So the river had dropped all the way down to +2″ and all was looking good for a day on the river.
It was a bright morning, little or no wind and pretty mild at about 12° or so. The carpark was rammed but as usual there was a space for my little motor.I had already decided to walk right up past the viaduct for this trip.
Curiously I spotted a couple of people fishing the weir pool as I walked up then bumped into another gent as I neared my starting point. He had been on the river for about three hours and was enjoying a good day on the river.
I got to the nice streamy run that I like to start at and 
made a start, I had a red collared GRHE on the point and a black spider on the dropper. I worked my way through this lovely run without a touch, towards the end of this run I notice a little further downstream a regular reser, 2, 3,4 rises…I got within casting distance and dropped the flies right on him…nothing…but he WAS still rising. So mid stream and into my flybox. On goes a Greenwell’s spider and second cast to him I get a confident take and he was on, a small fish of around 8″ but more than welcome and just reward for my 20 minutes persistence, taken around 2pm.
I worked my way down through the ravine the sun starting to hide as the cloud cover increased. I noticed another riser just off the right hand bank as I came out of the funnel run. Slowly approaching I cast over him and had an immediate response but he just pricked the fly and was away and well spooked, hmmm disappointing but at least on the right track. Out I climbed and onto the next run, a nice pool that had a large fallen tree and swirls beautifully at the tail of the pool and it was hear I had another strong pull but missed him.
Crossing back over the stream above the viaduct, putting my “natural” wading staff back against the tree I mooched down to the viaduct run, some lovely popply water that screams fish. Working my way down this run I had what felt like a very big fish absolutely hammer the fly, I will be back for this one.
So back to the dog walk pool it was now about 4pm. Second run past dogwalk and things started to pick up somewhat. I had changed up the flies, leaving the greenwells on the point but giving a swim to a new green spider…which proved to be a good move as I quickly had my second fish of the day to hand, a small …but welcome.. trout only about 5″ this was followed rather quickly by another brownie, slightly larger at 9″ on the new “killer” green spider.
Now at the small run that hides under trees, I needed a sidecast to get under them to the deeper water that is on the left hand bank. Third cast under here and a solid hook up and a better fish on the line. He bent my rod right round a s he sped off for the faster water, it was tough to turn him but a minute or two in and he was sliding over my submerged net. A beautifully marked wild fish of about 14″ again take on the green spider.
That was about me done, I had taken 3 fish in about 15 minutes but was done in! I did have a dabble just down from the stone bridge but there wasn’t a lot doing there.
Out I climbed and headed back to the car..just as a light shower was starting. It was a decent day for early season, a few pulls early on and a few fish lies marked for my next visit to the Derwent
Days on the river 