We are on the bank once again searching for fish I say fish and not a specific species as I often walk the river banks fist before deciding on what to fish for ,Its a day for the roach and dace for me fishing off a bend in the river as the river is up and coloured,

I roll a maggot feeder out into the river between the slack and the main flow ,I was just thinking a couple of weeks ago I had 4 chub from this swim on meat ,well you never know ! I tackled the float rod up in preparation and filled the castor bait tub with water , Hmm A nice shoulders stick of about 5 BB ? shirt buttonabout 5 feet or so and a hook length of 4. 2 1b I put the rod on the rest and concentrated for the next couple of hours on the tip.A perch was the first obliging fish for my friend then I was into small dace mixed with gudgeon and minnow and missed bites were becoming very frustrating,I cast my mind back to a couple of months back on the river swale I fished off a bend with the trotting rod only to blank but this as then looked perfect so out it came and I started to feed caster

We are on the bank once again searching for fish I say fish and not a specific species as I often walk the river banks fist before deciding on what to fish for ,Its a day for the roach and dace for me fishing off a bend in the river as the river is up and coloured,



I roll a maggot feeder out into the river between the slack and the main flow ,I was just thinking a couple of weeks ago I had 4 chub from this swim on meat ,well you never know ! I tackled the float rod up in preparation and filled the castor bait tub with water , Hmm A nice shoulders stick of about 5 BB ? shirt buttonabout 5 feet or so and a hook length of 4. 2 1b I put the rod on the rest and concentrated for the next couple of hours on the tip.A perch was the first obliging fish for my friend then I was into small dace mixed with gudgeon and minnow and missed bites were becoming very frustrating,I cast my mind back to a couple of months back on the river swale I fished off a bend with the trotting rod only to blank but this as then looked perfect so out it came and I started to feed caster

Bound for the Yorkshire derwent on the 16th of june opening day in search of barbel I was all set got the gear bait is a choice halibut pellets and spam also armed with hemp and caster

I was fishing the middle reachers at Buttercrambe with 2 rods one on meat the other pellet without a knock but then a huge swing of the tip resulted in nothing but a pellet stolen from the hook ,Then round went the other rod and a few minutes later and a quick fight resulted in a chub of around a pound then another slightly larger another one at 4 pound and a good fight from the last chub slightly bigger ,spam 4 pellet nil.

still nothing on the pellet so enough is enough and out came the trotting rod and another swim further downstream with caster for bait the river has a good depth so a nice large stick well shotted down and 3rd cast through a nice dace this continued throughout the afternoon with dace roach gudgeon the odd small perch it was overcast and had been threatening to rain all day with grey skies but it held off a nice day on the river no barbel but they will be another time and possibly another bait to try.

Frustration time

I traveled to the tackle shop with my mind full of the bits and pieces that I need for the upcoming new fishing season yes its that time again 16th of june 2016 approaching. once in the tackle shop i'm absorbed by the amount of tackle on view and soon forget what I had come in for , the line I wanted mmmm not sure that brand may be better and those hooks and shot , well I eventually got outside feeling happy with an arm full of gear but somewhat skint ,

ahh well never mind it will soon be thursday and off I trot to put my new line on my reels ,clean my kit box out check my chair clean everything get all my rods out and inspect them ,that's it all done everything is ready now what ?

Wait wait and wait so frustrating but it will be worth it , I've tramped the riverbank at every opportunity thrown in some bait in a few swims took photos watched the weather there must be something that ive forgot ? yes a little patience its nice to be prepared it will soon be thursday.

Trout time

Its the closed season and the itch is still there to get on the river bank, so out came the fly rod and a selection of flies,I gave the waders a quick look but decided boots were the better option as coarse fish may be present although I had never caught any previously,but stories of chub came my way ? well you never know . I took my granddaughter to the river she loves fishing but casting a fly is still a struggle so it gave me an excellent opportunity to give her a little help without being too pushy to put her off fishing! I took her now and again and she looked forward to the trips we tackled up and found a nice spot with no trees behind us to get snagged up in we persevered for about half an hour then one cast the line gave a little pull and a nice brown trout came to her net , I'm glad she got the fish she will never forget it , I hope she's hooked for life.

A look Back

It seems a long time ago since june 16th 2015 but I found myself on the Yorkshire Derwent at Buttercrambe full of hope , well what else is there ?
I had a good walk along the banks and baited up 3 likely looking swims with the bait dropper I say likely looking swims they all had some cover and a good flow but you couldn't see into the water as it was a little coloured , Lots of hemp and caster and chopped up luncheon meat was the order of the day in the large bait dropper, half a dozen drops on target in each swim enough noise to scare the fish away for miles around.

So back to the first swim that I had blitzed and a slow tackle up a cup of tea from the flask and plonked the first bait in with a nice splosh and settle back and watch the tip of my old milo avon , a few minutes went by then a couple of twangs on the rod saw me hunched up ready to strike but nothing and a lot more of nothing so a quick retrieve and bait still on the hook hmmmm oh well another hour and more nothing so I moved to my next baited up swim and sat for an hour and a half with .. yes you've guessed it nothing so a move to my last baited up swim and a nice hair rigged luncheon meat with a pva bag with hemp and a few small offerings of luncheon meat and settle back in my chair to watch the trusty milo avon and the noisy chaffinches in the tree above when it happened that noise that hard to describe noise of the rod bending over and line stretching a grab of the rod and a few minutes later a nice 4 1b chub was in the net , no brilliant but it was opening day and this was my long awaited fish not a barbel but it would do me.
I finished the day with a couple of hours honing my trotting skills and a few dace later I was packing my tackle in the car with a smile on my face , june the 16th off home and to finish the day a few pints and a natter in the local perfect.

Looking forward to june ? take a look at the Wharfe

Looking forward to june ? take a look at the Wharfe
River Wharfe

The River Wharfe starts its life near Langstrothdale near Beckermonds where Oughtershaw Beck and Green Field Beck meet it ends 60 miles away at the Village of Cawood near selby. The river in part forms the border of North and West Yorkshire and is arguably the most picturesque river in the County.

The river flows through the valley which bears the same name' Wharfedale ' passing through the Yorkshire Dales National park and some idyllic towns and villages such as Kettlewell Grassington Bolton Abbey Addingham Burley in Wharfedale Otley Wetherby and Tadcaster , the river is tidal from ulleskelf and the lower river has a very different character from the rest of the river but it still retains its angling quality .

The strid on the river wharfe

On the reaches near bolton abbey there is the notorious 'strid' a series of waterfalls where the river narrows up considerably and it looks all too easy to make the jump across to the other side but many have died doing so, the river undercuts both banks and has channels with fast underwater currents.

Bolton Abbey river wharfe
Bolton Abbey
Fishing

At Buckden there is a beautiful stretch of the river near to the source this is controlled by Bradford city angling association there are no day tickets but with year books at £ 38 it must be a bargain considering the rest of the water that Bradford have. bradford city

Kilnsey angling club have the river wharfe at kilnsey near conistone with day tickets around £ 35 kilnsey is one of the oldest clubs in the country for more details please Phone 01756 752301 (Tennant Arms)

Appletreewick barden and burnsall angling club have around 7 miles of fishing above Bolton Abbey Tickets from the red lion Burnsall 01756 720204 (Red Lion)

There is about 5 miles of double bank fishing at Bolton Abbey controlled by the Chatsworth estate see this link for full details it's over £30 for trout and about £20 for grayling bolton abbey

barbel in the woodland river wharfe
old Bradford stretch at boston spa
At Addingham The Addingham angling association have around 3 miles of trout fishing see their website for further info 'Addingham'

Also at Pool in Wharfedale Leeds and District Amalgamated Society of Anglers has about 4 miles of fishing from the river Washburn to the viaduct day tickets from the Garage or yearbooks. Leeds DASA

river wharfe boston spa
Wharfe at Boston Spa
Coarse fish inhabit the water around ilkley so as well as trout and grayling you have the pleasure of seeing chub in your nets but possibly pool is the area that you have a chance of a barbel, well so I am told by a few locals so who am I to disagree, further downstream at Linton Collingham and Wetherby the fishing is run by different clubs day tickets are available from the post office and the garage at collingham. Wetherby and District Angling Club day tickets in advance from the newsagents in Collingham also Wetherby sports association next to the swimming pool, Rodgers tackle shop at Seacroft york road, JBK's Convenience store Boston Spa ,J & M Wines Beancroft road Castleford, see their website for further information Wetherby

Downstream from Wetherby at Boston Spa Bingley Anglers have a very good stretch of water with some big barbel present Bingley have about a mile of fishing right bank opposite wray wood that use to be Bradford No1 water until the area was developed from a farm to a private luxury house with all the fringe benefits including a bridge over the river and the barring of anglers ?anyway Bingley hold the right bank take a look at the website there is some good fishing to be had.

river wharfe boston spa
Boston Spa


Bradford no1 also have water at boston spa, Some big barbel are present here and all the way down to Newton Kyme along with big chub also roach and dace. The top length the spa bath length is shallower and noted for its early season big barbel the river at Newton Kyme is packed with features and deserves some exploring and the patient angler can expect big chub and barbel in my opinion it is the best part of this fantastic river ,Day tickets can be bought from the paper shop next to costcutters in Boston Spa.

The River Wharfe at Tadcaster has some good chub and big barbel fishing, day tickets are available from the "Chocolate Box" news agency and the sweet shop at 28 Kirkgate Tadcaster, please note that the fishing between the Bridge and the weir is limited to members only.From below Tadcaster water at Grimston Park and Ulleskelf is Leeds DASA have most of the water, with matches fished a lot at the weekends Pegs 1 to 25 are left free for the use of pleasure anglers on Saturdays, the railway field pegs 76 to 100 strictly members only, Tickets from the Ulleskelf Arms