So hear is goes....
I had got the full day sorted to go and fish where i wanted, my first thoughts were to go further afield and fish some new rivers, but looking around the river level through Wales ect it was a no go... I am bored of fishing for the same fish at Dovedale and Ellastone in the same runs and probably catching the same fish! I had spoken to Kev Harrision on fishing the Dee or the Severn as he has had much joy there this year but conditions were no good so i opted to stay local... I thought all night of a new approach to revive my appetite, i decided to go to Milldale as its somewhere i have never really given a proper go probably because my short sessions here and there in the week make a extra half hour driving..
Today i had all day so i stayed up late last night and tyed lots of different nymphs in lots of 4...
My approach was to go and fish with a short rod using the deadly duo tactic...
I arrived at Milldale around half eight in the morning, a lovely place to be with not a soul around, the ground was frozen and the river looked 6 inches up with the milky colour.. perfect really...
I tacked up and made my way down the 59s stretch which looks sweet, somewhere i would like to fish...
I started with the duo and got pissed off with it after my first cast, Woody is becoming a master with it and he loves it but i feel it awkard using it and it does not feel right to me, my dry kept sinking and after only a handful of casts i ripped it off!! I needed to go back to the van for my 10ft streamflex to get on the czech but i thought i shall give it a go with my 7ft hardy demon!!
I knew this would be well to short but the river had colour and i could wade anywhere so getting presenting the fly would be no prob... i also opted for a two fly set up on a short line.. basically i was czech nymphing but a tuned down version... how right i was to choose this setup for me!!
I got straight into a 4oz Grayling which lifted my confidence from low to buzzin, i thought at least i have not blanked again and was happy to take that for the day as Dovedale can be very hard indeed...
My plan today was to fish hardcore and only take a short break, i was going to move fast around each likely swim and fish n move, fish n move until i found the odd fish...
It was not long until i took a tiny fingerling which was very welcome....
I was fishing holes, necks, creases, everything that looked to hold fish, i come across a small pool that is never fished as i had to crawl under branches to get in, the 7ft was getting me places i would have never done with the 10ft, at the back of the run i run the flys through sweet, a slight twitch and bump! a silver flash, i was in to a half pounder which fought its head off...
I was fishing holes, necks, creases, everything that looked to hold fish, i come across a small pool that is never fished as i had to crawl under branches to get in, the 7ft was getting me places i would have never done with the 10ft, at the back of the run i run the flys through sweet, a slight twitch and bump! a silver flash, i was in to a half pounder which fought its head off...
I could not believe it when i caught again in the same run, then another ect, one just over a pound,,,i took 5 fish out of the same run in some frantic 10 min action... i hear that the Dovedale fish *+do not shoal up in together and this comes from very good seasoned anglers but these were so tight you would not get a take 5 ft either way of the run!!
I walked down to Doveholes and walked into the cave buzzin with my fishing already, it was still early and i was satisfied already, i sat in the cave and lit the Kelly... while chilling out i was joined by Kev Harrison and his wife, they were out walkin the dog, we had a good natter and it was nice to see him as he was my very first guide who taught me loads when i switched to the fly from river Barbeling..
Kev told me some of his own favorite runs and went on his way... as he walked around the corner i hooked into a slab with my first cast, the line just stopped dead and i struck hard...the fish started to spin the drag down streamas its huge dorsel was doing its job, i shouted kev but he had gone, shame really as he had just pointed to the run where i hooked it, i soon got the net under a mint condition Grayling weighing 1 lb 14 oz!!!
I walked down to Doveholes and walked into the cave buzzin with my fishing already, it was still early and i was satisfied already, i sat in the cave and lit the Kelly... while chilling out i was joined by Kev Harrison and his wife, they were out walkin the dog, we had a good natter and it was nice to see him as he was my very first guide who taught me loads when i switched to the fly from river Barbeling..
Kev told me some of his own favorite runs and went on his way... as he walked around the corner i hooked into a slab with my first cast, the line just stopped dead and i struck hard...the fish started to spin the drag down streamas its huge dorsel was doing its job, i shouted kev but he had gone, shame really as he had just pointed to the run where i hooked it, i soon got the net under a mint condition Grayling weighing 1 lb 14 oz!!!
I knew that the fish were on it so it was time to fish extra hard and get what i could as these days are few and far, i took another 3 fish out of the same run, all around the pound mark. they were shoaling up tight for sure!!
I walked further down fishing more likely runs, it was quite strange as runs that looked amazing were devoid of fish and i would not catch for a good hour until i found a fish i would take 5 or six out of the pack..I was greedy and was looking for more and more as most anglers do, i saw another lad who passed me on the way past the boards who i have never seen and he said he had struggled and was on a blank, when i told him i was on 14 fish he must of thought i was a right bullshitter, he had come from ddale end and i know it can be very hard there, only Woody doing well recently on his gay duo!!!
I was coming out the river to hear. 'is that the Lord Rocher' it was Roger Bryant who i have not seen for ages so it was good to catch up and have the crack, Roger is a great lad andone of the boys, always buzzin and a proper angler who loves the game like me.
He had taken a few fish though DDale and lost one so all was good, we walked up together and fished likely runs.... I was standing with Roger and i drifted my flys through a run and started to take a pod of Ladies again, the fourth fish was another male slab of 1lb 14oz again, Roger then realized the fun i had been having all day, the fish looked to be well over two pounds and was very fat..
Roger did some pics and we set off on separate ways with a Usk trip booked in between us...
On the way back up the light was starting to go, i had a flick at the pools i had caught earlier in the day, they all produced fish again, i did not want the fishing to end but i had been luckily today so wondered back up to Milldale village with a huge gin on my face dreaming of what had happened throughout the day....The two clunkers, and endless takes....
Well why did i catch so many fish today?
1. John Tyzack guiding me until i was doing it proper
2. The fish were tightly packed and through very hard work i found them..
3. The river was up slightly and coloured (i could get right in close to them with a very short line and see every take)
4. Moving all around the pools quickly
5. The fish were 'on it'
6. Months of practising Czech nymphing
7. Plenty of yanking on Red Tube
8. The point fly weighted perfect and changed for diff runs..
9. Jammy twat
I took 24 Grayling and 4 out of season trout, all bare one fell to the point fly which was a JT flashback, a fly that i now tie myself.. i would show the fly but i feel i would be taking business from JT who does the game for a living so contact him and i am sure he would look after you...
This goes down as one of my most memorable sessions and will probably not happen for a long time if ever as the Dove can be so cruel.
Nice one
Glen
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