Hello again interwebs!
Since it's now been nearly a month since my last post, I thought I'd better just check in briefly with a few bits and bobs. The blog's definitely still up and running, but the fact is for the whole of August I simply haven't done any fishing, and so I've had nothing to report on!
August on the Dales rivers is, if we're totally honest, probably the dullest month of the trout season, or at least it is from my point of view. The problem is nothing much really happens - nothing new to excite and create fresh interest. Numbers of rising fish take a nose dive, there are very few new hatches of fly to exploit, and the general tired feel of late summer seems to send all the fish into a torpor which, from the fly angler's viewpoint, makes fishing something of a chore until early autumn brings with it an injection of new life. Couple this with heavy rain over the last week or two, and the fact that during the summer holiday period any good weather turns Wharfedale into Yorkshire's inland answer to Blackpool, and you can start to see why I haven't been feeling overly motivated. Still, I shall try and do a couple of hours on the river before the end of the week and see what it brings.
In other news, I'm away on holiday this coming Sunday! Starting off with an overnight stop off in the Lake District, which may well involve a quick cast for a Salmon on the River Derwent, then continuing north into Scotland to 'A' Chomraich' - the Applecross Peninsula. There's wild Hill Lochs aplenty and a whole coastline to explore, so expect a report or two on my return!
Tight Lines,
Eric
Hi Eric
ReplyDeleteI saw a post from you on Fly Fish forum (a rather old post admittedly) where you were talking about fishing (successfully) the river Aire at Apperley Bridge. This interests me as about a mile or so down stream is my local stretch at Calverley. As far as I am aware it is not stocked or leased by a club but looks "good trout water". Have you fished this stretch of the Aire (between Apperley Bridge downstream to Calverley Bridge). If so are you aware as to whether there are reasonable numbers of Trout/Grayling there?
Thanks.
Rob
Hi Rob,
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late reply on this! I've been in my first month at Uni, so too busy to blog really.
Never fished the stretch at Calverley, but I'm sure it'd be worth a go - there's some absolute monsters lurking in these unstocked 'free' areas of the Aire if you can find them. Grayling seem to be fairly patchy in distribution down this end of the river, but it's certainly worth a look at this time of year on the offchance, and failing that there should be some chub around to pull your string! Other than that, I suggest you get down early next season, as by may/june vegetation can be a big problem if you don't know the stretch. Besides, most of my best fish from the river have come within the first month.
Good luck! If you don't get out this autumn then I hope you get amongst some trout in the spring!