Bakewell Bliss

Arrived at Rowsley meadows tea time after work to lovely conditions but a very low river Wye. I was struggling at first until noticing a few sailor beetles and after trying to match them, I soon brought a few browns crashing to the surface like the brown below. I also managed a good number of small grayling on size 20 olives which I thoroughly enjoyed along with observing the busy kingfisher I'd not seen here before.

I moved into the town sections for the last few hours and caught some wonderful hardfighting fish before a visit from Jan (riverkeeper) who also had his arm pulled off while holding my rod. Strange how on the odd evening trout seem to have an extra zip, unexplainable but very true, stillwaters included. I suppose I'll have to put it down to something in the air and anyway being the only rod out on Derbyshires finest I just revelled in my good fortune.

I was joined by RW the Dryfly Expert who made pleasant company as we both loitered around town until dark, and after missing a good few fish on spinner, mostly down to my eyesight, we eventually both dribbled over a gorgeous cock brown under torch light. Funny how 2 grown men quickly throw away most of their 108 combined years to become wide eyed boys once again, mind you I suspect a big wild brown trout is the holy grail for both of us.