The Real Thing (Lathkill)

I arrived at the Lathkill (middle beat) around lunchtime and after lastnights rainfall the river was absolutely alive. I began the day by inspecting the old fishing hut I'd been hearing about(above)and obviously I wasn't dissapointed. I set up Old Majestick while absorbing the atmosphere of the lathkills own little fishing temple.

I knelt down by the river next to the hut for a few casts with my latest elk sedge varient landing 3 eager fish in 3 casts. Today was always going to special from the off with fish rising to olives,hawthorns,midges and sedges a plenty. Stunned at my amazing start, it was clear a little restraint would be needed today has the Lathkill had chosen Sunday May 8th 2011 to bare her soul to me. I walked slowly to the bottom of the beat with a few minutes absorbing things at each bench.

I fished my way back up picking of a few rising fish before arriving back at the hut for lunch. While sitting eating lunch my lunch I browsed through the returns book and was absolutely gobsmacked how little this venue has been fished. It wasn't difficult to convince myself as I put my feet up and watched the rising fish downstream of the hut that this was angling heaven.

The Lathkill browns are indeed the most beautiful I've seen, second to none with red spots to die for, have a good look at the brown pics. The fish were all hard on the feed taking sherry spinners until dark. I hooked into 3 larger fish and lost them all but it didn't matter one iota,nothing could spoil this splendid day. Nearing the hut I sat and waited for nightfall being entertained by the Lathkill Acro-bats until the resident barn owl blew the final whistle on my most amazing days fishing.

This morning I can't stop thinking about the Lathkill experience and wonder if theres a finer place on the planet. You have paradise all to yourself however, having said that I only intend to visit a handful of times a year to play my part in keeping things this way. As you probably know I've fished a few rivers around the UK and most rivers/streams around Derbyshire and believe me the Lathkill is the real thing. Arrived back at hut and filled catch return with light from my mobile phone, apologies for scribbling.