A Sloe Day

I had two goals today, one was to visit my happy picking ground and gather this year's harvest of Sloe Berries that I use in my Sloe whisky making and the other was to spend a couple of hours on the river, which Im happy to say I achieved both.

Driving up the Dale this morning I decided to stop off on route and grab a picture of a beautiful big building I pass regularly but never stop and take a photograph. The Bowes Museum.







Reaching the river this morning there was a bitter cold wind blowing down the Dale and I knew it was going to be difficult with bite detection if I was using nymphs, as I approached the river I bumped into another 2 anglers who had been on the river for over an hour fishing upstream spiders & nymphs and they haven't touched a fish between them, that didn't sound good at all.  After a 10 minute chat we parted company and I headed downstream in search of a secluded break away from the bitter wind.

I was fishing for about 30 minutes and the indicator stopped and I thankfully lifted into my first fish, a big relief that I had managed one after the conversation with the other 2 anglers earlier.

A nice Grayling just over 42cm in length.

I was chuffed that despite the conditions and the other anglers comments I had managed to winkle out a lovely grayling & on one of the nymphs I had tied recently, a small #18 2mm pheasant tail nymph.

I decided to give this stretch another run through as the wind was being dampened somewhat by the trees and it wasnt as strong , making indication easier.

I was almost finished on my 2nd trip down the runs with nothing to show when another fish took the nymph at the very bottom of the stretch.

Another very welcome Grayling.

Making my way upstream in search of more secluded water I stumbled across the predator's banquet table which I had seen on my last trip,   Nice to see its  still making a meal out of them, with several piles of these dotted around the riverbank.

I was had just slipped into my next run when I managed to hook a couple of small Brown Trout, unbeknown to me the 2 anglers were watching me from afar and the next thing I knew was a voice over my shoulder asking what I had caught them on.

I stepped out the water and walked to where they had settled behind a tree out of the wind for a break and we started to talk again, still they had no fish between them so I was glad that I was able to pass them my camera for a view of the 2 Grayling that I had caught downstream. After a few moments of sifting through their boxes they both produced some pheasant tail nymphs and started to attached them.

They were both heading off in the direction of where I had just landed the two small Brown trout so I left them to it and walked upstream a little before dropping back into the river.

I had been fishing for around 20 minutes or so when I felt my next fish and lifted into it, only for it to slip the hook and disappear back into the depths. Thankfully it wasnt too long until I felt my next fish and this time it slipped into the net soon afterwards.

I had to admit it had been a tough few hours and I was just so pleased that I had managed to capture a couple. I decided to fish one set of runs before making my way back to the car so I could then take my time picking the Sloes before heading home. 

Some fungi I came across as I walked, I have to admit I love stumbling across these plants and getting down close with them.

I was fishing again and the third cast through another Grayling graced the net.

With no further fish taking an interest as I reached the bottom of the runs I decided to call it a day and head to my happy picking grounds. I was hoping to see the 2 anglers again as I made my way back to the car but there was no sign of them, Curious to see if they had caught anything or not.

A quick 10 minutes drive and I was parked up and heading to the Blackthorn bushes hoping that they were still laden in fruit and sure enough they were.

It's been a good year this year for the fruit & the berries are large and ripe, albeit a few weeks earlier than normal.

I spent around an hour picking at leisure before heading back home to de-wood and clean them, a chore I always hate as it feels as if your picking each one twice, but it wasnt too bad with most berries thankfully coming without their small stalks.

12lbs of Sloes collected and ready to bag for freezing, all worth while in the end, and I always reap the benefits from them when the whisky is ready in 6 months time.

May it be a good a dram as the 2017 vintage.