River Ure, Hawes

I managed to find a few days to get up to The Yorkshire Dales with Phil and fish on the River Ure. A real unspoilt place tghat was made even better this year because of the numbers of wild flowers around. We may be moaning about the weather but it has done wonders for the spring flowers. The farmers here are leaving the fields and growing hay but the buttercups make it a very bright place. The water levels were a little low and there was not much flow but the warmer weather did create a small hatch and there were a few fish rising to duns and buzzers. Just my type of fishing at the moment as i walked up the river looking for rising fish but being distracted by wildlife sandpipers, flycatchers, oystercatchers and some cute fledgelings. My first fish i saw across the far bank under a tree rise a few times and i slowley got into position creeping up behind the bank and then kneeling a the side of a tree. It rose another couple of times while i was there and a black klink cast just upstream and the surface came alive as it hammered the fly, yes! As the evening went on it got a little quiet and after 9 o'clock i was at the bridge and ready to head for a pint. Phil came along about ready to go too when a fish rose and i cast and suprisingly he took, a lovely brown. We decided to stay and miss the fish and chips but i had another couple and it was more than compensation. The next day wasn't great as it was quite windy and cool and there were not many fish rising at all so we decided to try out the beck in the afternoon. At the top was this waterfall - what a brilliant place to fish, i can't beleive Phil didn't get one.

Kinder surprise

After trying a number of times last year, Matt managed to catch his first trout at Ravensthorpe. It was not a great evening as the fish had been on in the morning and the fishing was tailing off. However there were still a few fish rising taking buzzer off the surface. I had been looking forward to an evenings dry fly so that's what i would do. I had a few takes as we drifted on to the lodge so that was encouraging but over by the island the fish had definitely gone off. The wind didn't seem to be dropping so we headed off for Cotton end to see if we could get some quieter water. I was fishing a team of three dry's to see if i could get the colour and surprisingly a fish came up and took my carrot fly. Not only surprising it was a fish but also that it took red where i was expecting green. Matt put on a soldier palmer and after a cracking take got snapped up. Stronger nylon and a green tag sedge was set up and not too long to wait - another one was on. Nice and easy he took his time, a nice rainbow of 1-10 and well hooked, just what you want for your first fish. The wind didn't drop much and there were plenty of fly on the water but the fish were waiting till the next morning I guess. With the sun going day it drew a great trip to an end.