Small is Beautiful, but Less is not More

Fabulous day fly fishing the River Wharf at Bolton Abbey, although the 'fabulous' bit refers primarily to the good company (Kempy and his pal Oz) and the beautiful river and surroundings. Less fabulous is the actual fishing standard these days, as the quality of it has deteriorated slowly over the 25 or so years I have been fishing here (whilst the price has steadily gone the other way - being now £30:00 for the day). Owners the Chatsworth Trust (the Duke of Devonshire basically) seems intent on maintaining a lack of re-investment, by not using that substantial income to stock fish into the river. Their paid lackey, the river keeper, naturally insists that his limited or nil stocking of farmed fish is actually good for the river health. This may well be true, in that it maintains a head of natural 'wild fish' stocks and pure bloodlines, but why then allow day ticket fishermen to take out and kill up to 4 fish per day each if caught? Surely over time this just diminishes numbers and size (which is what has happened). Better that it was catch and release (i.e. put back everything caught) like it is on many premier chalk streams. Fishing rant over (sorry).

Kempy provided a splendidly unhealthy fry-up breakfast in a riverside layby before we started first thing this morning. Then the usual competitiveness set in: Kempy took an early lead with a small fish out of the Strid Woods before 11:00, but Oz and myself soon caught up with a fish a piece on the river stretch upstream of the Devonshire Arms. This is a picture of mine, which was small but perfect, with the beautiful butttery colour and red-spotted markings typical of a genuine wild fish. Fished barbless and caught as it rose to a small dry Daddy-Long-Legs drifted across the surface, it was released unharmed to fight another day.

We then moved downstream in the afternoon to below Bolton Bridge whereupon I managed to catch 2 more at about 3/4 lb each (both released). Kempy and Oz didn't catch any more, but Kempy was recorded for Youtube posterity in his Flyfishing Masterclass. The pint of Black Sheep afterwards at the Devonshire Arms sat outside never tasted sweeter.

Heading off away for a couple of days as of tomorrow lunchtime to celebrate mine and MrsB's wedding anniverary on Tuesday. More on that top secret to follow soon no doubt. Not entirely sure how much free wifi I will be able to pick up whilst away, and can't really afford the roaming charges, so we will see. I may have to back-blip afterwards.

Conscious also I have been neglecting my comments to my subscribed list over the weekend, but promise to catch up during the week.