Ratty to be rescued

How many people does it take to release a water vole? And how long does it take? Well, the answer is fifteen people and five years. How do I know? Well, that was how I spent my Tuesday morning in what is a tale of extinction and salvation.

	Water Vole Arvicola amphibius

The Meon valley in east Hampshire is one of those few places that the urbanisation of southern England has (as yet) passed by, largely I suspect because the road through the valley doesn't really take you anywhere. 

There are better routes to the south coast for lorries or those in a hurry. So the A32 is still mostly a single carriageway, wending its way through chocolate box villages, past steepled flint churches and from time to time you will catch a glimpse of the River Meon beyond the verges that are flecked with white-flowered Cow parsley at this time of year. However, the splendid isolation has not deterred all interlopers and a few decades ago one particular menace moved in.

That was, in case you didn't know it, the American mink that first arrived on our shores in the 1930's for fur farming. They soon escaped into the wild, adapting to the British climate, inserting themselves into the food chain just below otters but above water voles that soon became a favourite food.  When the otter population collapsed in the 1960's mink soon became kings of the hill, spreading across the British Isles and in river catchments such as the Meon they hunted water voles to extinction. So about five years ago the South Downs National Park Authority, along with local conservation groups, decided it was time to do something about this.

Hemlock water-dropwort bankside

Step one is first eradicate your mink, which is not as hard as you might think. Ironically having denuded the valley of their food source most of the mink had died or moved on, but those that remained were trapped. I'm told by one of the volunteers who sets the traps that he hasn't seen a mink in the past year.  Step two is bring back the voles. Where from you might ask. Well, believe it or not in Devon there is a water vole breeding farm that supplied the 115 (or maybe 116 nobody was quite sure) voles released on Tuesday by the fifteen volunteers.

They arrived in all age groups and sexes, the voles that is. There are family units with Mum, Dad and the litter of anywhere between five and seven young. There are breeding pairs ready to do their business; not hard as a female will have anything up to five litters in a year. Plus a few unattached adults who will roam, the oldest being about a year, late middle age in voles who rarely survive beyond 18 months. In case you are wondering about the Pringle tube, well it has a purpose. Transferring the voles from the transport cages to the release pens is not easy. They scurry about like mad and will deliver a nasty bite. But grasp them by the tail, slide them head first into the tube and they go quite docile.

 

The liberation from the pens is what is termed 'soft release'. The rabbit-like cages are positioned close to the river, fed and checked for the first 2-3 days until the door is opened and the voles make their own way into the world. Exton Manor Farm, where this particular release took place, is water vole heaven so they have no real reason to hang about in confinement. Their favourite food, Hemlock water-dropwort grows in abundance along the banks, which also provides plenty of cover as well. They need it as the attrition rate is 80% but the remaining one fifth will be enough to establish a self-sustaining colony.

So the next time you slip on your waders to fish at Exton you will have some companions. Ratty is back and it is good to know that the most endearing character from Kenneth Grahame's Wind in the Willows has some champions - Grahame would be pleased.

CURIOUS COLIN CARP

Here is a fun children's book that arrived on my desk last week.

Just published, it is written by keen angler Alan Harrison who tells the tale of the curious Colin Carp. He spots a mysterious orange object (a boile I am told by people who know these things) floating in the pond, so he can't resist checking it out. His friend Marie quickly realises it's a fisherman's hook! She must race to save her friend before it's too late...

It has had some lovely reviews and I think children will enjoy the rather ethereal artwork. I'm no expert on children's books but I'm guessing this is for the 3-6 year age range. It is available from bookshops and Amazon at £6.99. 

CAPTION CONTEST WINNER

I did intend to re-print all the entries that came in for the caption contest but you rather bowled me over with your wit and imagination. Except for the few advertising guys who wrote in I suspect most of you are in the wrong jobs! Far more than I ever imagined arrived at my Inbox so after some considerable consideration here are my top five, but really they were all good.

"A dapper dapper daps a dapper gentleman!"

"You really do need a Dandy long legs to catch one."

"Sedge hedge fly catches top and tailing gent."

"Fishing a cucumber sandwich 'on the dangle' Nigel had yet to receive an offer so he upped his game and switched bait to a Royal enclosure ticket for Ascot."

"Members of the Houghton club refute allegations that its beats on the Test are over manicured."

In order thank you to Hugh Foxcroft, John Crawshaw, Si Scott-White, Paul Sharman and Richard Mathewson. It is Richard who collects the commemorative fly box.

MAY FEEDBACK DRAW WINNER

It was a long and extended Mayfly hatch, but not without its difficulties with some horrible bouts of cold, wet days plus some stupendous thunderstorms that turned the rivers to chocolate on occasions. 

All that certainly made it tough on us anglers but I'd rate this as a better-than-good Mayfly season. As I write we are just starting weed cut (continues on the River Test until around 19/June) with the hatch still going on.

The winner of the May feedback draw was Brian Langford who fished with success at Barton Court on the River Kennet right at the end of the month. The Vuefinder Fly Patch is on its way and everyone will go back in the hat for the end-of-season Sage reel draw.

QUIZ

	"I really am a baby eagle"

In response to the phobia quiz last week (a bit tricky I am told) someone wrote in to ask whether I suffered from pteronarcophobia? I am happy to say not - the fear of flying insects. This week something less alarming.

1)      What does a cygnet grow into?

2)      A squab is the baby of which common British bird?

3)      A cheeper or squealer is which infant game bird?

4)      A poult is the offspring of what?

5)      What is the name for a baby eagle?

It's just for fun and answers are at the bottom of the page. 

Have a good weekend.

Best wishes,

 

Simon Cooper simon@fishingbreaks.co.uk

Founder & Managing Director  

Quiz answers: 1)   Swan   2) Pigeon   3) Grouse   4) Chicken or turkey   5) Eaglet

Crying wolf?

Crying wolf?

   

The headline in The Sunday Times over the weekend was not one you ever like to read: Pollution destroying life of England's chalk streams. The story comes out of some recent research commissioned by the Salmon & Trout Conservation UK (formerly the Salmon & Trout Association) which has concluded that, in the words of the S&TC UK Chief Executive Paul Knight, 'Almost all of them (chalkstreams) are in a dismal state of decline.' Frankly, I think he is wrong or if I'm being generous overstating the position for the point of emphasis.

The difficulty we have with this and other river fly censuses is that they come from a  group who hold a particular belief that is well summarised by Nick Measham, the S&TC UK Freshwater Campaigns Consultant who penned the introduction to the report in which he says, 'Historic angling literature refers to fly hatches that, sadly, are now a distant memory on many rivers, leading to comments such as, "When did you last see a prolific Iron Blue hatch or a Blue-winged Olive spinner fall?" These fishing memories are also supported by factual evidence.' Sorry Nick, I don't agree.

I'm afraid time plays tricks on all our memories; the beer was always cheaper, the girls were always prettier, the summers warmer and ..... well, you get the idea. It is the same with fishing. In a previous Newsletter I quoted a letter to the editor of The Field magazine that bewailed the lack of fly life. That was dated 1906. Frederick Halford, the high priest of dry fly fishing abandoned the River Kennet in Berkshire for the River Test for similar reasons. That was in the 1870's. As you can see this is an age old complaint, not that that necessarily invalidates it.

However every day of the season my inbox fills with reports from fishermen who are on the chalkstreams from Dorset in the west right up to Yorkshire in the north. I receive all sorts of news and views. They all make for fascinating reading but I can truly say very few complain about the lack of fly life. Lack of rising fish yes, but lack of flies no. And that would chime with my personal observations and in the 25 years I have worked on the chalkstreams I have never seen such an abundance of wild fish in so many different places. There are clearly some good things going on.

Now I'm not enough of a scientist to argue with the data the S&TC UK have published. On the face of it the decline in some aquatic creatures like freshwater shrimp and familiar flies like the Blue Winged Olive is hard to argue with, as is the cri de coeur that many insidious pollutants from farming, industry, aquaculture and domestic sewage should be regulated. 

But, and this is a big but, by relentlessly pointing the finger without presenting a balanced picture you run the risk of damaging further the very thing you seek to protect, crying wolf, alienating the people who might help. To drum up support to save anything, be it a panda or a river, requires it to be loved and valued. Garnering doom laden headlines is not the answer. Tell the story. Emphasise the good. Point out the problems. Enlist support. 

There is plenty of wonderful stuff happening on the chalkstreams, so let us make sure that no single body or pressure group hijack the agenda to the detriment of us all. If you wish to read the S&TC UK report in full click here.

PS Well done to Rosy Hardy who picked up a silver medal at the Chelsea Flower Show for her garden (pictured) themed around the chalkstream which runs beside her nursery in Freefolk, Hampshire. I was a bit disheartened by the tone of the press release that accompanied the award, for all the reasons above. It read: "The garden invites visitors to consider the fragility of our rare and beautiful chalk streams - a vital natural resource, threatened by pollution and climate change.The garden explores the fragility and uniqueness of these streams by inviting the visitor to take a walk through a dry chalkstream bed towards its source." 

CAPTION CONTEST

I sometimes wonder about the magazines I read. Anyway quite where and why I ended up flicking through the Harrods Magazine I have no idea but this photo caught my eye.

It was taken by Diego Merino for a fashion shoot called 'A Twist in the Tale' that involved a hot air balloon, butterfly net, clock face, bicycle and various dandies in top hats. Yes, I've no idea what was going on either. Regardless I thought it was rather fun and this particular one deserved a good caption.

Email your best caption to Caption Contest by Monday. I will send a suitable prize to the winner and share the best of them with you in the next Newsletter.

QUIZ

I was doing some research earlier in the week and discovered that the fear of frogs is a recognised condition; I never knew such a thing existed. It is ranidaphobia by the way. Here are five other phobias to work out.

) What is 

2) If you were xanthophobic what colour would you be concerned or phobic of?

3) Bufonophobia is the fear of which other common garden creature?  

4) Dracula probably suffered from phengophobia. What is it?

5) Octophobia is the fear of what?

It's just for fun and answers are at the bottom of the page. 

Have a good weekend.

 

Best wishes,

    

Simon Cooper simon@fishingbreaks.co.uk

Founder & Managing Director  

Quiz answers: 1) The fear of beautiful women. 2) Yellow 3) Toads 4) Daylight or sunlight  5) The number 8. 

90 Years Ago Today ......

90 years ago today ....

 

Ninety years ago today Queen Elizabeth was just a few hours old, born at the not very social hour of 2.40am. As we celebrate her birthday today I began to wonder how different a day on a chalkstream might have been back then in 1926 if I had wandered out that morning to cast a line to mark her birth.

	Queen Mother. New Zealand. 1927.

To start with I'd have probably been highly conflicted as to whether to use nymph or dry fly. This wasn't a choice about fishing or entomology. It defined you as a man. Halford, the high-priest of the dry fly wasn't long dead (he died in 1913) but his apostles were almost Taliban-like in their fervour for all things dry. 

Skues, the man who effectively invented nymph fishing and promoted the technique in the 1920's and 30's, was vilified for his beliefs. If social media was around he would have had many trolls, Twitter storms breaking above his head daily. There was definitely something that spoke of class about the debate. As that Conservative politician Alan Clarke once said of Michael Heseltine, alluding to the fact that his wealth was made not inherited, "Well, he had to buy his own furniture you know". Fishing a nymph was for the bourgeois and arrivistes in the eyes of some.

As for the kit, well a creel was de rigeur. You will rarely see a painting or photo from those early days that doesn't feature a wicker basket with a fish tail or two poking from beneath the lid. I'm not sure the concept of catch and release even existed. That said I suspect there were many more losses than we have today - snapped hooks, a rarity with modern manufacture, were commonplace. Leaders had progressed from braided horsehair to catgut, which despite its name had nothing to do with cats. It is derived from silkworm gut through a process invented by the Chinese way back in the mists of time. However, it snapped easily and was of variable quality, relying on being kept moist in a tin when not in use. The invention of nylon by Dr. Carruthers at DuPont was another decade away. Rods would have certainly been split cane; we'd have to wait until Prince Charles was in shorts before fibre glass took a bow. Clothing was tweed, tweed and yet more tweed. A tie was compulsory as far as I can tell, even to the extent of wing collars. Footwear was largely leather boots, though believe it or not the manufacture of waders went way back the previous century, with the foundation of the Hodgman Rubber Company in 1838.

You might assume that I'd arrive at the river to see a river thick with hatches, fish rising at every turn. Somehow I am not so sure. I know plenty believe this was so, recalling a golden age on the chalkstreams that nobody today was alive to witness. There is plenty of evidence that Edwardian fly fishermen complained of all those things we complain of today - lack of fly life, lack of rising fish. Going back to Halford as an earlier example, he abandoned the River Kennet in the 1880's in favour of the River Test citing as his reason, yes you've guessed it, lack of rising fish. I suspect it was, and will be, forever thus for us fickle fly fishers.

	The Queen and Prince Philip. 1972. Not sure fishing is Her Majesty's thing .....

But how about the river - what would that look like? Actually not so very different. A great many of the structures that we use today date back a hundred years or more - bridges, sluices, hatches and so on - indicate that the river levels, with the seasonal highs and lows, are much the same. 

As for the water itself that is a whole different story, but maybe not with a conclusion you'd expect. There is no doubt that today those of us that care for the chalkstreams are fighting unseen pollutants. The rivers look bright and clean, but in the water are all kinds of nasty by-products of modern life. It would be unfair to single out one group out because we all contribute: watercress and trout farms, agricultural pesticides and chemicals, run off from the roads, sewage effluent from antediluvian plants and domestic septic tanks. I could go on but you get the picture. But actually it wasn't so different in the 1920's because what struck me when doing research for Life of a Chalkstream was the vast amount of industry that ran on the backs of the chalkstreams from leather tanning plants to carpet makers and bank note production, not to mention the working mills every mile or so who were all in constant conflict with the fishermen.

And as for the fish, well I'm pretty sure that however long the second Elizabethan age ends up being it will not have much effect on their millions years of evolution. On that April morning of 1926 for all the differences in my kit and my attire, the battle would have been joined then as today, a triumvirate of fish, fly and man. As the dictionarydefinition of this Latin political regime astutely says of the word, 'The arrangement can be formal or informal, and though the three are usually equal on paper, in reality this is rarely the case.' 

Amen to that.

WHERE THE SUPER-RICH FISH

Here's a survey from New World Wealth, a South African firm that mines data on the global wealth sector. They report, rather coyly I thought, that "Fly-fishing is an increasingly popular pastime for millionaires globally." 

Good to know for those of us in the business. I guess it is the ultimate expression of trickle-down economics.

 

Rank	River	Area
1	Snake River	Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA
2	Brooks River	Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA
3	Bow River	Banff National Park, Canada
4	River Spey	Tulchan Estate, Scotland
5	Beiar River	Beiarn, Norway
6	Madison River	Montana, USA
7	Ahuriri River	Central Otago, New Zealand
8	Yellowstone River	Montana, USA
9	Newhalen River	Alaska, USA
10	West Ranga River	Iceland

 

Interesting to see that three, the Snake, Madison and Yellowstone are all clustered around the mid-west more famous as cowboy country and skiing at Jackson Hole. But having pressed my nose against the glass of many an estate agent window in Jackson City where ranches of $25 million plus are commonplace I'm not entirely surprised. 

You may read the survey in full that covers airlines, hotel and trains on the New World Wealth website.

Madison River. Photo by Ken Takata.

QUIZ

This week three questions with a royal theme. It's just for fun and answers are at the bottom of the page. 

1) Where was Queen Elizabeth II born?

2) Which Scottish salmon river does Balmoral Castle overlook?

3) Which fishing tackle shop has a Royal warrant from HRH The Prince of Wales?

Have a good weekend.

 

Best wishes,

    

Simon Cooper simon@fishingbreaks.co.uk

Founder & Managing Director  

Quiz answers: 1) 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, London 2) River Dee 3) Farlows of Pall Mall

You're a long time dead

Someone asked me an interesting question last week: what would you do if given precisely 5 years to live, assuming your death was to be neither traumatic or fearful (a big ask I know). My immediate answer was to do more fishing. Then I considered the question again - family, travel, money - well, they all crowded in but in the end I circled back to fishing. As former Liverpool football manager Bill Shankley replied when asked whether football was life and death, "No, it's more important than that."

Well, I'm not intending to die just yet (make that my epitaph) but I'm beginning to think Bill may have had a point. Let's face it you'll never be able to re-live the year again. Once the days are gone, they are gone. The cadence of the summer months can't be jammed into single day or week. So, having decided on the principle of more fishing I think I better set a few parameters.

Ilsington - River Frome

To start off with I going to be a bit more relaxed, less proprietorial if you like. I have a feeling that the river keepers live in fear of my announcement that I am coming fishing - texts and calls will follow. If I'm particularly exercised photos with pithy captions. But then again that is my job, so I might have to work on that one.  

I'm definitely going to be less of a fishing tart. I've sort of become like one of those gnarled ski guides (habits not looks) who only venture out on to the slopes when the conditions are perfect plus. Yes, I say to myself, I'll go fishing tomorrow. But come the morning I'll look out the window, decide that it is a less than optimum day and conclude that the following day will be better. Maybe this should be called mañana fishing because the truth is you end up hardly ever going. However, in the credit column it does make you have a great strike rate when you actually get out.

I did consider making 2016 an all dry fly year but have ditched this idea. In a purist, set the bar high sense it might be interesting but I genuinely enjoy sight nymph fishing. Plenty will argue that this is the most skilful chalkstream art. I'm not going to get into that, but if I'm fishing more that should mean more fun and nymphs are fun. 

However, I am going to broaden the selection of flies in my box. In recent years I have gotten into the habit of carrying fewer and fewer patterns, relying on a few 'go to' ones. I can't remember the last time I looked at the array, saw a fly I didn't recognise and thought what the hell, let us give it a whirl. A bit of randomness can't do any harm.

And where to go? In truth is the older I get, the less prescriptive I am. Of course I have my favourites but that is increasingly about the people - the river keeper who stops his mowing to shoot the breeze. Neighbours who gossip about local goings on. A good pub for lunch. But aside from that the combination of a river and fishing just about anywhere is enough for me. As my old Dad used to say, you're a long time dead. 

It is time to go fishing.

The Parsonage - River Test

 

 COUNTRYSIDE EXPERIENCE SHOW 

The demise of the Game Fair has left something of a hole in the event calendar but you'll be pleased to hear that the guys at Meon Springs in Hampshire have really created something good for fly fishermen as part the Countryside Experience Show that takes place this weekend (April 9/10th).

I really do like the The Kids' Pond. As organiser Jamie Butler says on the web site: "Even if you're too small to wave a fly rod - but are big enough to want the excitement of catching a trout - then the Kids' Pond is for you.  It's aimed at children between three and eight-years-old and it gives them the chance to catch their first fish, Under the supervision of a qualified instructor they'll be able to have a go with a rod, reel and some bait to see if they can catch a trout to take home. Great fun!"

This is all part of the Fishing Village which includes:

• Casting Masterclass with Charles Jardine
• Try before you buy with Snowbee Tackle
• 20 minute Casting Tutorials with GAIA instructors
• Fly tying tent with Wessex Fly Tyers

The show runs from 10am-4.30pm each day. There are sections for shooting, gundogs, 4x4 driving and farming. Tickets and information www.countryexperienceshow.com

QUIZ

This week three questions with a slight natural history/evolutionary bent. It's just for fun and answers are at the bottom of the page. 

1) Which birthday does David Attenborough celebrate this year?

2) In which year was Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species published?

3) Which is the oldest living plant species?

HATCH & FLY OF THE MONTH

 

Have a good weekend.

 

Best wishes,

    

Simon Cooper simon@fishingbreaks.co.uk

Founder & Managing Director  

Quiz answers: 1) 90th 2) 1859 3) Gingko tree (pictured)

Anglers the salvation for rare duck?

Nether Wallop Mill, Stockbridge, England

  

The headlines in The Scotsman and the BBC splashed much the same message: Survival of rare duck in Scotland 'depends on trout fishing'. I must admit it rather caught my eye, with the article which went on to say:

"Conservationists believe they have identified the cause of a decline in numbers of a rare duck. In the UK, common scoters breed at only a few locations in the Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland and lochs in the hills and glens near Inverness.

A key cause is now thought to be rising numbers of trout which eat the ducks' main food source, freshwater insects.

RSPB Scotland and others have raised concerns the bird could become extinct locally because of poor breeding. The charity suspects declining angling on the lochs has helped boost brown trout populations.

Dr Mark Hancock, from the RSPB's Centre for Conservation Science said: "Of all the lochs we investigated during this work, scoters bred most often at those with the shallowest water and the most large, freshwater invertebrates. It soon became clear that there were more insects where there were fewer brown trout, so it looks like scoters are being limited by a lack of food in places where the fish are eating it all. We're now using these results to design new ways of helping scoters. For example, in areas of the north Highlands where angling activity has dropped off and fish numbers have increased, more trout angling is potentially one way to boost freshwater insect life."

Dr Andy Douse of SNH and co-author of the study, said: "Scotland is the only part of the UK to have breeding scoters, many of which nest in legally-protected nature conservation sites.  This study highlights promising management options for restoring populations of this declining species."

	A Scoter duck

The first time I read the article I thought interesting, but after a few re-reads something about it slightly needled me. Firstly, it was the assumption that trout fishing was seen as a form of fish population control, the implicit belief that we killed the fish we catch.  I don't know about you but most anglers I know prefer catch and release and on the occasions I have fished Scottish lochs, mostly populated with beautiful wild browns, I wouldn't have done anything else. 

 

Then there was the statement 'It soon became clear that there were more insects where there were fewer brown trout ....'. Well, I'm sure you know that there have been decades of research into the state of fly life on the chalkstreams and in all that time I have never once seen any fly life decline attributed to the fish population. Invasive species, pollution, climate, water flows to name but four that might be cited, but trout? If anyone ever suggested that the fish be removed from a stretch of river to boost the fly life we'd call the men in white coats.

Then there was that final bit of Orwellian group speak, "This study highlights promising management options for restoring populations of this declining species." I think from all the above we can see where this particular policy might be heading. Encouraging us to fish is great news, but I suspect they may have other measures in mind and that would be wrong because, despite an eye catching headline, the conclusion is based on flawed logic. 

Caithness

 

FISHING FOR NATIONAL HONOUR IN 2016

What do Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, The Netherlands and the United States all have in common? Before you expend too much brain energy on what I suspect is an impossible ask I'll put you out of your misery - they are the first seven (of 30 anticipated) countries that have confirmed for the 2016 World Fly Fishing Championship.

	Colorado River

Spread over seven days starting on September 11 this year's contest is being held in Vail, Colorado this only being the second time it has been hosted by the USA, the last being way back in 1997. 

If you are looking for a guide to a possible winner, the host nation is always a good bet; over the past 35 years they have been the victors on ten occasions. The Czech Republic is the form team with victory in four of the past six contests. Spain are the current holders having won in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2015.

Like in football and rugby the United Kingdom enters on a home nation basis. England have lifted the trophy five times, the last back in 2009 when it was held in Scotland, when the Scots took third place as well. Wales have had two second place finishes, 1995 and 2000. The latter I recall very well as it was held in southern England right in prime Mayfly.  Hardly challenging for the 400 odd best fly fishermen in the world? I think it took the remainder of the season for the River Test trout to recover from the trauma.

If anyone out there has news of the home nations teams do get in touch; we'd like to follow your progress. I have to confess I have never fished Colorado, but from everything I have learnt in Idaho and Wyoming it will, as the locals say, be 'totally awesome' but never easy.

More details on the 36^th FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Championship web site. 

QUIZ

This week three topical botanical puzzlers; you will see all three currently flowering in your garden. It's just for fun and answers are at the bottom of the page. 

1) What is the common name for Galanthus?

2) What is the common name for Narcissus?

3) What is the common name for Sativus?

NEW FOR 2016 - Wild rainbows

Recently I took a trip to Derbyshire to visit Warren Slaney the keeper on the Haddon Hall Estate. If I recall the number rightly Warren told me he and his fellow keeper Jan Hobot have 27 miles of river under their care including fishing on the Wye that has one of Britain's very few wild rainbow trout populations.

Nobody has a definitive explanation as to why these rainbows have thrived here but nowhere else. It could have just been something as one-off as mutant gene in the original stocked fish. Alternatively it could be that the particular water source from the limestone hills mimics the geology of the American homelands. Whatever freak of nature created this USP it is a pretty compelling unique selling point and I'm glad I made that 3 hour drive north.

The Lathkill. Photo courtesy of Guido Vinck

As many of you will know The Peacock Hotel in the local village Rowsley is part of the Haddon Hall Estate, which sells day tickets on both the River Lathkill and Wye. However, what you may not know is that there is now access through Fishing Breaks to the Dukes Beat on the Wye and the Hall Beat on the Lathkill. This is the private family fishing and only a very few days each season will be made available.

To enjoy them both I recommend back-to-back days. By the way, you can leave your nymph box at home. A strict dry fly only rule was introduced on June 6^th 1865.

Details on prices/booking here and there is more on the story of Haddon Hall here.

Have a good weekend.

 

Best wishes,

    

Simon Cooper simon@fishingbreaks.co.uk

Founder & Managing Director  

Quiz answers: 1) Snowdrop 2) Daffodil 3) Crocus