Guiding Service

My guiding services are now available to assist fly fishermen on both game and coarse rivers. I'd be happy to advise and arrange your special day anywhere from one of Derbyshires finest trout and grayling rivers to your own local coarse river. Email Mick Martin for details and options. Please copy and paste into your own email info@rivererewashfoundation.co.uk











Wednesday 24 February 2010

Extreme Fishing at Willersley

Managed to wangle a day at the Castle today and looking across the snow covered ground I
wondered about my sanity, before remembering I'd just had my £5 Mega Breakfast from the Tor Cafe next to the traffic lights just up the top of the road above Arkwright's Mill, including tea and toast this would prepare you for Everest believe me, a fine way to begin a winters day grayling fishing.

I managed a nice little lady 1st cast at the bridge and thought instantly, everything else is a bonus now. I took a walk trying to pick off a few fish in likely spots which produced some success but all below half a lb, where had the biggies gone today. The pic below gives an idea of conditions and although it was bitterly cold the Derwent was in fine fettle.



I noticed 2 real fly boys walk by before realising it was Bernie Maher and John Tyzack, both top of the game anglers, especially John the XR3i Turbo injection 2 million times river champ. They both walked upstream towards the weir, obviously hoping for the lunkers below the weir section as there's always grayling in numbers there. I eventually fished my way to Masson Mill where I found a couple more ladies in the deep section by adding an extra long tippet to bumble my leatherback along the riverbed in the deep channel against the wall, I've found this usually brings me a few fish, below was today's result with my leatherback still in its gob, not massive but beautiful all the same.
Feeling a bit chilly I decided to walk upto the weir to have a butchers at John and Bernie while moving some blood around my legs at the same time. I got chatting with Mr Tyzack who's face was a picture when he noticed my extra long tippet and droppers with nothing on and my shark hook leatherback which he struggled to lift. I watched Bernie fishing from the Mill side before he suddenly dashed through the river upto is armpits in freezing water, mad as a hatter. We had a brief chat where John offered some free advice, which proved helpful as it brought me a few larger ladies from the Weir - result.


The pic above shows me looking downstream past Masson Mill from the middle of the weir pool which today was completely wadable, a rarity for most DCAC anglers, apart from Bernie I suppose. Below are a couple of my better fish of the day which I have to say was fandabbydozy.




2 comments:

Dave Cross said...

Mick, is that a nymph or a plug you've got on the end of your line?
Regards,
Dave.

Mick Martin said...

Its a new sacrificial fly called a nylug Dave. Deadly around Derbyshire, the bigger the better.