Dovedale to Lovers Leap

I arrived nice and early at Dovedale car park around 7.00am, planning to avoid the crowds as the forecast was good, and with it being a Sunday I knew the walkers would be out in their droves around lunchtime. After crossing the wooden bridge into the first valley, things were very quiet indeed so I took a few pictures, its a rarity to get them without walkers scattered all over the background. Her Majesty (Dove) was in fine form and running very clear and very appealing to any game fisher.

I chose my 9ft Sage today, as I had already decided to wear my chest waders so I could access anywhere I like, and although heavy nymphs were the order of the day, I thought I'd leave the 10ft rod resting at home today. There was a little insect life today during the bright spells, I definitely spotted a couple of upwings, which is probably what tempted the fish to rise here and there. I had to endure a hail storm, which soon passed and did nothing to deter my spring feeling inside. I netted a couple of grayling and lost a real monster around the 3lb mark, it came off about 15ft away, but not before flicking his huge dorsal at me - this would have been my personal best without a doubt, but like a mentor/friend of mine always says "its character building."

I know where that big lad lives now, so I can give him a knock in the near future.

I had a few trout today and believe me, they are switched on for sure - resulting in ferocious takes and some real head banging. I took a couple of trout pics myself, and one kind passer by, offered to take one of me holding a nice brownie - pictured below. I met another brother of the wangle today called Dave, he drives all the way from Northhampton to fish Dovedale, which speaks volumes about how high the quality of fishing must be. We both had a chat and swapped a few tales, and he explained how a grayling 2ft long showed itself while taking something off the top.

Look at the tail on this trout below in proportion to its body size, needless to say it packed a real punch, with a propeller like that it was born to run, and a few times at that.

The bigman below holding a specimen brown - and his biggest one for a while, yet again it appeared much bigger in the flesh, but Shrek made it look smaller! On the whole it was an enjoyable day with interchangable weather, I endured hale, rain, cloudy, clear and sunny enough for the Captain to say "your face looks all red" when I got home.