayers' money for its very existence has a CEO who wants to dredge an ancient millrace that hasn't worked for over 60 years. See </span><a href="http://dryflyexpert.blogspot.com/2011/10/where-fish-are.html#comment-form">http://dryflyexpert.blogspot.com/2011/10/where-fish-are.html#comment-form</a>.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">Please click on <a href="http://bakewellgreen.blogspot.com/">http://bakewellgreen.blogspot.com/</a> and make your feelings known. Thank you.</span>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8115574579010641115.post-63306736326943537522011-10-16T21:55:00.000+01:002011-10-16T21:55:56.260+01:00Now I understand!Came across this in an anthology on fishing by Jeremy Paxman called 'Fish, Fishing and the Meaning of Life';<br />
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<i>"A recent survey showed that roughly two-thirds of all fishermen never eat fish. This should surprise nobody. Fish is brain food. People who eat fish have large, well-developed brains. People with large, well-developed brains don't fish. It's that simple." </i><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">Ed Zern<i>, To Hell With Fishing, </i>1945.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I'll let you draw your own conclusions.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="200" src="http://www.myfuneralwebsite.com/beanfh/art/Personalization/Urn_Engravings/Fly-Fisher.jpg" width="165" /> <img height="181" src="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8906/images/8906_MEDIUM.jpg" width="200" /></div>Witham Piscatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14077986016232463230noreply@blogger.com0