Here is a list of Fly Fishing Rivers In The Peak District.
River Dove
Banktop Farm, Hartington. Tel No 01298 84205 Pass the village pond on the left, through a couple of gates, and the farm is on the left. B&B, cream teas and tickets for small stream section of the Upper Dove. Not renowned for vast quantities of fish, but of high average size. Here be Grayling and Brown Trout.
Charles Cotton Hotel. Tel No 01298 84229 Is in the middle of Hartington itself and cannot be missed. The water is from above the bridge to the back of the cheese factory. It is not thought that this small stretch of water contains much in the way of fly or indeed fish life (info dated January 04).
Isaac Walton Hotel, Dovedale. Tel No 01335 350555 Some lovely and famous water, only open to permits for hotel residents. A four pound Grayling was found (deceased) not long ago.
Stillwater fishing in this area includes:-
The Yeavely Estate, Ashbourne. Tel No 01335 330247 (Booking required).
Pristine small lake and good fish. Open most of the year.
Carsington Water. Tel No 01629 540478
Good big boat water for some big brownies. Late March to early October.
Tittesworth. Tel No 01538 300389
Scenic water near to Leek off the main Ashbourne to Buxton Road. Good traditional type water, Day permits, Opening times not to hand.
River Derwent
Derwent Hotel, Whatstandwell. Tel No 01773 856616
On the corner of the bridge. This water is not of the first class; it is, however, available and inexpensive. A good piece was written about this length in a 2003 copy of “Trout Fisherman” (December?) You may use trotting gear if you want to -if you must. A wading staff is useful.
As is common with Grayling, they can often be found close to the bank in small eddies and facing the “wrong” way.
The Derwent (at Willersley Castle below Matlock Bath)
Is controlled by The Derby County Angling Club above the bridge, Cromford Fly Fishers below it. This water is first class for Trout and for Grayling and the county club in particular has extensive waters available elsewhere in addition.
Through Matlock Bath. Day tickets for coarse fishing available. Price (newsagent) Tel No 01629 582560 is near the Fishpond Hotel opposite the Visitors’ Centre. The river is not suited to the fly rod, in any case, except some fast stuff backing onto the large car park on the bed upstream of the canoe launch point. The hotel, by the footbridge to Via Gelia Gardens, used to sell day tickets for a stretch of the river years ago, and may well do so now. The Matlock Angling Club itself has some half decent fly rod water further upstream of Matlock and a short, but tasty bit above Darley Dale by the cricket pavilion.
Square and Compass, Darley Dale. This short stretch is just below the top beat of the Matlock’s A/C waters (see above) and is better than it may appear. Cheap water again, caravan site and all that implies.
Derwent at Darley Dale
Below the bridge “The bridge pool” is probably free fishing or could be added to the Hotel bit which is single bank only. Looking downstream, back towards Matlock, the LH Bank is mostly Derby Railway water, which is at the time of writing about £40 per year, much as the Matlock A/C, which is more or less the opposite bank and has some odd worthwhile corners here and there. Not the best water in the world, but for forty quid or so … This club also has water near Ashbourne.
The Darley Dale fishing club and or the Derwent Fly fishers and or the Sheffield Waltonians control most of the prime water above Darley Dale to the junction of the Wye and the Derwent at Rowsley. Above Rowlsey, most of the Derwent is part of the Chatsworth Estate all the way up to Baslow. Above Baslow much of the Derwent is controlled by Waltonians, Derwent Fly Fishers, etc., and the odd private stretch. These clubs do not have day permits except to guests of members and not always then! There is a nice stretch available to members of the Police Federation near Calver.
Cavendish Hotel, Baslow. Tel No 01246 582311
Residents may obtain a permit for the Chatsworth fishing on the Derwent and (in season) on the Wye. Look upon it as an investment; flex the plastic and gain access to what must be some of the nicest fishing around. We are not sure how available a winter permit for the Chatsworth house stretch may be at the time of writing, but the Cavendish has the potential to be fishing source to treasure in the summer months, i.e. not only the Derwent, but also the members’ stretch of the Wye above Ashford in the Water. There are no Grayling above the weir near the bobbin mill beat, but there are plenty below it.
River Wye
Just under a mile or so of the Upper Wye at the top end of the Cressbrook & Litton water is available on a day ticket, price £48 (2014). Online booking is essential via cressbrookandlittonflyfishers.co.uk. The fishing is from Upperdale Bridge in beautiful Monsal Dale for a couple of fields – a delightful stretch of river with lots of interesting corners. Below is members only but these beats are available to guests of the Cavendish Hotel in Baslow (01246 582311).
Peacock Hotel, Rowlsey. Tel No 01629 733518
Day tickets are available to non residents (booking essential) and have been a source of angling pleasure for generations. This is dry fly water, no wading. There are no longer any Grayling permits for visitors, unfortunately, but the day tickets in the season for Brown and Rainbow Trout are an experience you probably owe to yourself. There are wild Rainbow Trout in this stretch and they are a precious resource. If you contact a (probably) small fish which has lots of spots and fights out of all proportion to its size, please assume it is a wild fish and return whenever possible.
Grayling Availability
Fishing in the Peak District is somewhat limited after the ending of The Peacock Hotel winter fishing day tickets.
Angling Clubs with Grayling Fishing
River Manifold
Swainsley Fishing club
Swainsley Fishing Club have 2.5 miles of the Manifold from Wetton Mill to back of Ecton.
River Dove
Leek and Moorlands Club
Mr. H. Emery, 20 Osbourne St., Leek, Staffs. ST1 3 6LJ.
Manifold plus.
Sheffield Trout Anglers Mr. Jack Bailey, 9 Church Street, Sheffield, S6 6DB.
Dove above Hartington. Small stream stuff demanding but peaceful.
Leek and District Trout Fishers Ask at Isaac Walton for contact info.
Picture postcard. Historic.
Ashbourne Fly Fishers
Mr. C Wooliscroft, 10 Hillside Avenue, Ashbourne, DE6 1EG
Dove and some decent brook fishing plus.
Back to Top
River Derwent
Cromford Fly Fishers
T/F. Miles of Prime Derwent.
Derbyshire County Angling Club
Gen. Sec. David T. Holmes, 12, Bakers Hill, Heage, Belper, DE 56 2BL – www.derbyshirecountyac.org.uk Extensive trout and some Salmon too much to list.
Matlock Angling Club
Mr. R. Walsh. 5 Derby Road, Holmesford, Matlock. Tel no. 01629 821831. E Mail address. matang@tiscali.co.uk Derwent through and above Matlock, some fly water some coarse ponds.
Derby Railway
P.O. Box 115 Derby DE1 1AF – www.drac.org.uk
Derwent, Sutton brook, plus.
Derwent Anglers
Tel No 01433 650566 (Keeper)
Prime Derwent water
Darley Dale Anglers
Sheffield Waltonians
As above, membership waiting lists for the above clubs are probably closed
Chatsworth Estates Office
Tel No 01246 565300
Wye and Derwent sometimes have a vacancy or two on some of the best waters in Derbyshire. Chatsworth Park is a major tourist attraction, but plenty of water above and below the park.
Peak Forest Angling Club (River Noe)
Membership enquiries to Secretary: Brian Witten at pfac1861@gmail.com Tel 0778 818 6374
Membership only on one of Derbyshire’s secret streams. Stuffed with trout and Grayling but very limited access for less able bodied.
T 07796644825 E pfac1861@
All year round Flies Midge Larvae (Bloodworm)
Best on still water. Curved red body. Represents a midge larva away from its hole in the mud on the lakebed. A good choice when the water begins to warm a little and Buzzers begin to become active. Use a floating line and as long a leader as is comfortable; about 3lb is about right for smaller fish in standard mono. Sometimes 5lb or 6lb double strength is needed if substantial fish are around. Cast the fly (to allow the weight to straighten the leader) to visible fish, allow the fly to sink below the level of the fish then use a smooth lift when the fish is nearby. Takes can be vicious, keep an angle twixt rod and line if possible. When weed begins to rise from the lakebed to the surface as the water warms in spring, it often takes all manner of creatures with it. This pattern can be especially effective at these times. Grease the leader to slow down the rate of sink and cast the fly as close to the weed as practicable. Watch the leader as it sinks. Takes can be very positive or just a gentle ‘twitch’ as the fly drops through the upper layers. (See also Midge Pupae)
Midge Pupae (Buzzer
Best on still water. Curved segmented body; reflective ‘spine’, red tipped body. Represents the midge pupae prior to hatching as a winged insect. Fish feed heavily on these pupae sometimes at considerable depths. But a floating line is probably best with a tapered leader as in standard dry fly fishing for accuracy, or a longer leader with a dropper. Try a leader of about l4ft and a dropper 5ft to 6ft away from the point. It can be useful to fish this pattern with a dry fly on the point to suspend the fly a few inches below the surface, just cast out and allow to drift or use a buoyant dry fly on the dropper (a Double Badger perhaps?) as a kind of float. This is a good “scratching about” system when not sure what else to do. Good with just the odd fish showing. Classic Buzzer set up during the spring and autumn main hatches would be a heavy pattern on the point (try the Bloodworms) and one or, occasionally, two droppers with this pattern. Retrieves can be long pulls and pauses (sink and draw) or a figure of eight retrieve. Takes to these pupae can be vicious, so while retrieving keep an angle between rod and line.
Emerging Buzzer
Best on still water, occasional river use. Curved body; bulky thorax. Represents an emerging pupae, stuck in the surface film, becalmed by a lull in the breeze. Use a floating fly line, and a tapered leader, which must be treated to sink. Land the fly as gently as possible, so that it will fish half in and half out of the water. Fish feeding on pupae often rise with a gentle head back and tail rise form. Cast to the area of most activity or try to anticipate the route of the fish. Probably best with no retrieve at all, just keeping in touch. Takes can be subtle so keep an eye on the fly all the time. Do not use any floatant on the fly or any drying agent. Allow to dry naturally after it becomes sodden (or squelched when taken by a fish). If and when the fly does eventually sink, try a slow figure of eight retrieve to fish just below the surface. Takes can be very confident. But in high summer watch any floating portion of the leader or the tip of the fly line for any little draws.
Double Badger
Good on river and lake. Dry fly with two hackles; peacock body. Represents nothing in particular, but can be fished with confidence in many circumstances on river and lake. Try it in ripply water on lakes during a Buzzer hatch in spring and autumn. Use a floating fly line and a leader constructed for accuracy, i.e. tapered and as long as the rod will allow or fish the fly on the dropper of a longish leader (14ft plus) and (perhaps) a nudge pupae beneath it on lakes. (See also Midge Pupae). When using this dry fly it is important to degrease the leader to sink. In my opinion, floating nylon next to any dry fly on river or lake is a major cause of fish refusing our offerings. Do not retrieve as such, allow to fish static with perhaps the odd twitch when a fish is near. On rivers, fish as an ordinary dry fly casting well above a rising fish to drift down drag free.
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Specialist river fly, but works for lake fishing. Brown streamlined body with a humped thorax. To represent the agile darter type of nymph in its journey between weed beds or it’s rising to the surface prior to hatching, i.e. ‘the olives’ on river or lake. Pitch the nymph into the rise form of a fish on lakes, or to a visibly feeding subsurface fish on river or lake. Allow to drop/drift towards the fish and give a simple lift so the nymph makes a tiny upward movement and the fish an instinctive grab. If fishing to unseen fish, partially grease the leader to act as an indicator. Read: ‘Nymphs and the Trout’ (Frank Sawyer)
Floating Nymph
River or lake. Slender body and gray wing bud. NB: Only use floatant on the wing bud. To represent an olive nymph drifting in the surface film. The body is the colour of the dry fly and this fly is fished as a dry fly when olives are hatching on river or lake. Use a floating fly line with a proper tapered leader (for preference about 2’C21b). On still waters, a highly effective method can be to cast over marginal weed beds so the fly line is disguised – just the leader on the water. Treat the leader to sink next to the fly. On rivers, just present well above a rising fish and allow to drift drag free. On lakes, any sort of retrieve other than the odd twitch seems to be counter productive. Try this pattern when fish are rising among an olive hatch, but winged flies appear to be largely unmolested.
Olive Thorax Dun
Best on rivers. Dry fly with distinctive wing outline; forked tail for stability. The term ‘Thorax’ merely indicates the relative position of the wing. This pattern of fly represents a newly hatched young adult fly with extended wings. At the height of a hatch, fish will often pick on the Duns, refusing the floating nymph or sunken nymphs they were taking avidly before. At such times any number of modern or traditional patterns can and do work, but this one looks so realistic on the water I find it gives beginners great confidence. Fish on a dry fly leader (about 2lb) and cast a fly well above a rising fish and continue to leave the fly to drift as naturally as possible. Try wriggling the rod as the line falls towards the water, shoot a little line at the same time. Treat the point of the leader to sink. Thorax Spinner Best on rivers and occasional still water use. Dry fly; outstretched wings; no hackle. To represent the ‘spent’, dead or dying spinners of many species which are laying or have laid their eggs. These insects can be difficult to observe as, with wings outstretched, they drift in the surface film. This pattern is best on a floating line and dry fly tackle: tapered leader with a fine tip treated to sink (6x or 2lbs is about right). Try to avoid using floatant on this fly; quick false casting helps to keep it afloat. Cast gently and try to observe the fall of the fly. TRY TO CREATE A DRAG FREE DRIFT. Best used on smooth flows for picky fish. Also works well on lakes. Cast gently among feeding fish, and allow to drift as naturally as possible. Can be especially effective on early mornings when fish are mopping up the previous night’s spinner fall in quiet corners very close to the bank.
Stick Fly
Best on still water, good after a spate on rivers. Long body; grub like head; sparse hackle. Represents a Caddis Larva in its case. A sound choice to fish when nothing much is apparent. Use a floating line and a leader as long as is needed to reach the bottom of the lake (a straight length of mono line is OK) try about 14ft to begin with and at least 4lbs. Cast out with a pitching action, aiming high. The weight of the fly should help to straighten the leader. Allow to sink and then retrieve very slowly with frequent pauses, just fast enough to keep in touch. Try to find a “˜clean’ lakebed between 6 to 10 feet deep, sand or fine gravel is ideal. In extreme conditions, an intermediate sink rate line and a shorter leader gives better control. On rivers cast across and slightly upstream and hold as much (floating) fly line off the water as practicable with frequent mending of the line. This is to allow the pattern to trundle along the bottom. After the line and leader have straightened out downstream a long pause then a slow retrieve can be effective. Takes on rivers frequently come on the “˜turn’ and on lakes, often when the fly begins to move after a pause. Best on rivers when the water is clearing after a spate.
CDC Sedge
Specialist River or lake. Small dark fly; “˜roof shaped’ wing. Do not use floatant on this fly, allow to dry naturally. Represents a small ‘Micro Sedge’ great numbers of which are present on our rivers in summer. The flies seem to swarm intermittently through the day, with much activity occurring just above the surface. Individual insects drop on to the surface, drift rapidly downstream for a yard or two (often less) then have no difficulty in taking off again. This pattern can be fished as a conventional dry fly to considerable effect, but when fish are “˜on’ the behavior described above. I use this fly downstream. Get above the fish, cast short of the fish but with the fly and leader in the same crease of current. Feed the fly downstream in a series of fast long hops and pauses, by lowering the rod and feeding line, then Lifting the rod tip to bring it up short above the fish. Use a floating line and a fine leader. Allow the fish to turn down with the fly before tightening up.
Glymo
Best on Rivers. Yellow body; red head; parachute hackle; ‘loop’ wing. This fly represents the smaller breeds of Pale Wateries, which can emerge from June onwards. Deadly on the Derwent and especially good late season on the Wye and for Grayling anywhere when there is a little sunshine in the day. Use a floating line and a tapered leader as fine as 7x (1C21b). The leader point must sink. Do not use floatant on this fly. Just a little grease on the wing and hackle. The body hangs just awash on this pattern, the water causes the red silk to show through the yellow causing a translucent shade, which is largely lost with use of oils and gels. Fish as a normal dry fly, casting above the fish to allow a drag free float. This is a good choice of fly when reflections make natural and artificial flies difficult to see.
Griffiths Gnat Sparkle Variation
An excellent fly for most times of the year. When the main, larger broods of buzzers have given way to the smaller stuff on lakes, or when just wanting to put a small, buoyant, visible, fly on the water when between hatches of more obvious insects, try this fly. At it’s best when fish seem to be on nothing in particular in summer. Use a floating leader, dry fly style on rivers but an occasional twitch does not hurt on lakes. Degrease the leader point so it sinks; use about 2lb point to match the size of hook. The use of a double strength leader helps, well degreased, of course.
Terrestrial (Phil White)
At its best on river or lake in hot and windy conditions or just on breezy days, from late May onwards. Use a floating line and a fine leader point and present the fly to give a drag free drift. This fly is a fair representation of the land bred black gnat. Try it where the breeze strikes the water on lakes, or under overhanging foliage on rivers.
Psychic Green (Nick Cook)
Only any good when adult damsels are mating, on the hottest days. The female crawls around on the lake bottom, egg laying. This pattern works mid water, but for best effect find a deep hole between weed beds and allow to sink before retrieving with a smooth “˜figure of eight to skim the lake bed. In mid water a series of small, jerky pulls and plucks can sometimes work better. I often use an intermediate line with this pattern, with a shock-absorbing leader to at least 5lb breaking strain point. Takes can be vicious.
Small Sedge Pupae
Under some conditions of water, wind and light, it can be very difficult to see what fish are rising to. We can sometimes use the type of rise to guess what is on the menu though. The rise forms to look for are as follows: On rivers, a darting across current to seize an invisible (to us) something or other. Instant return of fish to its previous position. Swirling and slashing rises, sometimes with a leaping clear of the water with no visible winged insect being taken. On lakes, vicious swirls and leaping fish and the occasional rise with a spurt of water as if from a depth, which it probably is. Use a floating line, dry fly/nymph style leader. This small pattern attracts most offers when allowed to sink and then twitched with accelerating draws to the surface. The size of nylon line used can be problematical. This fly is just about life sized, and a point of about 2.5 lb is just about a suitable match for the size of hook on flyers. However, still water trout can be substantial and I currently use a shock-absorbing leader in double strength 5lb point size for this fly.
Ant
At it’s very best in high summer and autumn, when cast in the shade of overlying foliage. This is a very low floating fly, which also works when sunk. Use a dry fly style leader: 2.5 lbs point size is about right. This pattern is one of the few flies I am happy to use a strike indicator with. Form a ‘figure of eight’; or a blood bight loop in the main (stronger); part of the tapered leader. Place a bit of sheep’s wool in the knot, or some colored buoyant, synthetic yarn, and fish the fly dead drift. When the yarn stops or twitches or does something unusual set the hook!